For so many years now, famous celebrities have been experiencing the successfully rejuvenating properties of Botox. Because they look great, they feel great, and who can blame them? Who doesn’t want to look their best, no matter what age they are?

The trouble is that so many celebs have tried to cut corners and save money by going to less than reputable places to get their treatment done. Botox is no longer an expensive option and it doesn’t mean have tight, expressionless faces and big out-of-proportion lips. These days, anyone can experience the benefits of affordable Botox, and why shouldn’t they?

But when it comes to Botox, you must have a highly experienced and proficient cosmetic physician. That’s your first step to success, finding someone who is an experienced cosmetic doctor and not just a qualified beauty therapist with a syringe full of Botox liquid. Think of Botox as a medical procedure. Now which medical procedures would you let your beauty therapist perform? Precisely!

When properly performed, Botox is an exceptional way to make subtle differences, making you look and feel younger, making the kind of changes where people notice that you look great, not a freak like some of the celebs that have had too much cosmetic surgery!

Botox is simply a protein derived from the botulism toxin, it isn’t the toxin itself. It is injected into the skin and smoothes out the lines and wrinkles there. It results in a clean, smooth facial appearance, making you look and feel a million dollars. But you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford it. These days, Botox is one of the most affordable cosmetic solutions available; it’s also one of the most popular. What’s more, since the results are not long lasting, if you’re unhappy, you can go back to the way you were before with no problems at all.

Botox is highly effective against deep wrinkles, so you don’t have to be a celebrity to look great at any age! A typical treatment is simple to perform by a qualified cosmetic doctor and takes less than 15 minutes. Compare that to the cost and pain of a surgical facelift!

If you’re considering Botox, it’s best performed on areas of the upper face and away from muscles that could weaken your natural smile.

There are many highly attractive celebrities that want to maintain their great looks, as they grow old gracefully. Did you know that former supermodel Linda Evangelista, actress Brooke Shields and former playboy model Jenny McCarthy all have regular Botox treatments in small doses? By having these small treatments on a frequent basis, they can stay looking great – long after Mother Nature would have normally taken her toll.

Not a Celebrity? No problem! At Riverbanks, we specialise in helping normal, every-day people to experience the amazing benefits of Botox. To find out more, visit www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk today or pick up the phone and call 01582 762877 right now.

Thread veins are tiny veins just beneath the skin that have become enlarged, or dilated. As we age, our skin ages with us, becoming thinner and more susceptible to problems such as thread veins. As the skin gets thinner and more translucent, the blood vessels under the skin show through.

There is no medical issue with thread veins, their appearance will not affect your health, but sometimes it is an indicator of Rosacea. Ordinarily, it is simply a sign of aging. However, many people, particularly women, find them very embarrassing. They often appear on the legs, although they can present themselves on the face too, which often makes patients very self-conscious. Leg veins are sometimes caused by varicose veins, If you have varicose veins, then you should have these treated first before tackling the threadveins.

Thread veins are common as we age, but if you are overweight or you smoke, this seems to increase their chances of appearance. So maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you to avoid the development of thread veins.

There are many methods currently available for the safe removal of thread veins. The treatments below can be used individually, or sometimes collaboratively, and are known to help successfully reduce and remove thread veins.

IPL and ND: YAG Laser

IPL is an Intense Pulsed Light Laser that is used within the cosmetic health industry for many different conditions such as sun damage, hair removal, acne treatment, and of course, thread and varicose vein removal. After it’s successful use on skin conditions, it has now become a tool used for laser hair removal.

IPL works by using specific bandwidths of light which are only absorbed by the threadvein and not by the surrounding skin. The light heats up the vein so that it collapses. Several treatments are often needed for optimal results.

ND:YAG Laser technology has many medical and non-medical uses. Within the field of cosmetic medicine, it is used for things such as laser hair removal and also for treating spider and thread veins. The laser works in similar ways to the IPL but is much more specific. Again, several treatments are often needed.

There is a small risk of scarring or skin colour changes with lasers or IPL but in most cases, treatments are extremely successful.

Sclerotherapy

This treatment works by injecting a tiny amount of medicine directly into the veins that are being treated. The drug causes the walls of the vein to stick together and so over time the vein dies away. Several treatments are often needed over 6 months. Side effects include the possibility of developing a bruise over the areas which can last for 9 months.

The NHS views the treatment of thread veins as a ‘cosmetic’ and not a medical procedure. This being the case, they are not available through your doctor. This means seeking out a private clinic or hospital is the only option for removing the unsightly presence of thread veins.

If you’re looking to remove the embarrassing presence of thread veins, Riverbanks Clinic has the latest range of treatments. For a consultation with an experienced cosmetic specialist, contact Riverbanks Clinic today.

It's only natural that our prospective patients have questions about our treatments, and with this in mind we've decided to add various Frequently Asked Questions pages to our website.

The first one is Frequently Asked Questions About Vaser Lipo, covering:

• Is VASER Lipo better than Smart Lipo?
• What can I expect during VASER LipoSelection recovery?
• What’s the difference between Liposuction, Liposculture and Liposelection?
• How does VASER Liposelection differ from normal liposuction?
• Will I have tighter skin after using VASER LipoSelection?
• What are the possible risks or side effects of VASER?
• Which areas of the body does VASER Liposelection work best on?
• How long will it take to see the results of VASER Liposelection?
• Are the results of VASER lipo permanent?

So, if you've always wanted to ask one of the above questions, why not visit the FAQ page and find out the answer?

And of course, if you want to book a no obligation consultation with Dr Ravi Jain, we'd be delighted to see you!

 

It might shock you to know that the UK government has decided NOT to regulate the UK laser industry. It certainly shocked us.

This decision means that ANYONE can start lasering people without practice, knowledge, or experience.

Yes, that's right - you can have laser skin resurfacing, laser hair removal and other laser treatments done by someone who has just bought a piece of kit and has no idea how to use it. I'm sure you don't need us to tell you why this is a bad thing, but the picture below, taken from a CNN video about a 'laser treatment horror' shows how serious the scarring could be if the procedure isn't done properly:

Rest assured that if you come for treatment at Riverbanks Clinic, we would never allow anyone unqualified to work on one of our patients.

Dr Ravi Jain qualified from the Royal London Hospital in 1995 and has since held posts at The Royal London, St. Bartholomew's and St. Mary's Hospitals. You can find out more about his qualifications and experience here.

Always, always, always make sure that any procedure you undertake is performed by qualified and experienced practitioners, in a proper clinic, to avoid ending up looking like the poor girl above.

You may have read recent reports in various online newspapers the news from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons that some members have reported having to treat women after 'botched boob jobs' related to Macrolane breast enhancement.

If you're considering Macrolane, and worried about these stories, we'd like to put your mind at rest.

The first thing to know is that the majority of these problems were caused by unqualified people offering 'quickie' treatments, more than likely at a reduced price.

The second is that here at Riverbanks our breast specialist is a qualified surgeon and fully recognised and certified by QMED as an approved Macrolane User, as is Dr Ravi Jain.

The third is more of a warning - please beware of claims that this is a 30 minute procedure; rushing only leads to inaccurate placement of the product and dissatisfaction. Our specialists perform the procedure with the care and attention you would expect from a respectable and capable specialist.

If you would like to talk to someone regarding Macrolane breast enhancement, please fill in this form and someone can call you to discuss the procedure.

Patients are opting for less radical cosmetic treatments in order to reduce the time taken off work to recover due to fear of losing their jobs in the recession. Dr Ravi Jain Medical Director of award-winning Riverbanks Clinic explains about the top 20 treatments that you can now do in your lunch hour.

1) Frown reducing treatment with Botox - There are two types of ‘frown’ lines commonly present between the eyebrows: those that only appear with expression (dynamic), and those that are present all the time (static).Dynamic eyebrow lines can be treated with muscle-relaxing injections such as botox, to achieve a subtle, natural look. By reducing the strength of the dynamic lines caused with expression, the static lines gradually fade over time; the weaker the expression the faster your static lines will fade (this subtle balancing act is discussed in full at your consultation to achieve the effect you desire).

2) Botox brow lift - Botox is used to improve the overall shape of your eyebrow. By generating a very subtle change (as little as a few millimetres), a noticeable, natural improvement to your appearance can be made.

3) Y-lift – cheek filling with dermal fillers - Dermal fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm Ultra can take years off someone’s face in under an hour and there is no downtime. Fillers can restore volume to cheeks, folds, creases and cheeks and lips and restore that triangle of youth.

4) Lip enhancements - The upper lip can be gently treated with ‘dots’ of anti-wrinkle dermal fillers or Botox, for an instantly more luscious look. Results are totally natural, lasting between 6-9 months with dermal fillers such as Restylane and Juvéderm® Ultra, and 3 – 4 months with Botox.

5) Crow’s feet - Crows’ Feet are the lines and wrinkles around the outside of the eye, often present when you smile or squint (dynamic).As we age, or succumb to the effects of sun damage or smoking, these lines become more permanent (static). Dynamic crows’ feet are best treated with muscle-relaxing injections such as botox. By reducing the strength of the wrinkles caused by expression, your static lines gradually fade over time; the weaker your expression, the faster your static lines fade.

6) Macrolane breast augmentation - Macrolane, is an injectable breast implant which can boost a woman’s bust the typical boost is from an A to a B or a B to a C.

7) Sclerotherapy of threadveins - Sclerotherapy is best for treating thread veins ON THE LEGS. Using a fine needle, a sclerosing solution is injected, making vein walls stick together and close off. Compression stockings are worn for a week and treated vessels gradually fade. Three or four treatments are often needed, six weeks apart. Sclerotherapy is available at clinics nationwide. At Riverbanks Clinic, the cost per session starts at £200

8) IPL for Roseaca and sun damage - The signs and effects of Rosacea can be significantly reduced, using a combination of Priori Advanced AHA skin products including non-invasive IPL laser treatment. IPL is also very good for sun damage as the darker areas of sun damage absorb the intense light. After a few days they darken and the top layers crust and fall off. On average between 4-6 treatments may be required. There may be some mild redness for up to 24 hours. Each treatment is only mildly uncomfortable and lasts just a few minutes.

9) Hand rejuvenation with Radiesse - Radiesse, which works by stimulating the skin to encourage collagen to re-grow, can also be used for instant hand wrinkle-reducing results. Some local anaesthetic is mixed into the Radiesse and then injected into the back of the hands. Between 1 to 4 injections may be required per hand, and the procedure is very comfortable. Massage is then applied by the doctor afterwards and then you have instant hand rejuvenation. Results are FANTASTIC, and patients report back high rates of satisfaction. The effects last about 1 year so an annual top up is required.

10) Lift those lines with dermal fillers - Dermal fillers work to mimic the skin’s production of collagen to ‘plump up’ and fill out lines or depressions in the skin, or hollows in areas such as the cheeks, for a fresher, more toned and youthful appearance. This improvement in overall skin surface quality acts to re-elasticate the contours of the face, for a non-surgical ‘lift’ that is highly effective, but nonetheless subtle and natural.

11) Diamondtome Microdermabrasion with Omnilux phototherapy – This stimulates collagen production to promote the growth of healthy new cells. There is no downtime making this an ideal quick skin pick-me-up.

12) Treat excessive sweating with Botox - Botox injections have been used with almost 100% success to treat Hyperhidrosis for several years now. On average the effects last for 6 months.

13) Relieve tension headaches with Botox – Botox has been shown to be a very effective treatment for tension headaches and neck stiffness. The botox is injected in to the pain areas with a very fine needle and after a few days, the muscles will start to relax and so relieve the tension and thus the pain. Usually require about 2  treatments a year.

14) Mole/skin tag removal – get rid of those unsightly skin tags /moles with simple laser surgery. Wounds heal in a few days and the procedure can easily be fitted into your lunch hour.

15) Tummy tightening with Accent Spa RF - Accent Spa RF can give instant skin tighteninng with absolutely no downtime. A course of 4 -6 weeks is usually required for the face and takes about an hour each time.

16) Painless laser hair removal - Usually between 4-8 sessions will be required on fair skin and dark hair. Permanent removal is now considered not to be possible with ANY system. It’s more like Permanent Hair reduction with maybe 1 top-up treatment a year with the gap getting bigger thereafter.

17) Lift those mouth corners with Botox & dermal fillers - Lip and mouth lines can be treated with dermal fillers for an instantly revitalised look, although muscle-relaxing treatments such as Botox are particularly effective ways of correcting downward-pointing mouth corners and reducing creases in the longer term. Results can last between 6-9 months with fillers such as Restylane and Juvéderm® Ultra, and 3 – 4 months with Botox.

18) Teeth whitening in 45 mins with Zoom - The Zoom! teeth whitening system: Takes just 45 minutes, makes your teeth at least 8 shades lighter, gives you immediate results, is long lasting with very little fadeback and is safe and comfortable.

19) Advanced Lactic Acid Skin peel - An Advanced AHA skin peel is ideal for sun-damaged skin, or certain kinds of acne, pigmentation issues or fine wrinkling around the mouth and eyes. The process is less aggressive than some chemical peels, but nonetheless highly effective. The peel generally causes some flaking, redness and dryness, as the old skin gives way to fresh, young skin. However unlike harsher THC peels, the much milder side effects diminish within a day or two. Once the body heals itself naturally, the outer layer of skin exfoliates, with patients usually able to engage in normal activities within 24 hours.

20) Smartxide DOT therapy to the décolleté & face - SmartXide DOT therapy can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, tighten the skin and even out skin tones. Redness may last between 1-2 days, but can be covered up with makeup. Younger, fresher, tighter skin is something surgery cannot offer, so we often improve upon the results of surgery
With patients increasingly realising that there are alternative treatments out there less people are jeopardizing their job security in order to maintain their beauty regime.  Most alternative treatments cost considerably less than traditional cosmetic surgery too.

Dr Jain is Medical Director at Riverbanks Clinic, a double award-winning cosmetic medical practice based in Harpenden, Herts UK, where he provides a number of treatments including Botox, fillers, facial recontouring and body recontouring. Dr Jain's Clinic is renowned for its excellence and won ‘Best New Clinic' and ‘Best Business Development' in the 2009 Aesthetic Medicine Awards.

Dr Ravi Jain qualified from the Royal London Hospital in 1995 and has since held posts at The Royal London, St. Bartholomew's and St. Mary's Hospitals. Early in his career he trained in gynaecological laparoscopic surgery before training as a GP. He now specialises exclusively in cosmetic dermatology and minor surgery.

ONE: What is Vaser Lipo? 

VASER stands for Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy and Resonance and refers to the method of liposuction removal of fat from the body. Vaser Lipo is an advanced body shaping procedure that removes unwanted body fat.  It is an alternative to ordinary liposuction, using the very latest ultrasound technology that helps to gently break up fat whilst avoiding nerves and blood vessels. Vaser is a minor surgical procedure which is carried out under local anaesthesia with you awake, in a clinic setting. Vaser Lipo is not specifically intended for weight loss, but for sculpting the body’s shape into a more pleasing form.  

TWO: What’s the Difference Between Vaser Lipo and Traditional Liposuction?

Traditional liposuction has existed for almost 40 year now. Plastic surgeons use tiny incisions and the fat is removed from the area using a suction device.  Liposuction is generally quite painful and so is usually carried out under a general anaesthetic. The recovery is longer and more painful than with VASER, taking up to 6 months for swelling to subside. Vaser Lipo reduces the pain from the recovery by directly targeting the required fatty areas and leaving other areas completely untouched.

Vaser Lipo uses ultrasound technology to selectively break up and emulsify the fat from a solid form into a liquid that can be suctioned away using a cannula.

THREE: How Much Fat Can Be Removed? 

The amount of fatty tissue that can be safely removed from the body is limited to no more more than 2litres in most cases under local anaesthesia. Vaser Lipo is not strictly aimed at weight loss, but as a way of shaping and contouring your figure to give it a more subtle form.  Fat can be removed from all of the major areas of the body such as the stomach, the waist, the chest and hips.  It can also help with fatty tissue on the arms, thighs and the neck.

Ongoing reduction of fat requires the implementation of a healthy lifestyle that includes switching to a low fat diet and taking regular exercise.  This will prevent the need for further procedures in the future.

FOUR: What Does the Procedure of Vaser Lipo Involve?

During the Vaser Lipo procedure, the fatty area that is going to be sculpted is filled with an anaesthetic that will numb the area and minimize the blood loss and potential bruising.  Once the area is correctly prepared, a small probe is used to transmit ultrasound into the body.  The ultrasound waves breaks up the fat cells, turning it from a solid into a liquid, while nothing else is damaged.  Finally, the area is massaged and suction is applied to remove the liquidised fat.

FIVE: What Are The Recovery Times For Vaser Lipo?

Because the ultrasound technology only works to destroy fatty cells, there is much less potential damage to nerves and other body tissue.  For this reason Vaser Lipo is often a preferred option for many clients because it offers them much shorter recovery times.  It usually takes only about 7 days for the associated swelling to be reduced and over the following months, the skin’s natural elasticity will eventually tighten the area and the new shaping will become permanent.

So, if you're interested in Vaser Lipo, and would like to talk to someone or book a consultation, why not contact us now?

 At Riverbanks Clinic, we are delighted to announce that we now have one of the most experienced Macrolane Specialists in the country. Our newest addition is a plastic surgeon whose breast augmentations with Macrolane are natural, long lasting and probably the best in the country if not the world. Her patients are extremely satisfied and travel from all over the country. 

You really can have the bust of your dreams for this summer with NO surgery. Fill out your bikini top with a fuller bust. Macrolane gives very natural looking results and the gel used is biodegradable, carries minimal risk and lasts for longer than other aesthetic gels.

Each individual treatment programme also includes a yearly top up as required to maintain patient expectation.

So to get the bust of your dreams in time for Summer, book your consultation now!

 

 

 

 Vaser Liposelection uses patented ultrasound energy instead of laser to melt fat and then gently remove the treated fat from your body leaving you a brand new shape. The technology has been used extensively in the USA for over 4 years and now it is available at selected centres such as Riverbanks Clinic in the UK.

 

Please read more about how Vaser Lipo-selection can improve your body shape here.

Although perhaps an exaggeration, but this is what one of my patients said to me while we were discussing the credit crunch! This patient was a typical example of many 'normal' people who have found how effective Botox injections are at maintaining a healthy, fresh appearance. Costing just a bit more than an expensive cream and lasting much longer as well as being a zillion times more effective, Botox demand is increasing, even during the current economical situation. On top of that "It makes me feel great!" - isn't that just what we need during this long winter?

STOP THE PRESS!

 

We have had amazing results through our study of using Radiesse for Hands™ to rejuvenate the skin. Patient satisfaction is EXTREMELY HIGH with this simple technique.

Previously I have used Restylane Vital and Sculptra. Sculptra works very well and its effects last the longest (up to 2 years) but it can take 6-9 months for the results to develop. For INSTANT results, consider Radiesse for Hands™, which requires few injections, is relatively painless and results last for about a year.

More information will follow soon, but I had to tell you all of the outstanding results we have been getting!

When Smartlipo™ was launched in this country about 2 years ago, it was grabbed by the media as being the panacea for all weight issues. Naturally, this is not the case, but due to over exaggerated claims by the media and also some cosmetic companies, patients expectations of what Smartlipo™ could deliver were unrealistically high.

Having said that, despite adopting the most advanced techniques and managing their patients expectations well, many doctors have chosen to stop offering Smartlipo because they felt that they could not provide a high enough patient satisfaction rate. After all, we all want happy satisfied patients. So why are doctors, including myself still offering Smartlipo™? Let me explain....

Since the introduction of Smartlipo, techniques have been modified constantly in order to achieve better results than were initially achieved. It was only after discussion with my surgical colleagues, I decided to introduce aspiration to the procedure and since then my patients have been achieving EXCELLENT results!

Smartlipo with aspiration uses the same method as Smartlipo, but instead of relying on the body to excrete the destroyed fat cells (like with traditional smartlipo), the surgeon removes the fat using very gentle suction, causing minimal bruising and discomfort. The fat cells which are removed are almost pure liquid and this proves that the Smartlipo does indeed destroy fat as originally declared. But because the fat is removed at the time of the procedure, patients can see an almost immediate result. Both the patients and doctors are much happier with the results after using aspiration and as a result, I only offer Smartlipo with Aspiration now.

So, to answer the question does Smartlipo™ really work - ONLY WITH ASPIRATION!

A lot of people search the internet for a particular technology which they feel will suit their needs. Sometimes a product will have bad press and this may put people off it. I have received numerous questions through the Ask Dr Jain a question section, and a lot of them are about using Pixel for acne scarring. They have often been along the lines of...

"I have had 4 sessions of pixel and my scars are no better.... why is that?"

Obviously it is hard to comment accurately without full details of the treatment and history, but its my guess that the treatment protocols used were inadequate. Let me explain...

Pixel has been around for about 2-3 years now and uses fractional laser technology to effectively resurface the skin, and is used for acne scarring as well as skin rejuvenation among other uses. Like with most technologies, when they first emerged, the protocols were very conservative, and therefore patients were less impressed with the results. However, over the last 2 years, good doctors have developed the protocols in their own clinics which have started to deliver excellent results for the patient.

I have used Pixel in London for 2 years now and with the current protocols, results are good, particularly with acne scarring. These protocols have been painstakingly developed through communication between like-minded doctors (British Association of Cosmetic Doctors) who treat cosmetic medicine as any other speciality and are constantly trying to advance our knowledge, understanding and treatments, all for the benefit of our patients.

So you may ask, why do I not offer Pixel at Riverbanks Clinic? Since Pixel, along with advancing protocols, there has been advances in laser technology too. The CO² laser has always been the most effective resurfacing laser in the world, but because of its severe effects, has been restricted to surgical use only and brave people who were prepared for several weeks of healing. Modern techniques allow the SmartXide DOT laser to use a fractional CO² laser which has very similar effects to normal ablative lasers, but the strength can be taoilored to suit a patients needs and how much time they are prepared to look red for! Most treatments cause between 2-3 days of redness, but stronger ones can take 10-14 days to recover from, with the benefit of faster results. Its all down to you!

I use Pixel for Courthouse Clinics on Wimpole Street on Tuesdays and Smartxide at Riverbanks Clinc the rest of the week.

So, please do remember that just because a clinic offers a certain technology do not assume that they are skilled to get the best results out of it! Its what you do with it that counts!