Take the lift

IN less time than it takes to buy and munch your sarnies from M&S, you could have years of wear and tear erased from your face. Yes, the lunch hour facelift has arrived in York. Express manicure salon NailBarOne in Swinegate is now offering botox and collagen treatments, which claim to help halt signs of ageing.

Long favoured by celebrities such as Liz Hurley, Patsy Kensit and Madonna, these products work by filling out the lines on your face, leaving smooth, wrinkle-free and younger looking skin.

Collagen is also used to improve the shape of lips and erase feathered lines. Particularly popular with younger women is the 'Paris Lip' technique which swells the lips into a sexy pout.

Such treatments are becoming the ultimate fashion accessory, says Stephanie McGrath, of Collagenics, the company which will be carrying out the work on clients at NailBarOne."We've been very busy from Darlington through to Leeds in the lead up to York races," admits Stephanie, whose firm now holds clinics at 100 salons across the North East.

The treatments are non-surgical and don't actually 'lift' the skin, she explains. Nevertheless, she adds, the results can help women stay younger looking for longer.

Botox is a buzz word at the moment. It is injected into the skin around the eyes and forehead to iron out the expression lines, such as crows feet, left from years of laughing and frowning. This treatment works by restricting the movement of the muscle which causes these lines.

The proceedure lasts a few minutes and the results become evident after three days or so, lasting for around six months, when, unless you have another course of treatment, the lines will reappear. Botax has been used in Britain for 20 years to treat the medical conditions lazy eye or uncontrolled eye blinking as well as on children with spasticities to relax their muscles.

Cliff Richard has admitted that his youthful looks have been enhanced by regular botox injections, and more men are opting for the treatment, says Stephanie.

Botox is a toxin but the doses used for cosmetic treatments are only as toxic as one quarter of a paracetamol or half a glass of wine, says Stephanie.

"If I said you could take a quarter of a paracetamol and it would get rid of your lines for you, most people wouldn't think twice," she said.

About three per cent of people may suffer a side effect to the treatment such as bruising, with an even smaller number - one in 300-500 of that three per cent - suffering the more serious complication of ptosis, or upper eye-lid droop, which will last until the botox wears off.

Collagen is a natural substance which works to give the skin its elasticity, youthful tone and suppleness. It depletes with age, explains Stephanie, so collagen injections can reverse this and fill out the lines and facial furrows left behind. The effects can last up to six months and Stephanie says there is some research to show that injecting collagen into the skin can promote natural collagen levels in that area.

While botox is used to treat lines around the eyes and forehead, collagen is used in the lower part of the face.

The beauty of the treatments, explains Stephanie, is that they are quick, non-surgical and temporary - unless you continue with regular top-ups.

"You can have them done in your lunch hour. Within two or three minutes of applying these treatments, there won't be any marks and you can go back to work," she says.

The exception is the Paris Lip, which can leave a bit of swelling for around 24 hours. Also, clients are offered a local anaesthetic before the treatment, which can be painful.

The treatments won't turn back the clock - and they certainly can't reverse gravity - but they can freeze time.

"We are looking at maintaining the way you look for ten to 15 years. It almost makes the clock stand still," says Stephanie who has had the complete works and has unbelievably wrinkle-free skin for her 42 years.

The treatments, she says, are suitable for all ages and are carried out by fully-qualified staff who all come from a medical background. Each client receives a 20-minute consultation before treatment.

Collagenics will be holding a regular clinic at NailBarOne every three weeks or so. Prices for botox and collagen treatments start at around £170-£180 with the average price £250. The clinic will also be offering thread vein removal and facial peels.

The next clinic will take place at NailBarOne on August 29. For more information, or bookings, call NailBarOne on 01904 670900 or Collagenics direct on 0800 169 5975.

The verdicts...

MAXINE Hill and Jackie Kilpatrick, the co-owners of NailBarOne, were first in the queue for the new cosmetic treatments.

The women had botox injections to erase the smile lines around her eyes and frown lines on her forehead. They also had collagen injected into their top lips to give them a fuller shape.

Both were happy with the results, are now converts to the treatment and will be having top-ups.

Jackie said: "It's amazing. We're delighted with the results. Where our lines were before, the skin is now flawless."