The rise in Scottish men having aesthetic treatments

I have to confess – I’ve not had a skincare regime for years.

In the early 2000s, after reading American Psycho and seeing the film adaptation, I did begin to take a bit more care, with moisturisers and a careful selection of aftershave, but, when the moisturiser eventually ran out, I never replaced it or continue the process.

So, aside from a six month spell, nature has been left to take its course on my features (for better or worse).

As a 45-year-old, I’m aware that time is taking is toll on me. My hair did a vanishing act in the early 2000s, and, when I look in the mirror, I don’t quite see the face I expect to see looking back. The skin around the eyes is starting to drop a little, and when I smile (which, to be fair, is a lot), the crow’s feet are becoming more and more prominent.

Dr Judy Todd administers an injection to Kenny Smith’s face

Of my close circle of friends, only one has had any form of surgery that I know of, when he had a hair transplant. And, to be fair, it looks amazing and I am very jealous!

The 2019 British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) annual report male cosmetic surgery dropped by 4.7% in 2018 as non-surgical treatments gained popularity driven by the trend for men preferring to look tweaked rather than tucked.

The fall in brow lifts for men (down 4%) has underlined the value of botox as an alternative but also a preventative treatment in rejuvenating the forehead and brow.

It’s not the only area that’s seen a rise. The global male grooming products market reached a value of $57.7 billion in 2017. The market value is further expected to reach $78.6 billion by 2023. That’s an awful lot of moisturiser, hair care products and aftershave…

I paid a visit to the Synergy aesthetic clinic in Giffnock, Glasgow, for a consultation with owner Judy Todd. I think I’ve aged not too badly (hair aside), and am regularly told by my colleagues at Scottish Field that I don’t look, or indeed act, my age. Which is very nice.

Scottish Field’s Kenny Smith scrunches up his face, showing his crow’s feet

Dr Judy has 15 years aesthetic medical experience and uses this expertise in conjunction with the latest innovations in aesthetics to obtain beautiful, natural results for patients.

I was welcomed to Synergy and immediately offered a drink, which made me feel at home. Judy took my into one of their treatment rooms, and we discussed how I felt about my skin and overall look.

I explained to her about my eyes, and she gave me a thorough inspection, carefully inspecting my features, but chatting about my medical history, etc, and made me feel very relaxed as she did it.

After a good lookover, she said that my forehead was fine, and wouldn’t need anything, but, if I was interested, I could probably take a little botox to sort out the crow’s feet, and some tear trough filler. Was I interested in having it?

In my life, I’ve had a major jaw reconstruction, so, I figured, what would a little filler and botox do for me?

What was particularly pleasing to note was that I was given various forms and information leaflets to look through, detailing the pros and cons of having aesthetic treatments. And there were several forms to sign, just to make sure that you are fully aware of what’s being done. Synergy follow the industry code of practice to the letter, which is hugely reassuring.

Judy carefully applied some anaesthetic cream around the eye areas, and administered the botox at first. It’s one of those things I had obviously heard about, but didn’t ever expect to try. Judy explained that it would take up to two weeks to take full effect on the nerves, and wouldn’t see an instant results. The injections were short and painless – and were over before I knew it.

However, where I did see an immediate change was after receiving the tear trough filler. At once, my skin looked younger and fuller, with the slight sag immediately vanishing. It was a genuine treat to see that – I hadn’t realised just how much the area had aged!

Scottish Field’s Kenny a week after his aesthetic treatments – and shows a huge difference around his eyes

At the end, Judy gave me a card with her mobile number on it, should any issues arise, and urged me to call her as soon as possible if there were. That’s a fantastic bit of aftercare and peace of mind.

I asked earlier, what would a little filler and botox do for me? The answer, a week after the injections, is quite a lot.

My colleagues at Scottish Field saw an immediate difference when I returned to the office on Tuesday, and now that the botox has taken effect, when I grin, the crow’s feet are hardly visible. In my head, I think I’m about 25. Right now, the skin around my face almost seems to agree! The effects should last for around three months or so.

For one area of Botox for the crow’s feet the cost is £150, with tear trough filler (one unit) under the eyes £300.

Synergy provides an innovative safe and effective face and body treatments in pristine and welcoming surroundings in Glasgow’s Southside.

Visit https://www.synergygiffnock.co.uk/ for more details on male and female treatments.

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