The problem with cosmetic work, whether surgical or non-surgical, is that we are often so ashamed of having ’work’ done that we don’t admit to doing it, and the only reference points become the people that have had ‘bad’ or obvious work and it becomes the subject of ridicule.

We constantly admire the way women in the public eye look, and the pressure to look good ourselves is never waning, yet we are so scared of being labelled vain/insecure/shallow by admitting to having or wanting something to make us look better/more youthful/less tired. Well, here’s a fact, the majority of the women in Hollywood whom we admire for their beauty, have had ‘work’ done. That includes the ‘natural beauties’ too, I promise you! I have heard first hand from a doctor who “enhances” a certain actress’ famous pout with filler (the first lips that come to mind are probably the ones I’m talking about!) and even the real classic beauties who seem above such treatments- actually aren’t. Think about gorgeous, natural Jennifer Aniston for example, (I haven’t heard anything concrete about whether she has had any ‘tweakments’ but…) is it really possible not to age at all in 20 years? Of course, she lives a healthy lifestyle, which helps hugely, but still! 20 years?!!

So, what sort of treatments have these celebs had done?

• Tear trough treatments are very popular, where the hollows under the eyes have filler injected into them- creating a smoother and brighter aesthetic.
• Micro-filler is also very popular- this is when teeny, tiny amounts of filler are injected along wrinkle lines to smooth and erase them.
• Temple filler (yes really!) to replace lost volume and create a softer appearance.
• Jawline re-shaping using botox and filler is almost commonplace now too.

The list goes on and on, there isn’t much that can’t be tweaked nowadays, and it can be amazing -as long as you are in the hands of a skilled professional. This is an artwork and your practioner needs to have an eye for detail, but first and foremost, they must have their medical credentials- if your practioner doesn’t understand the anatomy beneath the surface of the skin, you are letting yourself in for trouble.

Dr Sarah Tonks at The Lovely Clinic (TLC) knows only too well of the bad press that fillers can get- she sees (and often corrects) ‘bad’ work every week, but she still absolutely swears by filler to maintain a beautiful and youthful appearance (and after looking at some of her incredible (client) before and after pictures, I can see why). Still wary of fillers myself, I went to see Sarah for one of her famous ‘Injectable Glow’ facials, whereby she uses an injectable moisturiser to hydrate the skin from inside-out, offering firming and moisturising results that far out-weigh anything a regular moisturiser could do. It is a very quick and easy treatment with just 5 injection sites on each side of the face, using an injectable Hyaluronic Acid called Profhilo. Profhilo is not a mesotherapy (or meso) product (injectable vitamins to boost the skin) nor is it a filler, it is a stabilised Hyaluronic Acid without any chemical cross-linking agents- meaning it is synthetic-free and can be broken down by the body easily. Profhilo creates volume in the tissues (due to the unbelievable moisturising properties of H.A) which results in a lifted, glowing more youthful appearance, results can be seen within days but the true long-lasting results will be seen after 2-3 treatments over a period of 1-2 months. It’s a slightly uncomfortable treatment but totally bearable and over within minutes. Afterwards, there is no bruising just some lumps at the injection points- this wasn’t hugely noticeable on me and went down within a day, so there is minimal downtime with this treatment. Sarah also offers a Meso Injectable Glow to boost overall skin health, and a Filler Injectable Glow to smooth away fine lines (this one is also great on the backs of the hands and around the eyes).

After talking to Sarah and seeing the positive results of her filler work, I would consider it in the future, but for now, the ‘Injectable Glow’ feels like the perfect stepping stone for keeping those lines at bay!

Now, something I have been much braver about is Botox. Botox is one of the most tried, tested and approved ‘medicines’ available, but it still sparks the fear factor in many of us. One of the common myths with Botox, is that it is a ‘poison’ that sits in your face for months at a time, when in fact, the actual Botox leaves the body naturally via our urine after only a few days of administering. When it is injected into the skin it temporarily kills off the information receptor between the nerve and the muscle, resulting in a relaxed muscle, it then takes 3-4 months for this receptor to come back hence the reason the effects of Botox lasts for this period of time.

Different doctors have different styles when it comes to Botox and of course we all have different tastes in what we think looks good, but nowadays (thankfully, imo) the trend for the ‘frozen’ look has gone, and people are opting for a much more natural, moveable approach to Botox. None more so than Dr Jules Nabet, who takes a no-nonsense approach to Botox! I had planned out exactly what I was going to tell Dr Jules in terms of what ‘look’ I wanted but I needn’t have bothered! Dr Jules was one of the pioneers of Botox and has treated countless faces over the years, he treats every client differently as we all have different needs but it centres around his technique of doing lots of pricks with a small amount of product, resulting in the most natural Botox results I have ever seen; full facial movement with softened expression lines. Dr Jules also injected my chin…..this one really surprised me! He says

“There is a rough texture that can develop on the front area of the chin due to a hyperactive mentalis muscle. This condition is called creping but commonly gives an ‘orange peel’ effect. There is also a mental crease in the indentation that appears between the lower lip and the chin, forming near the top of the mentalis muscle. It is usually a single, deep groove that runs horizontally, but it can also appear as a combination of lines across the area. A pronounced crease can cause a puckering effect around the mouth which some people feel makes them look older or gives them a ‘witch chin’”

And all of a sudden, it’s the treatment you never knew you needed, until now! Chin Botox is not something I would have thought of in a million years, but after Dr Jules explained it, it makes total sense to me and I understand why he is so in demand! (By the way, the chin looks and moves totally normally after treatment!).

Another thing that sets Dr Jules apart from the pack, is his use of the Botox Pen, which is not only significantly less painful than traditional techniques but also allows for much more accuracy and therefore better results. I’m almost a little pained telling you all this about Dr Jules to be honest; I was so pleased with the results and will definitely go back to him, and now I’m worrying I’m going to have to wait ages for an appointment!

My attitude towards talking about what tweakments we’ve had or want is definitely changing and I do believe there should be no shame in choosing to have things like this done, but I think in the bigger picture it should just be a case of; respect each other’s choices, don’t judge and don’t get lured into thinking your choice is ‘best’. It’s great if you choose to go down this route, and it’s great if you don’t, feminine empowerment is at its strongest right now and at the core of that is, supporting one another, freedom of choice and celebrating ourselves without shame!

Dr Sarah Tonks @ The Lovely Clinic (within The D Thomas Clinic) 25 Walton Street, London SW3 2HU, 0203 695 5400, www.thelovelyclinic.co.uk  ‘Injectable Glow’ from £450

Dr Jules Nabet @ Omniya, 3A Montpelier Street, Knightsbridge, London SW7 1EX, 0207 584 4777, www.omniya.co.uk  Botox Pen £280.