The beauty and aesthetics industry has seen incredible growth over the last decade, and last year the beauty industry was valued at $532 billion globally.

With the industry’s scale and desire for treatments, both surgical and nonsurgical procedures increasing post lockdown, the need for clinical safety measures has to be met. STORY clinic is set to raise the bar in clinics specialising in injectables and fillers exclusively for the face.

Clinical Director Dr Emily MacGregor invited me in and took me through some of the most popular procedures. I was extremely tempted by the frown line on my forehead but also wanted to be able to observe the procedure whereby my close friend Darshni was able to do. This gave me the opportunity to watch first hand what the experience is like before having a smaller option:

Botox. You want to be in safe expert hands of clinicians who are trained and accredited in their field and that’s exactly how we felt throughout.

The process wasn’t as I expected, whereby she asked us if there were three things we could change about our look now (facial aesthetics), what would they be. This enabled both of us to have an open conversation, allowing Emily to not only recommend certain treatments but also back up those recommendations with facial insights based on her reviewing our structure, age and aesthetic needs. The consultation lasted around 40-minutes and by the end of it, I felt confident in my decision. She even noted things that myself and Darshni weren’t aware of and gave us further guidance when prompted. With her professional background, experience and understanding of shortfalls in the industry – it was clear for me to see that Emily and the team at The Harley Academy are at the forefront of leading industry change and most importantly, safety.

She had real integrity, with passion for her practice, especially for teaching others about injectables and aesthetics. Harley Academy is known for providing exceptional training in Aesthetics Medicine, with its main goal being to improve patient safety. Her background and interest in Psychology is reflected in her holistic and thorough approach where the emotional wellbeing of her clients is prioritised in her consultations and treatment plans.

Emily discussed how they are raising educational standards for the most widely-requested cosmetic procedures: injectables and cosmetic dermatology treatments. With 800 graduates, 25,000 hours of training and 8,000 patients treated per year – the numbers really back this. As their students are trained, they also look at offering some jobs afterwards, so as well as an outstanding industry accreditation, there’s potential to join the ranks of the team in the Harley Academy. However, if somebody fails their exam, they will have to resit, so they must understand the real mechanics of the practice first.

The Academy has a hallmark Level 7 Qualification, enabling trainers to gain postgraduate level certification in injectables with a flagship Level 7 Diploma Programme. This includes in-depth training in Aesthetic Medicine’s most popular treatments: Botox and dermal fillers. The way the Harley Academy has approached the rising pressures on appearance in today’s world is extremely pioneering – they are confidently able to ensure that the Aesthetics Ecosystem is responsible, accountable and collaborative. So much of the industry is unregulated, and instead, we need to move forward through the creation of a regulated, standardised, body of medically-trained practitioners that can safely create fantastic, natural-looking results to the delight of their trainees and patients.

Two weeks after the treatment, Emily followed up with both of us to see how we’re getting on in terms of the results. We’ve both said that moving forward if we were to go for further treatments or recommend a highly professional Aesthetics Doctor, Emily would sit at the top of that list.

The Harley Street Academy is launching a dedicated injectables space in Marylebone to support their growing demand. This space gives the team a chance to have somewhere aside from the training academy that beautifully suits the needs of their clients. The space is absolutely stunning and they will continue to drive change, growth and positivity within an industry that truly needs regulated practitioners.

An overview of the treatments

Botox
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Can take up to two weeks to see the results, mine took approximately four days before I could see the result, so I was pleasantly surprised.

You shouldn’t just look at one area because this can be seen on your face, but equally, you don’t need this all over your face – what type of a result you’re looking for.

Emily took me through my face with a mirror and added white eyeliner dots on areas I’d picked out. She said I could have waited a few more years before botox, but totally understood that this was the procedure I wanted to give a go.

Pain: 0.3/10
Lasts: 4-months
Result: 8/10

Derma Fillers

You’ll see the result straight away, but there will be some swelling. The procedure on Darshni was a little more painful than mine due to the type of needle used, but the results were really quite something.

Lasts up to 8-months.
Darshni is really happy with the natural-looking result.

Pain: 2/10
Lasts: 6-8 months
Result: 9/10

W: My Story Clinic

Written by Kaya Cheshire  for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International