NO matter how much we look after our skin and splurge on anti-ageing products, the truth is gravity will always win.
Be it our boobs, our jowls or our neck, inevitably the skin is heading south!
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But when the corners of Gillian Fox’s mouth started to droop – an unexpected, but tell-tale sign of ageing – she decided to do something about it.
The 63-year-old, who is single and from Cheshire, had always taken great care of her skin, but when a friend told her she was starting to look sad, Gillian knew it was time to take action.
‘Droopy’ face
She opted for fillers in her marionette lines – which extend from the corners of your mouth to your chin – and the procedure has knocked years off her.
She explains, “I noticed my face was starting to droop around my mouth.
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“As you get older, you lose your collagen, and when you go through the menopause, you notice your production of collagen really slows down.
“It was only when a friend said to me ‘Gill, you look really sad, are you okay?’ that I realised how miserable I looked.
‘I looked miserable’
“And I wasn’t miserable, I was happy! And not only that, but the drooping made me look much older so I wanted to do something to change that.”
Having worked in the beauty sales industry in the past, Gillian always looked after her skin, ensuring she had a good regime and wore SPF daily.
So she was surprised that after turning 60, her face was already starting to show some signs of ageing.
She says, “I’ve always looked after my skin with a good skincare regime and I’ve always worn UV protection, that’s a no brainer for anybody. And I’ve always made sure I wear a hat and sunglasses in the sun as well as having regular facials.
“I didn’t think too much about ageing in my 30s and 40s, but when I got to my 50s and started going through the menopause, I could see things were starting to change.
“I started to feel older and look older, and I think when you go through the menopause it is the turning point in a woman’s life.”
Gillian, managing director of an occasion wear brand, also became increasingly self-conscious of her appearance post-COVID when a lot of her meetings moved to video calls.
“I have a fairly senior job so I’m always on calls,” she says. “I meet customers and I meet suppliers in Europe and New York.
“I’m on Zoom a lot and that can give you a bit of a complex when you are looking at yourself all day on screen.
I’m so pleased with the results.. I could see a difference straight away which was incredible.
Gillian
“I realised I wanted to grow old gracefully, but also not to become lined and wrinkly if I didn’t need to be.”
Gillian went for a consultation with leading aesthetics doctor, Dr Leah Totton, who won BBC’s The Apprentice in 2013.
Dr Leah recommended using filler in Gillian’s marionette lines to smooth out the lines and give her a more plump and youthful appearance.
The procedure itself is quick – around five minutes – and involves the filler being injected into the skin and costs around £450.
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“I was so pleased with the results,” Gillian said. “It takes a while for the filler to settle, but I could see a difference straight away which was incredible. It will only get better as time goes on.
“There was some slight bruising, which is expected, but it didn’t hurt at all and Dr Leah was amazing. She really understood that I don’t want to look plastic.
‘Knocked years off’
“It was really important to me, at my age, not to look overdone. I still have some lines around my eyes but I’ll live with those because I want expression.
“I’m really pleased with the results and I think it’s knocked years off me – though that wasn’t the point, I just wanted to feel better in myself. And my friend says I don’t look sad any more!
“It’s a subtle change and that’s what I wanted. No one has ever said to me ‘Oh you’ve had work done!’ Instead my friends say ‘You look great! You look fresh!’
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Dr Leah said, “Here at Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinics, we adopt a ‘less is more approach’ when it comes to dermal filler, as this is the best method to achieve refreshed and rejuvenated skin with the outcome remaining subtle.
“As we age, we can experience sagging skin on the face creating folds and lines around the mouth and downturned mouth corners, which can make the face look sad and give a ‘pulled down appearance’.
“Lower face dermal filler is an effective treatment to combat this and is a minimally invasive treatment that can provide instant natural looking results.
5 Tweakment Red Flags
Amish Patel, Award-Winning Aesthetics Practitioner, Skincare Expert at Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic shared his 5 red flags with Fabulous.
1. Cheap is not-so-cheerful
If you are searching for ‘cheap Botox’, cheap is often cheap for a reason. Botulinum toxin is a prescription medication, only to be carried out by the medical professional prescribing the drug. Cheap prices mean that corners are being cut.
2. ‘Filler packages’
And always have a consultation BEFORE committing to any treatment. Your face is unique & what suits one face might not suit yours.
3. ‘Botox parties’
If a clinic is offering ‘Botox parties’ avoid: alcohol and partying with friends do not mix with a medical aesthetics procedure.
4. Dirty clinics
Where do they do their treatments? Is it a clean and clinical environment? Hygiene and client safety is paramount. As with all injectables, there is potential for infection in contaminated surroundings.
5. Two-for-one deals
Don’t be tempted by ‘share with a friend’ filler deals. Filler syringes are single-use only; changing the needle does not protect from cross-contamination.
“Dermal fillers are made from naturally-occurring hyaluronic acid and act as a plasticine, filling any lines.
“When skillfully placed, dermal filler can take years off a patient’s appearance by reversing some of the key signs of ageing.
“The results from dermal filler are instant, leaving the face fresher and rejuvenated with minimal downtime.
“Results normally last between 12 and 18 months, but this varies from patient to patient. The depth of the lines may impact the length of the results, as will the patient’s style habits.
“Top ups are required around once a year.”
Dr Leah, who launched her London clinic shortly after winning the hit TV show, said the demand for aesthetic treatments is “higher than ever.”
She added: “Dermal filler has always been popular. Patients want subtle results, which can be achieved by a highly trained doctor and high quality dermal filler and the correct amount of dermal filler being used.
“Over use of dermal filler, poor quality filler or poor placement of dermal filler can contribute to an overdone look and this should be avoided.”
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