Is Gemma Collins doing a J Lo?

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And finally, Gemma is launching a marine collagen supplement (Gemmacollagen) and anti-ageing skincare collection. She is also, apparently, hoping to bring out a range of her own fillers, fat dissolving injections and facial peels.

Now…where have we seen this before?

Ah, that’s right.

Flashback to J Lo and her all-natural olive oil story, which hit the press just before the launch of her new skincare line! Well, if it works for Jenny from the block, it should work for The GC.

Don’t get me wrong. What people decide to do with their own faces is ENTIRELY their business. Get the filler, don’t get the filler. Get the toxin, don’t get the toxin. Do whatever makes you feel great. It's just not cool to mislead people.

She may be jumping on the ‘filler reset’ trend

Most dermal fillers are made up of hyaluronic acid. This is a naturally occurring sugar found in the body. When is it injected into the skin, it can beautifully remodel, re-volumise and plump up the face. The best filler results, when carried out by highly trained medical professionals, leave faces naturally refreshed and rejuvenated. You can't even spot good work. Those who have it just look 'fresh'.

However, not all injectors are created equally! And it’s the work of these injectors our eye tends to be drawn to. The filler that has migrated leaving a Marge Simpson-esque lip shelf. The over-plumped pillowy cheeks. The cyborg-like jawlines.

There seems to be a movement, thankfully and finally, towards more subtle enhancements. And that’s where filler dissolving comes in.

How is filler dissolved?

Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved using an enzyme called hyaluronidase, or hyalase. This enzyme is a prescription-only medicine, so you should ensure that you see a prescribing medic for this treatment.

Hyalase is injected into the area that has been filled and it breaks down the filler.

Dr Steven Land noticed a surge in lip filler re-set treatments following lockdown, we saw something of a lip switch trend when previous lockdowns were relaxed. But, rather than the filler being dissolved and the lips being left totally au naturel. In most cases, a more natural, subtle enhancement was requested following the dissolving treatment. And this, I think, is what Gemma has had.

Why lie though?

The reason is two fold.

• Non-surgical aesthetic treatments, particularly injectables, are still taboo for some. They are typically associated with vanity, stupidity and reality TV shows. In that context, you can understand why Gemma may want to distance herself from her previous TOWIE incarnation, in an effort to re-brand almost. What’s ridiculous is that there are millions of normal, everyday women (me included) who have these treatments and manage not to look like they should be on Love Island…who’d have thought it!?.
• MONEY - She has something to sell. If GC is launching an anti-ageing skincare line and collagen supplement, she has to be able to claim that the way she looks is because of those products, not the ££££ she spends on anti-ageing injectable treatments. So, by claiming she is now totally natural, any improvements can be attributed to her product. Which her loyal fans will then rush out to purchase. It's all about positioning and marketing.

Be wary of comparing yourself to celebrities, around the same age as you, who claim that fresh air, 2l of water and their own great skincare products are why they often look so much more youthful and fresh compared to you and peers of the same age. There are so many non-surgical treatments, which when undertaken in a considered way, over many decades, can significantly halt, and indeed reverse, the ageing process.

This isn't to say you need to go down that same route, just be aware that the vast majority of them, regardless of what they say, have the toxin treatments, have the filler, have the Morpheus8, and on and on and on.

If you're interested in finding out more about non-surgical aesthetic treatments, check out the Glowday Treatment Guides and blog.

If you're interested in booking a consultation with a safe, medically-qualified practitioner near you, why not search for one in your area on Glowday?