Why do women have lip fillers?

Lip fillers are growing in popularity because women are looking for ways to cheat time and stay looking vital and youthful without having to resort to drastic and dangerous surgeries.

“Do whatever makes you happy.”

That is the mantra of the liberal, life-loving. However, when you see yet another celebrity (this time, Cheryl Cole) denying they have had a cosmetic procedure in spite of appearing to have seriously inflated boobs*/lips*/bottom*. *delete as applicable. It really does make one wonder if all the effort was necessary or even really wanted. We all know that cosmetic surgery rumours heighten a celeb’s profile, think about what it has done for Victoria Beckham!

Cheryl Cole is 26 years old and clearly doesn’t need any anti-aging treatments like Botox or Restylane lip fillers. Typically, plump and full lips are a sign of youth which is why women have their lips done in the first place. They are losing collagen as a direct result of aging and their lips are starting to thin a bit. Lips are so sensuous; you eat, speak and kiss with them so theoretically, the bigger the better right? Well, no actually. The birth of lip fillers was accompanied with the insult ‘trout pout’ for when lip surgery/fillers goes very, very wrong (think Lesley Ash, Jocelyn Wildenstein or Pete Burns)

Badly done lips stick out like a sore thumb. After all, who wants to look like they have two thick slugs stuck on their face masquerading as lips? Fuller lips do make a woman look younger, but it takes a talented doctor to know how much filler will make a woman be transformed from drab to fab with just a few Restylane injections.

At Cosmetic Clinics, we aren’t ‘scalpel jockeys’, we are professionals who take pride in our work so if we don’t think a treatment is right for you, we will tell you so.

Laser Hair Removal

For some, hair removal is a costly, painful and inconvenient necessity. Could this be down to a cultural dislike of female body hair? I think this is entirely possible because whenever you see a picture of a woman showing off body hair, for most, the instant reaction is to screw up your face in disgust and say, “urgh!” It really is the last taboo when it comes to the female body and I do not see this one disappearing soon.

Julia Roberts bravely (?) flashed her hairy armpit to the word at the Notting Hill premier in 1999 and most recently, actress Mo’Nique made the world gasp at her hairy legs. She won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress but this did not stop Mo’Nique raising her dress to show off a seriously unkempt pair of legs. Goodness knows why she did this because I thought she looked amazing… up until that point.

I know I don’t feel my best if my legs aren’t smooth. There is no respite even when you wear trousers, as the hairs seem to rub mercilessly and almost create static! Again, if you want to wear knee-length boots, this can be uncomfortable even with two days of leg hair growth.

Yet losing the body hair is also a problem. Shaving can cause nasty nicks and waxing hurts no matter what anyone tells you! Last year I had my bikini line waxed, but the finer hairs that were apparently hiding beneath the more visible thicker hairs were left behind and I had a very red and blotchy bikini area, which I had to continue plucking at home. Very unattractive! The masochistic waxing lady didn’t even shape the remaining hair. I left the waxing studio feeling sore and worry for myself. I could use a depilatory cream but they usually smell pretty nasty and they are messy to use and take too long if you’re in a hurry to get to work.

There is electrolysis as a more permanent option but it is very costly and can be very painful. As with everything, there are risks e.g. infection or the treatment may not work. In the wrong hands, electrolysis can cause permanent skin damage. This is why I opted for laser hair removal for my armpits. It got to the stage where I was shaving my armpits every day because I couldn’t bear the tiniest bit of stubble.

So how does it work?
Laser hair removal works by laser energy being turned to heat energy when absorbed by the hair follicle, this causes thermal damage to the follicle without any damage to the surrounding skin, thus ceasing growth in the treated follicle. It is not 100% permanent, but the more treatments you have, the longer the effects should last.

It was the perfect option and I am so glad that I had it done, look at the pictures! I will be going in to have treatment on my legs next. Thank you Cosmetic Clinics!

Women's Body Hair - by louisa hastings

Why Choose Dermal Fillers?

For a variety of reasons, maybe weight loss or age, a person may find that their face is beginning to look drawn and gaunt. Young skin looks plump and taut thanks to collagen, but as we age, the collagen in our skin slowly decreases. Fortunately, there are lots of non-surgical methods that can be used so that a patient can regain their former youthful looks.

The obvious answer to filling lines and wrinkles is to have Botox. Whilst this is a fantastic method for smoothing lines and wrinkles, not everybody is comfortable with the idea of having Botox injected into their face as an over-zealous practitioner could wipe out a patient’s ability to move their face.

The best non-surgical alternative to Botox is dermal fillers. This is a very useful method of smoothing lines and wrinkles and does not paralyse a person’s face into an expressionless mask. Dermal fillers can also fill out a person’s face to replace fat and plump out areas that have come to look somewhat gaunt e.g. cheeks. A patient can have fillers as a means to fill acne scars or change the shape of their chin or the tip of their nose.

If you are wondering why dermal fillers have become so popular, I can explain why: The effects of dermal fillers are immediate - so you do not have to wait for weeks until the swelling has gone down to see how the procedure has turned out. However, patients may experience very slight bleeding where the needle enters the skin. This is completely normal and is no cause for concern. There may be slight swelling or redness in the treated area although this will go down very quickly.

Typically injected into the lower two halves of the face (Botox is better for use on the forehead), the effects of dermal fillers are softer than other treatments and are often preferred to invasive, painful and expensive surgery which carries the inherent risks of infection and use of general anaesthetics. Compared to a surgical facelift, there is no contest between this and dermal fillers on the subject of cost. It is also very apt to mention that with dermal fillers there is no extensive aftercare and time off work required.

Most of today’s dermal fillers contain hyaluronic acid – this is a compound naturally found in the skin and is critical to the structural integrity of the dermal collagen matrix. What consumers will find is that there are several types of filler such as Radiesse which is more suitable for filling acne scars and treating lines around the nose and mouth. Typically lasting 16-24 months, patients looking for a dermal filler more suitable for filling out cheeks may consider Belotero. It pays to do your research!

Treatment
Patients may be given a local anaesthetic or a topical anaesthetic cream to numb the treated area to avoid discomfort. The treatment typically lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. There is no cutting of the skin and few risks although this should always be discussed at length with the professional involved in the procedure.

When looking for someone to provide dermal fillers, be aware that doctors, nurses and dermatologists can administer the treatment. When looking for a professional to provide dermal fillers check they are qualified to do so. All of the doctors affiliated with Cosmetic Clinics will be more than happy to reassure you by showing their credentials.