What many people noticed about Aitana and almost no one dares to explain

When a patient comes to my practice asking for that rested, radiant look we see in people with very demanding public or professional lives, I rarely recommend a single treatment. A real glow effect is not achieved by filling: it is achieved by working in parallel on skin quality, deep hydration and the face's natural highlights. These are the three pillars I build into the protocol in these cases:

• Facial skin booster. To restore radiance and deep hydration and create highlights with a makeup-like effect, without added volume.
• Hyaluronic acid in the lips. To enhance the natural lip contour and its hydration, keeping facial identity intact.
• Facial laser (such as FRAX 1550 or IPL). To improve the texture and overall quality of the skin: pores, micro-relief and evenness of tone.

Combined, these three treatments produce what we call in the practice a “rested face effect”: the skin reflects light better, the lips keep their natural contour and the overall texture conveys health. And, most importantly, it doesn't look like you have had anything specific done: it just looks like your skin is better.

Instead of showing comparisons of specific patients, I prefer to explain honestly what kind of changes you will see after three to four months if you complete the protocol. These are the markers we assess in consultation before and after:

It is important to understand one thing: the goal is not to transform the face. It is for your skin to convey the rest your schedule does not allow you to have. That is why this type of protocol works especially well in patients with heavy workloads, public exposure or a pace of life that sends cortisol soaring.

One of the most frequent questions we get at the front desk is exactly this: how much it costs to replicate this kind of look if you come to Instituto de Benito for the full protocol. Here are the indicative prices as of today. Final amounts are always confirmed at the first consultation with the doctor, because they depend on the starting condition of the skin and the number of sessions actually needed.

1. Facial skin booster: the key treatment for radiance

A skin booster is a facial biostimulation technique based on microinjections of low-density, non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid. Unlike classic fillers, it does not aim to add volume or change your features: its sole function is to hydrate the skin in depth and stimulate the natural production of collagen and elastin. It is the treatment I personally associate most with a real glow effect.

• How it is performed: it is applied with a microneedle or cannula into the mid-dermis, distributed evenly across the whole face (it can also be applied to the neck, décolletage and hands). The session lasts 30 to 45 minutes with topical anesthesia.
• Visible results: from the first session the skin looks plumper, smoother and more radiant. The optimal result is reached after the third session (initial protocol). The recommended maintenance is one session every 6 months.
• Who it is ideal for: patients from the age of 25–30 with skin that is dehydrated, tired or lacking the radiance they remember having. It is one of the few treatments truly compatible with any skin type and any lifestyle (you can return to your routine immediately).

2. Hyaluronic acid in the lips: contouring and hydration, without transformation

The use of hyaluronic acid in the lips remains one of the most misunderstood treatments. What I do in my practice to achieve a natural “glow-type” lip, hydrated, with a defined contour but without exaggerated volume, is the polar opposite of the “filled lip” caricatured on social media. Here the goal is to restore the natural line of the lip, give back the hydration that cortisol and air conditioning take away, and harmonize the result with the rest of the face.

• Product: resorbable hyaluronic acid from leading brands, in small amounts (usually 0.5–1 ml depending on the case). No permanent implants.
• Visible results: immediate in terms of hydration; the contouring result settles at 7–15 days, once any residual swelling goes down.
• Duration: between 9 and 12 months, as it is gradually resorbed. It is a fully reversible treatment: if the patient does not want to maintain it, it is simply not repeated.

3. Facial laser (FRAX 1550): texture, pores and skin quality

The third pillar of the protocol is the one that makes the biggest difference in the medium term: laser. At Instituto de Benito we work with FRAX 1550 (non-ablative fractional laser) and IPL (intense pulsed light) to improve texture, refine pores and soften acne marks, dark spots and signs of photoaging. The laser stimulates collagen synthesis from within, which translates into firmer, more “polished” skin that reflects light better.

• How it is performed: sessions of 15 to 45 minutes depending on the area. After the session the skin remains red for a few hours, but you can return to your normal routine.
• Recommended sessions: between 3 and 5 sessions spaced one month apart, depending on the starting condition. For maintenance, one session every 6–12 months.
• Who it is ideal for: patients with enlarged pores, acne marks, sun spots, uneven micro-relief or progressive loss of firmness. It combines perfectly well with a skin booster (not in the same session).

It is worth clarifying the most interesting subtext of this whole conversation: cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone your body releases when you are under sustained stress (packed schedules, lack of sleep, professional or public pressure, travel). When cortisol levels stay elevated for months, the skin responds with several visible effects: collagen breaks down more quickly, deep hydration becomes harder, underlying inflammation worsens and the skin takes on that dull, “tired” look that cosmetics cannot correct.

The aesthetic medicine treatments I have described do not eliminate cortisol (that requires changes in lifestyle, rest, diet and sometimes professional support), but they do offset its visible effects on the skin. That is why they work so well in patients with demanding schedules: because they give back to the skin what the pace of life is taking away.