Beauty Shape Shifter
FRANCESCA WHITE BRINGS THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE CUTTING EDGE OF AESTHETICS
Doctors have long been aware of the regenerative abilities of fat. Packed with stem cells, fat holds the potential to stimulate collagen, improve elasticity and even help slow signs of skin ageing. But its greatest asset is that it is entirely natural. These days, we’re all paying a lot more attention to what we put into our bodies, and when it comes to an ‘organic’ form of rejuvenation, fat seems to tick all the boxes.
Touted as the next generation of nano-fat, Uvence is the brainchild of Dr Olivier Amar, a consultant plastic surgeon based at London’s Cadogan Clinic, whose father was one of the pioneers of fat transfer. ‘It’s emulsified fat,’ Dr Amar says of the end product, which can be injected with a cannula, similar to a dermal filler. ‘We have calibrated the fat cells, so there is no capacity for volumisation.’ (A relief for those worried about looking puffy or over-filled.) ‘Instead, these adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells regenerate the skin. Think of it as an alternative to Profhilo [a hyaluronic acid-based skin booster], but more natural.’
The process behind Uvence is impressive. Fat is siphoned off from unwanted areas of the body under local anaesthetic before being sent to a lab to be purified and filtered into a fluid. At this point, the fat is cryogenically preserved and banked for the future. When the time comes for treatment, the nano-fat is thawed and dispensed into syringes.
It’s not just Dr Amar who carries out the procedure: other aesthetic doctors (Dr Rita Rakus and Dr Maryam Zamani, among others) also administer Uvence. ‘It’s about giving your practitioner an additional tool to optimise skin,’ he says.
Versatility is another of Uvence’s strengths. ‘I use it in the forehead, where patients have had Botox for years, and skin feels like it is sticking to the bone,’ says Dr Amar. ‘I also use it a lot in the tear troughs – injecting filler here can be tricky and might block lymphatic drainage, creating puffiness.’ It’s also becoming popular with gynaecologists. ‘There are no danger zones. You can even use it in the scalp.’
It takes three months to see results. ‘That’s when you really start to glow,’ says Dr Amar. No top-ups are required – although a return visit in a couple of years is suggested (it’s not guaranteed that all of the fat cells will survive). ‘It’s the most bespoke injectable treatment you’ll have – and you could end up with a personalised filler for the rest of your life.’ Wouldn’t that be something to look forward to?
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