It may be dragging its heels but summer is finally in the air, with the promise of warm days and beach holidays. And while jetting off somewhere exotic sounds like heaven, our bodies may not be ready to bare all.
A survey at my clinic revealed that over half of us feel worried about being seen in our swimwear, with thighs, tummies and bottoms being the top areas of concern. Even the fittest people can feel self-conscious. One patient, a 30-something gym instructor, came to see me last week about one of our biggest body hang-ups – cellulite. “I eat well, exercise daily, scrub and rub and I’ve still got mattress thighs,” she moaned.
She’s not alone. About 90 per cent of British women over 18 have cellulite, so if you have it, look on the bright side: you’re perfectly normal. Cellulite has spawned an estimated £20 million industry to help cure it but the truth is there is still no magic bullet to make it totally disappear permanently.
My patient came in initially to enquire about liposuction, hoping it was the answer to her cellulite. Unfortunately, lipo only removes excess fatty deposits from under the skin. It does not touch the fibrous bands that are components of cellulite, and can even make the condition worse.
Fortunately, newer technology offers safer, more effective options for improving cellulite. I recommended Onda Coolwaves, a non-invasive treatment which emits microwave energy to destroy fat cells, while heat tightens the skin. The treated fat is eliminated naturally by the lymphatic system, with best results seen around three months later.
The stomach is another trouble spot for many women, including the well-known soap star who told me she had tried everything to tone up including 200 crunches every morning. She yanked up her top and told me: “I hate these flabby bits that hang over my jeans but if I pull the skin tight, it looks better. That’s the look I want.”
I suggested she try EMSculpt Neo, which blasts muscles with electromagnetic energy so they contract spontaneously. A single session on abs is the equivalent to 20,000 sit-ups in 30 minutes! The treatment delivers radio-frequency energy to reduce fat at the same time, and can be used on most areas of the body.
However, body sculpting doesn’t come cheap, neither is it a quick fix. You also need to commit to a healthy lifestyle during and after treatment – I’m afraid you can’t have your cake and eat it.
The good news, though, is that the right procedure can really help to spot-reduce stubborn fat pockets. One patient, a catalogue model in her 40s, had a bulge on her lower navel that embarrassed her as it was noticeable under tight trousers and underwear.
On my recommendation, she had BodyTite, a one-off procedure which involved inserting a tiny laser under her skin, melting fat cells which were then gently sucked out. The laser also stimulated skin tightening, leaving our model bulge-free.
One of my more unusual requests was from a woman wanting MORE hair in her bikini area, after years of waxing had permanently affected her hair growth. I recommended platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP), which is now being used for hair restoration with great results. A small amount of your blood is spun in a centrifuge to separate the platelets and growth factor proteins, which are then injected into your scalp – or pubic region! This can reawaken dormant hairs to stop active hair loss.
Knees are another pet peeve having a moment at my clinic. One patient, a travel rep, complained hers were darker and more wrinkled than the rest of her legs as a result of sun damage. I suggested Fractora, a treatment which passes radiofrequency energy through tiny pins to heat the skin and creat pin-prick holes. This helps boost collagen and smooth wrinkles. A chemical peel applied to the knee area would also help fade any discolouration.
There is so much we can achieve with the latest body technology but it’s also my job to explain what sadly isn’t (yet) possible. I’ll always remember one sprightly 78-year-old who wanted head to toe skin tightening as she was going on holiday with her new lover, and she was worried about wearing a swimsuit. She was slim, fit and had a twinkle in her eye. Money was no object.
But like most women in their later years, she had loose, wrinkled skin due to the loss of collagen. My advice? I told her to go and buy a cover up and enjoy herself. Sometimes, we just have to accept who we are, warts, wrinkles and all…
Clinic Confidential
The Queen Of Harley Street opens her case book
These days there’s a procedure for pretty much every inch of your body – including the belly button. One of my patients had a naval piercing that hadn’t aged well, leaving her belly button stretched and saggy. We treated this by making a small cut around the rim of her belly button, removing excess belly button tissue and tightening the bordering abdominal skin. Belly button reshaping is carried out under local anaesthetic, with the scar discreetly hidden in the folds of the navel rim. Our patient was delighted with her neat new belly button!
For more information on Lesley and her team of doctors visit harleystreetskinclinic.com
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