Feeling good about the way we look, while still embracing all that comes with being an older version of ourselves is a conundrum of modern midlife.
The anti-aging industry is forever suggesting miracle cures to rid us of our wrinkles, and freeze time – and our face – with botox or facelifts. But what if you want to embrace all the traces of your lived experience that up to now have made you, you, but just a better, more glowy version?
That was the question actress Tamzin Outhwaite had been seeking an answer for. The former EastEnders star relies on every expressive muscle in her face to deliver a stellar performance on screen and stage, most recently so going under the knife didn’t feel like an option for her.
But every time she looked in the mirror, the woman she saw looking back at her wasn’t the person she felt inside.
Tamzin, 55, said: “I just could see that my face just never looked as good as it used to. At my age I know it’s hard to avoid this but I’d really started to notice the difference and it was getting me down a bit. I’d also lost some weight and my face looked like it was sagging and dropping, so I decided to do some research on what could be done to improve things.
“I definitely didn’t want to go under the knife. I didn’t want any form of face-lift, and I’m extremely wary of having injectables because I’m an actor and I need to have an expressive face. It’s essential for me to have a natural look, not a frozen face, but I was still keen to find out alternative ways to improve my appearance.”
A friend advised her to try NeoGen, a non-invasive procedure that uses super-heated nitrogen gas to stimulate skin rejuvenation. It creates a controlled heating which tricks the skin into creating large amounts of collagen and elastin, proteins found in the body which give skin its youthful appearance.
“After doing a bit of research, I could see that Shirley Ballas had got an amazing result with these treatments and now looks about 10 years younger, so I thought I’d give it a go.”
The actress, who opened up about ageing on the Second Act podcast, initially signed up to have three monthly NeoGen nitrogen plasma sessions at Dr Maryam McMillan’s Ambra Clinic in Finchley, which is close to her home in north London.
Dr McMillan said: “NeoGen was a good fit for Tamzin because her busy work schedule means she can’t afford to have any down-time. She would often have filming and auditions which required her to look presentable just 24 hours after a treatment, and that is perfectly possible with NeoGen and so we managed to work around her.” Numbing cream would be applied for 40-minutes prior to the procedure so that there was no discomfort. The NeoGen treatment itself would take around 30 minutes, and covered her neck, top of her chest, and her whole face including around the sensitive eye area. After the treatment Allskin Med Growth Factor serum was applied on her skin and she was given Ameri-Vita Liver Support drinks which also promote anti-ageing effects.
Tamzin wanted to focus on certain areas such as slight drooping of the skin on the jawline, lines above her top lip and around the eyes, and also areas for redness and enlarged pores. “After the first three treatments I could really see a major improvement, the general texture of the skin was improved, and where it had looked a bit dull and lifeless before it was now, really radiant and more dewy. Friends started to notice as well, and unprompted would say things like, “I don’t know what you’re doing to your skin, but whatever it is, keep doing it!””
As a result of the initial success of the treatments Tamzin extended the treatment program and in total she had eight low energy treatments over the space of a year, at a total cost of £4,950. Happy with the results, she will have maintenance top ups every three to four months to keep up the glow.
Tamzin said: “I’m so much more confident about my appearance. The most striking change is that it’s tighter, my jawline and cheeks were getting a bit saggy before, but they aren’t any more. The general skin quality is improved as well, my pores are definitely smaller, my complexion is smoother and more uniform in tone. Previously there were red patches caused by broken blood vessels, they’ve also gone.”
© NeoGenPlasma.co.ukShe now likes who she sees looking back in the mirror. The feedback from friends and colleagues has been overwhelmingly positive. “The main thing I’ve noticed is that people I haven’t seen for ages always say to me ‘your skin looks amazing’ and that’s kind of enough for me.”
What is NeoGen?
How it Works:
- It uses nitrogen plasma technology to deliver controlled thermal energy inside the skin which triggers a natural, deep healing response. A plasma is a super-heated gas and when the plume of gas reaches the skin the energy permeates to the deeper levels without breaking the skin barrier, this is a unique benefit for this therapy. The energy within the skin tricks the body to create large amounts of collagen and elastin which then creates a more youthful appearance. Women with darker skin tones are advised to use the low energy setting so not to trigger pigmentation.
- Benefits: It treats sagging skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation, particularly around the eyes and face.
- Result: It leaves the skin’s surface intact, promoting faster healing compared to ablative treatments (that do break and tear the skin barrier) like lasers, chemical peels, or micro-needling and radio frequency.
Tamzin Outhwaite had a series of NeoGen treatments with Dr Maryam McMillan at the Ambra Clinic in Finchley, north London. Treatment prices start at £750 per session (full face and neck), £1,990 for three, or £3,850 for six. To find your closest clinic go to neogenplasma.co.uk/neogen-clinics
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