Yes we know Dads get tired too, but let’s be honest it's women who do the brunt of childcare and household chores (Google it if you don't believe us) so they win. Whether your baby has reflux, your four year old won’t sleep because their sock slipped down last week, you’re doing all the school runs, washing 30 baskets of clothes a day, getting the food shop, buying the birthday presents, clearing the table for the 5th time that day, sorting out the school uniform or you know, perhaps the small matter of working full time on top of that, it’s EXHAUSTING. So no wonder you're reading this wondering what cosmetic treatments will make you look less tired!
Parenting takes its toll emotionally and physically. In the absence of being able to sleep, on a beach, alone, for six weeks solid, you might be interested to hear there are a number of lovely non-surgical treatments you can treat yourself to, to at least make you look more like you before the children stole your youth. And, it’s a fact, when we look better, we feel better - even if we’re still utterly knackered underneath it all! Here's our top three based on how comfortable you are with non-surgical aesthetic treatments.
1. Newbie Nancy? WOW Facial.
If you’re new to non-surgical aesthetics and feel some trepidation about doing more than your usual Apricot face scrub, a WOW facial is going to be brilliant for you.
What is a WOW facial?
The WOW Facial is a huge step up from your average facial - this one is like a facial on steroids. Why? The WOW Facial lasts over an hour and comprises 6 different stages. Best of all it’s completely tailored to your skin needs. So, if your main skin concern is acne - no problem. Likewise, if your concern is ageing skin - it’ll help with that too. Whatever your skin need, it pretty much has you covered. Your practitioner will assess your skin in a thorough consultation before the treatment to make sure you get the very best out of it. This facial will leave you feeling refreshed and energised and the results last much longer than your average facial.
What’s amazing about this treatment is that you’ll be treated to a customisable plan that includes some pretty awesome stages. Effectively, you’ll be having multiple treatments in one!
Click on the image to expand
If nothing else you can have a lovely sleep during your WOW facial.
What happens in a WOW facial?
First up, as you’d probably expect, you’ll have a great cleanse and your skin will be prepped for the treatments to come. Then, you’ll receive a light peel and/or a bit of dermaplaning. This will help you slough off any dead skin and uncover a beautiful, healthier glow.
Next step is the WOW Fusion, which is also a standalone treatment in itself. The WOW Fusion is a microneedling treatment, where a mini microneedling device is used and a bespoke solution - a cocktail, if you will - is mixed to suit your skin needs. Filled with tonnes of lovely hyaluronic acid, vitamins, minerals and peptides, this mixture is penetrated into the skin to stimulate collagen production and hydration. And, as the needles are so tiny, you won’t have the level of redness you get with a standard microneedling treatment, so you’re not restricted to staying home and hiding your face in a paper bag mask.
Step four is LED therapy. LED therapy is just so cool. There are different professional strength lights for different skin ‘issues’: red is generally used for anti-ageing purposes - reducing lines and wrinkles, and boosting collagen; blue is used on acne-prone skin; green is used to treat hyperpigmentation, brown spots, freckles and age spots. So, there really is something for everyone! Yes, you have to wear one of those creepy white masks for a bit, but the results will be worth it - and you get to have a kip!
Up next is another mask. But this time it’s more similar to the ones you probably more used to using at home. Except it’s packed full of gorgeous collagen, hyaluronic acid and more, to give you super soft, hydrated, healthy-looking skin. Plus, there’s nothing quite like popping a mask on to make you feel relaxed, is there?
And then - hold on, we’re almost done - it’s the finish and protect stage (AKA the final stop in your WOW Facial!). This is where, based on your skin concerns, your practitioner will treat your skin to some lovely serums and creams, completely tailored to you, obviously. Then, a touch of SPF and you’re free to go and gaze lovingly in the mirror at your BEAUTIFUL new skin.
2. Braver Bella. Chemical Peel.
If you’re more confident having treatments that go beyond a trip to the beauty salon, then you should consider a chemical peel to delete the tiredness.
What is a chemical peel?
A chemical peel - AKA a skin peel - is a type of treatment used to improve the overall appearance of skin by chemically exfoliating it and boosting new skin cell growth and collagen. Practitioners apply a solution made up of acid that removes dead skin cells to create smooth skin, lessen blemishes, pigmentation, fine lines and acne scarring, as well as minimising the appearance of age spots. Acid? Yep, that’s right - but it’s not as scary as it sounds, as, if used properly, the acids used in a skin peel are safe on skin and can have fantastic results. In fact, you'll find some of these acids in your every day skincare products (albeit at a lower percentage). Because of the complexity of chemical peels, we recommend only going to a medically qualified practitioner, regardless of the type of chemical peel you choose. Trust me, you do not want to mess with these acids!!
So, what’s a superficial chemical peel?
A superficial peel is the mildest type of chemical peel - otherwise known as a light chemical peel. Your practitioner will likely use a solution made up of either lactic acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid or salicylic acid that will break down the chemical bonds in the skin in order to get rid of the dead skin cells, replacing them with new, improved skin cells. As the name suggests, acids used in superficial peels don’t penetrate very far - just to the epidermis (the top layer of skin that we see).
Superficial peels are perfect if you want quick results and a speedy recovery period, as you’re looking at just one day before you can get back to normal. They start from just £60 too, so are great from a cost perspective, but they will need to be repeated regularly in order to maintain the fantastic results.
For a medium depth chemical peel, the practitioner will generally use trichloroacetic acid (TCA) which isn’t neutralised. This works by going a little deeper than the superficial peel, penetrating the upper dermal layers (just below the surface, where collagen fibres are found).
Due to the stronger acid mix and the depth that the treatment reaches, the medium peel provides a more impressive result - helping reduce dark circles, sun damage and mild acne scarring. But it’s worth noting that the recovery period is longer, and can take up to a week. In the meantime, skin is red and very raw, so you’ll likely want to stay home during this period. Though skin isn’t generally sore, you will need to keep it covered in antibiotic ointment.
So, while a medium peel can have more noticeable results than a superficial peel, it is not necessarily ideal for people looking for an immediate result. If you have an event coming up that you want to have fresher looking skin for, and have decided that a medium peel is for you, be sure to book an appointment in advance. Don't do a Samantha and go straight out to your best friend's book launch looking like a slice of ham (if you know, you know!).
Confident Cassie. Tear Trough Fillers.
If you’re ready to plunge right into non-surgical aesthetic treatments, that have an instant and immediate impact on your face and will make you look as if you’ve slept for 10 years straight, then, my friends Tear Trough Fillers are your friend.
What are tear trough fillers?
Injectables, such as tear trough dermal fillers, are a very popular non-surgical treatment option that can help replace volume to the hollowed areas around the eyes responsible for creating the dark shadows. This can result in a fresher appearance and lasts from 9 months to a year.
As we get older, our facial structure changes. Our skin becomes thin and crepey, and we see more pigmentation and hollowing under the eyes. It doesn’t help that we lose fat, bone and suffer volume loss around our eye and cheek area, and that the fat pads near our eyes can slip, causing bulging, otherwise known as eyebags. This, combined with the hollowing from the loss of bone and tissue, can cause deep depressions known as tear troughs (between the cheek and the eyelid), and make us look tired, even when we’re not - let alone when we actually are!
Click on the image to expand
A before and after photo of tear trough fillers from Dr Bibi Ghalaie
How much do they cost?
It can depend on so many factors including how much filler you need and where you live. The important thing is not to be tempted by cheap treatments, offers and special deals. These will almost always mean the practitioner isn't medically qualified and is using inferior products - maybe even unlicensed filler. Overall expect to pay between £350-£500 per treatment session.
How long does it take?
Treatments tend to take between 30-60 minutes. The first part of your treatment will be administering an anaesthetic to make you comfortable. If it hurts at all, you need to tell your practitioner as it should be 'uncomfortable' or feel strange, but not painful.
