Itching to get back into clinic for an appointment and a catch up with your favourite practitioner? We hear you! Well, that time is (hopefully) edging closer, and we are planning to be first in the queue.

With this in mind, we've spoken to some of the finest aesthetic doctors and practitioners in the country – all Etre Vous experts and available to book now, of course – to get their thoughts on what treatments they think people will be – and are already – booking in for...

Botulinum toxin

Post-lockdown, patients are returning to their ‘bread and butter' treatments and in my clinic, that means botulinum toxin. They’ve got used to the lovely smoother look it provides and have missed being able to have this treatment regularly. So, we’ve noticed that toxin is the first thing people are booking back in for. It’s a treatment that will get its momentum back immediately. Once they’ve softened their crow’s feet and frown lines with toxin, I think patients will then start to think about other treatments and start asking questions such as 'do I need a bit of filler?’ or 'what’s this Profhilo I keep hearing about?’ On that note, I think there will be a slight upturn in patients deciding to go ahead with treatments they have been considering for quite a while.
Julie Scott, Facial Aesthetics, Essex

I believe the main treatment people will be booking for is neurotoxin (e.g. Botox) because it is so effective, repeatable and well understood. Patients typically have no downtime from this procedure, and those who have had it before will know how quick it is, making it easy to fit into patients' busy schedules when lockdown restrictions are lifted. As results wear off after three-four months, many patients would have normally had their repeat appointments, so I believe many will be booking in for this long-overdue treatment. Also, the fact that the treatment areas are not covered by face masks, means that most people will prioritise this over other cosmetic treatments.
Dr Vincent Wong, Vindoc Aesthetics, London

Microneedling

It is so hard to pinpoint one treatment but I have definitely seen a few common bookings creeping in. Following the rise in awareness of skin health, I have had so many bookings for SkinPen microneedling which I did not expect! Discussing this more in depth with clients, they have started to understand that injectables alone are simply not enough when it comes to anti-ageing. Therefore, on top of their usual treatments, they have said that they want to take this year to really invest in their skin too. Many of these clients have already refined their home regimes but now want to take it one step further with microneedling.
Dr Jessica Srivastava, Dr Jess Aesthetics, London 

Full face dermal filler

I have a strong feeling, based on what demand was like after we came out of our first lockdown in July 2020, that patients will be looking to address the lower half of their face with dermal filler. Patients, new and old, were very much concerned and focused on the appearance of jowls. This is probably due to the number of hours spent on video calls. Often people have their cameras lower than face height, which exaggerates any potential jowling. A thorough consultation and examination is always important – treatment for the lower half using fillers has its foundations in the mid-face. We start re-inflating fat pads above and work our way down the face. When we opened last summer, I found that most of my treatments revolved around full facial filler work, restoring youthful, elevated, full and aways natural features.
Dr Nestor Demosthenous, Dr Nestor’s Medical & Cosmetic Centre, Edinburgh

Fat freezing

Treatments that may well be in demand include anything to do with fat dissolving and fat freezing such as Coolsculpting and Belkyra. These quick fixes can help treat areas where there are stubborn pockets of fat such as double chins that patients have not been able to remove with exercise, or have slowly accumulated during lockdown due to gyms being closed.
Dr Ross Perry, Medical Director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, London & Bristol

Eye treatments

This past year we have become used to wearing face coverings and masks, so naturally the eyes have become the focal point of people’s concerns. This focus on the eyes has triggered an increase in demand from patients wanting a solution to tackle fine lines and wrinkles, hollowing of the under eye and dark circles, and Dr Wassim Taktouk has seen a four-fold rise in enquiries for his signature MesmerEyes treatment. Dr Wassim creates a bespoke package designed to treat this delicate area: focused radiofrequency can be used to tighten upper and lower eyelids, PDO threads added to lift the outer corners of the eyes and where necessary, dermal filler used in the tear trough area to lessen hollows and dark circles. A light touch of toxin to soften lines and wrinkles and the result is much younger-looking eyes that maintain movement and expression, and look refreshed.
Dr Wassim Taktouk, Taktouk Clinic, London

Injectable moisturiser 

Profhilo is likely to be the most popular treatment when I reopen, for both new and existing patients. Regular patients miss both the lasting hydration and luminosity and are keen to restore firmness to their skin, on both the face and body. New patients have booked after hearing about the soft, airbrushed glow and natural results. The ultra pure and exceptionally high concentration of hyaluronic acid gives lasting hydration and restores skin’s suppleness – arguably bringing out the best of any skincare regime, or medical aesthetic treatment.
Anna Baker, Aesthetic Nurse, Qualified Educator & Trainer, East Grinstead

If lockdown has done anything to help growth within our industry, it has been in the area of skin. Many clinics have survived by offering virtual medical-grade skincare consultations, and I think this has really helped to highlight to many patients the importance of glowing and healthy skin. Enter Profilho, which is one of the treatments that I anticipate being the most in-demand post-lockdown. This is a treatment modality that is still relatively new in the world of aesthetic medicine, and really does live up to the hype. A brilliant tool in the arsenal of any medical practitioner who wants to rejuvenate, plump, and smooth the skin, it is injected in five sites on each side of the face, allowing the hyaluronic acid to spread. This slow release stimulates collagen and elastin within the tissue, leading to a tightening and lifting effect. For everyone who has been dealing with skin stresses due to recurrent lockdowns, cold weather and being stuck indoors, Profhilo should be the first treatment you book post-lockdown to get your skin glowing again.
Dr Emmaline Ashley, Ashley Aesthetics, London