Britons fork out more than £3billion a year on Botox… while latest fad in LA is for zapping saggy knees
You’d expect the current squeeze on pockets to put an end to beauty ‘tweaks’.
Not so for age-conscious Britons, who spend £3bn a year maintaining their so-called good looks amid fierce social media pressure.
The demand for Botox has increased as the aging population is determined to maintain its youthful appearance despite money shortages.
And more vain treatments may be coming our way, with Los Angeles’ latest beauty fad zapping saggy knees to keep them smooth.
Figures show that around £3.2 billion is spent annually in the UK on non-invasive aesthetic treatments such as Botox.
The boom is also being felt in the pharmaceutical industry. Swiss dermatology giant Galderma, which produces its own wrinkle filler, said its sales rose 25 percent to $1.5 billion (£1.1 billion) in the first quarter of this year.
Last year saw Britons paying for 900,000 Botox treatments. Globally the industry is estimated to be worth a whopping £31bn; injectables account for 65 per cent of the UK aesthetics market.
This increase is due in part to the increased use of weight-loss injections, which are thought to cause sagging facial skin.
Botox is injected into a woman’s lips. Britons still spend billions on beauty treatments
Galderma boss Flemming Ornskov confirms customers are not skipping beauty ‘tunes’ despite the cost of living crisis.
He described it as the ‘lipstick effect’; It’s an economic theory that claims that during financial distress, customers will spend their money on affordable luxuries to boost morale.
Mr Ornskov added: ‘Won’t they be affected by the increase in gas prices? No. Are they reducing injection because gasoline prices are increasing? NO.’
Meanwhile, a new procedure has hit Hollywood, with anxious stars turning their attention to their knees to prevent signs of aging.
Famous plastic surgeon Dr. Karen Villanueva, an aesthetic nurse who works for Marc Mani, said: ‘Knees are the last area people want treated before walking the red carpet.
‘If your knees are showing signs of aging, the best facelift in the world won’t do you any good. Knees have become a major issue.’
Ms. Villanueva uses an FDA-approved treatment called Sofwave, which uses ultrasound energy to heat the dermis, the middle layer of the skin where collagen and elastin fibers are produced.
The process takes around 15 minutes and costs $1,500 (£1,125) per session. Three appointments three months apart is the recommended ‘dose’ to lift and smooth sagging knee skin.
