Cosmetic Advice from Cosmetic Clinics

There are a lot of dermal fillers on the market at the moment and we have decided we would compare some of the market leaders; or rather the differences in what they are composed of, rather than specifically choose products themselves (as many are fairly similar).

So what are the 2 differing types we are going to compare? Hyaluronic Acid and Polylactic Acid, the former being used in products such as Restylane and Juvederm the latter in Sculptra.

Hyaluronic Acid Gel is the main component in many dermal fillers and, just like Polylactic Acid, offers excellent results. It is an injectable gel that offers immediate results to the treated area. The gel lifts folds and wrinkles and is perfect for nasolabial (nose to mouth) folds, frown lines, fine lines and wrinkles, tear troughs, hands and the neck and cleavage areas. Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are perfect for lips and lip lines as well.

As stated the results show immediately, and it offers a very natural looking results. It has very little if any side-effects associated with it but does have some minor after-effects such as minor redness, swelling and possible bruising. It normally requires one or two treatments to get the desired results, and they will normally last around 4 – 12 months depending which brand of filler is used. Fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm are proceeding in around to £200 to £1000 mark.

Sculptra uses the suspension of polylactic acid to achieve its results, this involves the acid being released in the desired are over time and in turn this causes the stimulation of new collagen. This means the effects are not immediate but instead they improve over several weeks. However as it stimulates new collagen formation in the skin it means it looks completely natural.

Like hyaluronic acid, polylactic acid suspension is perfect for all facial areas, hands, neck and cleavage areas, but it is not suited to lips or lip lines. However Dr Tanqueray of Mulberry House believes that Sculptra offers a more comprehensive approach as it allows him to look at the face as a whole and restore volume in a more general and balanced way, so it may not be as good for lips, but is arguably the better option otherwise.

Again there are little to no side-effect associated with this treatment and the side effects really only include possible bruising as a common factor. It normally requires 2-4 treatments for the best results and costs start at £400 and go up to around the £2000 mark. However this treatment tends to last 18 months to around 2 years, making it a much longer term solution.

Both of these dermal fillers can actually be used together to give outstanding results were needed and both are available from Mulberry House Clinic.

Selston Cosmetic Clinic introduced the Radiage skin tightening procedure to their comprehensive list of treatments a little over 12 months ago. Since then it has proved very popular and successful with outstanding results.

Radiage is one of the newest non-ablative cosmetic procedures for the rejuvenation of the skin. Radiage is the name of the treatments and the device used for the procedure as well.

So how does it work?

The Radiage heats and modifies the collagen in the skin and causes it to tighten and contract. The result is loose skin on the neck is lifted and wrinkles are almost entirely removed; the skin feels tighter and smoother than before.

Most patients see results immediately on the skin’s outer surface while the Radio Frequency (RF) energy slightly heats and modifies the soft tissues under the skin. The final results come from the collagen contracting and tightening thus smoothing the skin.

Radiage is a walk in/walk out procedure with virtually no down-time. Many people have this treatment in lunch breaks and head back to work after.

For the desired effects and looks a course of 6-8 treatments every 2 weeks is recommended.

It is important to not that Radiage does not work for everyone, and you will be advised on this by your cosmetic specialist. However Selston Cosmetic Clinic offer a free trial session of Radiage so you can see for yourself if there are benefits or not from this amazing procedure.

Roberta James is a lead Cosmetic Nurse at Selston Cosmetic Clinic in North Nottinghamshire. Roberts runs the department for Microdermabrasion, Skin Peels, Radiage, Laser Hair Removal and Laser Skin Rejuvenation.

Recently Dr Bassi of Selston Cosmetic Clinic, part of the Cosmetic Clinics Group, travelled to Belgium to witness and assess one of the latest Liposuction procedures – Vibro Liposculpture.

The Vibro Liposculpture system was demonstrated to Dr Bassi, and Selton Clinic’s lead Vaser Lipo technician Mags Whyler, by Dr Safar, an eminent liposuction surgeon in Brussels. Dr Safar has performed more than 5000 liposuction procedures and has been using the Vibro Lipo system for over 10 years.

Currently Vaser Lipo is one the optimal forms of non-invasive liposuction and provides fantastic results, proof in point is that Selston and many of the other Clinics in the Cosmetic Clinics Group utilise Vaser Lipo. However Vaser Lipo is best suited for small to medium volumes of fat removal. This means that those patients who need much larger amounts of fat removing cannot be realistically treated except by traditional liposuction, which is a much longer and more expensive treatment that required hospital time.

Vibro Lipo solves this problem is a big way. Whilst Dr Bassi and Mags were in Brussels they observed Dr Safar perform the Vibro Lipo procedure on a lady from Russia. The procedure was performed under local anaesthetic and the lady was aware and quite chatty (if you understand Russian that is). The end results were very impressive, with a staggering 3.5 litres of pure fat removed from the upper and lower abdomen and anterior flanks of the client.

Since then the Vibro Lipo system has been integrated and installed at Selston Cosmetic Clinic and Dr Bassi and the team hope to use this new technology to provide a much wider selection of treatments for their clients regardless of shape or size.

Dr S.R. Bassi is the leading cosmetic physician and Mags Whyler is the lead Vaser Lipo technician at a top cosmetic clinic in North Nottingham - Selston Cosmetic Clinic.

Macrolane breast shaping injections are a fairly recent addition to the range of cosmetic procedures available in the UK, being introduced around 12 months ago. Due to this there are approxinmately 50 clinics that offer the Macrolane treatment, though the numbers are increasing.

Macrolane is a Non Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid (or NASHA) based product manufactured by Q MED, a Swedish company. It takes principles form Q MED’s Restylane range of facial dermal fillers, especially their Sub Q line of fillers. The Restlyane family of cosmetic products is considered one of the market leaders for its results and it has been used to treat over 9 million patients to date.

Macrolane is a much simpler procedure than standard breast implants and is used to enhance cup size and shape the breasts for a more desired look. Unlike the typical implants you hear about, Macrolane only increases a cup size by 1 or 1½, but this is to ensure the optimal breast shaping is achieved.

Before the Macrolane procedure there are several factors the cosmetician will take into account such as what method or technique will be used for anaesthesia, the incision site, the canula track, how much of filler is required and where it will be placed in the breast to achieve the desired shape.

Anaesthetic is applied to the breast to alleviate any discomfort or pain. One hundred mls per breast was the standard amount injected, though it is now fairly common practice to inject around 120mls per breast (sometimes more, up to around 140 - 150mls if required though this depends on the client’s pain threshold entirely). Several cosmeticians are now using fine spinal needles which are considered a much more comfortable option when injecting anaesthetic.

The incision site that the Macrolane filler will be injected has become something of a controversial debate. Many cosmeticians are now beginning to inject Macrolane from above the breast as opposed to the more conventional method of injecting from under the breast. The reason injecting from the top is controversial is that each injections incision will leave a tiny scar, no big deal per se, but Macrolane normally requires a top up every 12 months or so, thus the procedure and in turn the injection will have to be repeated. These repeat injections can lead to a more noticeable scar over several injections, however if the injection is administered under the breast this is much less noticeable and hidden by the shadow of the breast.

The actual site of product placement is crucial to achieve the most optimal results. The Macrolane breast shaping injections need to be carefully placed in the retro-mammary space between the breast mammary gland and the pectoralis major muscle in the chest. The cosmetician must always ensure that the track of entry of the canula is sealed.

So over the past year or so the delivery of Macrolane breast shaping injections has developed as cosmeticians gain more experience with the product and procedure this in turn has led to more confidence in the product and procedure from clients considering this treatments.

Dr S.R. Bassi is the lead cosmetic physician at Selston Cosmetic Clinic, North Nottingham’s premier medical cosmetic and laser clinic. Visit our website or give us a call to find out more about Macrolane.

Dermaroller Therapy is a new treatment to help rejuvenate the skin and help with the problem of ageing skin, sun damaged skin, acne scarring and stretch marks.

Dermaroller therapy utilises a technique called collagen induction therapy, or “skin needling”. What this involves is a specially designed medical device with multiple fine needle points is rolled across the skin. This causes miniscule pin pricks which the body in its wisdom sees as damage to the skin. It then goes about healing the injured area as it normally would any other wound.

The repair and regeneration process then begins as new collagen and elastin is produced and continues over the following few weeks, and over a course of treatments you will see much improved results.

What is surprising to most people is that the procedure is remarkably comfortable – it only requires a topical anaesthetic cream which is very effective to the depth required for this treatment. The experience will range from pleasant to only mildly uncomfortable; many patients have found it genuinely relaxing

The procedure itself takes around half an hour. Following the treatment the skin will appear red for a short while only, similar in appearance to moderate sunburn. Most of the redness settles rapidly over a couple of hours and is easily covered. The skin is usually completely recovered by the following day.

These results of this collagen induction therapy are equivalent to the results that can be obtained by aggressive laser treatments, but without the risks or downtime, and at a fraction of the cost. Dermaroller therapy is availble at Mulberry House cosmetic clinic.

Microdermabrasion is removal of the dead outermost layer of the skin (the stratum corneum) by passing a collection of fine medical grade crystals across the skin, which causes light abrasion.

Microdermabrasion is a safe and painless procedure that is used to remove sun damaged skin, remove or lessen scars or to treat acne. The treatment has a proven track record having been used to treat hundreds of thousands of patients over the past 10 years with fantastic results.

The two most common and recommended microdermabrasion procedures are:

Crystal microdermabrasion
Crystal microdermabrasion systems are the traditional treatment of choice and rely on tiny crystals that are blasted onto the skin to perform the exfoliating process.

Diamond microdermabrasion
Diamond microdermabrasion systems operate without the need for crystals. The exfoliation process occurs when a diamond tipped head makes contact with the skin and abrades against it.

Regardless of whether it is either the crystal or diamond microdermabrasion systems used, the dead skin cells are sucked away from the face.

The procedure itself typically takes around 20 minutes to complete and the results show through almost immediately. The procedure can take a little longer depending on the severity of the condition to treat and the requirements desired.

For the best results a course of treatments of microdermabrasion is normally recommended, though this will be discussed and advised at your first consultation.

At Mulberry House Clinic, we have been offering the OBAGI Nu-Derm system for over 2 years now and we are extremely impressed with the results, along with our clients who are seeing the benefits for themselves. OBAGI Nu-Derm was first developed 20 years ago by Dr Zein Obagi, a dermatologist who practices in Beverley Hills.

We started off feeling a little reserved about recommending it too strongly but we now have a lot of experience with it in all skin types and take the view that it would almost be negligent of us not to make sure that you are aware of the benefits!

You should consider OBAGI if you would like:

- smoother, firmer skin
- healthier skin function
- brighter, fresher appearance
- significant reduction in pigmentation of virtually all types
- even skin colour
- improved fine lines and wrinkles
- improvement in acne or acne scarring
- reduced oiliness
- long term skin protection
- potential reduction in skin cancer risk
- improvement in skin quality and colour in the neck and décolleté regions .

These are big claims, but ones we are happy to make on the basis of the results we have seen (to hear what our client’s have to say click here). For even greater improvement in skin tightness, scarring or deep pigmentation there is the option of an OBAGI blue peel, but quite often the results with the skincare alone mean a peel is not necessary.

Improvement is usually noticeable within 2 weeks, with best results taking up to a few months.

Research has shown that Nu-Derm also improves the results of other cosmetic treatments - the degree of improvement and satisfaction with Botox, dermal fillers, laser treatments and Thermage were all greater in people who had been using OBAGI Nu-Derm.

If you are serious about improving and looking after your skin in the long term OBAGI will deliver.

Whether you are already using it or are new to the range Mulberry House Clinic is offering a £20 discount on purchase of a full pack of OBAGI Nu-Derm, Crx or Elastiderm Decolletage from now until the end of February. As prices will be increasing after this now is an excellent time to start your OBAGI programme.

With another year over, we though we'd have a look back at those cosmetic procedures and treatments that were the most popular during 2008.

No. 1: BOTOX (Botulinum toxin) maintains the top slot.

Botox is most commonly used as a treatment for frown lines on the forehead, though it is also an effective treatment for wrinkles, crow’s feet and neck bands as well. Botox is very popular with many celebrities.

No. 2: The Restylane family of treatments continues as market leader and our favoured choice of dermal filler.

Restylane is an injectable treatment that contains hyaluron gel. The treatment help restore volume to the skin, provide lift and smooth away and soften facial lines. He procedure involves I injecting the Restylane compound into the desired areas in the face.

No. 3: Laser Treatments – these still offer the best results for hair removal, thread-veins and sunspots.

There are many laser treatments available. They range from hair removal and skin rejuvenation to treating leg and facial veins, acne scarring and Rosacea

No. 4: Facial peels and microdermabrasion - wonderful ways of freshening and brightening the skin without any disruption.

Microdermabrasion is a popular cosmetic procedure used to treat conditions such as fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, blotchy skin and blemishes and acne scarring among other things.

Chemical Peels and facial peels are used to remove the outer layer of skin. This makes the skin fresher, removes some sunspots and rough scaly patches, and reduces freckles and irregular pigmentation. It also reduces fine wrinkles.

Big movers up the charts in 2008 have been Sculptra, and OBAGI Nu-Derm prescription skincare and we predict that these will see a continuing increase in popularity during 2009.

You can read our previous article on Sculptra here.

One to watch for 2009! – Vavelta is a new treatment for scarring and skin rejuvenation. We are focussing on its use in scarring and are already seeing good results.

For more information on any of these cosmetic treatments contact Mulberry House Clinic on 01604 702630 or visit www.lasertreatmentsnorthampton.co.uk

Moles are pigmented spots on the skin containing the skin pigment melanin, they can be beneath the skin (sub dermal) or raised. There are many types of moles ranging from benign, to suspicious, to malignant lesions.

People mistakenly refer to many other lesions on the skin as to moles. These can be small cysts, fibromas, angiomas, age spots, cholesterol deposits and largeish warts. They can vary in colour from flesh coloured, yellow, red, blue or dark brown.

National campaigns are frequently run to make the public aware of skin cancer. Simple precautions are advised such as: to avoid prolonged sun exposure by using sun block regularly and to wear appropriate clothing.

You are advised to seek a medical opinion if your mole/skin lesion develops suspicious characteristics such as: increasing in size, become darker, itches, bleeds, develops irregular edges or becomes raised.

Thankfully most lesions that people present with are benign and amenable to quick mole removal.

Where should you seek treatment for mole removal?

The first port of call should be to your General Practitioner; large numbers of doctors perform minor surgery and will skillfully remove the lesion. If they think the lesion is suspicious they will refer you to the local dermatologist or suspicious mole clinic at the local hospital.

Recently some primary care trusts in the country have made a dictat; if mole removal is requested for cosmetic reasons, then this should not be made available on the NHS, the General Practitioner then has every right to decline treatment.

The option then left for mole removal for whatever reasons is to turn to your local cosmetic clinic.

Leading cosmetic clinics use a wide variety of techniques for mole removal; the most popular are Electrocautery, Laser and Radiofrequency. These will be briefly discussed.

Electrocautery involves as the name suggests cauterization using a probe which is heated by a D.C Electric current. The temperature of the probe is high and the resulting thermal damage to the sun can leave a scar. Never Electrocautery machines have variable power settings, so scans can be mitigated.

Radiofrequency uses radiosurgery probes which vapourise the moles, the advantage using this methos is that the resulted thermal damage to the skin is less leaving negligible scarring and instant results.

Lasers are excellent for removal curtain says lesions such as angionanas, giving excellent single treatment results and negligible scarring.

In conclusion; depending on the treatment methods despite the prices between cosmetic clinics can range from £75-£300/ treatment for a single mole lesion - so it is definitely with shopping around.

Article by Dr S R Bassi