THENEWAGE OF FACIAL ‘TWEAKMENTS’
A LEADING COSMETIC DOCTOR SHARES HOW JUVÉDERM FILLERS CAN HELP TO SCULPT, PLUMP AND ENHANCE YOUR FEATURES IN A NATURAL-LOOKING WAY
WHEN YOU THINK OF FACIAL FILLERS, THE WORD ‘SUBTLE’ MAY NOT IMMEDIATELY SPRING TO MIND. But according to cosmetic practitioner Dr Sophie Shotter, this is one of the biggest misconceptions about injectables that she’d like to see dispelled. ‘It doesn’t have to be obvious that you’ve had fillers,’ she explains. ‘If you’re treated by a qualified aesthetic practitioner using an effective product such as Juvéderm, the results can be very authentic-looking.’
Non-invasive cosmetic procedures like this, which tend to have minimal side effects and recovery time compared with surgery, have been dubbed ‘tweakments’. ‘Tweakments include procedures such as skin peels and dermal fillers, which are designed to enhance your appearance without fundamentally changing it,’ explains Dr Shotter, who runs the Illuminate Skin Clinic in Kent as well as operating out of The Cosmetic Skin Clinic for her London-based patients.
While reality TV stars may have helped to make larger-than-life lips and chipmunk cheeks notorious, Dr Shotter’s clientele tend to opt for a more reserved approach to cosmetic procedures. ‘I’ve seen a big shift towards a desire for natural-looking results,’ she says. ‘My patients would prefer to look like a refreshed version of themselves rather than a different person. They want to age gracefully.’
Younger generations are also becoming more clued-up on the variety of ways that injectables can be used. ‘Many of my clients in their twenties and thirties want to be proactive about the ageing process, addressing changes when they first see them,’ says Dr Shotter. ‘We call this “prejuvenation”. Other patients may have noticed minor asymmetries, or have certain features that they would like to subtly enhance – also known as beautification.’
The areas she most commonly treats in these patients are the cheeks, chin and jawline, lips, nose and tear trough. ‘These are similar to the areas of concern we address in older patients, but with younger clients we usually use much smaller quantities of filler,’ she explains.
Of course, an expert practitioner is only one part of the equation. The type of filler used is equally important in helping to achieve the patient’s desired results. ‘The Juvéderm range is my preferred choice for dermal filler
“If you’re treated by a qualified practitioner using an effective product, the results can be very authentic-looking”
treatments,’ says Dr Shotter. ‘It’s the most widely used brand of hyaluronic acid fillers.’
Most of us are familiar with hyaluronic acid as a water-retaining compound that is found naturally within the skin but which depletes as we age, resulting in a loss of volume. Juvéderm is made from a synthetic version of hyaluronic acid. Its patented technology allows the filler to blend with the facial tissue, restoring lost volume but letting the patient retain a full range of expressions, whether that’s smiling, laughing or frowning. ‘Juvéderm integrates with the patient’s face to give natural-looking results that last for between nine and 24 months, depending on the specific product used and procedure carried out,’ explains Dr Shotter.
Another benefit of Juvéderm is its versatility, with the range offering different formulas to suit different areas and treat a variety of concerns, making it customisable to each person’s unique face shape and structure. Aside from volume restoration in the cheeks, lips and under-eye area, there are options available to help fill wrinkles and formulas designed to provide all-over hydration under the skin.
One of the latest additions to the Juvéderm portfolio, Volux, uses a more cohesive formula than other fillers in the range to mimic the structure of the jawline. This allows the aesthetic practitioner to mould and sculpt the chin and jaw to create a sharper, more defined profile.
Media consultant Nina*, 31, had never considered using facial fillers until she saw the results on a friend. ‘I couldn’t tell that she’d had anything done, but when she told me that she’d been treated with Juvéderm, I immediately wanted to try it myself,’ she explains.
After a thorough consultation, Nina opted for micro-doses of Juvéderm filler in her cheeks, lips, jawline and chin. ‘When I looked at my face in the mirror afterwards, I just looked like me but fresher, fuller and with more definition,’ she says. ‘The results were very subtle, which was good, as I didn’t want to look as if I’d had “work” done.’ Dr Shotter says this desire for ‘invisible’ plumping, sculpting and enhancing is a common request among her patients, and a key driver behind the rising popularity of tweakments. ‘Filler can be your best-kept secret,’ she explains. ‘People should notice that you’re looking good, but they shouldn’t be able to detect why.’
To find out more about the Juvéderm range of fillers and injections, or to find your nearest clinic provider, visit juvederm.co.uk