Wrinkle Softening at The Brookdale Clinic

By Surgeon In Oral And Facial Surgery Liz McLean   

After graduating from Manchester University Liz has spent the last 15 years working in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, During this time she gained fellowship of the Royal College of surgeons. Her time now is spent between running Oral and Facial Surgery clinics, both in hospital and in specialist referral practices, together with a great interest in Non-Surgical Facial Aesthetic Medicine.

Liz McLean has joined The Brookdale team and is fully qualified to administer wrinkle softening injections and dermal fillers.  Liz passionately believes that it is essential to have a thorough working knowledge of the facial anatomy before injecting anything into a patient's face.  She says a clinical environment is paramount.  As a surgeon Liz is also able to carry out minor surgical procedures.

Botox® and Collagen Fillers

The MHRA granted a license for cosmetic use of Botox® in February 2006. Also known as Vistabel®, Botox® has in recent years grown beyond its 'Hollywood' reputation to become an acceptable, mainstream solution to addressing and managing the natural ageing process.

Frownlines (between eyebrows), worry lines (forehead), laughter lines (corners of eyes) - they all become more pronounced as we age, and for millions of people these simple injections provide a wonderful solution, turning back the clock visibly and giving renewed confidence in their appearance.

How does it work?

By using facial muscles repeatedly throughout a lifetime, the skin becomes creased in areas of greatest use. as skin ages it loses elasticity, so these creases become permanent. By reducing the movement of muscles in these areas the skin stops being creased and has the opportunity to recover.

Botox® is a natural protein which temporarily blocks neuromuscular transmission -in other words it temporarily stops the chemical messages travelling from the nerve to the muscle.

Treated areas appear smoother and less wrinkled. This is called cosmetic denervation. The muscles start recovering after about 4 months on average.

What happens during treatment?

A very fine needle is inserted precisely though several layers of the skin and a small amount of diluted Botox ® is injected. Local anaesthetic cream may be applied to the areas prior to treatment and the procedure is relatively painless.

Are there any side effects?

Side effects are very rare, though bruising is the most common. There are others but all possibilities will be explained to you in detail before any treatment takes place.

Botox® treatments are safe, effective and very quick. The results are not immediately visible but will become apparent within 3-10 days.

The consultation procedure

Before any treatment you will have a full consultation with one of our specialist team. This consultation identifies your own expectations and provides a clear and complete explanation of the treatment. Your medical history is taken to confirm suitability for treatment, and a written informed consent is obtained.

Any other questions?

Our specialist team are here for you, and will answer any questions and concerns you have. We want your experience at The Brookdale Clinic to be relaxing and enjoyable and to give you the results you want.

More about Collagen fillers

Most people want to look as youthful as they possibly can. if you are serious about looking good and are worried by the subtle changes that time inflicts, then collagen fillers such as Restylane may be for you - it's the obvious choice to fill lines, wrinkles and skin depressions.

What is collagen?

The supportive layers under the surface of your skin are formed of collagen; a natural substance that gives your skin a youthful resilience, texture and shape.

As you start to grow older the natural collagen is slowly lost and your skin starts to show the usual signs of ageing - wrinkles appear, creases become permanent and your looks gradually change, as does other people's perception of your age.

How does it work?

The technique involves implanting naturally occurring collagen into the skin in order to exert gentle pressure from below, giving your skin back some of its natural firmness and elasticity.

Because the collagen is a natural protein it is completely compatible with your natural tissues and remains as an inert layer for longperiods. as time passes, the collagen, like your own, gradually disappears and your looks will benefit greatly from further treatment.

Collagen instant therapy can be used with great benefit to most facial areas. Generally speaking whenever wrinkles occur it is a simple matter to replace the lost collagen and help to restore a more youthful, smoother skin.

As you grow older your lips generally grow thinner, Collagen instant therapy can also be used to create lips that are more full and pouting. Lip margins can be easily enhanced and restored to their former beauty.

For treating scarred and pitted skin

Another very popular use for collagen instant therapy is for reducing and softening facial scars, either those from old injuries or from skin complaints such as acne. Scars generally form a depression in the skin and collagen instant therapy is used to lift this area and blend it in with the surrounding skin.

An easy process in skillful hands

Collagen instant therapy is quick, easy and, in skillful hands, is performed with the minimum discomfort. Treatment visits should only take 30 minutes. Repeat treatments can be given whenever you see the need for improvment again. Sometimes these further treatments require less collagen than your initial treatment.

Naturally, you will receive a pre-treatment consultation where you will discuss your needs in full and your practitioner will advise on the best way to achieve the desired results.

It will be necessary for you to have a skin test to make sure that you are not allergic to the natural collagen. This presents no problems in the vast majority of clients, in fact nearly one million men and women have received collagen instant therapy which has been available for over ten years. Where intolerance is a problem, or when you do not want to wait for the results of a skin test, there are other alternatives.

Choosing between the dermal fillers is judged by your nurse's experience, the individual's sense of urgency, personal preference, ethical beliefs and cost effectiveness.

Before	After

 Botox®

Before	After

 Restylane

Arrange your consultation today on 01565 651832