May. 26, 2020

Best alternatives to botox during lockdown

Recently we started a partnership with Tempus Belgravia Clinic in London. Just before we all went in lockdown we met all the specialists of the team. The Belgian Dr. Veerle Rotsaert is one of them. She is very happy to share the best alternatives to botox in this blog, since she found her clients wondering (and worrying) about it. After a little introduction about Dr. Veerle Rotsaert we'll leave the floor the her.

Dr. Veerle Rotsaert

Dr. Rotsaert is a plastic surgeon, based in Central London where she co-founded the beautiful multidisciplinary clinic Tempus Belgravia.

She consults and operates in Belgium as well where she was born and raised. As a former severe acne sufferer Dr. Rotsaert is passionate about everything involving skin health and a true advocate for powerful skincare regimens.

Dr. Veerle Rotsaert: "At a time where the world seems to have come to an almost complete standstill our skin’s ageing process sadly has not. If only it would have, then lockdown would have just been that bit more palatable and charming.

Let’s face it, that new decade everyone raved about was going to be epic, doesn’t exactly classify as my kind of epic.

After the initial shock and despair came the following question by many of my patients “what on earth is going to happen with my botox that I can’t top up? And what about my hyaluronic acid filler?”

What about my skin condition?

I’ll assure you right now. You’ll be absolutely fine. Firstly, the Draconian lockdown is not going to last forever and secondly doctors from all fields of medicine are joining forces and are working in solidarity to create the safest possible pathways to get our patients back into our elective clinics safely.

You will not all of a sudden revert back to the look you had years ago before you had ever even heard of botox or filler. Luckily the results are long-lasting and in the meantime you can finally focus on your skin and general wellbeing!

The importance of a good skincare routine

Bad skin is one of my biggest pet peeves. You can have the best botox and fillers injected, but if your skin envelope is shambles, what a shame of the toxin and filler, right? What’s more of a shame is bad skin routine. As I passionately feel the pain of people with “bad skin” as a former severe acne sufferer with in fact good skin routines, or at least I tried very hard.

During this time where unless you are a frontliner everyone has suddenly got more time there are no excuses to not look after your skin. For the ones who have always spent hours to maintain their skin health that’s a no-brainer, for the ones who’ve always slacked in the "Self - Care" department, this is the time to turn things around and be really conscientious about creating a routine. I have great news for you! You can finally spend much time on an actual routine. Because I don’t buy the fact that you are busy 24/7. I do get the working from home and home-schooling and juggling housework etc. But you do save time on your daily commute, don’t waste time you otherwise waste at work, the office, a pub, restaurant, stores…. So this is the ideal time to focus on your skin.

We can start off with giving our faces a make-up free couple of weeks which will allow your skin can breathe, you see less clogged pores, have more eyelashes left as you don’t have to constantly wipe off mascara, your eyebrows can blossom… Good thing those zoom meetings work equally well with audio only.

Thank goodness for active ingredients! I refer to the ones we use in our serum, day cream, night serum and cream. It’s no secret I am a Nomige lover as Barbara can tailor my serums and creams to my exact specific needs depending on the seasons. Now might also be the ideal time to start a course of retinol for a couple of weeks and if you do, don’t forget the SPF in the morning! Retinol increases the rate of skin cell turnover to improve the overall quality of the skin, erases fine lines, shrinks pores, improves acne and helps with scarring and textural issues.

Sadly at this time of lockdown a patient journey through a beautiful clinic or spa is something we can only dream of, so at dire times like this we have to cut the crap. We don’t care about whatever fancy latte we get in a cute waiting area. As a patient and consumer we want to see results. Hence the inevitable power of medical grade skincare.

What (not) to do during lockdown:

Fun things I have nothing against during this lockdown such as facial massage, Lymphatic drainage, jade rollers and dermarollers. I vehemently advise against microneedling at home though. We recommend it every six weeks. Skipping one or 2 sessions because of the lockdown, won’t mean the end of the world, believe me. The ones who have never needled before: please hold your horses. It’s like all these novice runners and yogalates persons you all of a sudden see appear left right centre.

Microneedling at home. No way. Home use needles, get products into skin. Don’t go above 0,1mm please. It’s needs to be sterile, sterilised. Don’t want infection, flare up of cold sores etc. in combination with the fact that people needle stuff into their skins that often isn’t designed to be needled into the face in the first place!

I have nothing against collagen boosters, skinade drinks, smoothies, carrots, multivitamins. All the things you didn’t have the time to make. Make them now.

I personally set so many goals when the country was at the verge of lockdown. I bought many books, was going to get through Arabic for dummies, finally read Stephen Hawking, get through all the piled up plastic surgery journals, do daily workouts and many more. Needless to say that on day 55 of the London lockdown I still don’t speak a single word of Arabic, my workouts are happening a couple of times a week, I did read a few plastics magazines but am now wondering where all this time has gone? What I have not let go of is my skin care routine now and my skin hasn’t felt this happy in a long time.