The Harley Street Journal

Bi-monthly newspaper for the cosmetic and plastic surgery sector

News

BioActiveAesthetics hosts VIP micro needling event.

by

London event showcased the SkinPen Precision device to press, medical & aesthetic clinicians.

BioActiveAesthetics, the UK distributors of the award winning, medical-grade micro needling device, SkinPen Precision, held a VIP event in London. The event was for leading medical and aesthetic professionals as well as launching SkinPen to the consumer press and national media.

Held on 3rd October at The Allbright Club in Mayfair, London, the successful evening included two events with guest speakers and live demonstrations.

The events were designed to showcase the medical and aesthetic benefits of SkinPen – a handheld micro needling device for use with skin rejuvenation, scar reduction, collagen reproduction, burns and melasma.

The first event of the day was a consumer press launch attended by 30 top names in beauty and lifestyle journalism. 

Press from publications such as Vogue & The Daily Mail online were in attendance, as well as influencers such as TV beauty expert Nadine Baggott and author Alice Hart-Davis.

Hosted by celebrity aesthetics practitioner, Nilam Holmes, founder of DermaSpa and Eyebrow Queen, guests were given a full showcase of the benefits SkinPen can offer patients including case studies from SkinPens KOLs (Key Opinions Leaders) that have benefited from micro-needling. 

Key speakers at the events included Dr Thomas Hitchcock, chief science officer at Crown Laboratories, Dr Maryam Zamani (Plastic Surgeon and Aesthetic Doctor) Dr Andy Williams (Burns Surgeon from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital) and Dr Benji Dhillon, (Founder/Medical Director at DEFINE Clinic). 

The prospect evening, held after the press event, welcomed KOLs with 50 medical field experts, cosmetic doctors, plastic surgeons and aesthetic practitioners. 

There was a live SkinPen demonstration with Jane Williams, from BioActiveAesthetics, and an insight into some fantastic success stories with regards to treating scars, burns and skin rejuvenation with microneedling. 

Burns surgeon, Dr Andy Williams, talked delegates through the benefits of SkinPen when treating burns patients. With four SkinPen’s in NHS hospitals, including Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, he explained how treating burns patients with SkinPen has transformed lives. 

Kathy Taylor-Brewin, managing director of BioActiveAesthetics, distributors of SkinPen in the UK, said following the event:

“We were delighted with the turnout and the high level of interest into the SkinPen Precision micro needling device. It’s great that the press is interested in not only the SkinPen device itself but also the safety elements of the potential cross-contamination within micro needling treatments and how SkinPen protects against that issue. 

“We are looking forward to the future, where SkinPen will continue to be seen as the number one micro needling device in the US and UK while maintaining the gold-standard for product innovation and ISO quality assurance.”

Guests were treated to champagne and canapés as part of the events, leaving with an exclusive SkinPen goody bag. 

Find out more about SkinPen at www.skinpenuk.com

Cardiff clinic helping mums suffering with intimate atrophy

by

A clinic in Wales is helping women suffering with intimate health concerns after having children – most commonly urinary incontinence.

The ME Clinic in Cardiff is offering Shelase to women who find their post-partum health is causing them to feel insecure. 

It’s a medical treatment, not a cosmetic treatment. 

Shelase is a 10 minute treatment that can help to ease vaginal atrophy symptoms such as incontinence or painful intercourse. It costs just £300 and the results are long lasting. 

Childbirth is transformative event for any women with the result of the vagina naturally changing. Post child birth physical changes can occur in a women’s body like dryness, discomfort, laxity and more commonly involuntary urine loss. 

Shelase can provide a treatment to women post child birth by strengthening the vaginal tissue, stimulating natural collagen production for the contraction of elastin fibres. It also restores vaginal natural PH balance to improve the vaginal atrophy symptoms.

As well as these issues, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) can play a factor in how you feel about your body after having a baby. Shelase is a non invasive treatment to improve the symptoms of this condition. It’s entirely non invasive and helps to prevent embarrassing and unwanted urinary leaks.

Improves symptoms with child birth

Shelase can help to improve the vaginal canal strength for women who have had children.

Prevents involuntary urine loss

Treatment with Shelase can help to prevent unwanted urine loss as a result of exercise or sneezing.

Improves mental wellbeing

Helps to transform the way you feel about your body, including a restored sense of wellbeing.

While many women report improvements after one session, sometimes a course is required. A consultation is needed to ascertain what level of treatment with Shelase you require. Treatments can take as little as 10 minutes.

Shelase is a non invasive treatment for the symptoms of vaginal atrophy as a result of childbirth or the menopause. Unlike alternative laser treatments, this revolutionary device harnesses the power of mixed technology to rejuvenate the health of the vagina.

For more information visit www.shelase.co.uk

Rise in Cosmetic Surgery Linked to Age Discrimination

by

A new study suggests the boom in cosmetic surgery and anti ageing procedures is fueled by age discrimination.

The study,in the August issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, found that a significant proportion of cosmetic surgery patients reported they were undergoing anti-aging procedures due to age discrimination or fear of ‘age discrimination’.

One of the study authors, Rebecca Pearl, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, said the study is the first to attempt to quantify age discrimination among patients seeking cosmetic procedures.

The researchers surveyed 50 patients at a University of Pennsylvania plastic surgery clinic over a one-year period. The participants, all over age 18 and mostly women, had a mean age of 49.4 years. 

Two-thirds of the patients were there to receive anti-aging treatments, including fillers and neurotoxins.

More than 30 percent of the survey participants said they had experienced age-based discrimination. They reported significantly poorer self-rated health, lower self esteem and greater anticipation of age discrimination in the future.

According to the study, the stress of experiencing and/or anticipating age-based discrimination and rejection increases risk for psychological distress and can cause physical health problems.

About 36 percent of the participants who experienced age discrimination said it occurred in an interpersonal context when they felt excluded by friends, family and coworkers, were teased or mocked, or had negative assumptions made about them due to age.

About 20 percent of participants experienced age discrimination in the workplace; they reported having been fired or denied a job or promotion due to age.

Participants who were not married or living with a partner had significantly greater fear of age-based discrimination.

“Looking younger” and “as young as I feel” were among the main reasons the survey participants sought a cosmetic procedure, which the researchers said suggests a disassociation with one’s “older identity” and a refusal to accept the aging process.

Ironically, cosmetic surgery and procedures may not deliver the desired effect.

The study cites research indicating that older adults who are perceived as attempting to conceal their age are evaluated negatively by younger people, perhaps for violating “prescriptive norms” of acting one’s age.

”Thus, for some adults who receive anti-aging procedures, treatment could be counterproductive to the individual’s motivation of improving social perceptions,” the authors wrote.

The study encourages dermatologists and cosmetic procedure providers to take steps to educate patients “who might worry about future age discrimination about realistic expectations from cosmetic procedure aimed at making them look younger.”

The researchers conclude that perceived age discrimination is “associated” with poorer self-rated health, lower self-esteem and greater anticipation of age discrimination in the future. 

The study, Ageism and Health in Patients Undergoing Cosmetic Procedures, was co-authored by Ivona Percec, a plastic surgeon.

Men warned about Botox and cosmetic surgery risks

by

Men feel “just as much pressure as women” to have cosmetic procedures in order to look good.

That’s according to Save Face – the national register for professionals who carry out things like fillers and Botox.

The warning comes as a BBC survey suggests nearly 50% of men between 18-30 “might consider” having a procedure.

The government is about to launch a campaign in England to tackle cosmetic treatments that go wrong.

The survey, commissioned by Radio 1 Newsbeat and the Victoria Derbyshire programme, found that of those who’d had a cosmetic procedure in the past, abdominal implants and Botox were among the most common.

Save Face says they get more men visiting their site than women now and the number of complaints from them has risen dramatically.

“There is a definite trend of men seeking these procedures and in turn men who are suffering complications when procedures go wrong,” says Ashton Collins from the group.

She says images on social media and programmes like Love Island and Geordie Shore are partly responsible for men wanting to change their bodies.

As part of this BBC survey of around 2,000 men and women, respondents were asked what part of them they would most like to change – the most popular choices among men were their stomach and chest, with 34% selecting them.

Deltapoll surveyed 2,033 British adults aged 18-30. 

NHS hospitals see a six-fold rise in corrective surgery

by

It’s been reported that NHS hospitals have seen a six-fold rise in corrective surgery on Brits, possibly as a result of celebrity culture. 

Jackie Doyle-Price, Mental Health Minister, blames reality shows such as Love Island, The Only Way Is Essex and Absolutely Ascot for fuelling a trend in cosmetic surgery – because they give young viewers unrealistic ideas about body image.

She’s demanded TV firms do more to stamp out ads during the hit show that encourage the cosmetic work.

Ms. Doyle-Price has pleaded with people to think twice before heading abroad to take advantage of cheap cosmetic surgery, warning that “the risk of procedures going wrong can cause devastating long-term damage to their physicaland mental health.”

And for those who do go ahead with surgery she urged them to check their practitioner is properly qualified before getting work done.

One study at the Royal London Hospital found a six-fold increase in demand last year for urgent follow-up care resulting from procedures done abroad since 2013.

The hospital spent more than £63,000 to repair botched surgery done overseas.

Meanwhile the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London had to treat 12 patients with infected fillers in the last year – costing £40,000.

She added: “The truth is we all come in different sizes. If people want to change aspects of their appearance that is fine, but they need to understand that all these procedures come with risk.”

“When it comes to fundamental operations such as boob ops, we are seeing more and more people going abroad because it’s cheap.

“I would say – please don’t do it because we are saying more and more people coming back to this country and the NHS having to put problems right.”

Ms Doyle-Price said people are travelling to places like Turkey, India and eastern Europe to have cosmetic surgery procedures that are banned in the UK.

She warned: “These people are having the Brazilian butt lift, which gives you a bottom like Kim Kardashian’s – even though that is a procedure banned in this country.”

The mental heath minister said a recent episode of TOWIE had shown someone having lip fillers done.

And she pointed to the example of Dawn Knight who couldn’t close her eyes after a botched procedure. The mother of two had to have corrective surgery that cost the NHS thousands of pounds.

Ms Doyle-Price said: “These co-called reality TV series are still promoting lifestyles which are semi-fantasy.

“It’s great to have a bit of escapism but no one should feel they have to aspire to be like these people. It’s still entertainment, it’s not real – and it can lead to real harm and cost to the NHS.”

SkinGlo announces new manufacturing and warehouse premises

by

SkinGlo is proud to announce that they have invested in a new, bespoke manufacturing and warehouse premises at Eagle Park, Derby. 

The facility will produce a quarter of a million bottles of their liquid nutritional supplements per day.

David Campbell, Director, said: “Orders for our product range keep increasing as the wider market is becoming more aware of the benefits of nutricosmetics, liquid supplements for health and consumable collagen. 

“In recent months demand has increased significantly, so our production needs to scale swiftly. Rest assured we will still conform to our strict GMP guidelines, production values and quality systems

“In order to create the bespoke manufacturing layout, we commissioned an DSP and Interior specialist to produce the turnkey design & fit out, converting an empty shell into a fully functional production facility.

“Our Eagle Park development follows 18 months of consistent growth for us, which has included increasing our team with ten new members fulfilling roles right across the business.

“We’ve always believed that the future success of our organisation lies in our people. We’re delighted to be bringing in new talent to help us take the business to the next level.” 

The premises are now open.

Instagram clamps down on cosmetic surgery posts

by

Body positivity campaigners are celebrating after Instagram announced new rules for posts about weight loss products and cosmetic surgery.

Some posts will be hidden from under-18s while others promoting “miraculous” weight loss products will be removed. 

There have been increasing concerns over the impact promoting diet products can have on young people.

Actor and campaigner Jameela Jamil said the move was a “huge win” in the fight against the diet and detox industry.

How do the new changes work?

Unrealistic “get thin quick” promotions will be taken down and young people will be restricted from viewing some posts related to dieting and cosmetic surgery if they have an incentive to buy. 

Users will be able to report posts they think violate the policy, and Instagram will review them to decide whether they need to be restricted or taken down.

The changes will also apply to Facebook, which owns Instagram.

But the restrictions will only apply to users that Instagram knows are younger than 18 – and the app does not ask users for their date of birth when they sign up.

Instead, users signing up are simply asked to tick a box declaring themselves over 18 or not. If they sign up using a Facebook account, their age information is pulled from their Facebook profile – which is also not usually verified.

Why is Instagram changing?

There has been increasing concern over the effect the cosmetic and diet industry is having on people through the promotion of unrealistic goals.

In February, the medical director of National Health Service England, Stephen Powis, called for a ban on celebrity-endorsed social media ads promoting weight loss aids, stating that products were having a damaging effect on the physical and mental health of young people.

A BBC investigation found children swapping graphic images of weight loss and advice on how to make their illnesses more extreme were commonon the platform.

Emma Collins, Instagram’s public policy manager said: “We want Instagram to be a positive place for everyone that uses it and this policy is part of our ongoing work to reduce the pressure that people can sometimes feel as a result of social media.”

Advice had been sought from experts in the field of social media policy, she added.

Professor Chris Bunker wins Sir Archibald Gray Medal

by

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) is pleased to announce that Professor Chris Bunker, past-president of the BAD (2012-2014), is the winner of the 2019 Sir Archibald Gray Medal.

Named after the founder of the BAD, the Sir Archibald Gray Medal is awarded as the BAD’s ultimate accolade for outstanding services to dermatology.

Professor Bunker is a Consultant at the University College London Hospital. 

Women missing from breast implant register

by

About one in three NHS clinics and one in four private ones offering breast implant surgery in England have not submitted any patient data to a national safety registry.

NHS Digital set up the service in 2016 after the PIP (Poly Implant Prothese) breast implants scandal. 

Poor record-keeping at the time of the scandal meant many of the thousands of women affected were unable to find out if they had been given faulty implants.

Women in England who have had breast implant surgery are being urged to make sure their details are added to the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry so that they can be easily traced if something were to go wrong with any brand of implant.

Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price said: “It’s vital that patients undergoing breast implant procedures encourage their surgeons to record their details on the registry, to safeguard their health.

“The confidential record allows patients to be contacted if their safety is at risk and will hopefully give people the confidence they need when making decisions on surgery.”

Rajiv Grover, of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said it was quick and simple for health professionals to register their patients’ records.

And he hoped more women would be happy to join the register. 

“The PIP scandal underlines the importance of having a national register,” he said. “Had there been one at the time, tracing the people who might need to be assessed and treated would have been much easier.”

UK’s stem cell bank say cosmetic surgery could be dramatically improved with the use of stem cells

by

Experts say that penis enlargement, along with a host of other cosmetic surgical procedures, can be significantly aided by using tissue grown from stem cells, which is the same as the body’s own natural material.

This new age of ‘plastic’ surgery will, say the UK’s stem cell bank StemProtect.co.uk, use no synthetic or harmful materials at all, and will instead be done using exclusively cells grown from the cells people can store in stem cell banks.

A combination of fat collected via liposuction, and healthy stem cells from a patient’s own body, can provide a new form of penis, breast and bottom augmentation that far surpasses any kind of enhancement surgery available before.

The benefits for patients are many. As it’s taken from the patients themselves, the body is far less likely to reject the material used for the enhancements. This makes surgery a much less risky procedure for patients, and could improve recovery times as well as making the results look much more natural than alternatives.

And in addition, the augmented parts will age better than synthetic materials and are less likely to need correcting at any point in the future.

In previous years, some patients who have undergone breast augmentation have hit the headlines when their implants have leaked or even exploded, causing health problems as well as a great deal of distress.

A spokesperson for StemProtect.co.uk said: “We’re entering a new age of cosmetic surgery, one which is striving to not only look more natural than ever before, but which is also seeking to use more and more natural materials and procedures to achieve the finished look.

“People are now very aware that natural is better, but at the same time they want to improve their appearance wherever they can. The result is something that stem cells can really help with, growing tissue from a person’s own cells so that it’s not rejected by the body.

“Nowhere is this more useful than in complicated and sensitive surgeries such as penis enlargement. Anything other than natural tissue is always a big risk, but with stem cells you can effectively just improve on nature using all the original materials.”

The same process can also be used to make breasts and bottoms bigger, both procedures that are increasingly becoming commonplace as people take advantage of the falling cost of cosmetic surgery.

In a survey carried out by StemProtect.co.uk, 95% of those surveyed said they would consider stem cell procedures over traditional plastic surgery if they were to choose one of the two in the future.

Sarah, 29, is currently considering a breast augmentation and is researching her options. She said: “I’m being really careful and not rushing into booking anything just yet. Your health is really important, so even though I do want the procedure I want it to be as safe as possible.

“The idea that I could use my own cells instead of adding anything else into my body is really appealing and I’m tempted to wait for that option before I actually get it done.”

Sarah and those like her may not have long to wait. With stem cells being hailed as the potential answer to health problems from ageing to hereditary disease, it’s no wonder they’re also now being explored as an alternative to cosmetic procedures too.