COSMETIC INJECTIONS

BOTOX COSMETICS

Main treatment concerns: Dynamic wrinkles

No. of treatments needed: 1 session every 3-4 month

Average cost: £100 to £350 or Ksh 12,000 to 35,000

Popular brands: Botox®, Azzalure®/Dysport®, Xeomin® & Jeuveau®

Botox cosmetic is the variant of this treatment that is more widely known.

Botox cosmetic injections aim to improve the appearance of crow’s feet, frown lines, and other wrinkles that may appear on the face as a byproduct of facial movements and the natural ageing process.

It works by blocking specific chemical signals from nerves, mostly signals that cause muscles to contract. This can temporarily relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles, which helps smooth out the wrinkles.

BOTOX THERAPEUTIC

Main treatment concerns: Excessive sweating, Chronic migraines, Neck spasms, Overactive bladder & Lazy eye

No. of treatments needed: Case-by-case basis

Popular brands: Botox®, Azzalure®/Dysport®, Xeomin® & Jeuveau®

Botox therapeutic injections can address the symptoms of medical conditions such as chronic migraines, bruxism, an overactive bladder and hyperhidrosis.

Botox has also been used for problems with the eyes, such as strabismus (misaligned eyes) and uncontrollable blinking.

If you are suffering from any of these conditions, find out if a botox treatment is covered under your medical insurance.

DERMAL FILLERS

Main treatment concerns: moderate-to-severe wrinkles and facial volume loss.

No. of treatments needed: 1 session every 9-24 months

Average cost: £200 to £800 or 20,000ksh to 90,000ksh

Popular brands: Juvéderm, Restylane, Intraline, Radiesse, Sculptra and Bellafill.

A dermal filler is a gel-like substance that’s injected beneath the skin to restore lost volume, smooth ageing lines, soften creases, or enhance facial contours. The most popular fillers by far are those made with hyaluronic acid which helps keep your skin plump and hydrated.

The other kind is biostimulatory fillers. While these have some volumizing effects, their primary focus is to stimulate collagen production. The results of most dermal fillers are temporary, lasting 6 to 24 months before the body gradually and naturally absorbs the filler particles.

PROFHILO

Main treatment concerns: skin texture & skin laxity

No. of treatments needed: 2 sessions one month apart (every 6-9 months)

Average cost: £400 to £600 or 40,000ksh to 70,000ksh

Profhilo is an injectable containing one of the highest concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the market. Unlike HA fillers, whose primary goal is to plump up the skin, Profhilo’s slow release of its HA stimulates collagen and elastin production.

In turn, this improves skin texture and the appearance of fine lines. Profhilo is also deeply hydrating and can transform dull-looking skin into glowing and radiant skin in a few days.

The results last for up to 6 to 9 months.

NONSURGICAL RHINOPLASTY

Main treatment concerns: Dorsal humps and asymmetry

No. of treatments needed: 1 session every 9-12 months

Average cost: £350 to £1100 or 35,000ksh to 1,100,000ksh

Popularly known as nonsurgical nose job, liquid rhinoplasty is performed using injectable hyaluronic acid fillers. However, its goal is not to reverse signs of ageing.

This nose reshaping treatment allows someone to change the shape of their nose without going under the knife.

The injector uses dermal filler to smooth out bridge bumps, refine the nose tip or create a balanced and symmetrical nose shape, so it suits the rest of the face.

JAWLINE SLIMMING

Main treatment concerns: Overly large masseter muscle and squared shaped jawline.

No. of treatments needed: 1 session every 3-4 months

Average cost: £300 to £550 or 30,000ksh to 55,000ksh

Jawline slimming or masseters reduction is a procedure that transforms a broad square-shaped jawline into a narrower, more contoured lower third of the face.

By injecting Botox into the jaw, the large masseter muscles relax and shrink over time to create a slimming effect.

This treatment is very similar to the therapeutic Botox procedure for painful teeth grinding and clenching.

In both instances, Botox is injected into the overactive masseter muscles.

KYBELLA

Main treatment concerns: Double chin

No. of treatments needed: 3-6 sessions spaced 1 month apart

Average cost: £900 to £1500 or 90,000ksh to 1,500,000ksh

Kybella is a non-surgical injectable technique that targets and destroys submental fat — the stubborn fat just below the chin.

The body gradually absorbs the damaged fat cells and naturally flushes them out through the metabolic process.

The active ingredient in Kybella is deoxycholic acid, a synthetic form of one of the bile acids that aid in the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat.

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Main treatment concerns: Unwanted facial and body hair

No. of treatments needed: 4 to 10 sessions spaced 4-6 weeks apart.

Average cost: £30 to £300 or 3000ksh to 30,000ksh

Popular brands: Lumenis Splendor X, Candela Gentle Pro Series and Soprano Titanium

Laser hair removal is the number one permanent hair reduction method globally. This treatment uses concentrated beams of light to target the pigment in the hair. The (laser) light then converts to heat, damaging the hair follicle and hair bulb. After treatment, the hairs will grow back finer and weaker.

Results will become more noticeable and impressive with each additional treatment until all follicles are destroyed, halting up to 90% of the hair growth.

MESOTHERAPY

Main treatment concerns: loose skin, hair loss, cellulite and hyperpigmentation

No. of treatments needed: 2 to 6 sessions 1 to 2 weeks apart

Average cost: £200 to £450 or 20,000ksh to 45,000ksh

Popular brands: Messoessence

Mesotherapy is a non-invasive cosmetic technique that involves multiple injections of pharmaceuticals, vitamins, homoeopathic hormones or enzymes to tighten the skin, minimise cellulite, and lighten pigmented skin.

The exact formulation of the injection varies in accordance with each unique case and specific area to be treated.

PDO THREAD LIFT

Main treatment concerns: Sagging skin and jowls

No. of treatments needed: once or twice a year

Average cost: £800 to £3200 or 80,000ksh to 3,200,000ksh

Popular brands: Mint™ PDO Threads & PDO Max®

PDO thread lift is a non-surgical facelift that uses dissolvable Polydioxanone (PDO) threads to lift and tighten facial skin. These threads are anchored and inserted into different layers of the skin using needles. Then they are pulled to achieve a subtle skin lift and instantly tighten sagging skin. Anywhere from 1-15 threads may be used per section.

The newer generation threads are also biostimulators, which means they can revive the skin’s production of collagen.