Blackpool Mum's Life Transformed After Lip Fillers

Feeling Different

Charlotte Ryan, a district nurse and mum of three who was born with a cleft lip and cleft palette, has credited non-surgical aesthetic treatments for completely transforming her life.

Charlotte, 38, told The Gazette: “I’ve always lacked in confidence. Being born with a cleft lip and palate has made me self-conscious for many years. I’ve always felt I looked different from others.”

Lip Filler After Surgery

Charlotte had already tried antiwrinkle injections a few years ago and decided to see if lip filler could also help her resolve some confidence issues. She knew it was going to be tricky because she has had a lot of surgery and scarring relating to her cleft palate and cleft lip so diligently recognised seeing a medically qualified aesthetics professional would be right for her. Charlotte researched extensively and made an appointment with dentist Dr Yousrah Ahmed at the Manchester Cheadle Dental and Implant Clinic.

Charlotte told The Gazette: "I had a consultation with Dr Ahmed to discuss my desire for lip filler and raise my concerns and apprehensions about the scarring around my mouth. She put me at ease straight away from the first consultation and was very much a vessel of information and guidance, telling me everything I needed to know to make my own informed decision."

Dentistry and Aesthetics

Many people are surprised, curious and confused that dentists offer non-surgical aesthetic treatments. They think it's a bit weird. That's not what dentists do! But dentists are, probably, one of the best people to see for your Botox and fillers! Dentistry and aesthetics go hand in hand. A dentist's training is heavily based on anatomy of the head and neck. Nobody knows what's underneath the skin of a human's face more than a dentist. It makes sense right? They have to learn about your mouth, all of the things inside your mouth, and how your mouth connects to the rest of your head and neck. On top of that, they're obviously very used to being close to people and administering injections. Dentists will spend their whole training and career having to use dental injections, repeatedly, and accurately.

The Lip Filler Treatment

Dr Yousrah Ahmed said: “When Charlotte and I discussed treatments, she mentioned how much she suffered psychologically growing up due to her cleft lip and cleft lip palate and felt pressurized to be the same as everyone else. Once I heard this, I chose to rebuild her lip and balance the asymmetry to disguise the scar, as it was important to me to help restore Charlotte’s confidence. The lip augmentation was difficult for numerous reasons, firstly, due to Charlotte’s previous surgeries, and secondly, due to the scar tissue present in the lip. However, by placing filler strategically, the treatment went very well and Charlotte and I are thrilled with the results. It was fulfilling to be able to use my skills to help Charlotte with a simple yet effective treatment, and I hope to help other cleft lip palate patients in the future.”

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^{Charlotte's lip fillers have changed her life. Picture credit: The Lancashire Telegraph}

A New Lease Of Life

The result for Charlotte has been hugely powerful. She said:

"The difference facial aesthetics treatments can make is immense. They are not only aesthetic but also psychological, and when I look in the mirror now, I feel so much better about myself – it brings me so much happiness. Lip filler was a treatment I considered for a long time; however, I found it really difficult to find a practitioner who understands the aesthetic side and the psychological and emotional aspects of facial aesthetic treatments – something I am hugely appreciative of Dr Yousrah Ahmed for."

“As I wanted treatment around my area of concern, ensuring I saw someone qualified and knowledgeable was a priority for me, and after thorough research, Dr Ahmed seemed like the best choice, and I haven’t looked back since! She’s a practitioner I completely trust, and it’s opened the door to other treatments for me, such as potential jaw and chin filler, that I look forward to exploring in the future.”

The Magic Of A Medic

This story illustrates two major things. Firstly it reveals how transformational aesthetic treatments can be psychologically. There's no telling what difference the boost in confidence for Charlotte will do for her. Confidence tends to bring opportunities. Secondly, it beautifully demonstrates the richness and value a medic brings to aesthetic treatments. Botox and fillers, for some, are considered frivolous, perhaps even fanciful. The appreciation that the vast majority of women are having aesthetic treatments to serve a deeper purpose that goes beyond vanity is one that is symbiotic with medical practice. Medics tend to understand and appreciate the psychological drivers in people and will tailor treatment appropriately - which includes saying no, where needed. They're not following a cookie-cutter guide to lip fillers, they don't 'pile them high and sell them cheap' where Botox is concerned. They're the professionals who are trained to, able to and willing to look at the whole picture, take on the full story and treat not just the face but the person who owns that face.

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^{Find your medically-qualified aesthetic professional here.}