Francesca White writes:
“Choosing your surgeon is the first hurdle. It’s not like finding a hairdresser or someone to make you do burpees in the park: your relationship with the person who wields a needle or knife is one built on shared goals, mutual understanding and, above all, trust. You will sit in front of this person and you will tell them your most intimate concerns; you will work with them to re-establish a sense of self (and, possibly, self-esteem).
This person will be by your side when you are at your most vulnerable, and they will be there when it’s all over. So make sure they’re your person – and always choose someone who is on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council (GMC). Our definitive guide to the very best cosmetic surgeons and doctors in the UK will help you to do exactly that.
Top Doctors:
Lips: Dr Rita Rakus
25 years in business, and Rakus shows no signs of slowing. The ‘London Lip Queen’ has more than 20,000 treatments to her name, and she’s in constant pursuit of newer, more avant-garde ways to perfect her patients’ pouts. Her latest launch, The Big Smile, promises exactly that, and combines ultrasound (it lifts the depressor muscles that cause a downward-turned month) with the Perk, a tingly treatment that plumps the lips naturally. For something slightly punchier, there is the just-launched Dr Levy Super Face Lift. It combines Dr Levy’s signature Nefertiti Lift (Botox injected strategically to support the lower face and sharpen the jawline) with ultrasound to firm the underlying muscles before a final blitz of radiofrequency tightens slack skin. When she’s not dreaming up new products, such as the at-home Lip Wand, which will use radiofrequency to smooth fine lines and which is in the pipeline, or launching clinics around the world (Capri palace, the Fairmont in Dubai and the soon-to-launch 44 Grosvenor Square all offer her signature top-to-toe rejuvenation), she’s injecting lips – but subtly and with responsibility. ‘Long-term prevention of fine lines and volume loss is key,’ she says. ‘It’s not just about making the lips bigger, but making them look better, too.’ Consultation complimentary; The Big Smile, from £495; Dr Levy Super Face Lift, from £1,200; lip filler from £495. (drritarakus.co.uk; 02074607324)