A common theme on this blog is my dislike of my face shape. I have a pronounced and square jawline which I am told is unique and attractive but all I see is Desperate Dan.
Over the last 3 years I have undergone various non-surgical treatments to change the appearance of my jaw. Surgical intervention for any jaw line procedure is a pretty big deal. It has a lot of complications and a long recovery not to mention the expense.
The next best option was to consult aesthetic professionals on the non-surgical means of detracting from the jawline and making my face shape softer and more feminine.
The answer lies in a combination of treatments. The first is the relaxation of the jaw via Botox, you can read about this here. I grind my teeth in my sleep and as a result the muscles on my jaw (the masseter muscle) grows and is more pronounced. I have the jaw any male would die for but as a female I have always wanted a softer, heart shaped face.
After relaxing the jaw and softening the lines the next step is to detract from the shape via enhancement of other areas of the face. For me this is the cheeks. It will be different for everyone and depends on the placement and structure of your face (position and shape of eyes and so on).
My jaw seemed to be wider than my cheek bones making my eyes and forehead look narrow. A way to fix this was to enhance my cheeks with filler.
I had my first treatment back in March 2016 where I have 1ml of filler in each cheek injected and laying over the cheek bone. The effects where immediate and I loved the look it gave me and the more structured facial shape. It appears to widen the mid-section of my face and detracts from the jaw making me my face more in proportion.
My second treatment was for just 0.5ml in each cheek injected in 3 places in each side.
Yet again I went back to a trusted doctor, Dr Michael Aicken at Visage Academy. The Visage team is based in Belfast but run a training academy in London regularly. It is extremely popular and the courses are always booked well in advance. The 4 day Diploma course in aesthetic injectable (Botulinum Toxin Type A & Hyaluronic Acid Gel) can be completed by either ‘Medics’ (Doctors, Dentist & Nurses) who wish to receive a more complete training package or certain ‘Non-Medics’ (see below for definition) who wish to receive certification to practice Botox and Fillers in the UK.
Dr Aicken and his wife Ruth Aiken, are familiar with me as a patient and I feel comfortable asking for their advice and guidance on procedures I should have. My hang ups about my jawline and face shape where taken seriously and I felt I was consulted and advised appropriately for what would be best for me and not the trainee’s on the course.
Another positive to note is that both Ruth and Michael talk through each treatment with you. What you expect from results, what you are trying to achieve and if it really is realistic, or in fact required. For example; I mentioned the Tear Trough treatment and was advised it was not required at this stage and the procedure would have little effect. They also advised me to get a smaller dose of filler this time round for my cheeks rather than the full 1ml each side. One thing to note when looking to book treatments is you need to ask the provider what they think. Your opinion of your face will differ and they should be able to tell you what areas to treat and which to leave well alone.
Visage are working with Dermal Revolution, a brand of injectable filler for cheeks, nasolabial folds and marionette lines, this product provides a lift which will last 9-12 months. The product is CE marked & ISO registered. I had previously had this product in my cheeks and found it lasted longer than other market leaders.
Images show the injection areas, and before and after photos. As well as this treatment I also underwent lip correction with Dermal Revolution filler (read here) and Botox for crows feet (read here).