ANDY COOPER decides it is time to take on the ravages of time and submit himself for beauty treatments which help reverse the ageing process.
THE TREATMENT EXPERIENCE
My treatments fell into two distinct areas: 1) injections of Botox and dermal filler and 2) TIXEL skin treatment. On the injections, this was painless and swiftly done. Dr Strawford was calmness and efficiency personified as he gently applied the injections to the correct areas of my face, which he had assessed in a detailed examination. The Botox was used to soften the frown lines and lines around my eyes to make me appear less tired and looking more refreshed, whilst the dermal filler replaced lost volume beneath the eyes and contouring along the jawline to restore my ‘masculine’ features and profile. There was no pain as the injections went in and I was on the treatment table for a matter of moments as they were applied. Results were almost immediate and you could see and sense a tightening of the skin around my forehead and cheekbones, resulting in a fresher, more youthful look.
On the TIXEL, this was a more detailed treatment and needed more time on the treatment table and was certainly more invasive. In short, a device is placed on your face and hot pins are very swiftly ‘punched;’into the skin’s surface in a series of manoeuvres. It would be lying to say this isn’t mildly uncomfortable – you are, after all, having your skin burnt to some degree – but the team at the clinic communicate with you throughout and are keen to make sure the pain is not too much. Perhaps the biggest issue to overcome is that for 3-4 days afterwards you do look like you are suffering from rather bad sunburn, so worth knowing this when planning your treatment. Then, a series of micro scabs form on your face but with careful application of moisturiser, they eventually fall off. The whole point of the burning is that the TIXEL treatment does produce more collagen through bio- stimulation to help lift, tighten and reduce fine lines and wrinkles on the face and eyelids. And it does…after everything had calmed down (about a week) my skin looked shinier, healthier and in better nick all round. The combination of treatments certainly restored my skin health and reversed some signs of the ageing process, so well worth undergoing.