North Leeds based dentistry clinic Temple Dental Practice offers its patients much more than just the standard dental care.
Born and raised in Alwoodley, Temple Dental Practice Founder Sophia Bow first opened the dental practice in 2000: “I was born in Leeds and I grew up in Alwoodley. I went to Allerton High School, and later went to what is known as Leeds Arts University but used to be called Jacob Kramer College. While I love painting, I wasn’t going to make a living out of it, so I studied Business and Accountancy. Then I set up dental practices, as I have dentists in the family.”
The practices have grown successfully, but soon Sophia would have the experience which convinced her to add cosmetic treatments to her roster: “Treatments such as dermal fillers and wrinkle relaxants, started to gain popularity in the very early 2000s. I had my first ever treatment when I was 37, in 2003. I thought it was fantastic, and I thought ‘wouldn’t it be great to bring it into my clinics?’ And that’s how it all started. I actually began my training back in 2003 and as these treatments have grown in popularity, it’s been the perfect time in my life to personally have the treatments and measure results. You hardly age with them.”
As soon as Sophia saw the effects these treatments were producing on herself, she knew she had to bring the opportunity to other people: “It’s all very much about the way that I feel about myself and how I want to present myself. I’m not a big makeup wearer and I’m not particularly glamourous. I want to cheat. I don’t feel old, so I don’t want to look old. These treatments can rejuvenate and considerably turn back the clock, and not only that, but they can also then maintain the look.”
Not only are treatments such as dermal fillers and wrinkle relaxants helpful in ensuring a more youthful appearance, but these treatments can also be beneficial for your health: “The chemical that people refer to as Botox, botulinum toxin, is really helpful for preventing migraines and cluster headaches,” Sophia explains. “Dermal fillers are good for your skin, they contain the component parts of collagen, which puffs things up, so you’re putting things into your face which can actually be very medically advantageous provided it’s done right.”
The wrinkle relaxant treatment involves injecting botulinum toxin into your skin. The chemical blocks certain chemical signals from nerves, mostly the signals which cause muscles to contract, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. The treatment is effective for three to six months before it needs to be reapplied. With dermal fillers, a substance is injected which expands and fills in the wrinkles. As these are procedures which involve breaching the skin, Sophia ensures that everything is done to the highest safety standards possible: “I’ve seen my local competition and I know what’s there. One of the biggest differences I’ve found is that is that we are in a Care Quality Commission regulated environment. I think that all treatments should be done in a regulated environment. You hear horror stories of people having something go wrong in unregulated places. Generally, the cross-infection risks are huge. People think ‘oh, it’s just a needle going in.’ That’s invasive; it’s a form of surgery when you do anything that pierces anyone’s skin. That’s why I think this has to be done to the highest standard, which is what we do.
“Obviously, if you’re putting anything into anyone’s face you have to know what you’re doing. I’ve been using these products for over 20 years, and I haven’t really aged. And it’s not because I’m naturally gorgeous, it’s because I’ve been using them. I’ll be 57 soon, and the difference these treatments make, particularly as you get older, is astounding. You would think that as you get older you’ve got to do more, but actually I find that these treatments work better for people who are older. It lasts longer because as you age your metabolism slows down. All we’re doing is turning the clock back rather than totally changing the way our patients look. It’s knocking years off people.”
Since she has been administering these treatments, Sophia has developed her own techniques which allow her to produce better results: “The techniques that I’m using, having been doing this for so long, are my own techniques. You do your training and you’re taught what to do. You have to understand the anatomy of someone’s face and where all the blood vessels and all the nerves are, where to inject and how to inject, that kind of thing. You also have to understand all the products. But once you understand all of that, you can do anything. I’ve done treatments such as nose reconstruction and full face treatments.”
Sophia has even worked with patients who have had treatments elsewhere and either wish to supplement or change what has been done: “I’ve seen people who’ve had facelifts that have failed. And even if you have a surgical facelift, you still need to come in for your fillers and wrinkle relaxants because you’ve stretched your skin, and your wrinkles are likely to come back. It’s not really addressing the real cause, which (apart from the obvious fact that you are getting older) is the loss of fat in the skin. By stretching the skin and taking something out, you’re not addressing the real issue, which is done by putting something back in.”
While dermal fillers and wrinkle relaxants can be used by people of any age, Sophia is particularly impressed by the effect she’s seen on her eldest patients: “I’ve treated people in their eighties and the results I’ve seen are phenomenal. With these treatments you can have an eighty year old looking like they’re in their early sixties or fifties. We have clients wondering how we’ve done it.”
As with many cosmetic treatments, some people can find themselves hesitant to take the plunge and have the treatment they want. For those who are hesitant, Sophia has some advice to give: “I would say to nervous clients what I would say to anyone who comes in for a consultation. Get Googling. Coming in for a consultation is completely free. I’m confident in what I do, and one of the things I say to everyone is to not just take my word for it and to check out before and after pictures and ask any questions they have. Our results speak for themselves.”
The consultations Sophia offers are essential for figuring out what treatment is needed: “I will be 100% honest when someone comes to see me. Sometimes people will ask for a treatment and say that they don’t want us to touch their lips, for example. But actually, to get rid of the top lines (lipstick lines) you have to go into the lip because it is the muscles in the lip that have caused them to pucker, and I will tell them that. Sometimes, the younger generation come in – and I do treat younger people – and they want to have their face change shape. I will refuse to do it, because I know that it will end up looking fake and like they’ve had work done. That’s when you get people experiencing dysmorphia. I won’t do a treatment that I think will cause that.”
To book a consultation with Sophia or her team, visit Templepractice.com