Skin care

How My Mom Suckered Me Into Seeing a Fancy Beverly Hills Dermatologist

It was all she wanted for Christmas. I had to go.

by Emily Popp

2 of 8

20 is the New 50 I lean back in the patient's chair, and just as I notice a metal tray with too many shiny tools to count, there's a knock on the door and Dr. Shamban enters. Dr. Shamban -- not surprisingly -- has perfect skin. Entirely blemish-free, bright, and glowing. I think I must look like a haggard, weathered witch in comparison.

But Dr. Shamban's warm smile puts me at ease immediately. I explain to her that my mom was actually the one who, in a way, made me come here. She nods and agrees that my mom was right to encourage the importance of seeing a dermatologist, especially at 27.

"Your 20s are important because this is a time when you are really scouting out quality," she says. "You want a quality guy, you want quality friends, and you want quality habits when it comes to skin care." For a minute here I almost think my mom is somehow in cahoots with Dr. Shamban and is feeding her lines through some kind of hidden device. The doctor seems to echo my mom's advice almost verbatim, and I'm equal parts annoyed and intrigued.

"Fifty is the new 20," she says, and I nod, having heard this before. "But 20 is the new 50." Cue the record scratch. Um...what? "Twenty is the new 50 in that a lot of people are taking better care of themselves earlier, and they're taking precautions as if they were 50," explains Dr. Shamban. "The steps you take now build a solid foundation, and that's exactly what you want to do to stay looking younger longer."

I nod along. I want to look younger longer! I want to build a foundation! Now I'm antsy to get this show on the road. "OK, let's take a look at your skin" Dr. Shamban says as she puts on magnifying glasses, hands me a mirror, and adjusts the light to "Unflattering." I lean back and prepare myself for the worst.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Cue the Compliments

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage

leave a comment

Older comments

Thank you.

by Monique3 Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 09:15PM Report as inappropriate

Interesting to know price of undereye injections! Very good writer!

by StayinYoung Friday, April 12, 2013 at 05:40PM Report as inappropriate

Lovely article and sorta funny!!!

by Zeaundra Monday, March 25, 2013 at 02:32PM Report as inappropriate

Very nice article. $900 for Restylane is quite reasonable. I'm assuming the doc was recommending a modest amount for that price. Her mother seems caring, but quite overbearing. She's 27, not 7.

by robyne00 Friday, March 15, 2013 at 04:05PM Report as inappropriate

i do not need the services of a dermatologist at this moment but i did I would not hire someone so expensive

by stacy45 Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 08:00PM Report as inappropriate

wish i could go to a nice beverly hills derm

by treehugger1997 Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 02:23PM Report as inappropriate

haha, moms...

by AstridB Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 05:52AM Report as inappropriate

Just a question--if the dermatologist said she had beautiful skin, why inject her with Restylane? This is what keeps me from trusting certain members of the medical industry--money, money, money! I did enjoy the mother-daughter conversation immensely.

by GigiSD Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 08:57PM Report as inappropriate

This was very a great article!

by Chris213 Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 07:14PM Report as inappropriate

good article, love the transcript of the phone call! haha

by sportimonki13 Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 02:57PM Report as inappropriate