HLN Meets: Novellus Aesthetics

With the help of a thorough consultation and assessment process, the Novellus team listen to our needs and concerns to devise a bespoke treatment plan centred around helping us realise our natural beauty-boosting our confidence and self-worth in the process.

From lip fillers and anti-wrinkle injections to chemical peels, laser hair removal and medical-grade skincare, the highly-qualified team here have earned themselves a national reputation for their natural aesthetics style, using the latest and best techniques to help us look good – and feel even better.

We caught up with founder and Clinic Director Dr Steven Land and Nurse Practitioner Ness Griffiths to find out a little more…

There’s a complex psychology surrounding beauty and self-esteem. How do you take into account the emotional side of aesthetics in your work?

Steven: The cornerstone of all our treatments is our extended consultation process. During this time, we explore our patient’s emotions – how they feel when they look in the mirror and their needs and concerns. We understand that there are emotions linked to how we feel about ourselves and how we look. Only by taking all of these factors into account can we develop a bespoke treatment plan that is going to help our patients develop inside and out.

All our aesthetic practitioners have a background in NHS medicine and have, therefore, undertaken extensive cross-speciality training – meaning we can take a holistic approach to the care of our patients.

So talk us through the process – what happens when we get in touch asking to book a treatment at Novellus? 

Steven: When you first get in touch, you will most likely speak to our clinic co-ordinator, Katie, and she’ll book you in for your initial consultation. Prior to your appointment, you’ll receive some questionnaires regarding potential exposure to COVID–19 – to ensure we maintain your safety and that of our clinic.

When you attend your consultation, one of our practitioners will spend as much time as required going through your concerns and expectations. We cover what treatments you have had previously, what skincare regime you use, what beauty treatments you may already have and even what you do for a living and what special events you may have coming up. This allows us to build up the fullest picture possible of you as an individual and, therefore, to tailor what treatments may work best for you.

How do you ensure your treatments are as safe as possible for your clients?

Steven: Training, training, training.

Ness: Definitely. In the last 18 months, I’ve been on 20+ training courses to learn different techniques and skills.

Steven: Both of our practitioners have a background in emergency medicine, so they’re used to dealing with uncertainty and emergencies – but the best emergency is the one that never happens. Extensive training in procedures, anatomy, physiology and complication management means we have an incredibly low rate of complications and are adept at dealing with any that should occur. In fact, we appear to have become the defect clinic for helping other practitioners and patients deal with any significant complications that do occur.

What do you predict will be some of your most sought-after treatments once lockdown fully lifts?

Steven: Full face rejuvenations. People are moving away from wanting individual procedures and are wanting a more harmonious, overall treatment plan of fillers, anti-wrinkle treatments and skincare to give a look that is overall more balanced and natural.

Ness: Yeah, full face rejuvenation is the big one at the moment. But the cornerstone of most rejuvenation is definitely cheek augmentation. We spent lockdown revitalising our consultation process to be more outcome-focused, rather than specific treatment-focused – relying on emotional cues to make sure we’re aiming for the best outcome for each individual patient.

Who would you say most inspires you?

Steven: Again, our patients inspire me every day with their transformations and the changes they go through. They inspire me to keep learning, keep training and keep going. And my family, they inspire me to keep working hard to give them everything they deserve…

Ness: As cliché as this sounds, all the resilient women I surround myself with inspire me – both at work and in my personal friendships. We are each other’s cheerleaders, we pull each other up when we’re down and remind each other that we can do this!