I’ve just attended some training with a psychiatrist, who is an expert in mental health in the aesthetics industry. I’m blown away to hear the fact that of those of us who have aesthetic treatments, 50% suffer from some form of diagnosable psychiatric disorder.
Now before you make any judgement, remember that we live in strange times and that our modern-day lifestyles mean it’s not too surprising to hear this.
I might recognise that you are unsuitable for treatment if you show signs of:
What I learnt was that for some disorders, like body dysmorphia, I am most likely to be the health professional to realise there may be a problem.
If you’re reading this blog, then you’re probably a patient or thinking about being one, so you have some aspect about your face that bothers you enough to seek treatment. The difference is that it’s NOT significantly impacting your life so as to cause significant distress and stop you from going about your normal life.
If you recognise that you show some of the behaviours mentioned above, don’t be alarmed, there are treatments to help you. It also doesn’t mean that you are excluded from having aesthetic treatments. What I learn from the training is, that the most important thing is that both you and I realise and acknowledge the problem, so we can have an open and honest discussion on what’s best for you, to help you manage your care. What’s clear from the research is that, if the condition goes unrecognised, and treatment continues without consideration of the problem, then almost certainly, your condition will become worse.
If you’ve ever experienced any of these, then you’ll know that the skin and brain talk to each other. I have previously written about the gut-skin connection, similarly, there is a brain-skin axis. You only have to think about when you’ve felt stressed and felt the sweat running down your back, to know the impact our feelings can have on our skin.
All of the above are temporary responses to stress or emotions, but what if feelings like being sad, overwhelmed and being out of control, take over your daily life?
The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea and rests in the anterior chamber of your skull. It acts like a switchboard for your stress hormones, the primary signal coming from the hypothalamus gland, just above it. When it’s activated, like when you’re stressed, it sends a signal to another gland just above your kidney, called the adrenal gland.
When your adrenal gland receives its message, it releases a powerful hormone called Cortisol, and other stress hormones called Catecholamines. Both of these hormone types are beneficial and vital in maintaining a healthy body. However, if you’re high for too long, they can turn against you. High levels of cortisol and catecholamines can weaken our immunity, damage organs (including the skin), and increase blood sugar levels.
This is why chronic stress has been linked to a host of conditions like diabetes, food allergies, weight gain, increased susceptibility to colds and flu-like illnesses, cancer, heart disease and many more…..
As noted previously, high levels of stress hormones weaken your immunity, which means that it can’t keep itself in tip-top condition, which means it’s more susceptible to bacteria, virus’s and fungi; sun damage and pollution.
This can worsen chronic skin conditions like eczema, acne, rosacea and psoriasis. Apart from this, the reduced ability of the skin to repair itself, means that you will experience more lines and wrinkles as elastic tissue depletes, loss of plumpness as collagen levels dive and your skin could become dry as the skin loses its ability to produce the lipid layer that seals moisture in.
While reducing stress levels should theoretically help to alleviate damaging effects on the skin, there’s only limited data regarding the effectiveness of stress-reducing interventions. There is some evidence that meditation may lower stress hormone levels in people who do it regularly. Research shows these techniques to be helpful in controlling psoriasis, however, more proof is needed to show the benefit of these techniques in other skin conditions. Healthy lifestyle habits, including a well-balanced diet and exercise, may also help to regulate stress hormones in the body, which should in turn have positive effects on skin and hair.
If you are experiencing a skin condition related to stress, see a dermatologist for your condition, and try some stress-reducing techniques at home. In addition, No4 can offer advice and treatments aimed at reducing adult acne, rosacea and ageing skin.
For more information contact us here.
Why would anyone get their fillers dissolved? They’re the number two aesthetic treatment worldwide! Millions of people are queuing up for fuller cheeks, contoured features and plump, shapely lips.
However, some celebrities are rocking the boat by deciding to get their filler removed, encouraging us to re-evaluate our attitude towards this procedure.
I’ve never felt comfortable with very large lips, but thanks to celebrity role models and social media stars, overfilled lips are becoming the norm. I’m glad to see people challenging the trend, with Love Island star Charlotte Crosby making the headlines by having her lip filler chemically dissolved. She put a question mark over the value of excessive lip fillers, while cosmetic doctors are exploring the risks of overfilling.
For example, Dr Harris deliberately draws attention to the distortion caused by overfilled lips and cheeks. He believes that too much filler leads to ‘alienisation’, with features enlarged outside the normal range for the individual in question.
However, it’s not always an unscrupulous doctor or an excessive treatment that leads to these strangely exaggerated results. Many people forget what they looked like before treatment and return for more or the substance takes longer to dissolve than we originally thought. The patients believe that they’re in need of a top-up while it’s still in their system, leading to a double dose of filler.
We all think about our appearance. Low confidence is often the motivation to have an aesthetic treatment such as dermal fillers, as it helps us to embrace how we look. However, cosmetic treatment has been linked to an extreme preoccupation with appearance, known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). People with BDD spend a disproportionate amount of time obsessing over minor or imagined flaws. This can be enormously upsetting, so it’s no surprise they turn to cosmetics to try and fix the problem.
It’s a difficult issue for us practitioners to identify, especially as fewer than 10% of patients with BDD are satisfied with the results of their treatment. They move on to other practitioners to correct this perceived problem or their anxieties transfer to another area of the face or body. Their constant quest to fix the flaw leads to distorted, overfilled features.
Now, not everyone with overfilled features is suffering from BDD. After all, we all worry about our appearance to some extent and BDD is the extreme end of the spectrum. In my practice, I tend to see patients who are delighted with a filler treatment, but quickly forget what they looked like before the procedure. They want a more discernible difference, so they come back wanting another treatment.
It’s easy to see how people’s faces become overfilled, especially as fillers may last much longer than we think. Alice Hart Davis, a beauty journalist and author, discovered that 35ml of dermal filler is still present in her face, even though we expect it to have dissolved naturally in less than two years.
Not at all! They help millions of people to look youthful, including me! However, we do need to take care.
In my clinic, I limit the amount I’m prepared to place at one time, assessing my patients via ultrasound to determine if any filler remains. This helps me decide if it’s suitable for them to have more treatment or whether I should direct them to an alternative, of which we have many. When I do conduct treatments, I tend to use Juvederm, which creates wonderfully subtle and natural-looking results.
Are you interested in dermal fillers? Visit our website for more information or contact us to book a consultation.
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The excitement of Christmas has faded away, replaced by a new year! We often see this as a new start and a chance to reset, as we abstain from bad foods, alcohol and an unhealthy lifestyle. We start a diet instead or take up running. However, you want to be careful with this ‘new year new me’ philosophy!
There’s one big problem with this mindset – it doesn’t work! Studies show that 23% of people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions after one week, while 43% expect to give up before the end of January. In fact, less than 10% of people successfully continue with their new lifestyle!
‘New year new me’ won’t motivate you for very long, especially after a slip-up. You need a plan for a long-term goal because you can rarely make lasting changes based on an impulse. As a dentist, I believe in making small changes, which culminate in significant improvements.
Take alcohol for example. From a skin perspective, we’re in favour of reducing your intake. Too much alcohol dehydrates the skin and reduces elasticity, leading to fine lines, creases and a dull, dry complexion. It can also give rise to conditions like psoriasis and rosacea, to say nothing of the increased risk of skin infections. On the other hand, going cold turkey can be a mistake. It doesn’t allow any flexibility for what can be a big lifestyle change (depending on how much you’re used to drinking). Similarly, you might be invited to a social event and feel like you’re unable to enjoy a drink, leading to regret, resentment and an eventual return to bad habits.
Instead of being stern with yourself, follow a little-by-little approach. Try giving up alcohol during the week and allowing yourself 3-4 units at the weekend or at a party. It may feel like a little change, but imagine the impact after one, two or three months! You’ll be in a much healthier state, without the inevitable disappointment caused by the ‘new year new me’ attitude.
There’s more to January than giving up bad habits. Many of you contact me in the winter, asking me to restore your faces after the festive period. You might be searching for a quick fix, hoping that I’ll turn around and present you with a miracle cure. We have some excellent treatments at No. 4, including luxurious Hydrafacials and healing light therapy, but they’re not magic. I can’t solve all your problems with the wave of a wand or give you an undetectable treatment with no downtime.
We’re not here to transform you into your ‘new year new me’ ideal. We’re here to walk alongside you as you seek to renew your skin and age well. Ageing well takes commitment, much like a New Year’s Resolution, which is why we encourage you to stop and think about the best ways to achieve your goals.
We’re partners, you and me. You trust me to listen to you, identify your main concerns and then come up with a plan. I might direct you to Su’s Skin Program, ideal for investing in your future complexion. Alternatively, I might point you to my own skincare plan, perfect for combating signs of ageing and menopause. Through 12 in-depth sessions, I’ll boost your collagen production, reduce fine lines and soften wrinkles, helping you achieve a healthy, glowing appearance.
Are you ready to take the first step? Then contact us to book a consultation! It’s the best opportunity to find the right treatment.
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‘Good skin doesn’t happen by chance, it happens by appointment.’ I’m not sure who came up with this phrase but I can honestly say that it’s true! I have found that many of my clients who seek injectables to fix their fine lines and wrinkles don’t recognise that their skin is in crisis! Read on to discover whether your skin is in need of my help.
Early intervention is critical if you're going to avoid premature ageing. Although some might say that premature ageing is inevitable, I believe this isn’t necessarily true. Recent findings show that the environment plays a huge role in how our skin ages. Epigenetics - the study of how our genes react with our environment - means that, if you look after your skin, you might not look like you’re long in the tooth when you’re over 50!
So how do you know if your skin is in trouble and showing the early signs of damage and disease? Here are five signs to help you recognise that you’re in trouble.
Sun damage can cause some cells in the skin to go rogue. Melanocytes are the cells that colour your skin and are easily damaged by UVA, UVB and visible light. When they ‘go rogue’, excessive pigment is released into the skin, causing dark spots and uneven skin tone.
So if you’re starting to see dark spots, BEWARE - you may have caused damage and it’s starting to show!
Using harsh, damaging detergents or double cleansing will dry the skin and make it susceptible to pollution. Stripping it of its protective layer is not what you want to do if you want healthy skin. The surface is covered by a fatty layer, called the lipid barrier. This layer functions to protect your skin from environmental onslaughts, like pollution, whilst simultaneously preventing moisture from being sapped by dry air. If you disrupt this barrier, you will experience skin problems, like dehydration and premature ageing, and your cells won't function normally, leaving you vulnerable to skin damage.
Fine lines and wrinkles are a sign that your skin is losing elasticity. Elasticity is the ability of the skin to rebound after a mechanical force is applied to it. A good test to do on yourself is to lightly pinch the skin under the eye and see how quickly it returns to shape. This is commonly known as the ‘snap test’ by us clinicians. If the skin doesn’t rebound within a few seconds, it means you’re already losing elastic properties.
These usually first appear around the nose and cheeks, and are a sure sign that your skin is deficient in elastin, the fibre that keeps our skin in shape. As mentioned before, elasticity gives our skin the ability to rebound. It’s the same with our blood vessels - if they lose elasticity, they can’t return to shape and become dilated and visible on the surface of the skin. This means that, if you’re seeing broken vessels on your face, then you need to take action if you don’t want to look like a beet in your old age!
Large, open pores are more common than you think. Many women ignore them and plaster over the top with makeup. However, enlarged pores are a warning sign that the skin is suffering. Excess sebum and bacteria irritate the pores and cause inflammation, which damages the surrounding area, depleting elastin and collagen, allowing the opening of the pore to dilate. Makeup further inflames the situation, so simply covering pores isn’t a good option. What you need to do is pay attention to what your skin is telling you and come to its rescue!
So, now you know the signs, what can you do? My recommendation is to see someone like myself or Su to give you good, honest advice on how to manage it. Yes, you’re going to see changes happening to the skin as the years pass by, but some can be avoided, or at least minimised! Our wide range of treatments at No4 Clinic can help you to age positively and look your best!
If you’re ready to take the first step towards beautiful skin, simply book your online consultation! For more tips, tricks and advice, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. My live streams on Facebook are not to be missed!
Crow’s feet, the lines around your eyes that are formed when you smile, are inevitable. Some argue that they show a life well-lived - a happy and fulfilled existence. Others see them as a punishment, a sign that they are losing their vitality and youth. Whatever your viewpoint, they happen to us all. However, if you want to banish yours, there are steps that can be taken.
Crow’s feet look different on everyone. You may have one or two around the corners of your eyes, whilst others can have deep lines extending all the way down their face and some even join up to the lines around an individual’s mouth. I think of them as being similar to fingerprints - as unique as you are! That’s because there are several causes and depending on what variables created them, yours won’t be exactly the same as anyone else’s.
If you are one of those people who think crow’s feet are a blight on your face and have a medicine cabinet full of eye creams, then you need to think again. Eye creams are useful in helping to hydrate the eye area but it would be foolish to think that they are the answer. To understand this, it helps to know how wrinkles around the eyes are formed in the first place.
On average, we develop crow’s feet as a result of a loss of elasticity caused by the natural ageing process, which is accelerated by photoageing. Photoageing happens when light penetrates our skin. This energises our electrons, which hop out of their molecules and zoom around, thus damaging our DNA. This disrupts the way that the skin functions, rendering it unable to repair itself, meaning that eventually, with continued light exposure, the dermis’ ability to care for itself diminishes significantly. It’s interesting to note that all forms of visible light (UVA and UVB) damage our skin. This is why it’s so important to wear a broad spectrum SPF with UVA and visible light protection. You can find examples of these in our online shop.
There are a number of ways in which crow’s feet can be treated, the right one for you ultimately depends on the nature of yours and, to a lesser extent, your preference.
If the skin can’t rebound when the circular muscle around the eye contracts, crow’s feet are formed. Orbicularis oculi is the name of this muscle and it’s responsible for maintaining eyelid integrity, blinking and much more. For this reason, wrinkle relaxing injections can only be used to reduce muscle activity on the outer part of this muscle in order to maintain its full range of activity.
If you want to rid yourself of crow’s feet and loose skin closer to your eyelids, you may want to consider surgery. However, I would not advise this as it requires significant downtime and comes with several associated risks. I much prefer to use energy-based modalities such as ENDYMED FSR to achieve the same results.
These treatments renew the delicate eye area and have a great safety profile. The treatment area might be a little red immediately afterwards but this quickly subsides, leaving you free to return to your normal activities the next day! At Nichola Maasdorp No4 Clinic, we like to combine this treatment with our ASM MED Collagen Activation Plan. The plan reduces downtime post-procedure, speeds up skin recovery and enhances treatment results!
If you don’t want to commit to an ablative treatment, you can still give your eye area a boost with our Eye Perks by HydraFacial. This option refreshes your eye area through the use of key ingredients such as horse chestnut seed and arnica flower extract – leaving this delicate part of your face looking toned, firmed and hydrated.
The first step towards beautiful, youthful skin is getting booked in for a consultation. During this time, I will get to know you, your skin and your goals. From here, I can advise you on which treatment(s) will be most effective for crow’s feet or any other concerns you may have.
You can also learn more about how else we can help you to look and feel your best on our website, or by following us on Instagram and Facebook.
Sadly, exposure to the sun and the effects of gravity contribute to sagging jowls, it’s a fact of life. As we age, our bodies are far less efficient when it comes to producing the proteins collagen and elastin, which keep our skin looking plump and fresh. Genetics also has a part to play in creating sagging jowls - they might even begin to appear well before middle age. Whilst we can't do too much to influence our genes, there are alternative and very safe non-invasive treatments that will ensure younger and firmer-looking skin.
You may have heard that some facial exercises can help but this isn’t quite the case. Unfortunately, facial exercises will be relatively ineffective. Sagging jowls are caused by a loss of elasticity in ageing skin and not by muscle wastage. Exercises are great for muscle strength but it's not going to boost the production of the proteins we need to restore skin flexibility and a more youthful appearance.
Read on to learn more about what can be done!
Some of us feel nervous about opting for surgery to address issues such as sagging jowls, but there are different options that produce fantastic results. Successful non-surgical treatments will improve volume in the face to restore a fuller, plumper and more youthful visage. Non-invasive procedures, on the other hand, will also work to address the loss of elasticity in the skin, reduce sagging jowls and improve your confidence. Whatever treatment you are considering, it's important to seek a qualified and experienced practitioner, such as myself or a member of my team. We will arrange a personal consultation to assess your suitability for treatment and put you on the right track!
Dermal fillers are a great non-invasive option! I’d inject a hyaluronic acid-based solution into the cheeks to restore volume and you’ll be able to see results immediately! This will lift the skin and improve support to the lower face and jawline, therefore reducing your sagging jowls. This is a simple procedure that will create fast results and could last for between 6-18 months, depending on a range of factors.
An increasingly popular alternative is the thread lift. This lifts and smoothes the skin on your jowls by using very fine threads, no wider than a single hair to pull the skin on your face back to reduce laxity. These threads will dissolve in over a year or so, and this particular procedure is very quick and requires minimal downtime. An additional benefit of the thread lift is that it stimulates your skin to produce more collagen, which will also benefit your overall skin health! Your results will be visible for around 12-18 months as a result of this.
ENDYMED™ is another non-invasive option. It uses radiofrequency to tighten and lift the face and neck. These energy pulses encourage your skin to produce collagen which, in turn, will improve elasticity and reduce sagging jowls. Alternatively, ALLSKIN | MED offers a selection of professional skincare products and I stock some of them in my shop. Contact me to find out what would be best for you!
As you can see, we have a range of non-invasive options for you to consider. Why not get in touch and book a consultation today? All you need to do is fill in a form on our website, call us on 07595221484 or email [email protected].
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See you soon!
