From £595
For a Botox treatment to make any sense and work to the patients benefit there has to be an underlying medical indication. A welcomed side effect can often be a cosmetically pleasing outcome but this is in direct proportion to the degree of initial muscle hyperactivity prior to the treatment.
(Of course there are practitioners and patients who’s sole aim is to create a certain look, retain a demanding customer or make a fashion statement. This is however a completely different market and not what we do.)
Botox has been used for a huge number of different medical indications and still more beneficial effects for a wider area of treatments are being explored. The first medical use was in relaxing hyperactive muscle contractions, whether it be spasms, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s related problems or the treatment of migraines and pain management generally. There is also a huge movement towards the use of Botox for patients with psychological problems, depression for instance appears to be a very good and successful indication for Botox.
Almost all of the above is in relation to hyperactive muscle movement. If for instance a patient has large, overactive masseter muscles (the ones you clench and grind your teeth with) chances are that Botox will work extremely well in reducing the tension in the lower face, prevent the dental status from disintegrating, reduce headaches, prevent or alleviate TMJ (pain caused by the pressure on the joints in the jaw due to overactive muscle action).
The same applies to the frown lines, a deep frown line is certainly caused by hyperactive frown (corrugator) muscles. In almost all patients I see this will cause tension headaches or migraines after a day of screen work or in other circumstances. There is also the theory that motion equals emotion, this is where the Botox is used to alleviate mood. If you cannot frown you cannot be as grumpy or depressed for that matter.
In summary, Botox injected into the facial muscles in a patient who shows symptoms of muscle hyperactivity and muscle hypertrophy (oversized, overdeveloped muscles) will contribute to maintaining and restoring a patients health and also prevent certain health problems further down the line if injected properly.
From £695
HA Dermal Fillers are used to restore and maintain facial volume in patients where the subcutaneous structures have become dystrophic, meaning disappeared or reduced in size to a point where volume replacement is the indicated treatment. Other than HA Fillers there are so called semi-permanent products. Those are mainly used in patients with severe lipodystrophy meaning the sub cutaneous, structural fat pads have disappeared. In the past silicone was a popular option, back in the 80’s or even before. The trouble is that the silicone is still increasing in size due to its ongoing skin reaction and might explain why a lot of the ageing celebrities might look more and more weird. Most patients I see will not have come across this phenomenon.
The prime medical indications for dermal fillers are disproportionate volume loss, asymmetry, acne and general scarring, loss of elasticity and volume.
My preferred injection method by now is through a canula, the 3rd generation HA products are more difficult to apply and the old style bolus technique might cause problems. The canula is perfect in combination with the modern products and allows for a huge variety of treatment options.
From £395 (per vial / per area of the body)
Aqualyx Injections – dissolve stubborn pockets of fat.
Many of today’s practitioners advising their patients on non-surgical fat removal procedures would have been around when the flab Jab, a fat dissolving injection called Lipostabil was incredibly popular.
The fat injection showed unbelievable effectiveness in treating excess fat virtually anywhere on the body, it was the best fat reduction procedure around in 2004.
I personally went to the seminar given by the first medical practitioner, a lady called Patricia Rittes from Brazil who used it to treat under eye bags. The treatment was so successful it caused huge dips in patients undergoing surgical fat reducing procedures like liposuction.
The increase in non-surgical fat reduction technology like 3DLipo, VASER and finally CoolSculpting took over from fat dissolving injections when they became unavailable the UK. But, nothing could beat the results of a fat loss injection.
Now fat loss injections are back! A new product called Aqualyx (also known as Kybella) with an improved formulation, is more effective and quicker to administer compared to other treatments. Whatever the machine, a simple session with a non invasive fat dissolving injection is still more effective, less painful and requires less effort compared to any of the other non surgical fat removal procedures.
If you would like to enquire about the fat loss treatments available in our London clinics our GMC qualified medical practitioner will be able to talk you through the procedures and treat you with confidence.
Q&A with Doctor Tuckey – Our Aqualyx injection specialist
Who should have Aqualyx?
Aqualyx injections can improve body contouring by helping to remove stubborn fat pockets that don’t go away despite increased exercise or dieting. They are not used for weight loss.
What areas can be treated with Aqualyx injections?
Aqualyx can be used to treat almost any area with localised fat pockets. The most popular procedure is the double chin removal but jowls, back rolls, saddle bags, ‘bra-roll’, waist, buttocks and abdomen injections are also popular and effective.
What are the Aqualyx side effects?
Aqualyx has no reported long term side effects. You will have some swelling and redness in the treated area which starts to settle after a few days and should be gone within 3 weeks. You will feel some discomfort but this is not usually severe with a little bruising expected.
What is the difference between Aqualyx and Kybella injcetions?
Aqualyx and Kybella are both fat dissolving injections made from a naturally occurring bile acid called deoxycholic acid. The main function of bile acids in the human body is to digest fats and these injections work in a similar way, dissolving fat cells through a process called lipolysis.
From £595
Prior to any treatment you will receive a personal consultation to assess treatment suitability. The non-refundable consultation fee is £200, this secures your booking and is redeemable against any treatment.
For more information or to book an appointment please call our Clinic on +44 (0)20 3198 3098.
For non injectable facial and full body treatments please visit our clinic at Beauchamp Place