Last month, Lauren and I were invited to speak in front of 120 beautiful women of different ages at the Milford Boat Club. It was a great turn out for the event organized by Natasha Macleod to raise funds for Gumboot Friday and Woven Earth NZ. The talks centered around menopause and how it affects women physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually.
Lauren, our Skin Team Lead, spoke to the ladies about how the skin is affected during perimenopause, and I focused on some of the changes that can happen with our sexual function.
Dryness is often the first noticeable change with menopause or peri menopause. The vaginal tissues atrophy from reduction in the hormone oestrogen and there is less lubrication produced during intercourse. Other than discomfort and pain during intercourse, these changes can also cause itch and predispose patients to recurrent urinary tract infections.
Blood flow to the clitoris and lower vagina also decreases commonly in the perimenopausal period, leading to reduced sensitivity. Majority of women find the clitoris an important part of sexual arousal and satisfaction, this can be a significant contributor to delay or inability to achieve orgasm.
The O-shotTM treatment can increase the number of blood vessels and nerves to the region, as it infuses the area with a high concentration of growth factors and triggers regeneration.
Oestrogen also contributes to elasticity and strength to the vagina, lining of the bladder and urethra. Atrophy of these structures can significantly worsen urinary incontinence, as they are intimately related to one another in the pelvic floor. Through treatment of the anterior vaginal wall with the O shot, regeneration of tissue elasticity and thickness occurs. Radiofrequency stimulation through our Thermi-VaTM treatment can also stimulate tightening of the pelvic ligaments, further improving support to the bladder and urethra.
One of the speakers that evening was the super fit and alluring Kylie Gates from Les Mills, and she spoke about the importance of strength training – looking after your core and pelvic muscles specially in menopause.
The Pelvic Floor muscle is an amazing, hard-working muscle that deserves a special kind of attention it often misses out on! Maintenance of a strong pelvic floor is essential to continence and sexual function. Neglecting the pelvic floor muscles has consequences that are not very nice and can affect one’s quality of life as it can be quite embarrassing. Moreover, it can be socially debilitating, as well as financially straining (incontinence products are not cheap!)
Strong pelvic floor muscles gives you control over your bladder and bowel. Weakened pelvic floor muscles mean your internal organs are not fully supported, and you may have difficulty controlling the release of urine. That “got to go” feeling. IYKYK.
We have recently acquired a unique technology that can help you strengthen your pelvic muscles, improve sexual wellness, and it is completely non-invasive!
NEW TREATMENT Emsella is available in clinic now!
Our EMSELLA chair utilizes high intensity focused electromagnetic energy to deliver thousands of supramaximal pelvic floor muscle contractions in a single session. You just sit on our EMSELLA throne like a queen (or king) for a little over 20 minutes a couple of times a week. Its unique technology strengthens your pelvic floor muscles, much akin to the high intensity exercise version of kegels, without any discomfort, sweat, and no need to remove your clothes during treatment!
Book in for a chat with our Medical Team if you would like to learn more about what we can do for you in this space.
During winter, cold temperatures and low humidity levels can zap the skin of its natural moisture, leading to dryness, flakiness, and discomfort. Additionally, indoor heating systems further contribute to dehydration by drying out the air surrounding our skin. This is why it’s essential to incorporate more hydrating products into our existing skincare regime, to prevent further moisture loss and maintain a happy, healthy, resilient skin despite challenging weather conditions.
Skin Treatments/Masks
Environ Focus Care Moisture + Hydrating oil capsules
A vitamin enriched treatment which contains a blend of antioxidants and retinol, to help protect against free radicals and enrich the skin with natural surface oils, aiding in trans epidermal water loss and inflammation. Breaking open one capsule once daily and applying it before your moisturiser will give your skin a visible glow.
Aspect Hydrating Mask
Designed to replenish and revitalise thirsty skin, infused with a concentrated blend of Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Vera, and Glycerin, this mask deeply moisturises and soothes dry, dehydrated skin. Leave it on the skin for 15-20 minutes, then rinse off with warm, tepid water, or leave on overnight for more of an intensive hydrating boost.
Aspect Hydrating Sheet Masks
A luxurious skincare treatment designed to deliver an intense hydrating, rejuvenating boost to the skin. Infused with Hyaluronic Acid, antioxidants, vitamins, and botanical extracts, these masks provide deep hydrating relief. Each mask is made with a soft, biodegradable material that adheres comfortably to the skin, ensuring maximum absorption of the potent ingredients.
Lip Treatments
Aspect Lip Treatment
A nourishing blend of vitamins and botanical extracts, specifically designed to hydrate, soothe, and protect chapped, inflamed and dry lips. Containing shea butter, cocoa butter, pomegranate, glycerin and vitamin E, its antioxidants help to protect the lips from inflammation causing free radicals as well.
Aspect Hydrating Lip Balm
A lighter option compared to the Aspect hydrating lip mask, designed for men or those wanting less of a ‘glossy’ appearance to their lips. This product is designed for long-lasting protection and hydration for dry and flaky lips. Infused with shea butter, cocoa butter and avocado oil.
Serums
PCA Hydrating Serum
A great addition to your existing skincare routine, designed to replenish and soothe dehydrated, sensitised skin. Formulated with sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and sodium PCA, it aims to deeply moisturise whilst supporting the skin’s moisture barrier – resulting in a plumper, calmer and refreshed appearance.
Aspect Hyaluronic Serum
A high quality hydrating serum enriched with a blend of high molecular and low molecular weight Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide and Vitamin C – infusing the skin with moisture boosting molecules. This will aid in the plumping of fine lines/wrinkles and calm any inflammation from breakouts or sensitivity.
Bio Juve
Using ‘xycrobe’ technology, this enhances our skins natural microbiome by introducing ‘good’ bacteria onto your skin’s surface. This aids in inflammatory conditions like eczema, rosacea, and sensitivity; perfect for those with reactive and impaired skins. This is also incredible for hydration, fine lines, texture and sun damage, or if you’re wanting more of a plump/hydrated appearance.
We are so excited and delighted to announce that we have now moved to our new city clinic on Quay St, closing the doors to the Britomart clinic one last time last Wednesday, after 11 incredible years. When we moved from our second floor locations in Vulcan Lane and Albany to street frontage in the Britomart Precinct back in April 2013, we were making a statement that we were bringing cosmetic medicine out of hiding and into the mainstream. With significant changes in the industry over the last 5-6 years, we have now chosen to return to our private and luxe roots and go back to the second level, this time with a fabulous view of the harbour.
This stunning new clinic has nine treatment rooms, three more than the Britomart clinic, and we are excited to be launching some exciting new treatments over the next few weeks and months!
We are thrilled to introduce Emsella into our intimate wellness treatment portfolio. This innovative treatment can significantly improve your pelvic floor strength without any invasive procedures or downtime. Simply by sitting on this innovative chair for a series of sessions, you can experience improved bladder control, reduced urinary incontinence and improved sexual performance. It’s quick, comfortable and effective, and you can even leave your clothes on! Using the same technology as our EmFace®️ treatments, it’s fully backed by clinical studies, so we are confident it’s safe and effective. It works really well alongside the O-Shot®️, P-Shot®️ and Thermi-Va®️ to help reduce bladder leaks and improve sexual function.
After a lot of research and trialling different machines, we have finally landed on Exion as our new RF needling device. If you are a fan of skin needling for the improvement in skin texture and skin tightening, RF needling takes things to the next level by introducing radio frequency energy through the needles, boosting the effects of collagen stimulation, wrinkle reduction, skin tightening and that fabulous ‘glow’.
The most commonly recognised RF Needling device is Morpheus 8, but when we trialed it, neither Lauren nor I could complete the full treatment, despite a hefty wallop of numbing cream!! The Exion uses AI to modify the energy going through the microneedles, making it both more comfortable and more effective as the AI personalises the treatment to your skin.
In addition to RF needling the Exion offers a body applicator which uses RF (without the needles) to reduce fat and improve body shaping. We also have a few more fun surprises up our sleeve, so watch this space!
If you’re wondering of ways to financially access all these new treatments, you’ll be pleased to know that we have finally started accepting AfterPay at the clinic! I have personally resisted this move for a really long time, as ethically I don’t believe people should go into debt for medical treatments, but there has been such demand that we have decided to offer it. We do listen! 😹 We will still continue to offer our prepayment service My Face Plan which has no attached fees or risk of going into debt – we set up this initiative during the GFC to help our patients access treatments without having to pay significant sums of money in one go – it’s the digital equivalent of the ‘Botox sock’ that many of my patients used to come in with when I first started – the little ‘stash of cash’ for extras that was ferreted away!
I’m super proud of Lauren and Queza who recently spoke at a fundraiser for Gumboot Friday based around managing menopause and peri-menopause. Lauren talked about how menopause affects the skin and how to manage it, while Queza spoke about our suite of intimate wellness treatments, which can help with the genital symptoms of menopause such as dryness, discomfort, pain and atrophy of the tissues, as well as urinary incontinence (leaky bladder). You can read more about it in Queza’s medical update this month!
If you’re noticing your skin changing with the winter weather, it’s worth popping your eyes across this month’s skin update where we discuss which products might be worth exploring. It’s worth checking in with your skin therapist as well, they can properly assess your skin and make tailored recommendations to get you optimal results.
I opted to escape the winter weather (although I’ll soon be back in the thick of it) and head to Bali for a friend’s 40th. With my regular trips to Bali I have a small crew of wonderful Bali friends, so took the opportunity to bring them together for the first of my 50th birthday celebrations 🥳 Yes, I’m 50 this year! I’m a huge believer in celebrating birthdays so am planning 5 key events this year in the places that call my soul and where the majority of my friends are! This month, I’ll celebrate my second 50th with my friends in the Gold Coast after attending a conference there (see below) and then I have celebrations in New Zealand and Mexico to plan later in the year. I’ll be heading to Mexico with my brother in November to celebrate our mum’s 70th, so it will be a good time to celebrate with family 🥰 My actual birthday will be in the Galápagos Islands – a bucket list place that I’ve wanted to go to since learning about it as a kid!
While in Bali, my friend Piper and I went away to a beautiful rustic Balinese retreat in Sidemen for a few days to work on our book proposal for the next book in the series, Grow Younger With Great Sex. Dr Piper Grant (when called by her official title) is a respected clinical psychologist with a special interest in sex therapy. She is the perfect person to co-create this book, with an incredible depth of knowledge on the psychology of sex and pleasure, which perfectly complements the medical/physical and treatments perspective that I come from. We finished the proposal and feel super proud of it – now to find the right publisher!
Celebrations after finishing our book proposal!
Just like with my adventures and travels, as a team we are always learning, growing and exploring new opportunities and this month we have several members of our team from both skin and medical attending the ASAPS Non-Surgical conference in the Gold Coast! Last week Queza was selected by Allergan to attend a regional learning event in Thailand for the 10 year celebration of the Allergan Medical Institute.
I’m proud to be a faculty member for Allergan, providing training in Botox and Juvederm for both beginners and experienced injectors. I’m also super proud of TFP Academy and the outstanding training that Marjorie recently provided at our popular Hyalase Workshop. We have the Vampire Academy coming up later this month with just a couple of spaces left, and a ‘Grand Round’ style session on complications next month. Last year the complications session was extremely well received, as it’s an opportunity for clinicians both from our clinic and externally to present their challenging or interesting complications in a safe space, and for everyone attending to learn in a supportive environment. It‘s also a great way for clinicians to brush up their clinical presenting and research skills, as each attendee submits an interesting case, examines the recent research around it and then provides a summary on how they might manage a similar issue in the future, now informed by the research. It’s a format loosely based on the hospital Grand Round presentations that I always used to gain so much from when I worked in the hospitals. Our attendees last year gained as much from the process of putting their cases together as they did from the shared presentations and it was a unique and very highly rated as a learning experience.
Wow, so much great news this month! We can’t wait to see you in our new Quay St clinic, please do come in and check it out!
As always, we are grateful for your love and support, it inspires us daily to grow and get even better.
In 2001, Dr Cat started The Face Place in Vulcan Lane, with just $13,500. Some of you may recall we’ve moved a couple of times since then – first to the corner of Vulcan Lane and Queen St in 2004, and then street front to the Britomart Precinct to make the statement that ‘cosmetic injectables are now mainstream and deserve to be visible. For 11 years Britomart has been our city clinic home and it has served us extremely well, offering the skin and injectables treatments that we have established a remarkable reputation for over the past two plus decades. With the lease period for the Britomart clinic coming to an end, and the clinic now being too small for our growth needs, we’re excited to be on the move.
We share with you often that we are always trialling and researching new treatments that come into our industry, many of which don’t meet our stringent standards of ‘natural Cosmedicine with Integrity’
· Safe
· Simple
· Effective
· Naturally based
· Medically proven
· We are happy to trial it on ourselves (because we do!)
A very high proportion of the treatments and products we try don’t meet our high standards and criteria, whilst others do and we introduce these to our clinics. Over the past decade we have introduced our Vampire treatments, Intimate Wellness treatments, Profhilo, EmFace, Skin Pen and nutrient rich peels. Our business has grown as has our reputation, and we are quietly confident that we have earned these.
With this continued growth, in 2023 we knew that our current Britomart Clinic wasn’t going to be able to accommodate the ongoing plans we have for the business, and we went in search of a suitable space to build and develop a new space for our team and valued clients. This has been a longer process than we anticipated, but we know that it will be worth every bit of effort that we have put into bringing our vision to life. We are now well into the building process and in a few short weeks the building phase will be finished, then the mammoth task of packing up our current Britomart Clinic and moving into our new clinic will be upon us.
We can’t wait to welcome you into our new clinic opposite the Downtown Ferry Building in early June. An immense amount of thought has gone into developing a space that is serene and provides everyone who steps inside it an environment that allows them to relax. From the moment you enter our doors, you’ll be greeted by our tranquil atmosphere designed to soothe the senses and ease any tensions. Our team has meticulously curated every aspect of the clinic to ensure your comfort and well-being. Whilst the building and clinic will be new, our highly skilled and dedicated team will continue to provide you with gold standard treatments that are tailored to your individual needs – and we have some exciting new treatments coming too!
In both our Britomart and Takapuna clinics, you’re more than just a patient – you’re an extremely valued member of our community. We have always been committed to building lasting relationships based on trust, respect, empathy and honesty. Together we will work towards achieving your skin, cosmetic, medical and intimate wellness goals.
We can’t wait to embark on this journey with you and welcome you into our new clinic in early June. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @thefaceplacenz to see our ongoing updates about the move. We will also be sending out an email with directions to the new clinic and the parking options. Your appointment reminder text will also remind you that we have moved and where to find us.
Thank you for your continued support as we make this next exciting transition!
Gosh has it only been a month since I was in Monaco at conference – it feels like so much longer!
Our biggest news is the transition of our Britomart clinic to Quay St opposite the ferry terminal next month. Britomart has served us well for 11 years and when we opened it was a statement that cosmetic injectables were now ‘coming out’ from behind closed doors. Wow, how things have changed in 11 years, with Botox and fillers now spoken about openly, and new horizons such as sexual rejuvenation/intimate wellness that we pioneered in NZ.
We are super excited about the new clinic, which will have more spacious treatment rooms and more of them, allowing us to offer our existing treatments and some exciting new ones which we will be launching over the next couple of months! Keep an eye out on social media for some new intimate wellness and skin conditioning treatments being launched! Our new clinic will be back on the second floor, in a serene environment overlooking the water (and the port!). The move is planned for early June, but we’ll keep you informed – watch out for an email with all the new directions when we move – and we’ll also update the website and remind you on your text reminders!
This is only our fourth move of the city clinic in 24 years. We started at Level 2, 10 Vulcan Lane in 2001 (with just me!) then expanded to Level 2, 4 Vulcan Lane in 2004, before moving to the Britomart Precinct in 2014. Through that time, many of you will have met our fabulous Britomart Clinic Manager, Treena. This month, we celebrated Treena officially working 20 years at TFP! We actually think it might be closer to 22 years, as Treena worked at the first clinic for a bit as well… but we are delighted and honoured to have such a loyal, steadfast and committed team member. Treena has been ‘the face’ of The Face Place, and is a customer experience star. We are so grateful to have her smiling face on reception when you walk in to our city clinic. Thank you so much Treena, we love you 🙏🏼 🥰
Profhilo Body workshops at the Park Hyatt
Providing workshops and presentations on Profhilo Body with Dr Gabriel Siquier
I was asked to be part of the launch of a new filler, Viscoderm Hydrobooster, into NZ, and was flown by the company to Dubai for training just after getting back from Monaco. It was a brilliant trip and I’m very excited about the new product and its ability to treat dynamic lines (lines caused by movement) on the forehead, lips and crow’s feet, as well as its ability to ‘boost’ the skin in the cheeks and lower face with hydration, plumpness and collagen.
Last Thursday I was honoured to work alongside the international trainer for the product, Dr Gabriel Siquier, to launch the product at the Park Hyatt, and we then provided workshops and presentations together on Profhilo Body (for hands and chest) and Viscoderm Hydrobooster, over Friday and Saturday at the Clinical Aesthetics Symposium. The product has only just arrived in the country and I will be overseas for the next 6 weeks in Bali and the Gold Coast (a mix of work and pleasure), so we will be training the rest of the team over the next couple of months. Another exciting product that we are delighted to add to our toolbox! I see it being an ideal product for the pesky horizontal forehead lines, especially if your brows drop with BTX. But a syringe goes a really long way! A course of treatments is 2 treatments spaced 2 months apart, and then a top up every 4-6 months. It’s so new, we don’t have pricing yet, but watch this space!
In addition to our new machines and new filler, we are excited to be the first clinic in NZ to have the new EmFace Submental applicator – to tighten the saggy underneath of the neck. With the new applicator, we have also revisited our EmFace pricing, so if it’s something you have been considering, have a chat with one of our friendly team.
On 9 May I will be popping down to Ashburton to celebrate what would have been my dad’s 74th birthday with my brother and his family. From there I travel to Bali for a friend’s 40th and while in Bali I will have the first of my five 50th celebrations – I’m planning a celebration for each decade! Next month I will be in the Gold Coast for the ASAPS Non-Surgical Symposium, and will have my GC celebration with some of my closest friends, and then I’m planning a celebration in NZ and one in Mexico when I travel back there in November for my mum’s 70th! For my actual birthday in August, I will be ticking an item off my bucket list with a cruise around the Galapagos.
My new hairdo!
In Dubai last month for the launch of Viscoderm Hydrobooster into NZ
If you’ve been keeping an eye on my Instagram (@drcatstone) stories, you might have seen about the split face trial I’m currently doing, comparing Profhilo face and neck with another product I won’t yet name. The Profhilo was easy and very little downtime, but the other products was very painful and left me with big lumps on my face for about 4 hours after! Queza has now learned a new way to inject this product so there is a lot less pain and downtime, and I will have my final treatment next week, but it will have to be a huge improvement (in pain, downtime and results) for us to consider using this product in clinic.
I don’t know if it’s turning 50 and my midlife crisis kicking in, but you might have also seen I’ve got a ‘new do’. I’ve had dark hair, brunette hair, streaked hair and blonde hair in the past, so now I’m dabbling with being a redhead! It’s always fun to try new things… and to always be curious and exploring new perspectives, something I hope comes through in our constant innovation in clinic.
It’s hard to believe we have been in business nearly 25 years! We could not do this without your ongoing support, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of our community.
Toka Puia AT Carpark is the closest under-cover option at 15 Northcroft Street. Pay by Plate at the pay machine or via the AT Parking app ($2.50 per hour on weekdays / free weekend parking for a limited time only).
Other options…
Northcroft Street Parking (pay by meter) – One hour – $1.50 – Two hours – $3 – Hours thereafter – $3 per hour
Wilson Parking – 11 Northcorft Street (pay by plate machine or Parkmate app) – Casual – from $3 per hour – Earlybird (Mon-Fri) – from $14 valid for 12 hours – Night (Mon-Fri from 4 pm) – $4 flat rate valid until 8 am – Weekend (Sat-Sun) – $4 flat rate, valid for 12 hours from time of purchase
Anzac Street Carpark (pay by plate machine or via the AT app) – First 2 hours – $1.50 per hour – Hours thereafter – $3 per hour – Monday – Saturday (6 pm – 8 am) – No Charge – Sunday and Public Holidays – No Charge – Motorcycle and Mobility parking P180 – No Charge
Britomart Carparking
Currently, Britomart Carpark is offering 2 hours free parking* with a receipt of $50 or more from a Britomart store (such as The Face Place).
Britomart Carpark Valet Parking $20* for two hours (includes parking charges) $5 each additional half-hour to a daily maximum of $45 (to midnight). Available from 10am-8pm.
The Central Valet drop-off point is located on the corner of Gore and Tyler Streets, opposite Takutai Square. Drive in via the entrance on Gore Street, where you’ll be greeted by a friendly valet concierge. Leave your engine running, take your ticket and your car will be parked for you. Retrieve your car by taking your valet ticket to Britomart Car Park Reception on the corner of Britomart Place and Scene Lane.
Train An excellent alternative with Britomart Train Station being a short walk to us, plus, public transport is 50% off until 30th June 2023.
