Perfect legs for summer: Top problem areas and how to address them

Summer: that long-awaited, bitter-sweet feast of sunshine and warmth. But, while the nights might be getting shorter, not all of us choose hemlines to match…
Legs…pins…those long things on the end of my torso – whatever you want to call them, there are a surprising number of us who don’t like our own. Some statistics suggest that as many as six in ten of us hate our legs so much that we refuse to wear skirts or dresses in public, with an amazing one in six of us not even showing our legs to our partner. However, at The Private Clinic we think it’s high-time we reignite the Great British love affair with lower limbs. We explore some of the most common complaints we hear and how to treat them.

Thread Veins and Varicose Veins

One in five us of will develop Varicose Veins, and even more will suffer from problem Thread Veins. While there’s an abundance of advice on how to prevent the blue lines appearing over your legs, most experts agree that the main contributing factor is something we can’t control – genetics.

Fortunately pioneering technology means that cure is far easier than prevention (for once) and there are a number of treatments available to target damaged veins and vascular conditions. For Spider and Thread Veins, a course of Cutera CoolGlide (a non-invasive laser treatment) or Sclerotherapy (which involves the injection of a solution directly into the vein) is usually recommended, both of which cause the troubled blood channel to collapse and disappear from the leg.

Varicose Vein treatment too is fairly speedy nowadays, with medical compliance board NICE’s recommended ‘Gold Standard’ being something called EVLA (Endovenous Laser Ablation). The treatment, which usually takes around 35 minutes under local anaesthetic, permanently destroys Varicose Veins using concentrated laser energy. And, because legs are mapped using ultrasound prior to treatment, it targets the cause of the problem as opposed to just the surface, with a 95.4% success rate after five years.
  
We also offer VenaSeal treatment for Varicose veins which is a great treatment for patients who have a needle phobia as VenaSeal only requires a single injection per vein. It is also ideal for patients who are looking for treatment with minimal downtime, in most cases, you do not need to wear a compression garment and can look to be back to work a lot sooner than other treatments. VenaSeal uses medical adhesive to close varicose veins, your surgeon will use an ultrasound to guide the small catheter through the affected veins.
Foam Sclerotherapy and Phlebectomy treatments are also available for patients who are not suitable for EVLA or VenaSeal procedures.
For more information on vein treatments, click here

Unshapely Legs or Excess fat

There’s one obvious answer for getting shape and tone in legs – exercise. Working with a personal trainer or fitness expert can help tackle particular problems, and even 30 minutes exercise a day can make a huge difference to unwanted flab.

However, not everyone’s leg woes are that simple and many of us don’t get the results we want regardless of the amount of effort we put in at the gym. It’s here that a lot of people start to consider treatment options, which can be varied and targeted according to your needs.

For those who are looking for precise and noticeable results, VASER Liposuction, MicroLipo and CoolSculpting are a common choices in our clinics.

Two of the most advanced minimally-invasive liposuction treatments available, they are frequently used to rid of stubborn fat and highlight underlying muscle tone. VASER works through ‘melting’ fat cells prior to removing them, meaning it is less invasive and more targeted; a specialist technique, VASER 360, circumferential treats the upper legs without the risk of irregularity that many treatments come with.

MicroLipo

MicroLipo, meanwhile, gets its name from the size of cannulas used in it. Ranging from 0.9mm to a max of 3mm, it can remove up to 3 litres of fat with minimum trauma to the skin and significantly less recovery time than standard liposuction procedures. It is a popular choice for the thighs, calves and knees – which are normally difficult to shape and treat – due to the tiny tubes and their precision.

CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting is a non-invasive and non surgical fat reduction treatment that uses controlled cooling to selectively target areas of unwanted fat. The fat in the treated areas is frozen and naturally broken down by the body. The results are gradual but the downtime is minimal and patients are able to return to work, exercise and all of their usual activities immediately after the procedure. CoolSculpting can be very effective on the inner and outer thighs.
Find out more about body contouring treatments.

Hair on Legs

Predicting when to grab the razor before a heat wave can feel like a lottery during the Great British summer, and we’ve all fallen victim to hiding away behind tights on one of the hottest days of the year. Perhaps this is why so many people are beginning to turn to laser hair removal as a more permanent solution.
The treatment, which at The Private Clinic can be used on all skin types works through aiming a concentrated beam of light at the chosen area to damage the hair’s follicle and prevent future growth. It can be used all over the body and face, with many patients choosing to target several areas at a time.

Find out more on Laser Hair Removal

Cellulite

95% of women in the UK suffer from cellulite, but that doesn’t make it any less of an unwanted issue. Caused by everything from poor nutrition and weight loss to stress, the condition can affect anyone regardless of size or exercise habits.

Again, treatment for the common ailment is non-invasive and speedy, at The Private Clinic we offer patients Mesotherapy treatment for cellulite. Mesotherapy uses a specially prepared injection of vitamins, homeopathic ingredients, amino acids and medications to break fat cells away from the network of connective tissues in the skin.
Find out more on Cellulite treatment

Summary

The greatest piece of advice we can offer is that you’re not alone. The average woman reportedly worries about her legs at least twice a day and the vast majority of problems are often in our head. If, however, you decide you want to look at treatment options, reputable clinics have a wealth of safe methods that can help.

Nowadays treatments are often minimally-invasive and have little downtime, meaning surgery isn’t compulsory and doctors will always advise you on the most flexible method for your individual needs. Providing you work with a well-respected, knowledgeable clinic or doctor, the only thing that will stop your skirts getting shorter is the ‘summer’ weather itself.

The Private Clinic

As one of the UK’s leading aesthetic groups, we perform among the highest number of body contouring, skin and vein treatments in the UK. We offer a selection of procedures, from non-invasive speedy sessions to more long-term plastic surgery, to make sure you receive unbiased advice and the most effective way forward. We only work with the most experienced doctors, surgeons, nurses and practitioners in the UK including;

Vascular Surgeons

• Mr Constantinos Kyriakides, MD, FRCS(Gen). GMC 3275436
• Mr Dynesh Rittoo, MBChB, FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Gen Surg). GMC 3556456
• Mr Charles Ranaboldo, BM, FRCS, MS. GMC Number: 2939195
• Professor Rajiv Kumar Vohra, MBBS. GMC Number: 3158700
• Mr Tahir Hussain, MBBS,MS, FRCS. GMC Number: 3242669
• Mr Rajiv Pathak, MBBS, MS, FRCS, FRCS(Gen). GMC Number: 4585309
• Mr Ferdinand Serracino-Inglott, MD, FRCSI, FRCS(Gen), DIC MSc. GMC Number: 5206200

Vaser & MicroLipo Liposuction Doctors

• Mr Philip Lim, BSc(Hons), MB ChB, AFRCS(Ed), MRCS(Eng), FRCS(Plast). GMC Number: 4219068
• Mr Giuseppe Di Taranto, MD, GMC Number: 7614248
• Mr Roberto Uccellini, MD. GMC Number: 7416337

To find out more about any of the treatments mentioned, call 0333 920 2471 or click here to use our online contact form.
Our clinics are located in London Harley Street, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton.