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Dermal fillers - Reducing Facial Lines
What are dermal fillers?
As the skin ages, it loses collagen and fat. This causes the skin to sag and develop lines. Hyaluronic acid plays an important part in moisturizing the skin and returning its elasticity and tone.
Juvederm Ultra and Restylane are non-animal based, synthetic hyaloronic acid gel, which is injected into the skin. Fillers work with the body’s own hyaluronic acid to smooth, filling and plumping out lines.
Are dermal fillers safe?
The dermal fillers use a specially formulated type of Hyaluronic acid (HA) that exists naturally in your own skin. The ability of fillers to integrate with surrounding tissue allows free passage of elements like oxygen and hormones. HA will moisturize your skin from the inside giving it elasticity and tone. This results in natural, healthy-looking skin. Over time they are broken down by our own normal biological processes and removed from the body.
Where can dermal fillers be used?
Eyes - to smooth crow’s feet
Brow - smooth frown lines between the eyes
Mouth - smooth vertical lines on the top lip
Nasal lines - to plump out the deep lines from the nose to corner of the lips
Lip enhancement - fuller pouting lips or to the lip/skin border for a more natural look.
What does treatment involve?
At the first consultation Dr Gilani will take a medical history. You will also have a discussion highlighting your expectations of the cosmetic effect of this treatment. If this treatment is not suitable for you, she will discuss this with you and offer alternatives (e.g. botulinum toxin).
The filler is injected with very fine needle just under the skin. To eliminate discomfort the products have local anaesthetic in them so reducing any pain significantly. However she can offer you additional anaesthetic in either local cream form or injections if needed.
You will see the results immediately, but it may take up to a week to appreciate the final effect once your skin has settled down the filler has become one with your own skin.
How long does it last?
Most fillers last between 6-12 months. This can depend on lifestyle, skin type and age.
Are there any side effects?
There may be transient redness/swelling/pain around the injection site. This normally resolves within 24-48 hours. There may be temporary lumpiness at the injection site which will settle within a week. You may also bruise, so bear this in mind when booking your appointment. Allergic reaction to the fillers can occur, but this is very rare.
Can anyone have dermal fillers?
Treatment should be avoided if the skin is inflamed or infected. It should also be avoided if you are pregnant or breast feeding. If you are prone to cold sores it is recommended that you use an anti-herpes cream to reduce the likelihood of an outbreak.
Aftercare
Once your dermal filler treatment is complete, you should adhere to the following advice:
- Do not apply makeup for 12 hours afterwards
- Do not drink anything too hot or too cold if you have had a lip treatment
- You can apply ice to the treated areas to reduce swelling, redness and bruising
- Massage the treated area twice a day for a week as shown by Dr. Gilani
Contact the clinic with any concerns immediately.
How much does it cost?
Dermal fillers start from £300 per vial. For example one lip line will need 1 vial and nasal lines normally need 1 or 2 vials depending on how deep they are.
Before and after images for dermal fillers.
Juvederm Ultra - Dermal fillers that last up to 12 months
To find out more about dermal fillers and the Juvederm Ultra system, contact Dr Gilani today
Glycolic Skin Peel Treatment in Tunbridge Wells
If you’re looking for glycolic skin peel treatment and live in or around Tunbridge Wells, visit Icon Cosmetic Clinic at the Nuffield Hospital on Kingswood Road.
While glycolic skin peel is a natural and very safe skin care treatment, it is important that it is carried out by experienced skin care experts. It is also vital that anyone undergoing this treatment has a full consultation with their cosmetic specialist to discuss their reasons for wanting glycolic skin peel treatment and any concerns they may have.
Dr Natasha Gilani of Icon Cosmetic Clinic is a Medical Cosmetic Specialist and practicing GP who has trained with many of the world’s leading cosmetic beauty treatment specialists. Dr Gilani would never advocate any cosmetic skin care treatment that had not been fully tested and proven to be safe and effective.
If you are looking for glycolic skin peel treatment in the Tunbridge Wells area, call Helen King on 0844 335 0238 to book a consultation. An initial 20-minute consultation with Dr Gilani costs £20, which is redeemable against the cost of your treatment. Dr Gilani will talk you through the glycolic skin peel process and answer any questions you may have.
For safe and effective glycolic skin peel treatment in Tunbridge Wells, Icon Cosmetic Clinic is the name to trust.
Restylane Lip Enhancement – The Safe Way to Get Fuller Lips
When you mention lip enhancement to most people in the UK, they immediately think of actress Leslie Ash and the swollen ‘trout pout‘ she ended up with after having silicon injected into her lips. But Restylane lip enhancement treatment uses a substance which occurs naturally in the body, and is a much safer and healthier way of achieving gorgeous full lips.
Restylane is a non-animal based hyaluronic acid developed in Sweden. It is used in a number of anti-aging and cosmetic beauty treatments, particularly lip augmentation.
Hyaluronic acid is naturally abundant in youthful looking skin. It helps to hold moisture in the skin and keep it fresh and plump. As we get older the hyaluronic acid in our skin depletes, causing the skin to lose elasticity and form lines and wrinkles. Restylane works by injecting hyaluronic acid back into the skin to restore its youthful vitality. Wrinkles and lines disappear as the skin is filled out and rejuvenated.
Restylane lip enhancement replenishes the natural store of hyaluronic acid in your lips, plumping them out and making them look fuller. Restylane is injected just beneath the skin of the lips. The treatment normally takes around half an hour to perform and is very safe. There may be some initial swelling and tenderness but this should subside after 24 hours. Restylane lip enhancement is approved by the FDA in America.
Go to the official UK Restylane website to find out more about this amazing lip enhancement treatment!
Glycolic Acid Skin Peel Treatment
Glycolic acid is a natural acid which is derived from sugar cane. Glycolic skin peel uses this mild acid to remove impurities like dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. This encourages the growth of the healthier, smoother skin beneath. After several sessions of glycolic skin peel treatment – usually between 6 and 8 weekly sessions - the skin will begin to look fresher and rejuvenated.
Because glycolic acid occurs naturally, it is extremely unlikely to give any harmful side effects - as long as the glycolic peels have been applied by a qualified beauty therapist.
Glycolic peel should be avoided if you have been taken accutane medicine in the last 12 months or if you have had kidney failure at any time. Chemical peels should also be avoided if you generally have poor skin health or have any open wounds or sores on your skin.
To learn more about the cost of glycolic peel, or any of our other chemical skin peel treatments, take a look around the website.
How to look 10 years younger in less than an hour
We are all familiar with the Channel 4 programme that helps women to look younger. But what do you do if you don’t have a TV programme and an army of stylists and surgeons on hand to help you? There are some easy non-surgical treatments that can take the years off without the pain and cost of major surgery to suit every budget.
Botox injections: great for upper facial lines expecially tired eyes and heavy frown lines, giving a lift to the upper face and smoothing away the wrinkles. The procedure is virtually painless and takes less than 30 minutes and costs less than £300.
Fillers: the perfect solution to heavy jowls and lips that have lost their pout. These fillers give a natural look and gently soften and plump lines around the mouth, cheeks and jowl areas, the years just melt away. The treatment takes about an hour and costs start from £200.
Peels: suits all age and skin types, your doctor will prescribe your peel to suit you. Peels help improve skin tone, texture and reduce spots and greasiness. They reduce blemishes and deeper peels can help age spots and fine lines. They can also be used on ageing hands and the décolleté area. Peels take about 30 minutes to do and start from £70.
Legs: don’t forget your legs, there is no reason not to wear a shorter skirt just because of a few thread veins. Sclerotherapy is an easy solution to getting rid of unsightly leg veins even the big blue coloured veins that laser can’t treat. Sclerotherapy sessions can take about 15-30 mins and cost from £75.
Skin deep? The right peel for you.
Acne, micropigmentation and fine wrinkles can all be treated with peels, but which one works for what? I discuss what is currently available to the consumer.
Product: Mene & Moy
Using a variety of products from the range, the doctor can tailor make a treatment regime for the clients individual needs. Homecare products are available to enhance any clinic treatments the client may have.
Product: Innovative Concept Peel
Created specifically for skin pigmentation and sensitive skin, the ICP also helps for sun-damaged skin, wrinkles, acne and uneven skin tone. It is based on retinoic acid (vitamin A) and de-pigmenting agents and requires no skin preparation. The peel also comes with all the homecare products that you may need.
Results are comparable to medium-depth acid peel but without the don time and risks. It is a one-off peel with no weeping or scaling skin, a real bonus for clients. However you will have to go home with a yellow face mask on the day of treatment, a small price to pay for the results. After effects include a day or two of redness followed by a day or two of pinkness and a day of gentle peeling.
Product: Glycolic Acid Peels
Jan Marini is a well known and established skin care company and has been making AHA fruit acid peels from the start. Glycolic acid gently loosens the cellular cement of the superficial skin payer, therefore giving a gentle peel and improving minor blemishes and fine lines. Skin will look brighter, smoother and clearer after a few peels but skin preparation is needed for 2 weeks prior to your first peel. There are minimal side effects and little downtime with this gentle but effective peel.
Product: Dermaceutics
A range of peels with increasing strength for various uses, starting with mild glycolic to stronger TCA peels, this range covers most aspects of peels and also provides a good homecare range to enhance results. The Mask peel is a mild glycolic for greasy acne skin and large pores which reduces sedum in the skin. Milk peel is a glycolic/lactic/salicylic acid peel to deal with sun-damage and wrinkles. Medium TCA based peels are Spot peel and Cosmo peel, great for acne and sun-damage for more dramatic results but with more downtime.
A review of anti wrinkle creams
Cosmeceuticals is a new word to describe facial lotions and potions that possess both cosmetic and pharmaceutical properties, which means that the active ingredient is in a higher concentration than a normal cream but the product can still be bought over the counter without a prescription.
Although primarily used for anti-ageing treatments, they are now marketed for anti-acne, anti-cellulite and skin-lightening.
There are so many products now available, I thought I would try out one of them against an anti wrinkle cream.
I compared Jan Marini Bioglycolic Daily Moisturiser Cream with Freeze 24/7 Anti Wrinkle Cream
Jan Marini Bioglycolic Daily Moisturiser Cream
Price £55 for 56g pot
Available at some Beauty Salons and also the Internet
Active ingredient in Jan Marini is glycolic acid and ammonium glycolate. An AHA fruit acid used to increase cell turnover and improve fine lines and complexion.
The cream is white and has no smell. It is quite thick in the pot but very easy to apply Only a small amount need be used, the size of a pea to target areas. Once applied to the skin in spreads easily with no flaking or clumping. It does feel quite tingly on the skin especially around the eye area, in some places it stung a bit too much. You also need to use sun protection with this cream as it does make the skin sun-sensitive.
Results-It does not make any immediate difference to the lines and wrinkles but after using it for a few days I noticed my skin felt firmer and looked brighter and smoother, finer lines appeared softer but deeper lines were about the same really. I continued to use the cream for 2 weeks, after which the eye area became a bit dry so I stopped using it to give my skin a break.
Conclusion: A easy to use cream that does improve the skin’s appearance long term but probably best used alternate days and with care during sunny times of the year. Good value for money as it does last ages as only a small amount needed and it doesn’t need to be used every day.
Freeze 24/7 Anti Wrinkle Cream
Price £65 for 30g pot
Available at Space NK website
Active ingredient in Freeze 24/7 is called GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) a naturally occurring agent that works as a topical muscle relaxant.
It claims to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkle in minutes and last all day. It can only be used on the face and is supposed to diminish the appearance of lines on your forehead, around the eyes and lips.
The cream is white and smells very lightly of mint. It is quite thick and fiddly to apply. You have to cleanse and dry the skin first and then apply only a very small pea-sized amount onto the facial area that needs attention i.e.: eyes or forehead or lip. Only use a very small amount and massage very gently into the skin. If too much is used then the cream will clump and flake on the skin. Once the cream has been absorbed then you can apply your normal moisturiser and makeup.
Results- it feels cool on the skin at first which settles after a while. However I must say the lines and wrinkles did seem to disappear and the skin felt tighter and looked brighter. However as the day wore on especially towards dinner time around 8 or 9pm I noticed my skin was back to normal again. I used the cream for 2 weeks.
Conclusion: A good cream which does help wrinkles but not all day like the blurb says. It is very expensive and very fiddly to apply. Not really for every day use unless you get up an hour early just to do your face! Best reserved for special occasions.
Do anti-wrinkle creams really work? (part 2 of 2)
Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen. It also encourages the renewal of skin cells and is an antioxidant, which means that it mops up skin damaging free radicals. Vitamin C is a very unstable vitamin that is broken down by light and does not penetrate the skin readily, so cosmetic companies have had great difficulty making a skin preparation containing it. They seem to have cracked the problem, and skin preparations containing vitamin C are now available.
Copper peptides. Copper is a trace element found in every cell. In products applied to the skin, it’s combined with small protein fragments called peptides. Copper peptides enhance wound healing. They also stimulate production of collagen and may enhance the action of antioxidants. It is not known if they reduce wrinkles.
Collagen. Collagen creams work only on the skins surface. A moisturizer with or without collagen, cannot penetrate the skin and is not designed to be absorbed. No moisturizer can undo the cumulative effect of collagen loss. Creams primarily slow the rate of water loss from the skin and help keep the skin supple.
Do anti-wrinkle creams really work? (part 1 of 2)
Many wrinkle creams and lotions sold in department stores and on the Internet promise to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
Do these anti-wrinkle creams work?
Some research suggests that wrinkle creams contain ingredients that may improve wrinkles. But many of these ingredients haven’t undergone scientific research to prove this benefit.
The effectiveness of anti-wrinkle creams depends in part on the active ingredient or ingredients. If you’re looking for a face-lift in a bottle, you can’t buy it over the counter. Some cream may slightly improve the appearance of your skin, depending on how long you use the product and the amount and type of the active ingredient in the wrinkle cream.
Some of the active ingredients used are:
Retinol. Retinol is a vitamin A compound and is the first antioxidant to be widely used in anti- wrinkle creams. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that break down skin cells and cause wrinkles. Retinol is less potent than the vitamin A derivative tretinoin, a prescription-only cream, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating wrinkles.
How effective is tretinoin cream? A study of 251 people, aged 29-50 years, with sun-damaged skin showed that tretinoin cream used once a day for 6 months (Archives of Dermatology 1991) produced some type of improvement in 79%. It faded age spots by 37% and improved wrinkles by 27.1% (measured by taking silicone impressions of the skin).
Coenzyme Q10.Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient that helps regulate energy production in cells. Some studies have shown reduction in fine wrinkles around the eyes with no side effects. Application before sun exposure may protect against sun damage.
… part 2 of the Guide to Anti-Wrinkle Creams in the next posting.