Dr Wassim Taktouk

Mention aesthetics and I always pictured frozen faces and fishy pouts: not my bag, thank you. Plus, I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve always been petrified of the process. But then I meet Dr Wassim Taktouk, an advanced aesthetics doctor who runs a clinic from his home in Kensington and at the Harvey Nichols Beyond Medispa. Known for his subtle, light-handed approach, his client list reads like a who’s who of the fashion and beauty worlds.

Fresh face

Not only is he one of the nicest humans I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, his fresh face is also a brilliant advertisement for what he does. So when he suggests – stressing that it is by no means an SOS situation – I might benefit from some fillers, in particular around the tear trough area, I happily agree (after ascertaining that, with the use of local anaesthetics and some relaxing background music, it will not be in the slightest bit scary). I’m told that the treatment uses a product called Teoxane – a cocktail of hyaluronic acid, combined with amino acids, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and anaesthetic agent to repair the appearance of loss of volume beneath the eyes.

Over the moon

I settle back in the chair of Wassim’s private treatment room, overlooking the Royal Albert Hall, and he gets to work, chatting all the while. He is also applying filler to the apples of my cheeks, to give a lifted appearance. Amazingly he is right, it doesn’t hurt – there is the slightest pulling/pinching sensation when the cannula is inserted, but that’s it. And it is quick, and instant. Less than half an hour after I arrive, Dr Wassim is presenting my new face to me. I’m astounded by the immediate difference. I’m to come back after a couple of weeks so that we can check and tweak the results, but I am already over the moon.

The details

From £450 (drwassimtaktouk.com)