By Rosie Wilson
We’ve all got a little bit of celebrity envy, haven’t we? That one star who always looks glossy and groomed, who is effortlessly chic, or who we could maybe, possibly look a tiny bit like if we got up at 5am to do our hair and makeup and then everyone squinted a bit when they looked at us?
And now awards season is upon us, celeb-envy is at its height – you can’t miss the legions of celebs looking fabulous on the red carpet. Sure, they might have a team of hair and makeup artists tailing their every move, but whatever works for you, right?
And while everyone may have their own celebrity pin-up, some starlets are notorious for looking enviably good. Red carpet veteran Helen Mirren not only exudes sophistication and never makes a fashion faux pas, but is consistently reminding us that age is just a number; can you believe that she’ll be 70 this summer?
While we’d all love to be blessed with genes like Helen’s, not all of us can be that lucky. However, as one London cosmetic clinic has noticed, there’s been a growing number of ladies seeking a quick pick-me-up – and citing Dame Mirren and her peers as their inspiration.
“A lot of our more mature patients say they took heed from celebrities like Helen Mirren, who looks as timelessly classic and ageless at 70 as she did at 40. Often, they didn’t even realise she was in her sixties – and they think, if she can look that good, why can’t I?” said Marie Duckett, a cosmetic nurse at Fiona and Marie Aesthetics, London.
“So many people are opting for a non-surgical treatment over surgery – and when non-surgical treatments are so reliable and effective nowadays, why wouldn’t they? A lot of ladies come to us just wanting to look a few years younger and a little fresher, so there’s really no need for them to undergo anything extensive. We often recommend Botox, fillers or a thread lift – they’re safe and they don’t take long.”
In general, safety should be a big consideration for a more mature patient considering a cosmetic treatment. As we age, our bodies become less resistant to the effects of things like wounds and anaesthetic, which can affect the recovery process. Non-surgical treatments are almost never carried out under general anaesthetic, and by their very nature, are non-invasive so leave no wound. It’s always prudent for people to consider non-surgical alternatives before they undergo cosmetic surgery, but this is much more the case for older patients.
“Botox and fillers are both popular choices for more mature patients, as they’re really effective in the fight against wrinkles and sagging skin, they don’t take long to administer and there’s next to no risks involve,” reiterated co-owner of Fiona and Marie Aesthetics and cosmetic nurse, Fiona Collins.
Many patients even opt for a combined treatment of anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers, because while the fillers volumise the face and ease out some of the deeper lines and wrinkles, Botox partially ‘freezes’ the muscles to prevent further skin damage and ageing. This treatment is particularly good for the upper half of the face, where wrinkles tend to be most concentrated.
If the loss of natural bounce in your skin is more your problem, and you’re suffering sagging skin in the bottom half of your face around the cheeks and jaw, you might be more suited to a thread lift. The thread lift – deemed the ‘puppet facelift’ for its use of strings in the media recently – is enjoying a moment, and was up over 1000% between 2013 and 2014. Using dissolvable threads inserted through minute sutures, the tissues in the skin are pulled gently upwards to give the face a lift without being ‘wind tunnel-ish’.
But of course, whether you’re looking into a cosmetic treatment or you’re all about au naturel, medical experts can’t extol the virtues of looking after yourself enough. Upping your water intake, getting plenty of sleep and eating loads of fruit and vegetables – even if it’s boring – will not only knock the years off, but will prolong the effects of your treatment too.
“These non-surgical treatments certainly offer a helping hand when it comes to rejuvenating the way you look, but they’re not a magic quick-fix,” Fiona warns. “There’s no anti-ageing replacement for looking after yourself by doing simple things like making sure you wear a high SPF – even in winter – and maintain a regular skincare routine.”
With the advanced nature of cosmetic treatments and our growing awareness of how to really look after our bodies, there’s no reason that 70 can’t be the new 50. If it’s good enough for Dame Helen, it’s good enough for us!
