Beyond Botox

Not everybody has such a rosy take on the new interest in injectable wrinkle busters. Since the effects last only a few months, says Dr. Clark Taylor of Missoula, Mont., president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, fillers can quickly become a recurring expense. The procedures, he points out, can cost $700 to $900 for something that lasts just half a year. A face-lift, by contrast, costs between $4,000 and $6,000 but generally lasts 10 to 15 years before requiring touch-ups. Taylor is concerned that women will become addicted to their biannual collagen fix. "What doesn't get talked about enough," he says, "is whether we are creating filler junkies."

A good point, but one not likely to prompt much soul searching among dermatologic surgeons or the aging baby boomers flocking to their offices. Asked what she was willing to do to stay looking young, one fiftysomething woman in Narins' waiting room promptly replied, "Whatever it takes — as long as it doesn't injure my health."