Plain-English definitions of the terms used across this clinic — injectable products, regenerative treatments, the lasers, and the regulators that govern safe practice. Written so you understand exactly what each word means before your consultation with Dr Paul Elgey.
Also known as: Anti-wrinkle injection, Wrinkle-relaxing injection, Muscle-relaxing injection.
A prescription-only purified protein that temporarily softens the nerve signal to a targeted muscle, relaxing the lines that movement creates. Used aesthetically for forehead, frown, and crow’s-feet lines, and medically for jaw clenching and excessive sweating. As a GMC-registered doctor, Dr Paul Elgey assesses, prescribes, and administers it himself.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Facial filler, HA filler.
An injectable gel used to restore volume, refine contour, or smooth a fold. At reputable UK clinics the gel is cross-linked hyaluronic acid, which can be dissolved if needed. Dr Paul Elgey treats lips, cheeks, chin, jawline, and tear troughs, always assessing the whole face for balance rather than one feature in isolation.
Source: dermnetnz.org
Also known as: HA.
A sugar molecule the skin produces naturally to bind water and keep tissue hydrated and plump. Cross-linked HA is the gel used in modern dermal fillers, and it is reversible with the enzyme hyaluronidase — the safety property that makes HA the only filler material used in responsible UK practice.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
An enzyme that dissolves hyaluronic-acid filler, typically within 24 to 48 hours. It allows a result to be corrected if it does not settle well and is the emergency treatment for a vascular complication. The availability of hyaluronidase is the single biggest reason HA fillers are preferred over permanent alternatives.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Hyaluronic-acid filler placed in and around the lips to add subtle volume, improve shape, or restore definition lost with age. Dr Paul Elgey’s approach is conservative and proportion-led — enhancing the lip in keeping with the rest of the face rather than chasing size — and the result is fully dissolvable.
Source: dermnetnz.org
The hollow groove that runs from the inner corner of the eye outward beneath the lower eyelid. Carefully placed HA filler can soften the dark shadow and tired look it creates. Patient selection matters — not every under-eye concern suits filler; some are better treated with polynucleotides or skincare, which is why a doctor-led assessment comes first.
Source: dermnetnz.org
Also known as: Liquid nose job, NSR.
A bespoke dermal-filler treatment that smooths the nasal contour or lifts a drooping tip without surgery — the “liquid nose job”. It can disguise a dorsal hump or correct mild asymmetry, but it cannot reduce nose size. It carries a higher vascular risk than other filler areas, so it should only be performed by an experienced doctor.
Source: dermnetnz.org
Also known as: Bioremodeller, Injectable moisturiser.
Profhilo is an injectable, ultra-pure hyaluronic acid that spreads through the tissue to hydrate the skin and stimulate its own collagen and elastin — a process called bioremodelling. Unlike a filler, it improves skin quality and firmness rather than adding volume or changing shape. It is typically given as two sessions a few weeks apart.
Also known as: PN, PNRNA, Salmon-DNA injectable.
Injectable fragments of purified DNA (most often from salmon) that bind water in the tissue and prompt the skin’s repair cells to make new collagen and elastin. Used to improve skin quality, under-eye texture, and elasticity, and often combined with HA filler as a regenerative adjunct. Usually delivered as a short course of sessions.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: Biostimulatory injectable, Collagen stimulator.
An injectable that works indirectly — instead of filling a space, it triggers a controlled response that prompts the body to lay down its own new collagen over the following weeks and months. The result builds gradually and looks natural. Radiesse and the JULÄINE range used in this clinic are biostimulators.
Also known as: CaHA, Calcium hydroxylapatite.
A biostimulatory injectable made of calcium-hydroxylapatite microspheres in a gel carrier. It gives an immediate lift and then stimulates the skin to produce its own collagen over the months that follow, so the improvement continues after the gel itself is absorbed. Used to restore structure and firm skin laxity in suitable patients.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: Injectable skin hydration, Mesotherapy boosters.
A family of injectable treatments — including Profhilo and Sunekos — that deliver hydration and active ingredients into the skin to improve quality, elasticity, and glow without changing face shape. They are distinct from volumising fillers; the goal is healthier, better-hydrated skin rather than altered contour.
Also known as: UltraClear, Cold-fibre laser resurfacing.
A fibre-laser resurfacing platform that delivers energy in short, cool pulses to renew the skin surface — targeting fine lines, tone, texture, and early ageing with more controllable downtime than older ablative lasers. A doctor-led assessment confirms suitability and sets the protocol for your skin type.
Source: dermnetnz.org
A laser that treats the skin in microscopic columns, leaving healthy tissue between them untouched. The intact zones speed healing while the treated columns drive collagen renewal, which is why fractional resurfacing improves texture and tone with less downtime than treating the whole surface at once.
Source: dermnetnz.org
Also known as: Photoageing, Facial ageing.
The combined effect of intrinsic ageing (genetics and time) and extrinsic ageing (sun, smoking, and lifestyle) on the skin — loss of collagen and elastin, reduced volume, and changes in texture and pigmentation. Understanding which factors dominate for a given patient guides whether regenerative, volumising, or resurfacing treatment fits best.
Source: dermnetnz.org
A six-point classification of how skin responds to UV light (I always burns and never tans; VI never burns). It guides safe laser and peel settings — deeper phototypes need lower energy and different wavelengths to avoid post-inflammatory pigmentation, so it is assessed before any laser treatment.
Source: dermnetnz.org
Also known as: Bruxism, Jaw clenching, Masseter reduction.
Involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth — bruxism — can cause jaw pain, tooth wear, headaches, and an over-developed masseter muscle. Anti-wrinkle injections into the masseter reduce the clenching force, easing symptoms, and gently slim a bulky jawline as a side benefit. A medical assessment establishes whether it is appropriate.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Excessive sweating.
Sweating well beyond what the body needs to regulate temperature, most often in the underarms, palms, or scalp. Anti-wrinkle injections into the affected area block the nerve signal to the sweat glands for several months. The NHS lists injections of this kind among the specialist treatments for severe underarm sweating.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Men’s aesthetics, Male aesthetic treatments.
Aesthetic treatment tailored to the male face, which has different proportions, muscle mass, and skin thickness from the female face. The aim is typically a refreshed, less-tired look and a defined but natural jawline — never a feminised or obviously “done” result. Conservative, anatomy-led dosing is central to the approach.
Also known as: General Medical Council.
The statutory UK regulator for doctors. A GMC number can be checked on the public register and confirms a practitioner is a licensed doctor in good standing. Only doctors (and certain other prescribers) can prescribe the prescription-only medicines that underpin safe injectable practice — Dr Paul Elgey is GMC-registered.
Source: www.gmc-uk.org
Also known as: Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.
The postgraduate qualification awarded on completion of UK general-practice training, regulated by the Royal College of General Practitioners. A GP brings whole-person medical assessment — history, medication, and contraindications — to an aesthetic consultation, not just an injecting technique.
Source: www.rcgp.org.uk
Also known as: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency — the UK body that licenses medicines and regulates medical devices. Prescription injectable medicines and CE/UKCA-marked HA fillers fall under its oversight; MHRA approval is the minimum bar for a product being licensed for UK use.
Source: www.gov.uk