If Love Island has taught us anything, it’s that dermal fillers are utterly ubiquitous in modern society – you can even get fillers in Superdrug now.

The popular cosmetic treatment involves the injection of a dermal filler to plump and alter the shape of the face. While permanent silicone fillers have been used in the past, most people prefer to opt for hyaluronic acid-based fillers like Juvederm, for more temporary results.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule that is found in your body, and any injected amounts will be absorbed into the body after a few months.

As popular as the treatment is, it is not without complications. The non-surgical side of the cosmetics industry is almost entirely unregulated, with any regulations being introduced relatively recently.

In fact, there is nothing in the law to prevent someone with no qualifications whatsoever from supplying, buying and administrating dermal fillers. Yeah, scary.

If you decide that you want to have the treatment, it’s pretty much up to you to make sure you’re in safe hands. So, do your research. What qualifications do they have? Where is the clinic? What do past patients say? Before you even set eyes on a syringe, you should know the brand name, ingredients and the strength of what is being injected into you.

While there are thousands of destinations offering fillers and other non-surgical cosmetic treatments, here’s a few of the best places for fillers in London that the GLAMOUR team can vouch for with total confidence.

Alexandra Haq

Alex Haq is known for offering natural-looking lips, using VIVACY which is dubbed as the ‘Chic Filler’. Based at 10 Harley Street, she’s one of London’s most loved, and safe, practitioners.

Source: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/best-lip-fillers-london

Product

VIVACY dermal lip filler.

The Hype

The Paris-based company has recently set up camp in Mayfair, London, after becoming the no.1 company for fillers in France, famous for achieving the ‘French Look’ – soft, chic and natural. Dubbed as the ‘Chic Filler’, VIVACY focus on “enhancing natural beauty with subtle changes”.

Reviewer

Chloe Laws, GLAMOUR UK Social Media Editor

Beauty Bio

I’ve never had any type of cosmetic work done before, so getting lip filler was daunting. The idea of a natural-looking lip enhancement has always appealed to me, but the possibility of coming out with overfilled and lumpy lips put me off. We’ve all seen the horror stories. I’ve never disliked my lips, but do vividly remember at age 16 getting hit in the face with a football and actually loving the puffed-up result I accidentally achieved. Lip filler was something I’d thought about, but not given any proper consideration.

The Review

I met with Alex Haq at 10 Harley Street one week ahead of my appointment, for a consultation; I went in with the mindset that I wouldn’t agree to anything unless I 100% trusted and felt safe in the practitioner’s hands. Alex is a Facial Aesthetics & Cosmetic Dermatologist at Invictus Humanus, which has clinics in London and Northern Ireland. I viewed this in the same way I do when picking a hairdresser – I want them to have great locks so I know their taste is good, and Alex had a great face – natural with a few tweakments.

Within 5 minutes I had already decided I absolutely wanted the fillers; she got my vision of bee-stung lips with no lumps, and understood how much I wanted my natural shape to stay intact. We also spoke about the fact I suffer from psoriasis and therefore would need to be extra careful with aftercare due to the fact I’m more susceptible to infection. I left feeling excited and prepped with aftercare tips.

For the actual procedure, I was in and out of the clinic within the hour. I ended up getting just 0.8ml, originally we agreed 0.5ml but because my lips aren’t symmetrical, the right side needed more of a helping hand.

People always want to know “was it painful?”, and to be honest, it’s all subjective. The numbing cream is the weirdest part, but it’s not painful, just an ‘odd’ sensation. The actual injections (I didn’t go for a canular), for me, didn’t hurt at all – you can feel it, sure, but it’s just like a pinprick.

I loved them as soon as I looked in the mirror – due to Alex’s incredible handiwork I didn’t get any bruising (pro tip, take arnica tablets for a few days before). They felt hard and swollen for about two days, and then they settled – a much speedier healing process than I’d imagined.

The Verdict

A fortnight after getting lip fillers, I have zero regrets. A lot of people haven’t even noticed I’ve had them done owing to how natural we went, and everyone I’ve told has been super positive. After posting about it on my Instagram Stories, I’ve had around 40 DMs from people telling me they’d now consider lip fillers after seeing how subtle mine look.

As with any beauty or cosmetic treatments, only put your looks in the hands of someone you trust. Go with your gut feeling and good vibes, because being on the same page as Alex with what I wanted to achieve made all the difference.

Source: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/vivacy-review

As the saying goes, every wrinkle tells a story, but you may want to keep all those stories to yourself…

We don’t blame you!

The best way to avoid wrinkles is to get ahead of what causes them – much of which is in your control, including:

Your Age

OK, we can’t really change our age, but wrinkles are another thing we can blame on our depleting supply of collagen. The building block of elastic youthful skin, our collagen supply dwindles with advancing age. The good news: There are a bonafide ways to prevent the break down of collagen and boost its production. The growing list includes PDO threads. The PDO thread lift is a procedure in which specialised CE approved surgical threads made from polydioxanone are injected into the skin using a fine needle/ cannula. The threads are interlaced causing a tension in the skin which delivers an instant
lift.

The threads dissolve after 6-8 months. During this time they stimulate the production of “new” collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, thickening and strengthening the skin from within and improving elasticity so it retains a lifted appearance for up to 2 years post treatment.

Some injectables also volumize by enhancing collagen production.

Your Genes

OK, we can’t change our genes…yet. If your mum had furrows, chances are you will too unless you take steps to protect your skin from the sun’s rays and other known causes of wrinkles.

Exposure to UV light breaks down your skin’s connective tissue including collagen and elastin in the deeper layer of skin. When this occurs, your skin begins to sag and wrinkle. Stop this process in its tracks by using Daily Sheer Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 all year round. See the our shop for the list of SPF we stock in clinic.

Smoking

Those vertical lip lines are called smoker’s lines for a reason. Smoking produces free radicals in the body, which contribute to premature aging. Antioxidants like vitamin C sop
up damaging free radicals, and C-Bright Serum 10% Vitamin C is chock full of vitamin C. This serum helps minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles when used as directed. The repetitive pursing of lips that occurs when you smoke also causes wrinkles. If you smoke, the best thing you can do is quit, and if you don’t smoke, don’t start. Wrinkling is but one of a laundry list of problems and diseases that are caused and worsened by smoking.

Pollution

Oxidative stress from pollution ages the skin and damages its ability to repair itself from damage. If moving or switching occupations isn’t an option, an antioxidant serum such as C-Bright 10% Vitamin C Serum will provide a high dose of stabilized pure vitamin C to reduce the effects of pollution on the skin. The addition of coenzyme Q10, another powerful antioxidant, helps to defend against other environmental triggers that cause inflammation.

You survived high school. You sailed through college. Your breakouts were still showing up in your twenties. But you hit your thirties and your acne is still flaring up, and you thought you would be done by now…

You’re not alone. Adult acne is more common than you think. But it is different than the acne you had during your teens in several ways.

The key difference is that teenage age is caused by active oil glands and excess oil production, whereas adult acne is caused by hormonal activity. As we age, cell turnover slows down, so in adults, the oil builds up and causes inflammation, cystic acne and pimples.

Teenage acne tends to show up all over the face, and back, chest and shoulders. Adult acne is more commonly found on the lower face, chin and jawline.

The way to treat teen acne is also different than the best treatments for adults. For starters, young skin that produces too much oil needs more aggressive treatments to reduce the presence of p.acnes bacteria and dry up all that oil that causes the areas around nose and cheeks to shine. Adult skin is more fragile, delicate and sensitive, so it tends to dry out more quickly. The best treatments are more gentle and easier to
tolerate. In addition, adult women want to be able to wear foundation, so acne therapy needs to allow them to have a smooth surface to apply daily makeup without flaking and peeling.

Fortunately, the ZO® Skin Health and ZO® Medical ranges offer formulations that are suited to treat all types of acne for women and men of all ages.

There are certain ingredients that are proclaimed as powerhouses in skincare. Ingredients that contain antioxidants have become so immensely popular in the skincare industry that they have become a buzzword to consumers. However, antioxidants are more than just a buzzword or trending ingredient. There is a reason why skincare professionals continue to utilize antioxidants in treatments and maintenance protocols to give patients the best skin health solutions available. Antioxidants are more than deserving of all the hype because of their versatility, potency, and ability to deliver desirable results.

Yet the question for many remains: what exactly is an antioxidant? How many types of antioxidants are there? And how can you tell which is best suited for your own skin’s benefit?

An antioxidant can help prevent skin damage by protecting the skin from oxidation and free radicals. Free radicals from the environment, such as light and UV rays, pollutants, and other aggressors, are one of the largest culprits behind the reason that skin ages. By introducing an antioxidant to the skin, it can inhibit the oxidation process, thus slowing down damage to the skin as well as encouraging its repair.

The oxidation of skin can increase the appearance of fine lines + wrinkles. It can also show as sun damage, age spots, hyperpigmentation and the loosening and sagging of skin. By including antioxidants into your skincare regimen, they can work to improve the signs of aging, brighten the complexion and even skin tone. It is important to know your skin and to consult with an expert to determine the best ways to achieve your desired skin results. With that knowledge, figuring out the best antioxidant product to include is far more feasible. With this month being Skin Cancer Awareness Month, it is also important to highlight the anti-carcinogenic properties some antioxidants possess, which can help in the prevention against developing skin cancer.

Some of the most popular antioxidants found in skin health products most likely sound familiar to skincare enthusiasts. ZO® Skin Health includes cutting-edge ingredients and exclusive technologies in all products to offer skin health solutions to anyone, regardless of skin type. Below are some of the most well-known and most-recommended antioxidants to use from dermatologists, aestheticians, and other skin health professionals.

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is one of the most studied and readily available antioxidants in the market. It helps lighten dark spots, even out the skin tone + work to reduce fine lines + wrinkles. 10% Vitamin C Self-Activating by ZO® Skin Health helps remove surface discoloration and renew brightness.

Vitamin A, or retinols/retinoids, is a powerful antioxidant most well-known for its ability to rejuvenate aging skin. By encouraging the production of collagen and stimulating cell turnover, Vitamin A is one of the best treatments to reduce moderate to severe signs of aging. Wrinkle + Texture Repair contains 0.5% retinol which allows the product to even skin texture, support the skin’s ability to retain hydration and to minimize the appearance of fine lines + wrinkles.

Vitamin E, or tocopherol, contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and has been linked to encouraging skin cell turnover. Daily Power Defense by ZO® Skin Health is an effective antioxidant serum that works to lessen free-radical damage and promotes all-around skin health. It’s exclusive formula accelerates the skin’s natural ability to heal itself and to address environmental damage, especially from UV rays.

You can’t dispute the science. The UVA and UVB rays from the sun as well as tanning beds and lamps lead to premature photo-aging at best, and skin cancer, including deadly melanoma, at worst. As beauty magazines and dermatologists advise, “The only safe tan is a fake tan.”

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “A tan, whether you get it on the beach, in a bed, or through incidental exposure, is bad news, any way you acquire it.” And tanning salons may pose the biggest risk. People who use indoor tanning devices are 74% more likely to develop melanoma than someone who has never visited a tanning salon or sat under a UV lamp. In the US alone, 419,254 cases of skin cancer can be attributed to indoor tanning. Out of this number, 6,199 are melanoma cases, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Avoiding indoor tanning is a no brainer, but what about natural sunlight? What is the best way to protect yourself yet enjoy outdoor activities, especially in the summer? “The new FDA guidelines explicitly state that you should wear a sunscreen with broad spectrum UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) protection. It also says you should reapply sunscreen frequently to maintain high levels of protection—a critical point,” says Dr. Obagi.

The Skin Cancer Foundation adds that you should seek shade when the sun is highest and wear protective clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses. Also, apply one full ounce of sunscreen to your body and face every two hours when you are outdoors. In fact, Dr. Ogagi believes you should never leave the house without sunscreen on exposed parts of the body and recommends ZO® Skin Health Oclipse® Sunscreen + Primer SPF 30, which contains natural melanin that acts as a shield to fight the assault of ultra violet light on skin cells.

If you are still tempted by the illusionary enhancement of a tan remember this, skin ages 10 times faster when exposed to UV light from any source. You may not see the changes in your 20s, but textural and tone changes will appear in your early 30s, sun induced melanoma can occur in teens, and premature photo aging—lines, wrinkles, discoloration— is never a pretty sight.

View all our protect range

The skin around your eyelids is the thinnest on your body, and as such is most subject to daily and relentless damage from ultraviolet exposure. Choosing and using the right protective eye cream can delay the visible signs of aging around your eyes and keep this delicate skin supple and hydrated

Michigan plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD, recommends ZO® Medical Hydra firm Eye Brightening Repair Crème. Designed specifically for the under-eye area, the dream cream helps minimize the multiple signs of aging around the eyes, including puffiness, dark circles and fine lines.

“Puffiness under the eyes can be caused by several issues, including fatigue, fluid retention, seasonal allergies, excess salt intake, and of course, heredity,” Youn says. “The cause of dark circles can include darkening of the skin from chronic rubbing or a genetic predisposition. Additionally, some people with thin under eye skin can have darkening from underlying blood vessels that are visible,” he says. “Volume loss or hollowing under the eyes can cause shadowing that can create a dark appearance.”

Hydrafirm contains caffeine, enzymatic vasodilators and coenzyme A, which rapidly reduce the appearance of puffiness around your eyes. Active Vitamin A and biomimetic proteins encourage natural collagen production to help restore skin’s elasticity. Collagen is the skin’s main structural protein.

All you need is a pea-sized amount for the entire under-eye area. Apply it in the morning and before bed starting as early as your 20s. Blend the cream gently with your fingertips, and be careful to ever pull or tug on the skin around the eyes. With continued use, your delicate eyelid skin will become firmer for a more youthful look.

April is here and it is Rosacea Awareness Month!

According to The National Rosacea Society (NRS), April has been designated as Rosacea Awareness Month to educate the public on the real effects of rosacea and to dismantle the misconceptions that surround this chronic skin condition. Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that usually affects the face; often the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin are involved. The cause of rosacea is still unknown and can be developed in many ways and at any age. Even the symptoms of rosacea can vary, but it is often categorized by facial redness, skin thickening, plus facial swelling and visible blood vessels in more advanced cases.

While there is no cure for rosacea, it is still a treatable skin condition. Most patients are prescribed antibiotics due to their anti-inflammatory properties, while others are advised light-therapy, in which light at a specific wavelength is absorbed by the blood vessels in the skin, allowing them to shrink down and improve the skin’s appearance. It is an effective procedure; however, long-term therapy is required.

Patients with rosacea are also urged to identify lifestyle and environmental factors that can be exacerbating flare-ups and redness. This can be anything from diet, stress, or exposure to certain environmental triggers. Alcohol, spicy foods, hot drinks and even dairy can trigger rosacea to flare up, while environmental factors, like sun exposure, can aggravate the condition. Removing or minimizing these triggers from your lifestyle, and managing your exposure to certain elements can help you avoid future discomfort and further irritation.

Rosacea Skincare

The first step to using skincare to treat rosacea is to make an appointment with a physician or skincare specialist. Everyone’s skin is different, even those suffering from rosacea. It’s important to understand what could be the underlying factors and triggers that can cause a flare-up or other discomfort. A skincare specialist will help you better understand the best way to treat your skin.

Skincare can either aggravate or soothe red, sensitive skin. It’s important to use products that are soothing, anti-inflammatory and chockful of antioxidants in order to combat free radical damage, which could be damaging the skin’s barrier allowing further irritation. For example, Rozatrol®—a multi-modal treatment from ZO® Skin Health—helps normalize the skin by relieving the signs of red, sensitized skin. This product contains an advanced amino acid complex to help restore and soothe the skin through hydration. Gentle, exfoliating properties help reduce oil, which can cause inflammation, while an exclusive plant stem cell complex provides powerful antioxidant protection against free radical damage.

If you are looking for a full protocol to treat red, sensitized skin, ZO® Skin Health also offers the Skin Normalizing System—a selection of therapeutic products designed to soothe with hydration and support a healthy skin barrier.

To learn more about rosacea and how you could help spread awareness of this skin condition, visit The National Rosacea Society.