"After 38 years of mental abuse, I had finally found the courage to leave my marriage. My self-esteem was non existent. I read an article in Tatler magazine about Dr Rita Rakus and decided I would try BOTOX® and Restylane. The results have been super. I am now happy to face the world on my own, feeling confident and self assured. I have since had treatments to take away fat pouches from my chin. This has also been a great success. Thank you, Dr Rita Rakus".
Catherine D. - age 63, Saturday, 16 April 2005
"Just flown in from Moscow for Dr. Rita to work her magic with BOTOX® before we get married next week. We are sure we will have perfect results as always. From Russia with Love!
Jon & Carolyn"
"I am very pleased my daughter-in-law found Dr. Rakus's clinic. Without doubt this is the most excellent service in all aspects I have ever encountered anywhere in London or Europe. I shall definitely return."
S.E.G. 18.11.05
"I knew I wanted to have some work done, but I wanted to know I was in good hands. I sought impartial advice and met with Wendy Lewis, the New York aesthetic consultant. She recommended Dr Rakus - she was right. I know I'm in safe hands and my treatments have been effective without side effects and have drawn many compliments".
Susan BP 15.12.05
TATLER May 2006
Treatment junkie Anna Curtis gives her verdict:
Where Dr M R Rakus, 34a Hans Road, SW3
(tel: 020 7460 7324).
Price £850.
Pain factor. 'It's quite anxiety-provoking. I dosed up on Nurofen and was numbed for an hour with anesthetic gel, but the laser still felt uncomfortable - a scratching pain like sandpaper across my skin. But it only lasts 10 minutes.'
Recovery time. Afterwards my skin was hot, incredibly red and tight like sunburn. I lay low for a day until the red had faded to a pinkish glare, and a day later it was almost gone.
Verdict. Fraxel is the whole number - a facelift without the knife. The pigmented marks on my décolleté have almost gone, my skin is beginning to feel softer and more youthful and, along with some help from Restylane on my upper lip, my lines are definitely fading.'
"Dr. Rita is so gentle with her BOTOX® treatments. I can highly recommend it - I was waiting for the 'ouch factor' and it never came!"
Jane - Essex July 2005
JUVÉDERM™
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow this link to our JUVÉDERM treatment page
FREE JUVÉDERM™ CONSULTATION Call
+44 (0) 20 7460 7324
or Contact
Dr Rita Rakus
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers relating to JUVÉDERM™ treatment
What is JUVÉDERM™?
JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel is a colorless hyaluronic acid gel that is injected into facial tissue to smooth wrinkles and folds, especially around the nose and mouth. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar found in the human body. The role of hyaluronic acid in the skin is to deliver nutrients, hydrate the skin by holding in water, and to act as a cushioning agent.
What does JUVÉDERM™ do?
JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel temporarily adds volume to facial tissue and restores a smoother appearance to the face.
How is JUVÉDERM™ used?
JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel is injected into areas of facial tissue where moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds occur. JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel temporarily adds volume to the skin and may give the appearance of a smoother surface.
What will JUVÉDERM™ accomplish?
JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel will help to smooth moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Most patients need one treatment to achieve optimal wrinkle smoothing, and the results last about 9 months to 1 year.
What are possible side effects from JUVÉDERM™ treatment ?
Most side effects are mild or moderate in nature, and their duration
is short lasting (7 days or less). The most common side effects include,
but are not limited to, temporary injection-site reactions such as: redness,
pain/tenderness, firmness, swelling, lumps/bumps, bruising, itching,
and discoloration.
As with all skin-injection procedures, there is a risk
of infection.
Are there any reasons why I should not receive JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel?
Your doctor will ask about your medical history to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for treatment. JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel should not be used in patients who have:
- Severe allergies marked by a history of anaphylaxis or history or presence of multiple severe allergies
- Patients with a history of allergies to Gram-positive bacterial proteins
What should my doctor advise me about?
The following are important treatment considerations for you to discuss with your doctor and understand in order to help avoid unsatisfactory results and complications.
- Patients who are using substances that can prolong bleeding, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, as with any injection, may experience increased bruising or bleeding at the injection site. You should inform your doctor before treatment if you are using these types of substances
- If laser treatment, chemical peeling, or any other procedure based on active dermal response is considered after treatment with JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel, there is a possible risk of an inflammatory reaction at the treatment site
- JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel should be used with caution in patients on immunosuppressive therapy, or therapy used to decrease the body’s immune response, as there may be an increased risk of infection
- The safety of JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel for use during pregnancy, in breastfeeding females, or in patients under 18 years has not been established
- The safety of JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel in patients with a history of excessive scarring (eg, hypertrophic scarring and keloid formations) and pigmentation disorders has not been studied
What should my doctor warn me about?
The safety and effectiveness of JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel for the treatment of areas other than facial wrinkles and folds (such as lips) have not been established in controlled clinical studies.
What did the clinical study show?
In a US clinical study, 146 subjects were followed for 24 weeks after injection with JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel in one nasolabial fold (NLF) and ZYPLAST® dermal filler (bovine-based collagen) in the other.
Injection-site responses were similar in duration and frequency for the JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel and ZYPLAST® dermal filler treated sides, were usually mild or moderate in severity, did not require intervention, and lasted 7 days or less.
JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel was found to provide a more persistent
wrinkle correction than ZYPLAST® dermal filler over the 24-week course
of the study. The percentage of subjects who maintained improvement
with JUVÉDERM™
injectable gel at 24 weeks was 88% compared to 36% with ZYPLAST® dermal
filler.
At the conclusion of the study, 129 (88%) of the 146 subjects
expressed
a preference for JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel, while only
8 (5%) expressed
a preference for ZYPLAST® dermal filler, and 9 (6%) had no preference.
Subjects who completed the 24-week study were invited to return for
a complimentary repeat treatment. Subjects returned at their (or their
doctor’s)
convenience, rather than at a prescribed time point.
Of the 146 subjects, 116 (79%) returned for repeat treatment, on average at 9 months after their last injection. Forty-eight (48) subjects returned more than 36 weeks (9 months) after their last injection: the percentage of those subjects who had maintained improvement with JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel was 75%.
At multiple time points in the clinical study, subjects’ nasolabial folds were rated on a scale from 0 to 4: 0 none, 1 mild, 2 moderate, 3 severe, 4 extreme. Using this 5-point wrinkle assessment scale, the mean improvement since baseline was
- 1.9 at
- 2 weeks,
- 1.4 at 24 weeks, and
- 1.1 beyond 36 weeks after treatment.
A subset of these subjects enrolled
in a second study that followed subjects
for 24 to 48 weeks after repeat treatment. Twenty-four (24) subjects
were enrolled in the study. Twenty-three (23) were evaluated at 24
weeks
(6 months) after repeat treatment with 87% maintaining improvement.
Nine (9) subjects returned for evaluation 48 weeks (1 year) after repeat
treatment: the percentage of those subjects who had maintained improvement
with JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel was 78%.
The mean improvement
since baseline at different time points after repeat
treatment was 1.4 at 24 weeks and 1.3 at 48 weeks after repeat treatment.
Do the injections hurt?
Injections may cause some discomfort during and
after the injection.
JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel is injected directly into
the skin using a
fine needle to reduce injection discomfort. Physicians may choose to
numb
(anesthetize) the treatment area to further minimize discomfort.
What should I expect following the JUVÉDERM™ procedure?
Your doctor will tell you
what to expect following treatment with JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel. Within the first 24 hours, you should avoid strenuous
exercise, extensive sun or heat exposure, and alcoholic beverages.
Exposure
to any of the above may cause temporary redness, swelling, and/or
itching at the injection sites. If there is swelling, you may need
to place an ice
pack over the swollen area. You should ask your doctor when makeup
may
be applied after your treatment.
Does the correction last forever?
No. Correction is temporary; therefore,
touch-up injections as well as repeat
injections are usually needed to maintain optimal correction. Less
material
(about half the amount) is usually needed for repeat injections.
What other treatments are available to me?
Other treatments for dermal soft-tissue
augmentation include bovine-based
collagen and other hyaluronic acid–based dermal fillers. Aside from
these
treatments, additional options for the correction of lines and wrinkles
do
exist, including facial creams, BOTOX® Cosmetic (Botulinum Toxin Type
A),
chemical peels, and laser skin surface treatments, and may be discussed
with
your doctor.
When should I notify my doctor?
Be sure to report any redness and/or
visible swelling that lasts for more than
a few days, or any other symptoms that cause you concern, to your doctor
and/or contact the Allergan Product Support line at 1-877-345-5372.
Follow this link to our JUVÉDERM treatment page
FREE JUVÉDERM™ CONSULTATION Call +44
(0) 20 7460 7324
or Contact
Dr Rita Rakus
“ Over the years Dr. Rakus has kept me going - I don’t know what I would do without her! Part of her charisma is her cool, confident and quiet approach to every treatment I have had and, as a mark of the trust I place in her I am having a Thermage treatment today."
AS 25.07.06
"After many years of being treated by Dr Rakus - she knows my face better than I ...!
Perfection, skill and knowledge can only portray this beautiful woman who's understanding of how to improve and enhance a lady's face is quite remarkable.
The latest Salt-A-Peel™ combined with complementary skin care products dramatically change the texture and feel to the skin.
Dr Rakus has enhanced this treatment with her speciality of 'lip so kissable' RESTYLANE injections and/or BOTOX®.
Dr Rakus will only give treatment when she thinks it is necessary and I would personally therefore put my face in her experienced hands without hesitation!
I walk out of her sanctuary with an air of confidence and self assurance which is surely all worthwhile after waiting to find space in her very tight scheduled diary."
Anonymous
"After 38 years of mental abuse, I had finally found the courage to leave my marriage. My self-esteem was non existent. I read an article in Tatler magazine about Dr Rita Rakus and decided I would try BOTOX® and Restylane. The results have been super. I am now happy to face the world on my own, feeling confident and self assured. I have since had treatments to take away fat pouches from my chin. This has also been a great success. Thank you, Dr Rita Rakus".
Catherine D. - age 63, Saturday, 16 April 2005
My hairdresser (people who always notice!) made me thrilled when she said “What have you done to your makeup. It looks good, you appear refreshed and your jawline is tighter. A new face cream? Tell me about it”
It wasn’t makeup or creams, but Thermage performed by Dr. Rita Rakus. I’ve trusted her for many years now and I know that if she suggests a new treatment I can rely on her judgment. I’m so pleased that I had Thermage.
Lynda W 15.03.06
"My treatment made a fantastic difference, giving me back my youthful appearance thanks to the Lip Queen of London"
Melanie S., September 2003
