Facialist Debbie Thomas is also a fan of lasers and enthuses that they are “by far the most effective way to boost the health of the skin”. Her newest machine in her London clinic is the ADVATx, which has two settings – yellow laser technology and a unique, deeply penetrating wavelength – that can be used separately or combined, depending on the individual’s skin concerns. “The yellow laser setting – ideal for fairer skin tones – works really well on all types of redness, but unlike other lasers it does this with very little heat. Adding heat to inflammatory conditions, such as eczema or rosacea, can make them worse,” she explains. “The other setting on the machine – for rejuvenation, with can be used on all skin tones – offers deep heating within the skin, which is excellent for collagen stimulation and shrinking overactive oil glands.” Thomas has already witnessed great results on adult acne, scarring, enlarged pores and dullness.

If it’s jowls, laxity and gravity your skin is faced with, then ultrasound treatments are the gold standard. The best known is Ultherapy, a nonsurgical, noninvasive alternative to the facelift that can tighten, contour and firm the neck, jawline and face. It works by delivering micro-focused ultrasound energy deep into the skin to stimulate a thermal effect, which ultimately boosts collagen and elastin production. It’s slightly uncomfortable, but, say experts, worth it: “It takes three to six months to see the final result, but as soon as you see the tightening happening… I do it for myself every couple of years,” says Zamani. 

A more comfortable ultrasound alternative to Ultherapy, one that also boosts collagen production in the dermis and helps to lift and firm, is the FDA-approved Sofwave. Dr Sophie Shotter of Illuminate Skin Clinic (in London and Kent) is one of the first to introduce this treatment to the UK. “You can see the effects straight away, with best results after six months,” she explains. “It can also lift the delicate eye area, as well as the brow.”

Will these treatments ever totally replace the more ubiquitous Botox and dermal filler? Highly unlikely, but, argues Zamani, they don’t need to be mutually exclusive: “Everything has its place,” she says. “ I don’t think you’re going to get the results on dynamic lines with Ultherapy as you would with Botox, but what you can get is a complementary ability between the two – and I think that’s really important. It’s not one or the other.”