The Most Popular Aesthetic Treatments and How They Work
People love aesthetic treatments. In the UK, it’s a massive trend to go for aesthetic treatments like filler, botox, and red light therapy – you name it, UK people are trying it. Treatments are so accessible and so successful that who can blame people for testing the waters?
Some treatments are definitely more popular than others – read on for the current most popular aesthetic treatments and, more importantly (and often ignored), how they work.
PDO Thread Lifts
A Polydioxanone (PDO) thread face lift has gained popularity as a less invasive alternative to traditional facelifts. Dissolvable threads are inserted into the skin with fine needles – it’s not exactly comfortable, but when it’s done by a professional, the results are incredible. The threads create a subtle but visible lift, tightening and firming the skin to prevent sagging. Collagen production is stimulated during the procedure, enhancing the texture of the skin and making it elastic.
Thread lifts are notably effective in lifting cheeks, jawlines, and necks without requiring surgery, and they look so natural. Usually, this process takes approximately an hour, with little recovery. Within a few days, there may be mild swelling and bruising but that will usually disappear on their own. PDO thread lift results can last up to two years – it’s a great option over continuously filling the face with Botox.
Botox Injections
Botox has to be the most popular if we’re talking statistics.
It involves injecting a purified form of botulinum toxin into specific muscles, making them relaxed. This relaxation eliminates wrinkles and fine lines, particularly around the eyes (crow’s feet), forehead, and between eyebrows.
This procedure is relatively quick and can be done in less than thirty minutes. The outcome that Botox gives starts showing after several days, with the full effect appearing two weeks later. The effects last from three to six months when muscles start gaining activity again, gradually leading to the reappearance of wrinkles. It’s definitely easy to get stuck in a botox cycle and take it too far.
According to Health and Aesthetics, they recommend not lying down for at least four hours after having Botox®. Not only will it help prevent any excessive swelling but it will stop the Botox® migrating to other parts of the face and causing muscle weakness in those areas, a rare but possible side effect of having the treatment.
Dermal Fillers
Again, based on numbers, this has to be one of the most popular treatments – the UK is filler-mad. Unlike Botox, where muscles loosen up, this treatment adds volume by plumping up areas that have lost fat and elasticity with age. Among the common sites treated by fillers are cheeks, nasolabial folds (smile lines), and lips.
One common ingredient found in many dermal fillers is hyaluronic acid – a naturally occurring substance within the skin that adds moisture while giving voluminousness.
Filler gets injected directly into target areas, and results are immediate, lasting six months to over a year, depending on the filler used during the application process. There is very minimal recovery – some bruising is normal, but it quickly fades.
Have you had any of these aesthetic treatments? This is only scratching the surface – there are so many treatments on the market that it’s becoming almost endless. We’d always recommend doing your research before an aesthetic procedure so you understand exactly how it’ll help you.
