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What an eye-opener–The Botox brow lift

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Dr Kim Thomas

Botox has been used for over 10 years now for cosmetic applications, but not many of my clients seem to be aware that you can achieve a fantastic non-surgical brow lift with it.

So many of my clients lament the heavy skin of their brow as it’s a very ageing characteristic.  However, there are just as many that don’t realise that it’s a problem.  And it’s one that can be easily solved with Botox, taking years off you.  The extra skin gets more obvious with age and even contributes to a crows feet effect at the corner of the eyes.

I’ve seen clients who have booked their flights and their Google-picked Eastern European surgeon for blepharoplasty to cut away the excess skin.  I’ve managed to talk a few into letting me treat the area with Botox and  – Hey Presto!  A beautiful result!

Spock

 

They look at me with scepticism from under their baggy brows,

“No Way” they say “Botox can’t treat this”,

“It won’t look natural, I don’t want my eyebrows to shoot up”.

Oh ye of little faith.  Would I do this to you?

 

The Botox Brow Lift is the most natural lift effect I’ve seen, even comparing to Blepharoplasty (surgery).  Come and see me if you don’t believe me.  I’ve plenty of photos of happy customers to prove it.

 

It’s anti-ageing Jim, but not as we know it……..

Posted in beauty, Botox, botox treatments in cheshire, botox treatments in manchester, facial rejuvenation | Leave a comment

Getting all in a sweat…..

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Dr Kim Thomas

halle-berry-sweating    

source: skinmagonline

Rumour has it that some A-list celebs get Botox in their armpits a couple of weeks before big events like the Oscars to prevent pictures exactly like this one where Halle Berry looks a bit hot under the collar.

We’ve all been there:

  • manicure – check
  • blow-dry   -  check
  • make-up  -  check
  • eyelashes – check
  • new shoes – check
  • pit stains   -  AAAAARRRGGHHH!!!!

But it’s not just big names and big nights out.  For some people, excessive sweating or Hyperhidrosis is a real problem.  Some people even sweat up to 4-5 times more heavily than control groups.  As a GP I’ve seen a few patients who suffered severely enough to warrant treatment on the NHS, but unfortunately this is becoming less accessible.  I’ve seen a young man of 23 who had never been out socially because he was so embarrassed by his condition, and a personal friend who has never worn any colour top other than black all of her adult life because of sweat stains.

 

So what causes Hyperhidrosis?

Well, as for so many medical conditions, it’s idiopathic (that’s medical speak for “we just don’t know”!) There’s a family history for many of these patients (up to 65%), or it can be due to dysfunction of they sympathetic nervous system or a gland in the brain called the hypothalamus.

So how can it be treated?

The first step, and one that I’m surprised in general practice isn’t used more often is the use of an appropriate over-the-counter anti-perspirant.  It’s amazing how many people don’t know the difference between a deodorant and an anti-perspirant.  A deodorant smells nice (so disguises body odour) whilst an anti-perspirant prevents sweating.  There are many over the counter combinations of the two.

This is rarely enough for most people suffering with hyperhidrosis, so the second step is a therapy with topical aluminium chloride hexahydrate in absolute alcohol or salicylic acid gel.  This is available on prescription so should be discussed with your GP.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, Botox injections can help.  It must be administered by an appropriately trained doctor after other causes for hyperhidrosis have been eliminated.  You don’t want to trust this to a beautician!  Botox works by stopping the nerves of the sympathetic nervous system passing on the chemical messenger to the sweat glands to initiate sweating.  If the message doesn’t get through, the gland doesn’t sweat.  Usually, you’ll see a marked reduction in sweating within a week.  It’s not a permanent cure, but the effects can last 4-7 months.  The body is free to sweat elsewhere and the function returns gradually to the armpits with time.

 

So if you hate those ugly pit stains, don’t sweat it!  Call Camomile Medical for a consultation: 07581 452761

Posted in beauty, Botox, botox treatments in cheshire, botox treatments in manchester, Excessive sweating, Hyperhidrosis | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hypnotherapy to help stop smoking – SPECIAL OFFER!

Posted on January 16, 2012 by tonimackenzie

Just about everyone knows all the reasons why it would be a good idea to stop smoking. Smoking dehydrates the skin, creates wrinkles and smells awful – perfume or aftershave does not disguise it -  trust me! Smoking burns away money, which could be better spent on shoes ;) , a holiday, or whatever your thing might be!

Smoking doesn’t give you a buzz, it depletes your energy and your lung capacity. Smoking doesn’t relieve stress, it creates stress within your nervous system. Smoking poisons your system… and is just like playing Russian Roulette with your life…

I am a fully qualified and highly experienced clinical hypnotherapist, and carry out smoking cessation hypnotherapy over two sessions, each lasting between 60-90 minutes, as this is generally found to be far more effective than one single session.

Your first session will be for you to tell me all about you as the individual smoker you are, your particular smoking habits and triggers, reasons you want to quit now, how motivated you are etc. This session includes a ‘Primer Hypnotherapy Session‘ to sow the seeds for your following visit when you will be prepared to stop smoking for good.

As well as Hypnotherapy I use a highly effective NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) technique, which helps to re-programme your subconscious mind and significantly add to the effectiveness of your hypnotherapy.

I also offer EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), to help you let go of any possible fears or concerns you may have about stopping smoking.

The normal fee for my two session Smoking Cessation Therapy is £200, but my special offer for Camomile Medical clients is £149.

With cigarettes now costing around £7 per pack, that’s about the equivalent of 21 packs, so for anyone who smokes 20 a day, very quickly re-imbursed in about 3 weeks, or 10 a day, 6 weeks. Much more importantly, your health will start to improve from day one!

Toni Mackenzie

toni@innerdepths.co.uk

07845 188869

Posted in beauty, facial rejuvenation, Skin care | Leave a comment

Why smoking is the worst thing you could ever do to your skin

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Dr Kim Thomas

In 1985 the term ‘smoker’s face’ was added to the medical dictionary. The characteristics of a smoker’s face are wrinkles and lines, especially at the corners of the eyes and radiating from the lips with deep lines on the cheeks and lots of shallow lines on the cheek and jaw.

Does this fill you with dread?  Or worse sound depressingly familiar?

Non-surgical cosmetic treatments are great for those signs of ageing, but you negate it all and lessen their effectiveness by smoking.  Surely prevention is better than cure?

We all know that smoking greatly increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and many cancers, to name but a few.  However, it is also one of the worst things you can do in terms of ageing your skin. In fact, the Chief Medical Officer of the UK recently highlighted the link between smoking and skin damage saying that smoking adds between 10-20 years to your natural age.

So just how does smoking affect the skin?

  • smoking restricts blood flow through the capillaries (tiny veins near the skin’s surface) preventing oxygen and nutrients getting to the skin
  • smoking increases the production of an enzyme which breaks down the supply of collagen to the skin’s structure. Collagen is vital to the skin’s elasticity and it decreases with age, but smoking cigarettes accelerates this process.
  • smoking reduces the body’s store of vitamin A which provides protection from skin damage
  • smoking gets in the way of absorption of vitamin C – a vital antioxidant for skin protection and health
  • smokers’ continual puckering from drawing on a cigarette and squinting in reaction to the cigarette smoke results in deeply wrinkled skin around the eyes and mouth – classic signs of ‘smoker’s face’

And what’s the result of these changes?

Just think Dot Cotton!  The skin becomes less hydrated and wrinkled, and this dry skin can feel uncomfortable and look like parchment.  There will be sagging which worsens jowls, nose to mouth folds and pulls the mouth downward.  Deep lines and wrinkles will become more evident especially around the eyes and mouth.  The skin will lose its healthy glow and can appear quite grey.  The skin’s ability to regenerate and repair can be affected.  It may take 10-20 years for some of this damage to appear when you smoke, but it inevitably will whilst you continue to smoke.

If you stop smoking, you can’t reverse these changes alone.  However, what you will do is stop the damage getting any worse. Why wait and then stop smoking later when even more damage has been done to your skin?  The important thing for your skin and your looks is to stop inflicting continued damage on yourself. If you quit smoking now you will stop your skin ageing any faster than it normally would.

If you need help to give up smoking, there are lots of services available for free on the NHS.  Hypnotherapy can also help in your battle to give up the cigs.  Camomile Medical works in conjunction with Toni Mackenzie of “Inner Depths Hypnotherapy and Life Coaching”.  Click here to find out more about her services, or call 07845 188869 quoting code CAM-ID for a consultation.

Posted in beauty, facial rejuvenation, Skin care | Leave a comment

Exciting once in a lifetime offer!!!

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Dr Kim Thomas

On Saturday December 10th, Camomile Medical is thrilled to be having a masterclass from renowned expert Dr Steven Kaldor.  Dr Kaldor was most recently seen on TV on Channel 4′s “Boobs, Bums & Botox” and is a world class Aesthetics trainer.  We’ll be providing a few lucky clients with his expert consultations and advanced treatments AT COST PRICE!

One of the most ageing changes as we get older is the loss of volume in the mid-face.  As we get older, the malar fat pad that sits over the cheeks slips downwards.  By using subtle dermal fillers here, you can regain the facial contour you had 10-15 years ago.

On the day we’ll be treating:

  • Hyperhidrosis – excessive sweating
  • Mid-face volume loss – to treat sagging in the face that cause nasolabial folds (nose to mouth lines) among other things.
  • Bunny lines – the horizontal lines across the bridge of the nose when smiling
  • Gummy smile – using Botox to reduce the amount of gum showing when smiling
  • Platysmal bands – also known as the “Deidre Barlow neck”
  • Downturned mouth – can be lifted with Botox

There are only very few places left for this day, and if you would like to receive any of these fantastic treatments AT COST PRICE then please email: kim@camomilemedical.co.uk

First come first served!!

Posted in beauty, Botox, botox treatments in cheshire, botox treatments in manchester, Dermal Fillers, facial rejuvenation, Skin care | Leave a comment

Easy TCA “medium” chemical peels

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Dr Kim Thomas

Easy TCA is a course of medium depth peels that can give a dramatic result to ageing or sun-damaged skin.  It is also a good treatment for pigmentation and sun spots or active acne.  It’s a course of peels over a 10 week regeneration cycle along with specific prescribed cosmeceutical creams depending on the results you want to achieve and your skin type.

The course begins with 4 peels one week apart.  As with EasyPhytic, there is no pain but the skin will become very hot, so generally using a fan will keep it cool during the process which takes just a few minutes.  A post-peel mask is then applied which immediately takes the heat away.  Most people will peel on day 3-5 for a couple of days.  Again this isn’t a dramatic unsightly peel, more like a thin onion skin effect similar to peeling after sunburn.

Examples of peeling

During the course you must use the prescribed creams twice a day aswell as the prescribed sunscreen (SPF 50).  This is not optional, but imperative.  The Autumn/Winter is the ideal time to consider a peel as you must avoid strong sun during the course and ideally for 2 months afterwards.  This course of peels can be used in the Summer months as long as you are extra careful to keep out of the sun and use the sunscreen at all times.

Easy TCA peels are not suitable for all skin types, and some darker skins may run the risk of hyperpigmentation.  This is when a course of Easy Phytic peels may be more appropriate (see previous blog here).

An Easy TCA course can be repeated up to 3 times a year, and they can run concurrently to get a more dramatic effect on problem skin.

There are a few contra-indications to Easy TCA peels.  These can be discussed at your consultation, though they can’t be used if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, if you have active cold sores, healing wounds or recent radiotherapy on the face.  Also within 6 months of using Roaccutane from your dermatologist.

So that’s it, just a few short weeks away from a more youthful, radiant, smoother skin!

 

 

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Easy Phytic “light” chemical peels

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Dr Kim Thomas

The Easy Phytic chemical peel can only be administered by trained clinicians.  It’s a medical grade peel that feels like a facial.

It can be used as a one-off treatment to give a fresher looking skin as it takes off the top layer of skin which is dead skin cells.  This in turn increased the cell turnover of the regenerating skin so fresher skin is coming through more quickly.  It also allows your product to sink in more easily.  It can also be used, say, once a month as a maintenance treatment, and many clients do this to keep up with results from other peels, laser treatment or dermabrasion.

It can also be used as a course.  There is no maximum to how many treatment of Easy Phytic you can have.  You just keep having one peel a week until you achieve your desired results.  And then once a month to maintain it!  This is a great alternative to those who don’t want the commitment of a course of medium peels, or who may not be suited to it.

On the day of the peel, you can arrive with full make-up as your skin is cleansed before the treatment.  This is to ensure that all product and oils are removed from the skin.  The Easy Phytic solution is then applied using a cotton wool pad.  Either it is applied in 5 light coats or less if you feel tingling before then.  It doesn’t smell particularly pleasant, but nothing good for you ever does!

Once the solution has been applied it can be left on the skin as it self-neutralises.  A moisturiser is then applied under an occlusive dressing and left to sink in over 10 minutes or so.  A sunscreen can be applied afterwards if you’re going to be out and about.

For the rest of the day, leave your skin clear of everything.  Don’t even wash it until the next day.  You may be a little pink or shiny, as if you’ve just come back from the gym.  It can feel a little bit tight, as if you’ve had a hot shower and forgotten to moisturise.

The next day (skin feeling softer already) you can wash as normal, use moisturiser, sunscreen and make-up.  You won’t be scarily red, inflamed or peeling.  Some people may experience some flaking after a day or two, but this is only akin to small pockets of dry skin rather than peeling.  This is dealt with simply by moisturising.

 

Posted in beauty, Chemical Peels, facial rejuvenation, Skin care | Leave a comment

To peel or not to peel….

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Dr Kim Thomas

Chemical peels?  They make you look like Freddie Krueger and you can’t leave the house for two weeks in case you scare small children, right?

Right and wrong.  There are different types of chemical peel and usually the type you’d see on TV or on an extreme makeover show is a deep full thickness peel.  Make no mistake, these hurt!  You need a general anaesthetic for these.  Ever notice how they always do them at the end of surgery?  But there are lots of different types of peels out there.

Camomile Medical offers 3 types of chemical peel.   They are all medical grade peels and not to be confused with the type of peel you can get at the beauty salon.

The first type of peel is Easy Phytic.  This can be classed a “light” peel as it doesn’t affect your social life.  You can use this as a one off treatment to give you a brighter, fresher-looking complexion and a softer skin.  Or you can use it as a course (one a week) for a cumulative effect until you achieve your desired result.

A “medium” peel is a course of 4 Easy TCA peels.  This is only ever given as a course rather than as a one off treatment.  You get one peel a week for four weeks whilst using appropriately prescribed cosmeceutical  creams and sunscreen for a full ten week regeneration cycle.

A “deep” peel can be used without general anaesthetic if used on very small areas.  Only Touch can be used on pigmented areas of less than 1cm in diameter in conjunction with a course of Easy TCA peels.

Click here to read about EasyPhytic chemical peels.

Click here to read about Easy TCA chemical peels.

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Dermal Fillers – what exactly are they?

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Dr Kim Thomas

There are many different types of dermal fillers on the market and they’ve come a long way from when they were originally introduced.  Most are temporary biodegradable substances.  Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is used as well as Collagen compounds.

Camomile Medical uses only Hyaluronic Acid dermal fillers as they are less likely to cause any reaction and tend to last longer.  It is found naturally in the human dermis and is a basic building block of the skin so there is very little potential for immunological reaction in humans.  The amount of HA in the skin decreases with age and its loss results in reduced hydration of the skin and increased wrinkling/folding of the skin.

Whereas Botox treats wrinkles that form when muscle contracts underneath the skin, dermal fillers plump out folds and wrinkles.  It is used for fixed lines in the upper face after Botox, or used alone in the lower face to plump out fold and wrinkles.

 

Very common areas for use of dermal fillers are the Nasolabial Folds (the lines from the nose down to the mouth), Marionnette Lines (the lines pulling down from the corner of the mouth) and of course for Lip Augmentation.  They can be used for fixed deep frown lines or crows feet after Botox treatment too.

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How does Botox® work?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Dr Kim Thomas

Frown lines before Botox treatment

 

Botox® works on both dynamic and fixed lines.

Dynamic lines are those that appear when the muscle contracts (smile in the mirror, then scowl, then look surprised).  The lines that form only when you do this are dynamic lines.  Botox® effectively treats these lines as it stops the muscle contracting and creasing the skin over it.  This is why it is an excellent preventative treatment for wrinkles.  If you treat the dynamic lines, they will never become fixed lines!

Fixed lines are the lines that are there even when you’re relaxed.  Looking in the mirror with your face relaxed, if you can see wrinkles then these are fixed.  They’ll be worse when you contract the muscle but over time the skin has creased so often, combined with the effects of age and sun on the skin has led them to become fixed.

frown lines a few days after treatment

But don’t worry….all is not lost even for fixed lines!  With Botox® you’ll stop them worsening, and often smooth them out.  And if you keep up with the treatment, you’ll
allow your skin to naturally regenerate without the creasing effect so it’ll keep improving.

“…but I don’t want to look frozen!”


Neither do I!  I treat very conservatively.  I think the ideal Botox® treatment stops the lines forming but keeps natural expression.  I see everyone after two weeks free of charge to add a small top-up if it’s needed.  Much better to add on as you can’t take it away.  Admittedly some people do ask me for the “frozen look” which is their personal preference.

Posted in Botox, botox treatments in cheshire, botox treatments in manchester, facial rejuvenation | Leave a comment