HEALTH & BEAUTY
Turning back the
clock on tired eyes
Each issue, we focus on some of the most popular treatments
available at the Orchard Cosmetic Skin Centre.
This month: rejuvenation of the eyes and mouth.
One of the changes that cause the biggest
ageing effect on a face is when the eyes begin
to take on that familiar tired and saggy look,
and the mouth droops and loses definition.
And when face creams and early nights
no longer do anything to improve matters,
more and more people are deciding to opt
for the more radical solution of cosmetic
treatments to turn back the clock.
At The Orchard, treatments such as injected
fillers are becoming increasingly popular,
particularly to plump out that naso-labial fold
(the line from nose to lip) and to smooth out
lines on the upper lip that are particularly
common to smokers - but also catch up with
most people as part of the ageing process.
Injected fillers can also be used to plump out the
lips as they thin and lose definition with age.
According to Máire Rhatigan, Consultant at The
Orchard, the main concern for patients opting
for lip augmentation is that they do not end up
with the disastrous “trout pout” effect suffered
by certain celebrities, notably Leslie Ash.
These days, even young people in their
twenties and thirties are opting for Botox
treatments to prevent lines from forming in
the first place. Each treatment is effective
for an average of 3-4 months, although the
intervals between treatments increase over
time, as muscles are systematically “re-trained”
The most common areas for Botox
treatments are frown lines between the
eyes, crow’s feet, and forehead lines.
Máire’s approach to all these treatments
is to aim for a natural look: “We don’t
want to change people significantly, just
to make them look fresher and younger,
as if they have had a holiday” she says.
Of course some patients prefer to go for the
more radical approach of surgery, and at The
Orchard they can opt for blepharoplasty
– eyelid reduction procedures. This can involve
removing skin from the upper eyelid to correct
a “hooded” look, or removing skin and fat from
the lower eyelids, which
typically cause “bags”.
A treatment, which can be expected to last for
6-9 months, will cost from £185, depending
on how much filler needs to be used.
Frown lines and forehead creases can also have
an ageing effect on the eyes, and these can be
treated with the muscle-relaxant Botox®.
Many patients have
both procedures, which
takes around an hour
and 40 minutes using a
modern patient-friendly
anaesthetic TIVA (total
intravenous anaesthesia).
TIVA patients sleep
soundly during the entire
operation, feeling no
pain and experiencing
no anxiousness.
And the after-effects?
Bruisng will be at its
height at around 10
days after surgery,
but is receding after
around two weeks.
It’s commonly known that Botox is actually
a toxin - which is why opthalmologist Máire
says it is advisable to have the treatment
performed by a medical professional. “It
is very safe if used properly,” she says.
“Most people who have
this done will take two
weeks off work,” says
Máire. “It is becoming
an increasingly popular
“We use a natural filler product called
Restylane® which has an excellent safety
profile and therefore very low risk of allergic
reaction” says Máire. “By very gently
redefining the lip border and filling in lines,
the look of the face can be transformed”.
She adds that the upper lip treatment
will usually cause swelling for a few days
afterwards, but then reverts to a natural look.
Island Life - www.islandlifemagazine.net
procedure and we are seeing patients coming
from the mainland and even the Continent”.
At between £2,600 and £3,500 for the
procedures, it is not exactly an inexpensive
little indulgence – but certainly a bargain
by Harley Street price standards!
You can contact Máire at The
Orchard Cosmetic Skin Centre
on 01983 520022
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