Louise Sommereux, clinical director of Cosmex Clinic,
answers the beauty questions you have always wanted to ask…
All patients want to enhance their facial
image with a natural look. The most popular treatment is to improve lines and
wrinkles or to give wolume to lips and mid face. It is difficult to pinpoint
one particular treatment as Cosmex offers a bespole service to a wide age
group.
Louise (left)
Q: What is the least invasive but
most effective treatment?
By injecting Botulinum Toxin in the, for
example, from area the muscles will be temporarily prevented from contracting
so much. This results in softer smooth lines and reduces a negative look. This
procedure is minimally invasive yet very effective. Male patients comment that
with this treatment there is minimum input with maximum output.
Q: If people are having surgery, how
to they know they are in safe hands?
Cosmex always advises, if people are
looking for an experienced plastic surgeon, to do your homework first. Look for
a surgeon who has current qualifications and is ‘alive’ on the medical
professional registers GMC and BAPS. Always have an initial consultation armed
with a list of questions, which should include how often is the procedure
performed, what risks there are, realistic expectations and a portfolio of
photos. Word of mouth is still the optimum recommendation.
Q: Do clinics have to be regulated to
a certain body?
Unfortunately not. The British Association
of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN), of which I am a founder member, is one of several
bodies in the UK aesthetics field that is working hard to improve industry
standards to ensure safety for both patients and professionals. We are hopeful
that the Department of Health will soon review the current lack of regulations
and raise the bar to a satisfactory level so that members of the public are
protected from unqualified practitioners. Injectables such as dermal fillers
and botulinum toxin are indeed offered by a wide range of individuals who have
no medical qualifications at all, including beauty and massage therapists,
tattoo artists and physiotherapists. Anyone planning to have anti-ageing injectables
should feel confident having treatment with a registered nurse and is advised
not to risk finding themselves in the hands of someone with questionable
skills.
Q: If you don’t mind us asking, what
treatments have you had done or have done?
Of course not! I feel very fortunate that
in today’s world I have a choice to have lines and wrinkles or not and to have
grey hair or not! My choice is not to have grey hair and a few lines and
wrinkles. I like movement and expression in my face, but don’t want to see deep
lines when my face is not animated. I have a combination of treatments spread
across a year: The derma rollder rejuvenates my skin leaving it fresh and
firmer looking. I have fillers around the lower part of my face and Botox in my
upper face and around the eyes – subtle treatments that give rise ro comments
on ‘how well you look’.
