Whether you already have a clear idea as to your aesthetic objectives or not, our aims are to provide a range of high quality facial aesthetic treatments and procedures tailored carefully to complement your facial features as closely as possible. Professor Paul Chatrath currently practices as an ENT/facial plastic surgeon within the NHS and private sectors and has developed a particular interest in this specialty. This reflects in the quality and consistency of advice and treatment you will receive, offered in an environment exercising the highest level of professional integrity, impartiality and discretion.

Cosmetic facial operations:

  • Rhinoplasty: Otherwise known as a ‘nose job’, a rhinoplasty aims to change the external shape of the nose in order to improve its appearance. The nature of the surgery can be precisely tailored according to the deformity or problem which exists, and may include reduction of a dorsal hump, straightening of the nasal bones, refinement of the tip of the nose (‘tip-plasty’, which itself may involve reshaping, narrowing, and/or increasing or decreasing the length/projection) or widening the middle of the nose. It is occasionally combined with a septoplasty (called septorhinoplasty) if there is a deviated nasal septum and this is causing a blocked nose.

  • Pinnaplasty: A pinnaplasty, or ‘ear pinning’, is a procedure that is required for people with ears that protrude out from the side of the head to a greater degree than is normally the case. It is commonly performed in children who may experience teasing at school, but also in adults. It can be performed via a traditional approach involving an incision behind the ear and sutures to straighten the cartilage, or via a minimally invasive technique that does not require an incision and in appropriate cases can create similarly impressive results with far fewer complications.

  • Minimally invasive EarfoldTM pinnaplasty: This is a small lightweight clip inserted beneath the skin through a small incision under a local anaesthetic. The surgery is more straightforward and recovery is quicker than for a traditional pinnaplasty.

  • Ear Lobe Surgery: In people with unusually large ear lobes, an operation can be performed to reduce the size of the ear lobes to bring them more into proportion with the dimensions of the rest of the ear. The procedure requires an incision in the ear lobe itself that can occasionally be, but is rarely, visible.

  • Scar Revision: Patients with scars on the face can experience significant psychological distress as any visible deformity on the face is readily identified by other people, often to a disproportionate extent. Thankfully there are several different techniques available to minimise the appearance of unsightly scars. Whilst none of these procedures can promise to make the scar disappear completely, they can, either singly or in combination, result in significant improvements to the visibility of the scar to an extent that makes it less noticeable.

  • Excision of Facial Skin Lesions: This involves removal of lumps or bumps on the face such as moles, blemishes, scars or other lesions, the appearance of which the patient does not like. There are also some lesions that occur as a result of sun damage/exposure in which removal is recommended by clinicians in order to exclude the remote possibility of a cancerous growth, although this is thankfully quite rare. In most cases, removal of the lump is carried out with a local anaesthetic. In addition, because surgical scars in the face generally heal extremely well, it is likely that you will not be able to notice the eventual scar. Even if it is faintly visible, it should be far less noticeable than the original lump.

Non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments:

  • Botox: This is a treatment that has been used for a variety of medical and cosmetic reasons. In the face, it is used to improve the aesthetic appearance of wrinkles. Botox is based on a highly potent neurotoxin called botulinum toxin that numbs the nerve endings and prevents the contraction of muscles in the vicinity of the wrinkle, thereby reducing its appearance. It is extremely safe if administered by an appropriately qualified and trained practitioner. The main drawback is that the effect of the botox chemical wears off after approximately 4 months.

  • Chemical peels: This is an example of a non-surgical treatment that aims to smoothen the complexion of the whole face. It is particularly good for reducing the appearance of very fine wrinkles, areas of thickened skin and acne spots/scars. Chemical peels come in different strengths – as a general rule, the stronger the peel, the more dramatic the results but the higher the risk of complications such as facial scarring and hyper-pigmentation. Also the ‘downtime’ is increased which means you cannot return to work straight away. The gentler peels have few if any side effects, although the results after one peel are less dramatic, which means that for best results, it is advised that a course of between 4-6 such peels are undertaken, often together with a gradual pre- and post-peel programme of graded creams and facial washes to prepare the skin optimally thereby ensuring that the end result is the same as for a stronger peel. The other advantage of this gentler type of peel is that you can return to work the same day.

  • Fillers: These are used to fill in areas of deep scarring or atrophy of the skin or tissues beneath the skin. The most common type of filler used today is RestylaneTM, which contains hyaluronic acid. This is a compound that is naturally occurring in the tissues beneath the skin. It can be administered in the outpatient clinic, often without any anaesthetic at all although occasionally a local anaesthetic may be required. The results are almost immediately apparent, and last anything from 3 to 18 months depending on the type of filler used, with the longer results being achieved if an interim top up application of a lower amount is given.