St John Clinic newsletter June 2021
25 years ago, before Botox® became a household name, facial rejuvenation was limited to Botox® to the upper face and collagen based fillers in the lips.
Today, the aesthetic industry has advanced to the extent that with fillers we can achieve results that could previously only have been possible with surgery.
Botox® is usually my first treatment of choice as by relaxing the muscles which pull on the skin, it results in an overall freshness. Fillers, however, when strategically placed, can make you look more attractive and years younger. You’ve probably heard of the “8 point filler face lift.” Essentially, placing small amounts of filler into several areas of the face results in a natural looking lift which is entirely in keeping with the natural contours of the face.
Until recently, the lower face has been neglected. I commonly see clients with great foreheads, undereye area and upper cheeks but the area below the nose lags behind in youthfulness.
Anatomy and rejuvenation of the ageing mandible
As we age, folds appear below the mouth. The chin is weaker and the jaw becomes saggy. In the neck “turkey” bands are common, due to bunched up muscle (platysma) bands.
Most of the above signs are due to the fact that as we age, we lose bone. As the mandibular bone gets smaller, the skin hangs downwards and inwards towards the chin. Add to this the fact that the skin becomes thinner and less elastic over time, and you can well imagine how all this culminates in a saggy jaw.
However, do not worry as help is at hand! It is certainly possible to reverse all these signs using key fillers such as the ones I use from the Juvederm range. The starting point is the area at the side of the face – in front of and below the ear. Replacing lost volume in this area will not change the way you look (in particular it will not make you look full in the face) but what it will do is to provide support and lift.
The next stage is to strengthen the chin and jawline, again with fillers. Treatments in these two areas will essentially add stretch to straighten the jawline. Finally, fine-tuning the whole area between mouth and chin will fill depressions and reduce folds further.
In the neck itself, Botox® is the treatment of choice for “turkey bands” which can be very effectively treated, resulting in a smoother neck and a defined jawline.
The above summarises the way to rejuvenate the lower face. The quantity of filler needed will depend on the severity of laxity around the jaw.
Filler offer – Buy 4 and your 5th is free of charge
I’d like to encourage you to go that bit further in order to give you the best possible results. Each 1ml filler costs £395 and lasts more than a year. With safety always on my mind, I use cannulae for almost all filler treatments in the face. This allows me to accurately place filler diffusely in key areas without sharp needles penetrating below the skin (there is only one tiny entry point in the skin). Excessive bruising is therefore not commonly seen.
This offer is also applicable to other areas of the face. It is not uncommon for me to share syringes between several areas of the face, according to what is needed. Everyone is different. Do book a consultation so I can assess what I feel is the best way forward for your particular needs. I’ll be able to advise you how many fillers you’re going to need to give you the best results, in which areas you’ll need treatment and when you might need a top-up .
Fillers are cost-effective as although they are not permanent, the effects can last several years. However, you have the comfort of knowing that they can be dissolved very quickly if desired.
New – treatment for “double chin”
Following the success of Kybella (fat dissolving injections) in the USA, Allergan’s prescription product – unlike others to date – has now been CE marked and approved for use here in the UK.
Those suffering from a “double chin” are not always overweight with many cases seen in young men and women of normal BMI. This injectable product permanently destroys the fat cell membrane with the fat released being removed naturally by your own immune system. Two or three treatments are required, several weeks apart. The treatment is reported to “sting” but not to be excessively painful.
Should you wish to be considered for this treatment, I shall be extending a special offer to the first few clients treated. Please email us with the subject header “Treatment for double chin” and we will send you further details.
LONDON CLINIC APPOINTMENTS – Wimbledon and Richmond
Thank you so much for your patience whilst we secure our long-term London home. I’m happy to announce that as of August, I’ll be offering appointments in Wimbledon, just round the corner from the Cannizaro/Hotel du Vin. Full address: 1 North View, Wimbledon Common, SW19 4UJ. Until then, I’ll be working from our temporary address: 10A Strath Terrace, Clapham, SW11 1RF.
For June and July, London appointments are as follows:
Richmond – 4 The Quadrant, Richmond TW9 1BP
- Monday afternoon/evening
- Wednesday morning
Clapham – 10A Strath Terrace SW11 1RF (temporary clinic)
- Tuesday afternoon
- Thursday morning
Bath – The Apthorp Centre, Weston Road, Bath BA1 2XT
- Next clinics on June 3rd/4th, July 1st/2nd, August 5th/6th, September 16th/17th, (no October clinic), November 4th/5th, December 2nd/3rd.
Chipping Norton – Round Hill Farm, Banbury Road, Great Tew, OX7 4BJ
- June 5th, June 11th, June 18th, June 25th, July 16th, July 23rd
Appointments: 020 8946 9694 / dr@stjohnclinic.co.uk
Scottish clinics
- Glasgow/Edinburgh: July 3rd, August 14th, October 9th, November 27th
- Aberdeen: July 4th, August 15th, October 10th, November 28th
ANNUAL LEAVE
- August 26th – September 2nd
- September 20th – 30th
I do hope that you have a lovely summer and look forward to seeing you again soon.
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