Let’s start 2019 off with some positivity; a way to be your best self. For some people, this might mean making plans to hit the gym four times a week. For others this might mean doing more charity work. But let’s start with the basics; no one can help you be truly happy unless you’re truly happy with yourself. And for most, this will be how you feel when you look at yourself in the mirror every day.
What could you change that would make your self esteem soar? Now this isn’t necessarily a drastic change but maybe some helpful lifts and brightening here and there could make you feel refreshed for the new year. First thing for me was my smile – for as long as I can remember I have never smiled in photo’s because I absolutely despised my teeth. Years of sugar addiction has not fared me well – children take note. Upon finally being called out for relentlessly pouting any time I saw a camera near my face, I decided to do something about my insecurity.
In came White Swan Aesthetics on Harley Street. Now some may fear dentists, as did I, but fear not. Dental teeth whitening is one of the safest and quickest ways to dramatically improve the appearance of teeth. Unlike unqualified people who are not trained as dentists, peroxide products can be administered incorrectly which can lead to damage of the teeth and gums. Instead of going for a full-on blast laser whitening, I opted for bespoke dental trays with a whitening gel. These can be used in the comfort of your own home, either during the day or overnight, which suited me better as I also wanted to see the results over a staggered period of time. The best things about the gel is that I can re-use them if I need a touch up at any point from now on. And after just two weeks of using the gel and trays as an overnight procedure, I was starting to see the difference. I even started to smile in photos and didn’t mind when someone took a candid picture while I was mid-laugh. After two months, I have never felt more at ease with myself and my teeth, and all this whilst I slept. What a miracle.
I can not recommend the dentists at White Swan enough, their professionalism and expertise is enough to put anyone at ease. It’s also worth noting that the staff have hand-selected two of the best professional products on the market to ensure impressive, safe and predictable results. The White Swan Whitening uses a Boutique product with 6% Hydrogen Peroxide and the Ultimate Whitening, an Enlighten product, uses both 10% and 16% Carbamide Peroxide, the highest concentrations legally allowed to be used in the UK. Their whitening solution guarantees shade B1, which is the the whitest natural shade possible. Now that my teeth were looking fabulous, there was still one more thing I wanted to smooth out. After hearing that dentists can also administer facial fillers, I was excited to try out a dermal filler for my cheekbones. This was another source of my shameful smile; my lack of natural fat and collagen in my face had left me with deep-set eye sockets, dark circles and crows feet, and they were far too noticeable for someone who hasn’t yet celebrated their 30th birthday.
This is where I heard about Smilepod; a different kind of dentistry to ‘suit busy Londoners’, aiming to make every treatment stress and pain-free. Sceptical and slightly terrified, I decided to bite the bullet and give them a go. For injectables, as with any other treatment, one must first have a consultation. Smilepod offers these for free and with no obligation to continue with treatment if I changed my mind, it was perfect for me. Luckily, my dentist Gino made me incredibly comfortable and I had faith in his expertise. While we were discussing what I wanted and what he thought could be better, he observed the way I spoke and my facial expressions, deciding that injectables in the cheekbones would lift my eye bags and banish the crows feet. After my initial consultation with Gino, I felt that he really understood my facial architecture, and I felt a lot more comfortable knowing that he would be administering the treatment.
Two weeks after, I went in for the dermal fillers which Gino tailored specifically to my needs, and to my face. It took 40 minutes and 2 vials of Juvederm Voluma dermal filler, a completely natural filler much like collagen which dissolves after 12 months, depending on lifestyle and the bodies metabolism. I left looking and feeling completely revitalised.
After two weeks of complete healing (only a little bruising to the cheeks if any), I no longer have to pout to smooth out my facial wrinkles. I am happy and smiling once more, and couldn’t be more pleased with the results.
