Most of us wear our stress on our face – perhaps in our temples or jaw. But a new concept, spearheaded by the founder of London Aesthetic Medicine, Dr Uliana Gout, means eliminating this ‘resting muscle tension’ is now an option – with lasting results. It’s the ultimate treatment to plan for some much-needed rejuvenation after lockdown 3.0.

Typically, toxins such as Botox are used to inhibit muscular activity – stopping lines and wrinkles from forming while giving freshness to the face. Dr Gout’s full-face muscle training deploys toxins – not to paralyse the muscles, but to reset them. ‘It’s about training the muscles to work with the brain in a very different way,’ she explains. ‘Unnecessary contractions cause us to constantly frown or clench our jaws. Rather than allowing these muscles to take hold of us, we’re hacking the system – controlling them instead.’

Dr Gout, who is president of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine, has spent four years formulating a strategy to do just that – and key to its success is longterm planning. ‘Typically, toxins last for three months before the effects wear off,’ she explains. ‘So training needs to be done at three-month intervals, for one year. This delivers a consistent signal to the brain not to cause over-contractions’; Gout uses a variety of toxins – from Botox to Dysport, depending upon the face (though she reports a rise in the use of Xeomin, the ‘clean toxin’ endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow). If treatment is paused – due to pregnancy or illness, for example – the process starts over.

Dr Gout asks patients to contort their face – pouting, raising their eyebrows and so on – which allows her to pinpoint over-active muscles. Eight areas are treated, from the hairline to the décolleté, using a bi-layer technique that involves muscular and intradermal injections. ‘This enables us to target the septa – little bands that connect the muscle to the skin, which also come under pressure,’ she says. With muscle tension eliminated and the septa relaxed, skin regains a rested appearance, leaving the face lighter, less weary and wholly rejuvenated.

Full-face muscle training with Dr Gout, from £420; london-aesthetic-medicine.com

This piece was originally published in the February issue and has been edited to reflect current date.

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