Non Surgical Treatments
Vive are able to provide a number of cosmetic enhancing
procedures that do not involve any incisions, surgery or general
anaesthetics. Typically these procedures are provided to those
customers who do not wish to consider surgery as an option or whose
facial appearance issues do not yet justify surgical intervention.
Prospective customers are advised to contact their local hospital
unit in the “find your local hospital” section of this website in
order to discuss the local non-surgical treatments facilities on
offer at each hospital. Non-surgical treatments will generally
cover the following procedures:
Dermal Fillers
Restylane is a crystal-clear, biodegradable (non-animal
hyaluronic acid) gel from Sweden which is injected into the dermis
with a very fine needle. The result produces a short-medium natural
enhancement, which will improve the appearance of facial lines and
wrinkles. This product is ideal for soothing fine and medium depth
wrinkles, sculpting lips and shaping facial contours. The results
can last for up to 6 months , depending on the structure of an
individual’s skin, lifestyle and age. Redness and swelling may
occur after treatment but will typically disappear within 48
hours.
Facial peels
Chemical peel uses a chemical solution to improve and smooth the
texture of the facial skin by removing its damaged outer layers. It
is helpful for those individuals with facial blemishes, wrinkles
and uneven skin pigmentation. Phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA)
and alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) are commonly used for this purpose.
The precise formula used may be adjusted to meet each patient’s
needs.
Alphahydroxy Acids (AHAs) such as glycolic,
lactic or fruit acids are the mildest of the peel formulas and
produce light peels. These types of peels can provide smoother,
brighter-looking skin for people who can’t spare the time to
recover from a Phenol or TCA peel. AHA peels may be used to treat
fine wrinkling, areas of dryness, uneven pigmentation and acne.
Various concentrations of an AHA may be applied weekly or at longer
intervals to obtain the best result. An alphahydroxy acid such as
glycolic acid, can also be mixed with a facial wash or cream in
lesser concentrations as part of a daily skin-care regimen to
improve the skin’s texture.
Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) can be used in many
concentrations, but is most commonly used for medium-depth peeling.
Fine surface wrinkles, superficial blemishes and pigment problems
are commonly treated with TCA. The results of a TCA peel are
usually less dramatic than and not as long-lasting as those of a
Phenol peel. Infact, more than one TCA peel may be needed to
achieve the desired result. The recovery from a TCA peel is usually
shorter than a Phenol peel.
Phenol is the strongest of the chemical
solutions and produces a deep peel. It is used mainly to treat
customers with coarse facial wrinkles, areas of blotchy or damaged
skin caused by sun exposure or pre-cancerous growths. Since Phenol
sometimes lightens the treated areas, your skin pigmentation may be
a determining factor as to whether or not this is an appropriate
treatment for you. Phenol is primarily used on the face; scarring
may result if it is applied to the neck or other body areas.
Laser Resurfacing
In recent years, laser resurfacing has become one of the safest
and most effective methods of treating facial lines, wrinkles and
blotchy skin as well as improving the skin tone, contour and
texture of acne, injury or chicken pox scars.
The laser resurfacing process strips away damaged cells to make
way for new cells to form, thus removing the need for incisions and
subsequent scarring. This procedure can involve either the whole
face (performed under general anaesthetic), or smaller isolated
areas of skin (under local anaesthetic).