Beauty as a national strategy
Svetlana Popović Vujotić
Health and Beauty
Beauty is not fleeting; beauty is transitional, just like life. It is born, it grows, and it changes, yet it is always new and relevant, both as a form and as substance. The actors change on the stage of life, but beauty endures.
Every era has had its own symbol of beauty, from antiquity to the modern age and digital achievements. There is a long list of women whom history remembers as synonymous with timeless beauty. Marilyn Monroe, who became a kind of pop culture phenomenon due to her attractive appearance and style, said—contrary to the widely accepted ideal of a woman’s physical characteristics and attractiveness—that beauty lies in imperfection and personal charisma. Everything else is boring.
Although we are far removed from the 1950s and 1960s, when the famous actress lived, her words resonate strongly in an era of the expansion of aesthetic surgery and cosmetics.
This is also confirmed by our interviewee, Dr. Ivana Slavković, a doctor of dentistry, aesthetic and anti-aging medicine, with over ten years of experience in the field. Dr. Slavković graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry in Niš with a top grade of 10, after which she built a successful medical and business career, and since 2009 has been practicing aesthetic medicine in New York (USA). She is a member of the Dental Chamber of Montenegro, the Association of Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine of Montenegro – CUDEL, and The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. She has received prestigious awards for her work.
Dr Ivana Slavković
Argument: How do you perceive the concept of female beauty?
Dr Ivana Slavković: Beauty is not proportion; beauty is the capacity for a woman to carry her age without apology. The capacity to have wrinkles from laughter, not from worrying about others’ opinions. The exterior is only a visual identity. True beauty is psychological stability. In the clinic, this is clearly visible—two women may have the same facial features, but the one who knows who she is appears more powerful. This means that the most expensive treatment is self-confidence, and it has no substitute.
Argument: Has the imperative of beauty reached its peak?
Dr Slavković: No, it has reached hyperproduction. Today, the face is “consumed” like a fashion trend. One year cheekbones are popular, the next “fox eyes,” the third exaggerated lips. Beauty has become a seasonal collection. The problem is that our face is permanent, while trends are fleeting—so if it now looks like an Instagram trend from 2022, in five years it will be an aesthetic archive.
Argument: Is it ethical to perform serious aesthetic procedures on very young girls without justified reason?
Dr Slavković: My answer will be unpopular: in most cases, no. A 19-year-old girl who seeks a change to her nose or cheekbones often does not want a new face, but a new sense of self-worth. And a scalpel does not operate on self-confidence. I have had situations where I refused an intervention and said: “Come back when you turn 25 if you still want the same thing.” However, 80% of them never return. Let us remember that some insecurities are just a passing phase of life. Surgery leaves long-term consequences.
Argument: What burdens women the most when it comes to appearance?
Dr Slavković: Three things: a double chin, the stomach, and a look that “appears tired.” Interestingly, women rarely say, “I want to be more beautiful.” They say, “I look tired.” That is the essence—they do not want a change of identity, but a return of freshness. Modern medicine can address a double chin without surgery, can soften wrinkles, can tighten the skin, but it cannot resolve chronic stress, poor sleep, and hormonal imbalance if we ignore them. Therefore, treatment without a change in habits is just an expensive pause.
Argument: Have beauty and youthfulness surpassed the biological boundary?
Dr Slavković: Yes, but not by miracle—by discipline. Look at women like Jennifer Lopez or Monica Bellucci. They do not look younger because they deny their age, but because they invest in their bodies systematically: training, proper nutrition, and minimal or precise aesthetic interventions. Another concrete example is the trend of preventive Botox in one’s thirties—small doses before deep wrinkles appear. The result? A natural-looking face in one’s fifties. Therefore, anti-aging is not about erasing years, but managing them.
Argument: Where is the boundary between aesthetic correction and a natural look?
Dr Slavković: The boundary is where people stop recognizing you. If your friends say, “You look refreshed,” we’ve succeeded. If they say, “What have you done?”—we’ve crossed the line. Aesthetics should enhance structure, not change identity. The message is that the best intervention is the one no one notices, but everyone feels.
Argument: How does the anti aging concept function in the USA, and is it lifelong?
Dr Slavković: In the United States, anti-aging is not a luxury—it is a lifestyle. Preventive check-ups, hormonal balance, supplementation, personalized therapy, and psychophysical fitness are all part of it. People do not go to the doctor when a problem arises, but to prevent it. There are specialized clinics where the team includes an endocrinologist, dermatologist, nutritionist, and fitness expert. It is a lifelong process, not a seasonal decision before summer. Anti-aging begins before the first wrinkle.
Argument: Does Montenegro need a multidisciplinary anti – aging center?
Dr Slavković: Absolutely. Montenegro has nature, genetics, and potential. Why shouldn’t women from the region come to Igalo for a regeneration program that combines medicine, nutrition, and aesthetics? Institutions like the Igalo Institute have tradition—it is necessary to add a modern concept. That would be a fusion of health, aesthetics, and tourism. Therefore, beauty can also be a national strategy.
Argument: New trends—are silicone implants becoming a thing of the past?
Dr Slavković: The trend is less, but smarter. Collagen biostimulators, regenerative medicine, treatments using one’s own plasma. Silicone implants will not disappear, but they will be used more selectively and subtly. Women are increasingly seeking quality, not volume. The future is not bigger—the future is more natural.
Argument: Can the beauty of Montenegrin women be a national brand?
Dr Slavković: It can, but not through stereotypes—through authenticity. Montenegrin women have a specific combination of strength and elegance. Montenegrin men have natural height and posture. This is a genetic and cultural rarity. But a brand is not just appearance. A brand is an attitude. The greatest luxury today is not a perfect face—it is a face that carries character.