My Journey of Change

By: Katharine Griffiths
Created on 11th October 2010

Treatment: Rejuvenation of hands with Radiesse

Name: Cohl Warren-Howles

Age: 52

Occupation: Business Development Manager

What prompted you to have the treatment?

I have always taken a certain pride in my appearance; my career involves a lot of travelling and client presentations, which mean I need to look my best, but it’s quite stressful and the nature of the job means you work hard, play hard and end up burning the candle at both ends. I was particularly upset at the look of my hands which I thought was a major giveaway of my age.

Who carried out the procedures?

I came across the Minerva Clinic purely by chance and was intrigued by their name – apparently Minerva was the goddess of medicine and wisdom – so I booked an appointment for a consultation with Dr Simon Bentley.

I felt very nervous, but Dr Bentley emphasised the importance of the consultation, explaining that the objective was for both of us to be absolutely clear as to what I wanted and what he realistically thought he could achieve.

Dr Bentley felt we should address the skin on my hands with Radiesse, the newest non-surgical filler that delivers immediate results that can last up to 18 months.

How was the experience?

First, my hands were photographed and Dr Bentley discussed the details of the treatment with me before starting anything.

Lidocaine Hydrochoride, which does not affect the blood supply, was first injected into the slightly recessed area of my hands, to act as a local anaesthetic. This was followed immediately by the Radiesse injections, which Dr Bentley firmly massaged in once he had finished.

The treatment took no longer than 20 minutes. Despite the initial prick of the injection (and I’m not a great fan of needles!) and slightly numb hands, which were a little bit puffy, one could immediately see an improvement in the plumpness of my skin. Dr Bentley said it could take up to two weeks for the true effects to be seen and this could then last for up to 18 months, which is excellent for such a short treatment time.

Are you happy with the treatments?

I am so happy with the improvement in the appearance of my hands and now I’m planning further rejuvenation to my face.

One point I would like to make though is although the procedure was so straightforward from my point of view, the practitioner does have to know the skeletal structure of the hands. As this is one of Simon’s areas of expertise I had nothing to worry about, but I would advise anyone else to do their research thoroughly before booking in for this treatment.

CS&AG