The past decade has seen an undeniable rise in “tweakments”, as evidenced by a recent survey that revealed 40 per cent of UK adults are considering a non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the next 12 months. But many professionals are cautioning against potentially spur-of-the-moment procedures carried out by unqualified practitioners in an unregulated market. “The non-surgical sector is rife with lax regulation and unethical promotions and the public must remain vigilant as ‘non-surgical’ does not mean the same as ‘non-medical’,” says former BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) president Rajiv Grover, who compiled the organisation’s 2019 audit. “These treatments have risks as well as benefits and patients must choose their practitioner very carefully,” he advises.
While these topical solutions won’t work as fast as the likes of Botox or fillers, they can still offer impressive, albeit subtler results, without the need for needles. As long as you’re diligent and consistent with application, you should reap the benefits – of which there are many – in around 12 weeks.