What They Say
In the heart of Notting Hill, on quaintly cobbled Lambton Place, is The Well Clinic. A favourite amongst locals, it’s a one-stop-shop for holistic health, wellness and aesthetics. So much so, that the twenty-year-old practice was taken over five years ago by former client and local resident Katie Parobek. With local knowledge and a background in business and science, Katie knows her clientele.
A ‘no-gimmick’, holistic approach is at the core of the clinic’s ethos. It is a place where tried and tested techniques are used in combination with innovative new technology. The therapists are experts in their respective fields and practice everything from acupuncture to aromatherapy, osteopathy to homoeopathy. Despite their vast and varied skillset, the practitioners at The Well Clinic are encouraged to work together, so that each client can be offered a bespoke package that reflects the individuality of their needs.
Katie welcomes me to the clinic on a warm October afternoon – I fill out a quick questionnaire and I’m greeted by Dr. Dara Suite who takes me up to her practice room in the rafters of the ancient mews building.
The Process
Medical professional, Dr. Dara, who pursued surgical training with a focus on plastics, found herself administering Botox on the NHS for medical reasons. Delighted with the efficacy of the treatment and the immediacy of the results, she began an eight-year journey exploring the use of anti-wrinkle injections as an alternative to invasive surgery. With nearly a decade of experience under her belt, she now finds her vocation extremely rewarding and takes pleasure in building a rapport with her clients – who are sometimes so pleased with the results, that they are reduced to tears.
I’ve only had anti-wrinkle treatment once before, so I’m a little apprehensive, but I needn’t be, Dr. Dara instantly puts me at ease. Before we begin, she talks me through the potential risks, which for ‘Baby Botox’ are minimal. We then began to discuss my expectations with a hand mirror. I explained that I’d not been feeling particularly confident lately. I’d been through a bout of emotional stress and had started to worry that it had left an indelible furrow in my once smooth brow. In addition, I’d noticed an increase in fine lines around the eye area and the inevitable creasing above the upper lip.
I explained to Dr. Dara that I’d only had tiny amounts of Botox injected before and though I’d found it to be effective, I was keen to have a minimal loss of motion, a fresher look, that’s also undetectable. While that may sound unreasonably demanding, it’s a tightrope that Dr Dara treads daily… her clients want to look noticeably better, but they want the treatment to be unnoticeable.
To achieve the ‘noticeably unnoticeable’ look… Dr Dara injects tiny amounts of Botox to the line above my upper lip – she uses the same technique along the brow. Small dots are injected into the frown lines and a smattering of points above the cheekbone to reduce creasing and open up the eyes.
It’s painless and apart from a little puckering around the injection site that lasts about ten minutes, there is no downtime.
The Results
In the weeks that follow the treatment; I have a seasonal flu that seems to last the best part of a fortnight. I feel appalling, but, surprisingly, look fantastic. So fantastic in fact, that my nearest and dearest seem to think I’m faking it.
One month later, I feel brighter, rejuvenated and lifted. My skin feels more supple and my confidence soars – someone I don’t know guesses that I’m ten years younger than I am!
I’m aware that I look a little different, those ‘in the know’ are curious to know what I’ve had done and where, and those who aren’t, attribute my recent glow-up to the forty-pound-a-jar sea moss I’ve been harping on about.
I would definitely visit Dr. Dara again and will of course recommend her to anyone (in the know) without hesitation.
The Details
Anti-wrinkle injections start from £225
8-9 Lambton Place, London W11 2SH
