Beauty Bible Beauty Clinic

Welcome to our new weekly column on the YOU magazine website, www.you.co.uk  Below you will find the current question and our advice, with a list of where to source the products mentioned.  To look at past columns, click here. And for lots more solutions to your beauty dilemmas, visit Q&A, just click here.

December 27th, 2009: Dermal fillers for deep wrinkles

Q I am 49 and have deep wrinkles on my forehead. I don't want to get Botox so am looking for advice on fillers - do they work??? I have not tried any of these products and would appreciate any advice you may have.

A We turned to two experts who we trust implicitly for advice on your question. Consultant plastic surgeon Mr Rajiv Grover, secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and Dr Elisabeth Dancey of of the Bijoux Medi-Spa in London, who specialises in this type of procedure. 

Mr Grover says ‘the deep wrinkles in the forehead are the result of many years’ activity from the forehead muscle (‘frontalis’). As the muscle contracts it lifts the eyebrows, making the skin ‘concertina’ and  so causing horizontal wrinkles.  Botox acts by relaxing muscles and may not be the best choice now as the wrinkles seem to be well established and so reducing movement would not get rid of them at this stage.’  

He suggest using a dermal filler such as Restylane or Juvederm, based on hyaluronic acid, a sugar which occurs naturally in the skin and is broken down by the body over time. This is injected under the skin after numbing with a local anaesthetic cream (though Restylane is actually now available combined with a local anaesthetic). The product lifts the wrinkle from within, flattening the surface appearance on the skin. The results of the treatment last about six months.’  

He adds: ‘Although you are not keen on Botox research suggests that combining it with Restylane prolongs the duration to about eight or nine months as the reduced movement in the forehead slows down the natural breakdown of the Restylane.’ 

Our other expert Dr Elisabeth Dancey adds that ‘deep lines on the forehead betray an underlying volume loss of the forehead area and poor muscle tone; Botox will not help this reader as it only causes the forehead to droop. What she needs is to improve the volume loss and muscle tone.’ 

Dr Dancey recommends Sculptra, ‘a volumiser and collagen stimulator made of polylactic acid, which can be placed deep underneath the forehead muscles to give a long-lasting lift of the area and smooth out the lines from beneath.   This is an advanced Sculptra technique so please check that the practitioner can perform this. Infra-red or radio-frequency energy can be used to improve the tone of the tissues of the forehead. Technologies such as Titan, Radiolase or Accent gently heat up the tissues causing them to shrink and thus lift. It sounds as if this lady requires a combination of the two treatments. Once treated, the results will remain for several years.’ 

If you choose to go ahead, remember this is a costly business.  As Mr Grover says, it’s essential to  find a well-qualified and experienced practitioner, and to have a thorough consultation where you will get an honest opinion and if so, proceed with a safe treatment bearing in mind that less may be more.  For local contacts, visit the websites of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (baaps.org.uk) or the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors (cosmeticdoctors.co.uk).

Contacts:

Mr Rajiv Grover, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, 144 Harley Street, London W1G 7LE.  Tel 0207 486 4301, rajivgrover.co.uk  

Dr. Elisabeth Dancey, Bijoux Medi-Spa, 149 Ebury Street, London SW1W 9QN.  Tel: 0207 730 0765  (Monday to Saturday by appointment only). bijoux-medispa.co.uk  

We . . .

Scarlett & Crimson Stacks of Beauty, £5.  Since most of us are feeling the post-Christmas pinch we bring news of a brilliant new budget line by Ruby & Millie.  They tell us it’s for teens.  We say:  these super-affordable products will cheer beauty-hounds of any age;  our favourite is this combo of wearable neutral cream eyeshadow, lip gloss and blush – perfect for back-of-the-cab beautification en route to the New Year’s Eve Party. 

Beauty Bible Beauty Clinic Archive

December 20th, 2009 - Lead in Lipsticks
December 13th, 2009 - Natural Beauty
December 6th, 2009 - Make-up Makeover
November 29th, 2009 - Camouflaging Small Scars
November 22nd, 2009 - Waterproof Mascara
November 15th, 2009 - Postnatal Hair Loss
November 8th, 2009 - Splitting Nails
November 1st, 2009 - Under Eye Lines
October 25th, 2009 - Facial Cleansers
October 18th, 2009 - Winter Colours
October 11th, 2009 - Omega-3 and probiotic supplements
October 4th, 2009 - Winter Skincare
September 27th, 2009 - Jawline
September 13th, 2009 - Thread Veins
September 6th, 2009 - Thread Veins
August 30th, 2009 - Vitamin C and Skincare
August 23rd, 2009 - Beat Stings and Itches
August 15th, 2009 - Sunscreens
August 9th, 2009 - Good Skin Care
August 2nd, 2009 - Lash Conditioners
July 26th, 2009 - Spa Treatments
July 19th, 2009 - Organic Tinted Moisturiser
July 12th, 2009 - Hair Protection
July 5th, 2009 - Cellulite
June 28th, 2009 - Sexy Summer Scents
June 21st, 2009 - Eyeliner Tricks
June 14th, 2009 - Natural Suncare
June 7th, 2009 - Anti Ageing Skin Care
May 31st, 2009 - Natural Nail Polishes
May 24th, 2009 - Body Polishing
May 17th, 2009 - Rosacea
May 10th, 2009 - Manky Feet
May 3rd, 2009 - Makeup Makeover
April 26th, 2009 - Facial Hair Removal
April 19th, 2009 - Teen Skin
April 12th, 2009 - Swimmers Hair
April 5th, 2009 - Make-up For Damaged Skin
March 29th, 2009 - Are Sunbeds Safe?
March 22nd, 2009 - Weak, Flaking Nails
March 15th, 2009 - Puffy Eyes
March 8th, 2009 - Camouflaging Red Cheeks
March 1st, 2009 - Hair Colouring in Pregnancy
February 22nd, 2009 - Thinning Eyebrows
February 15th, 2009 - Acne