5 Minutes with Mr Jeff Downie

Aesthetics spoke to consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon Mr Jeff Downie about where he thinks the future of aesthetics is heading and speaking at CCR 2023

What are some of the most innovative products you are seeing on the market?

Collagen-stimulators! I think we are looking in more detail at the finer lines, wrinkles and rhytids around the face, especially in the perioral region, mid-cheek and lower eyelids. Traditionally, there have been limited of ways to address this. We’ve had various fillers on the market of different G primes that we can inject in varying depths, but if the patient has thin, aged skin with a loss in elasticity and thickness of the dermis, then this has been difficult to treat.

Collagen-stimulators have been used for wound healing previously, so I’m familiar with some products on the market. They work in helping scar tissue, so it’s a natural, logically progression that we are using them in aesthetics.

What are some of the most innovative products you are seeing on the market?

Collagen-stimulators! I think we are looking in more detail at the finer lines, wrinkles and rhytids around the face, especially in the perioral region, mid-cheek and lower eyelids. Traditionally, there have been limited of ways to address this. We’ve had various fillers on the market of different G primes that we can inject in varying depths, but if the patient has thin, aged skin with a loss in elasticity and thickness of the dermis, then this has been difficult to treat.

Collagen-stimulators have been used for wound healing previously, so I’m familiar with some products on the market. They work in helping scar tissue, so it’s a natural, logically progression that we are using them in aesthetics.

I’m looking forward to combining collagen-stimulators with traditional fillers and neuromodulators in the future.

What do you think the future of aesthetics will look like?

I think the industry is becoming more organised and professional. I’m pleased to see some of the recent news on the legislation in England surrounding the licensing scheme come to light. This will help tighter the restrictions on who can get hold of products like dermal fillers in the industry.

However, this doesn’t translate to all areas of the UK, so I would like to see this be a consistent approach across the UK and Europe in general.

The industry also has become more professional in terms of the increased science behind treatments and products. I think the combination of knowledge, science and improved legislation will enhance the overall care for our future patients.

What will you be speaking on at CCR 2023 and who will be joining you?

We have two Galderma sessions at CCR this year!

The first day will focus on balancing the profile with discussions on AART (Assessment, Anatomy, Range and Treatment) and HITs (Holistic Individualised Treatments). I’ll be joined by experienced practitioners Dr Yusra Al-Mukhtar and Dr Lara Watson. Between them, they have a huge wealth of knowledge on both facial assessment and techniques.

Throughout the session, we will be conducting a patient assessment and discussing the different products available for treatment. As we are focusing on profile, we will look at nasal, lips and chin projection and I’ll be discussing the anatomy in this area. A live demo will also be conducted for delegates to watch.

The second day will be on bright eyes and focus on the periorbital area, where I will be joined by Dr Priya Chadha and Dr Munir Somji. We will look at the glabellar, positioning of the eyebrow, the eyelids and tear troughs as well as the potential lack of volume in the sub-malar region. We will be applying the same AART and HITs and discuss the best product choice, with combining biostimulators, fillers and neurotoxins.

What are you most excited for at CCR 2023?

I’m really excited about catching up with some of my aesthetic colleagues that I see occasionally in the year to see what is happening in their own practices.

I’m also looking forward to seeing what new products are on the market, investigating the science behind them and increasing my learning.

What advice would you give to aesthetic practitioners starting out in their careers?

I think it’s all about competency and to achieve this, you need to have experience! When you start out, you don’t have this, so you should attend recognised aesthetic courses. If you want to succeed, it’s lifelong learning – the more you do, the more you learn.

I’ve been practising for 20 years and I’m learning all the time! It’s about gaining competency and not being overconfident or overambitious when you start out.

Be careful which patient cases you take on as it only takes one or two bad results or complications when you begin to detriment your reputation. Slow and steady is the key!

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