Getting Botox And Fillers

I was invited by Transform Cosmetic Surgery Group to come and have a look at their Harley Street clinic and see some of their non-surgical treatments being done. As blogger events go, this has to be one of the strangest I've been to. We started off with mingling over canapes and cupcakes, so far so normal for an event. Then we were taken through to one of the clinic's treatment rooms, and when I saw the table with medical instruments laid out, I realised I was about to see things I'd never of imagined I would at your average blogger event.

You might remember me mentioning Transform before in my article on how to treat acne scars, a subject very close to my heart (and all over my face), and for this I had the privilege of interviewing one of Transform's dermatology specialists about treatments. It has become a hugely popular post, many people finding it through a Google search, and it made me realise just how common acne scarring must be. This has been a selfish source of comfort to me, not in a bad way - just making me see I'm not alone. After having some emails from readers asking me if I'd since tried any of the non-surgical procedures I wrote about, it dawned on me that people are more open to trying cosmetic surgery than I'd initially thought. In fact several of the bloggers I spoke to at this event were keen to try treatments to help improve something that bothered them, to make themselves feel happier or more confident. 

Although the thought of lip or cheek fillers makes me feel a bit queasy, I feel like the older I get, the more open I am to having botox - especially when you see the results of subtle, skilled work. I used to think that young women shouldn't say they need something done to their face or body, but having gone through my acne scar trauma (read my post to learn that this is no exaggeration), I would never think of anyone wanting cosmetic treatment as wrong. If there's something you want to change or improve, only you will know how important this is to you. 

At the event we watched three different non-surgical treatments. First up was botox, injected into the frown-lines of one of the clinic staff. She said that it's a bit uncomfortable, but certainly not painful, and after an hour the tiny swellings die down. We were told that young people only need botox every six months, and that in your twenties and thirties it's used more to prevent signs of ageing. The clinic goes for a less is more approach so that the finished look is natural. They have a similar approach with lip fillers which we watched next (first and third photos), and as you can see the end result is also very natural - no trout pouts here. (Side note: look how long that needle is! No wonder one of the bloggers starting feeling a bit faint). The last treatment was a non-surgical facelift (above) using an ultrasound machine, which is for the purpose of stimulating collagen, but looked a bit like the technician was looking for babies inside a skull. Some of the bloggers got to try this one out, and you can see us doing this (and all the other treatments) in this wee video I made - there's also some valuable advice in this on choosing a cosmetic surgery provider: 

I'm used to brands inviting me to places and discussing their products with me, but I've never had such an intimate demonstration before. It was so enlightening to see these treatments being done rather than just reading about them, as was asking the recipients of treatments some questions, and getting to talk to the clinic's staff afterwards. I think it's easy to dismiss cosmetic surgery as shallow and unnecessary, even anti-feminist in some respects, but you cannot underestimate the power that comes from feeling confident about your appearance - and this can influence so many aspects of your life. 

   

   

If you're thinking about having a non-surgical cosmetic procedure I can definitely recommend Transform as a starting point in your research. They are so friendly and down to earth; I had such a good chat with one of the staff who told me about her own acne scar woes and what treatments she used. Finding out that someone who can treat you has been riding the same emotional rollercoaster is an amazing thing. The clinic is beautiful, small enough for personal attention, but not so small that there's no sense of privacy. I was really struck with how much they wanted to get to know some beauty bloggers and explain what it is they do, it's a sign of the times that cosmetic surgery has become more available, mainstream and socially acceptable. I also liked the little touches at the event - BOOB cupcakes! And goody bags with our own blog names printed on them. Thanks Transform for helping me take another step torwards feeling better about my skin.