Becky Hollands Blog

In May, Swiss company Galderma purchased the medical device group Q-med . Buying Q-Med gives Galdermas access to the swedish firms Restylane product, the leading filler for adding volume to the skin where it has diminished.  This is a great opportunity for Becky Hollands Aesthetics.  Having the two products I use most now being owned by one company will also directly benefit my clients.

Galderma offers dermatology patients and physicians a range of medical solutions to help restore and maintain healthy skin. Galderma makes products aimed at treating skin, hair and nail diseases like acne, psoriasis and skin cancer. The Swiss company offers the Cetaphil range.  This includes cleansers, moisturisers and sunscreens for damaged or sensitive skin.

Restylane is an internationally leading product family for esthetic beauty treatments. The products are used for smoothing out wrinkles and lines, for filling out and shaping lips, defining facial contours and improving the quality of the skin. Restylane is the world’s most documented injectable hyaluronic acid product for esthetic use and has been on the market for more than 13 years. Over 11 million Restylane treatments have been carried out all over the world.

Sun or photo-damage is caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV) in the forms of UVA and UVB.

There are two types of ultraviolet radiation that are harmful to the skin.  Sun, or what is medically known as ‘photo-damage’, is caused by UV radiation in the form of UVA and UVB.

UVA makes up 95% of UV; it penetrates deep into the dermis and damages skin, even on cloudy days and in winter. UVA accelerates ageing of the skin by triggering free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage collagen, elastin and the underlying skin architecture.

As well as premature ageing, excessive exposure to UVA radiation can cause pigmentation problems, skin reactions and most seriously a reduction in the skins natural defence mechanisms that can leave it more prone to skin cancer.

UVB only penetrates the upper epidermal layer of the skin and is more prevalent on sunny days and during the summer. It tans the skin but can rapidly cause reddening, burning and epidermal damage and most seriously UVB also reduces the skins natural defence mechanisms and can cause skin cancer.

Heliocare SPF 50 gel

Heliocare SPF 50 Gel is an excellent sun block for all skin types and colours. It is easy to apply, and is not noticeable on the skin like other branded sun blocks. The consistency of the gel means it rubs straight into the skin and does not leave any residue.

The Gel is perfect for you if your skin is sensitive to the sun and is mainly used for the face, but can be applied to hands, feet, neck and chest area too. This sunscreen is also suitable to use with your current skin products.

Heliocare Gel is oil-free, easy to apply, has a light to the touch formulation, with an elegance that encourages daily use. It is ideal for all skin types and particularly suitable for oily and spot-prone skin.

Active Ingredients

UVA/UVB filters: Ultraadvanced mineral filters and non-mineral filters expertly combined to provide high level UVA/UVB protection with an elegant skin-feel & look.

Photobiological protectants: Fernblock–natural fern extract rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, combined with Green Tea extract, provides biological photo-protection

Protection enhancers: Ultrasomes; naturally derived endonucleases help provide DNA protection and repair. Sunspheres; increase the effectiveness of the UVA/UVB filters.

Heliocare Gel SPF 50 is available to purchase from Becky Hollands Aesthetics.  Please contact me if you would like to purchase.

Being smack in the middle of the most trendy area of the capital was the feeling I had when I first went to Taylor Taylor.  It was just an hour from jumping on the train at Brighton station to London Bridge.  A short taxi ride later and I’m in Shoreditch on Commercial Street. This area is fast becoming the city’s new capital of chic. The Taylor Taylor Salon encapsulates this new chic.

Along with the boho, there is a relaxed energy within the Salon that hits you as soon as you walk through the door and you sense immediately that Taylor Taylor is far more than just a hair salon.  I remember seeing the bar for the first time. I had never seen cocktails being served in a salon. I ordered a lemon tea with a cupcake before treating my clients.

Inescapable and at the same time quite breathtaking is the Salon’s decor. There is an unrelenting flamboyance to the interior that makes the whole Taylor Taylor experience quite unforgetable.

Taylor Taylor London has regularly been voted one of Europe’s top five cult celebrity hairdressers,  In the last two years the Salon has been featured in Vogue, Tatler, The Sunday Times and online sites including Liberty London Girl, Grazia and Hello! 

2011 qmed annual practitioner meeting

The highlight of the practioner meeting was a presentation with Mr Mohammed Jawad on Katie Piper’s journey following her sulphuric acid attack.  The presentation included graphic photos of the stages of surgery.  These stages included; complete damaged skin removal, advanced skin graft techniques and two weeks of induced coma.

Dr Mohammad Jawads presentation

Everyone in the audience was spellbound with few dry eyes remaining at the presentation’s conclusion. Katie’s emotional pain was evident in the early photos of her treatment, but as the process got underway, a happier and more confident Katie emerged.

An important part of Katie’s recovery involved regular stints at a specialist scar treatment in France called Centre Ster.  It was here Katie had endermology treatments, specialised physio, intensive deep tissue massage, high pressure water jet therapy as well as psychological support . Having had these specialist treatments, her dream was to make this process available for other burns victims. This was the genesis of the Katie Piper Foundation

Click here to visit the Katie Piper Foundation

Katie feels she has her life back, her parents have their daughter back and that Mr Mohammed Jawad had a leading role to play.  Restylane treatments have been central to Katie’s recovery process.  We were shown the before and after photos and a remarkable difference was apparent. This was achieved by adding volume and improving her skin condition. Katy stated that Restylane had returned to her  control, rehydrated skin, improved shape of the top lip. One very welcome consequence of the restylane treatment process was the return of her smile, an attribute that has been pivotal in the return of her confidence.

Katy mentioned, almost in passing, that she had started her own fashion label that involved ‘wearing my scars as an accessory!’

Dr Bob Khanna and model being prepared for live Pix'l cannula demonstration

When it came to question time, I told Katie how much I admired her and how her story moved me. I also had the chance to tell her and Mr Jawad about the treatments I perform and how her story had made me think about my clients and how certain things like acne scarring and loss of facial shape can have a debilitating effect on my clients self esteem.

In addition to Katie’s presentation, there was a very interesting talk by Dr Bob Khanna.  This involved a live demonstration of Pix’L cannula treatments, a method of administering restylane using a blunt ended cannula which minimises bruising and trauma to the areas injected.

Katie Piper and Becky Hollands

At the end of the day we all congregated in the beautiful gardens of the Royal College of physicians for a champagne reception. It was lovely that KP joined us so we all had the chance to talk to her.
After that a small group went out to dinner with Katie. It was an amazing day.

Thankyou so much Qmed.



Restylane® Lidocaine and Restylane Perlane™ Lidocaine,  were introduced at the beginning of 2009, they have become a highly sought after addition to my product portfolio. Lidocaine is an effective local anesthetic. Clients who had treatments in 2010 were asked by Restylane to give their opinion on the proceedure.  90 percent of those asked thought that treatment with Restylane Lidocaine was a more pleasant experience than that compared with an injection without lidocaine.

Restylane Vital is a skin boosting treatment which nurtures the skin in a way that creams and other moisturisers simply cannot do. This treatment has just been combined with Lidocaine.

Restylane Vital promotes the production of healthy skin by balancing the nutritional environment of the skin at cellular level by attracting and releasing water when needed.  It boosts skin elasticity leaving it looking smoother and feeling firmer and more toned.  Skin vitality and lustre is restored and skin condition is improved.

The natural hydrating properties of Restylane Vital make it the obvious choice for skin areas that take on a dehydrated appearance with over exposure to the sun.  These areas typically include the face and decolletage as well as the back of the hands.

I am now able to offer both treatments to my clients.  If you would like to include Vital with Lidocaine in your treatment please contact me.

As a guest of Q-med, the makers of Restylane products, I attended Imcas (International master course on Aging Skin). As part of their thirteenth annual meeting, the guests of Q-med where invited to spend three nights at the Palas des Congres. By being wined, dined and educated, we felt we were really being spoiled.

The four days of activity gave intensive instruction and guidance on the latest understanding of Skin ageing. I came back really excited about using pix’l cannula.  This is a method of administering Restylane that is far less traumatic than related treatments and one that also allows facial reshaping.

The knowledge of the new techniques I have gained inParis will mean a significant boost in all my client’s treatments.  If you would like to talk to me about skin rejuvenation and facial contouring treatments I’d be more than happy to take your call.

Paris with Dr Mark Harrison

Dr Rumantsjeva demonstrating her technique

Becky Hollands, Andie Maclean and Teresa Simmonds

Hello everyone and welcome to my new blog.