By Janine Pulford
Alison West
With my skin looking sad and lacking lustre after the effects of winter, it was time for a lift and I was delighted to accept the offer of an Ultra-Sculpt Facial at the Ringwood Aesthetic Clinic, where Alison West has opened her latest establishment.
Having worked as a Harley Street specialist in London, Alison took the decision to move nearer to her family home three-and-a-half years ago and opened the Sherborne Clinic. Following on from its success, she expanded into Ringwood and now works between the two clinics.
The Ultra-Sculpt Facial was introduced last year and takes about 20 minutes. It is different from deep cleansing facials in that it is more like taking your face to the gym for a workout. By using ultrasound technology, the years are sculpted away, the jawline is firmed and cheekbones can be rediscovered.
I lay on the couch wearing a headband to keep my hair dry and Alison coated my face with gel – definitely not the glamorous stage. But as Alison applied the sculpting tool and started to smooth and massage my face and neck, gently warming it at the same time, I began to look forward to the end result. The treatment was painless and therapeutic.
When I looked in the mirror afterwards, a youthful glow reflected back. My jawline was firmer and some of those ‘necklace lines’ as Alison so politely called them, had disappeared. It was such a lovely feeling that I felt about ten feet tall and it put me in happy mode, even more so because I knew the effects wouldn’t fade over-night. They can last up to four weeks. For my first-time facial, I felt the difference for about eight days.
On talking to Alison, I discovered that she changed career from a veterinary nurse to an aesthetic practitioner after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Though extremely grateful for having her life saved, the scarring effects of surgery had left her feeling miserable. Eventually, she found someone who could help return her femininity with a medical tattoo and from that moment on, she was driven to help others in the same way. She moved to America and trained in the American Institute of Intradermal Cosmetics in Dallas, with more training at Harley Street in the UK, where she opened her own successful practice. She now regularly gets referrals from surgeons at Southampton and Salisbury hospitals.
As well as medical tattoos, which disguise surgical, accident and burn scars, she can recreate the appearance of eyebrows and restore areolas and nipples after breast reconstruction. As a cancer survivor, Alison knows the importance of getting things right and giving aftercare service. To this end she has become a member of many professional organisations including the Royal Society of Medicine and the British Burn Association.
Other treatments at the clinics include semi-permanent make-up, Ultra-Sculpt Slimming to help clients drop a dress size, collagen induction therapy and paramedical micropigmentation. Alison says, “I like to add a new treatment every year. This year it is Thermavein, which uses a revolutionary new technology (non-laser, non-surgical) to remove thread veins without scarring or bruising. The results are instant, permanent and affordable with minimal discomfort.”
So you see, the Ringwood Aesthetic Clinic is all about you, and helping to make you feel better about yourself.
To find out more, ring Alison or Sami-jo Hargreaves on 01202 984360.
www.theringwoodaestheticclinic.com
