Todays men & women want to look as good as they feel

 

As we approach Christmas and the end of what has been an extraordinary year, I’d like to thank you for your loyalty to St John Clinic over the years. Everyone attending and spending £300 or more from the 30th November 2020 until the end of February 2021 (end March 2021 for Bath and Scotland clients) will receive a tube of medical strength retinol night cream (value £60) free of charge

I’m delighted to announce that my new Sloane Square clinic is open. This light, bright, ground floor clinic is a 3-minute walk from Sloane Square underground station. This clinic replaces both the Wimbledon Park and Fulham Broadway clinics, which are now closed.  Appointments are all day on Tuesdays.

Bath clinics have become so popular that I am adding one more day per month there.  Usual clinics are on the first Thursday and Friday of each month.

Scottish clinics have now reverted to the previous arrangement whereby clinics in Glasgow and Edinburgh are on Saturdays and Aberdeen clinics on Sundays.

The eyelash enhancement product which has become so popular this year is now available in bottles lasting one month (as well as the little plastic vials offered until recently).

Finally, I’d like to give you my perspective on the aesthetic industry as a whole.
TRETINOIN 0.05% cream*

I have been extolling the virtues of this product, which is essentially prescription strength retinol (probably equivalent strength to retinol 2.0). Too strong to be sold over the counter (without a prescription), it has been my one and only night cream for many  years. The scientific evidence behind its rejuvenating qualities are all there. It’s an exfoliator and collagen stimulant. Over time it erases fine lines and wrinkles, reduces pigment problems, shrinks pore size and improves the skin’s texture. The glow achieved is a result of the fact that the top layer of skin cells are shed together with improved blood supply to the skin.

It will cause most of you to experience side effects initially, eg. dryness, irritation, flaking, but these will improve with time if you persist with it.  I recommend starting with twice weekly usage, building up to daily application once your skin has become accustomed to it. The benefits are worth the wait.

* Not to be used if pregnant.  SPF 30 required for protection in daylight hours.
NEW LONDON CLINIC TIMETABLE

Monday – Richmond

Tuesday – Sloane Square

Wednesday – Richmond

Timing of these clinics is subject to change with the addition of the occasional Thursday in Sloane Square.

Directions to Sloane Square clinic available on request.
EYELASH ENHANCEMENT – bimatoprost 0.3mg/ml now available in 3ml bottles

This prescription eye drop which, when applied to the roots of the lashes stimulates growth, has to date been available only in tiny plastic vials lasting several days.  As many of you prefer a longer lasting bottle, you may wish to order the generic form of this product instead. Prices remain the same with applicator brushes included:

1 month supply:   £45

2 months supply:  £85

6 months supply:  £170
THE AESTHETIC MEDICAL INDUSTRY AND ST JOHN CLINIC

At a time when we are obliged to wear face masks and to distance ourselves from one another, it would seem surprising that my business does not appear to have suffered over the past 6 months. It could be “zoom” or simply the need for a confidence boost, but it has clearly been important to us that we appear as fresh faced as possible at this time.

I do appreciate that the incredible growth in the aesthetic medical industry has meant that there is so much more choice of practitioner now than previously with ever decreasing prices and discount schemes on offer.

I’d like to thank you for putting your trust in me. I’ll always strive to do my very best for you and will always suggest treatments which I feel will give you value for money.  I will also be there to look after you and to address any concerns you might have following your treatments. I offer Botox® top-ups free of charge up to 3 weeks following treatment (or at the next available clinic for clients in Bath and Scotland) and will always speak to you or see you if possible should you have any other concerns.

My thoughts on what factors to bear in mind when choosing an aesthetic clinic can be summarised under the headings of product, practitioner and safety:

Product

I only use Allergan’s products – Botox® and the Juvederm range of fillers – with the accompanying wealth of research and safety profile to which this company subjects its products. When a clinic states that you are getting “Botox” beware that you are not getting an alternative such as Azzalure or Xeomin which are not the same thing at all.  It should be noted that the NHS uses Botox® for its medical indications, eg. migraine, spasticity, bladder instability.

Practitioner

Those with minimal training and experience will eventually come unstuck. Newly trained individuals tend to be over cautious with Botox® dosing so that effects are partial and do not last well, needing multiple top-ups. The low price charged is therefore poor value for money.  Moreover, with experience comes the skill of knowing how much to give and where to put it to optimise your look and, importantly, to avoid the pitfalls of making someone look “odd” or tired.

What I feel I offer you with my 20 years experience in aesthetic medicine is the ability to quickly identify what treatments (whether they be Botox® and/or fillers) will make each of you more attractive and fresher faced, within the confines of your own particular budget. With experience comes knowledge of which treatments will work best and how long they’ll last. One word of warning – not all experienced doctors have innate aesthetic sense (I see a lot of them at conferences looking positively weird). Everyone recognises beauty (or the absence of beauty) when they see it. The real art is recognising what facial features to work on to upgrade a client’s appearance, in a natural way.  Most of us are not necessarily in pursuit of youthfulness but everyone attending an aesthetic clinic wants to look fresher, more attractive and, importantly, natural.

Safety

The main issue and the real worry is with fillers. At the moment, the absence of legislation in the UK means that anyone without medical training can buy fillers and inject them into others. Your immediate reaction is possibly to think of those grotesque cheeks and lips that we see  particularly in younger age groups.

My own concern that many do not realise is that there are very real dangers associated with fillers used by those without knowledge of head and neck anatomy and without the tools and skill set to manage complications should they arise. Thankfully these are very rare. Hopefully, legislation governing who can use fillers will soon be put into place in order to protect the public from such cases.

All in all, however, the aesthetics industry boom shows no sign of slowing down and I am more excited now as to what can be achieved as I was back in the days when no-one had heard of the word “Botox®.”
I very much look forward to seeing you at one of our clinics soon. In the meantime, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year.

With all best wishes,
Lady St John of Bletso MBChB MRCOG
Dr Helen St John
dr@stjohnclinic.co.uk
020 8946 9694
www.stjohnclinic.co.uk

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