Dr Brookes addresses your questions

With this in mind we feel this article may be of benefit to any considering undergoing one of our cosmetic procedures because it's what other patients have asked in the past.

I think people always curious to know what everyone else is having done. In my practice the most popular advice people seek is for body re-contouring and I see several consultations for Smartlipo and Vaser. Unsurprisingly the area most women are concerned about is the abdomen, then saddlebags and flanks. Most men have trouble with the abdomen and love handles. The next most frequently performed is Wrinkle Treatment. This is universally popular with a wide age spectrum in both women and men. Increasingly popular is Sculptra as people are delighted with the natural but significant rejuvenating results achieved.

Pain is a factor that may put may people off having any procedure and makes people anxious about embarking. We do everything we can to make you feel at ease. Simple things like application of ice before administering Wrinkle Treatment® make it easily tolerable. Using a topical anaesthetic for say Sculptra before the injection and icepacks after. Most importantly for all lip work and dermal fillers around the mouth, having a dental block is essential. It means I can complete the treatment without compromising the result because of pain.

Yes, definitely! More and more men are treating themselves or rewarding themselves like women do, and why not? Men in their early thirties to late fifties are becoming more common on my patient list. Wrinkle Treatment® and VASER® / Smartlipo® are the most popular treatments for men.

Most patients coming to me are looking for an alternative to surgery and do not want scars. It is important to be realistic about the results as non-surgical techniques cannot remove redundant skin. A double chin, ”squared off“ face is very common in both men and women. No one procedure is absolute and a staged procedure over weeks or months is necessary. A careful assessment is absolutely paramount. What is the problem; is it fat or loose skin or a combination of both. The results of that assessment will dictate how we proceed. Larger chins can be tackles with laser lipolysis and suction and Accent RF. In some cases non-surgical techniques followed with Accent RF® there-after give great results. Dr Brookes can tell you specifically at your consult if you are suitable for these techniques. Accent can provide a very effective result for skin tightening in this area over a course of 4 - 8 treatments (6 being the usual amount) The Accent RF® machine is phenomenally powerful but technique of the operator is paramount to getting results

Saddlebags are a bit like camels humps - you are predestined to store fat there for an emergency (Even if that nutritional emergency never arises!). I have seen many slim women hold on to the saddlebag area; many have tried extreme dieting, mesotherpay massage, extreme exercise etc...Depending on the density of fat you can have Smartlipo® with suction or VASER® to significantly reduce these areas. The treatment time is less than 1.5 hours with minimal downtime, just some bruising. VASER® is better for bigger saddlebags and hard fibrous tissue. Smartlipo is better for looser tissue and cellulite

A higher cheekbones or more volume over the apple of the cheeks is associated with a more youthful look. This can either be achieved using a course of Sculptra or, for a more instant, look using Teosyal Ultra deep dermal fillers® or Restylane Sub Q. After a meticulous planning process it takes less than one hour in a clinic room-setting for this look to be created and it lasts for a year. There’s minimal or no downtime and minimal bruising make’s it a popular treatment for an instant up-lift

It's essential to remember both are performed in an operating theatre as I am aware of patients feeling mislead by the “lunchtime Lipo” hype. I don’t approve of this as it sends out the wrong message, suggesting its beauty salon procedure rather then a medical procedure. Smartlipo and Vaser are minimally invasive surgical techniques. Smartlipo® uses a laser and VASER® uses ultrasound technology to break down fat and then suck it out. VASER is preferable for lager areas and more fibrous tissue, which can be assessed at consultation. male abdomens probably do better with VASER as do flanks (the side top of hips) in women

Some patients are not suitable for Macrolane® i.e. if the breast is too droopy or if they’re needle phobic. Unfortunately Macrolane is expensive to purchase. At the moment Q Med – the pioneering company who developed hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane and Perlane, developed this product and are presently the only market suppliers. However, the results look very natural (more so than an implant), in a procedure under one hour with no down time and it does have genuine WOW factor for women with small breast who want a modest improvement. A desire to increase by several cup sizes necessitates use of a surgical implant

Chemical peels have been used on the continent for decades and we have been slow in the UK to make use of their excellent and accessible properties. Yes some times there’s is significant peeling and downtime but they are safe in the right hands and can perk up tired dull skin like no other treatment. They are perfect for balancing out excessive oilness without undue drying. They are much undervalued. I see many patients focusing on areas here or there but ignoring the overall appearance of the skin and this initial can give a natural vibrant glow to the skin. There are many peel types a selecting one for you require knowledge and expertise.

If you want to find out more about Viridian's treatments then please send us your details via our enquiry form and we'll get in touch to arrange a consultancy.

Viridian are based in Guildford and Windsor and so are ideally placed for patients in London, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire, Sussex & Berkshire.