A notable faculty and clinical researcher at Allergan ( the company that manufactures Botox, Juvederm, Voluma, and Kybella) and founder of the cosmetic injectables center, Dr. Sherly Soleiman is a dermatologist with a subspecialty in injectables.
With twenty-two years of experience, she has become a prominent figure in the injectables field, training doctors and nurses on the latest, basic, and advanced techniques used.
We were able to interview this notable expert to know more about her and her views on life.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Tell us a little background about yourself? Where did you grow up, childhood, education, etc…?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I was born in Tehran, Iran. I moved to the USA when I was 11, entering 6th grade. It was a tough time of my life as I couldn’t speak English and I was teased a lot.
My father sacrificed his medical degree to give us the opportunity of living in the US. If he wanted to practice medicine here, he would have had to start completely from the ground up.
I think that the hardship my family endured during those times fueled my desire to dedicate my life to achieving my goal of becoming a physician.
Beverly Hills Magazine: When did you decide you wanted to be a cosmetic injectable specialist and why?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I had an under-eye filler procedure that was botched. To make sure it was able to be fixed properly, I started to study the field of injectables. The more I learned, the more intrigued I became, as I knew that my perfectionist side would love this challenge.
Beverly Hills Magazine: What is your definition of beauty?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: Beauty is absolutely a shine that radiates from within.
However, as we age and our skin and facial structures descend, the resulting under-eye hollows make us look tired, the downturned lips make us look sad, and the lines that develop between our brows can make us look angry.
These superficial changes hide our true radiance and mask the kind, welcoming personality that’s inside.
They tell the world a different message and elicit unfavorable reactions. When you look sad, people treat you as if you are sad, and sooner or later, your demeanor becomes sad. Even a child doesn’t like to approach someone who looks sad, tired, or angry.
With proper technique, injectables have given us the opportunity to reverse these changes and produce a natural-looking result where our features can match the happy and beautiful outlook that’s inside.
Beverly Hills Magazine: What do you believe makes a woman attractive?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: We have all seen a woman who may not look as impressive in a photo, but steals everyone’s attention when she walks into a room.
This has always intrigued me and I think it boils down to 4 things: confidence, energy, kindness, and strength.
Alongside hair, nails, and clothes, injectables procedures can sometimes help with confidence, especially if there’s a feature that someone is self-conscious about.
It can also help a person look less tired and more filled with energy, which is an attractive trait.
Beverly Hills Magazine: What are the most popular procedures these days?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: A lifted, snatched look is very popular, as are voluptuous lips. So are pulled brows like Bella Hadid, defined jawline like Angelina Jolie, developed chin like Jennifer Lopez, and perky lips like Kylie Jenner have been the most recent trends.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Why do suppose culture has become obsessed with injectables?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: As injectables have become safer, more natural-looking, and easily reversible, there’s less taboo about these procedures.
Taking care of your skin is now viewed as maintenance as are nails and hair. It’s seen as a part of self-care.
Beverly Hills Magazine: What is your favorite procedure to perform and why?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I wish I could give a generic answer to this question, but it truly depends on the person’s unique features.
I enjoy creating proportion, with extreme detail. Take lips for example. One person may benefit from wrinkle reduction without any volumization, while another person may need better definition, and someone else may need more volume.
The same applies to cheeks where one might need more central facial enhancement, and another may need a more chiseled cheekbone, and someone else may need more of a lifted appearance.
My favorite procedure is doing what makes the face look natural.
Beverly Hills Magazine: How do you feel when you meet or exceed a client’s expectations?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: It’s human nature to enjoy making others happy. The instant gratification this field provides is fulfilling not just for patients, but for us providers as well. It’s extremely rewarding to be able to make someone feel better about themselves.
It’s a very happy interaction I’ve had the privilege to be a part of.
Beverly Hills Magazine: How do you feel when you fail to meet a client’s expectations?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: As with any procedure, injectables have their limits as well. There are times that plastic surgery or skin resurfacing might be a better option than injectables.
The key is to predict and be transparent about these limits. Having done these procedures for almost 15 years, I’ve gotten better at predicting outcomes and discussing pros and cons with more accuracy.
Most people express gratitude when the conversation is truthful, even if they are disappointed that their goals can’t be met.
The key is to have that discussion before the procedure, and not after.
Beverly Hills Magazine: How does God play a hand in your life?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: At the core of every religion is the faith in being a good human being. Some see God as an entity, others as energy, and some are atheists— but at the end of the day, being a good, honest person, whatever the source of motivation might be, allows you to be at peace with yourself and create a bubble of positivity in your environment.
Beverly Hills Magazine: And have you ever experienced divine intervention that changed your life path?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: As my family was forced to escape Iran, leave everything behind, and move to the US due to my religious affiliation, the adjustment was extremely difficult. However, it proved to be the best change for us. It brought us to a land of opportunities that I would have never had in Iran.
Beverly Hills Magazine: How do you effectively balance your professional and personal life?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: That’s been the biggest challenge for any of us. As a mother of three, while running a business, providing care to patients, teaching injectables as faculty for Allergan, and being involved in clinical research in the injectables field, I’ve always had my hands full.
And yes, I try to fit in exercise and self-care as well. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I enjoy having a full day.
Beverly Hills Magazine: If you could turn back time, would you change anything in your own career choices or do anything differently? In other words, perform cosmetic surgery on your own life?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I feel fortunate to say that I wouldn’t change anything. I love what I do for a living. It was not an easy road and I’m still working as hard as I always have, but the fruits of hard labor are worth every bit of difficulty and sacrifice.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Do you believe aging gracefully is a thing of the past?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I still believe in aging gracefully, but there’s nothing wrong with self-care and self-maintenance. Taking care of your skin doesn’t mean that you don’t age.
Most of my patients, including myself don’t want necessarily to look “young”. We just want to look happy, approachable, and confident.
Those that chase looking “young” can turn out to look unnatural and sometimes even scary. Just as with everything else in life, it’s all about moderation and balance.
Beverly Hills Magazine: If there is only one person you could thank for anything at all…who would it be and why?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: Not really. As they say, it takes a village. My parents, my husband, my children, my staff, and my close friends have all played huge roles in my life. I don’t know how far I could’ve gone in life without the support and understanding of those in my circle.
Every single one of them has had to tolerate some amount of neglect from me and yet continue to be there when I needed them. I feel extremely fortunate and thankful for their share of sacrifice to help me achieve my life goals.
Beverly Hills Magazine: If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: The ability to fix the world’s problems. I don’t want to get too deep or philosophical, but there’s just so much misery and injustice in the world. Poverty, hunger, abuse, lack of shelter, or medical care…
But I do see society’s future going in a positive direction. Hopefully, we will one day collectively achieve that superpower.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Is there a life quote, motto, or Bible scripture you live by? If so, what is it and why?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: My favorite quote is from Lincoln, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” That’s especially true for yourself.
You have to walk the walk and talk the talk to progress in the direction you want to go. Honesty and transparency make life easier to live in the long term. There are no shortcuts in life. It will always catch up with you.
Beverly Hills Magazine: If you went to heaven today, what would you ask God and why?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I would only express gratitude for the opportunities I was given and for the people in my life like my family and friends. I’m grateful for the love I experienced and appreciate the downs as much as the ups, as those helped me recognize and value the happy moments.
Beverly Hills Magazine: We are all sent to Earth for a specific reason. Have you discovered your personal life purpose in what you do?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: I love the ability to make others happy. A lot of people don’t understand the grand impact minor cosmetic enhancements can have on someone’s life. It can help someone feel more confident, find or keep a job position, or find a life partner.
There have been many tears of joy and friendships made in my room.
Beverly Hills Magazine: When you die, what do you most want to be remembered for?
Dr. Sherly Soleiman: For being ethical, down to earth, and reliable as a source of support for others.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us.
Dr. Sherly Soleiman is a living testament of beauty herself, with a life journey filled with trials and triumphs, she proves that one really can have it all. When a woman is willing to work hard, pursue her dreams, and continue to sacrificially give of herself to the benefit of all of those around her, it is certain God is by her side, giving her the strength and love to be able to do it all.
