Nose waxing, ear filling and hair transplants in a very unusual place… exactly what the smart kit has to keep them young and how much it costs, doctors and their experts have revealed

Most of us think we’re doing pretty well if we shave our legs once a week, but have you ever wondered what makes the most glamorous of rich women look so shiny? There’s a whole world of secret beauty treatments that the truly well-heeled indulge in. And we’re not talking about Botox or weekly manicures, but taboo bites whispered in the therapist’s ear or kept via “do not forward” phone numbers. We’re talking nostril and nipple waxing, ear anti-aging, under dyeing and even, whisper it, pubic hair transplants… here, we take a look at the beauty secrets that the groomed really don’t want you to know about…

BARE nostrils

As hair thins in some areas in middle age, so does it grow in others – including the highest society nose. “All hair has a purpose and you need nose hair to trap dust and dirt,” says Andi Antonio, waxing specialist at Strip Hair Removal Experts in Notting Hill. “Removing visible hair around the nostrils requires full training because it’s such a sensitive area and I don’t recommend trying this at home.” She says there is huge demand for nose waxing from their glamorous clientele, especially during the festive season. “First the area should be prepared with a little oil and then hot wax is applied to each nostril on a stick. We stop just below the halfway mark. Then, resting the nostrils on the bridge, the sticks are taken out one by one and some oil is spread to ensure that all the wax is removed. Is it painful? Andy assures me that you feel a tingling sensation and then your nose feels “liberated”.

£13, striphairremovalexperts.com

FILLER FOR YOUTH LOBES

“Not only does the ear age like the rest of the body, it also continues to grow throughout your life,” says leading plastic surgeon George Christopoulos, MD MSc PhD MSc, at the Quinn Clinics in Bristol. “The pod becomes wrinkled and looser, and because it’s exposed to the sun but rarely covered in sunscreen, there’s often environmental damage.”

George Christopoulos

Another big cause of ear aging: big earrings! Yes, those family heirlooms can really take their toll. And there’s plenty you can do if worrying about your lobes is keeping you up at night.

“Depending on the severity of the problem, you can focus on improving tissue quality with some hyaluronic acid filler or PRP (platelet-rich plasma). Polynucleotides – this year’s must-have injectable – can stimulate your own tissues to produce collagen. A little laser will improve the pigmentation.’

If you have stretched the lobes too much, you can surgically remove some and reshape the area under local anesthesia.

From £1,200 for surgery and from £400 for filling, quinnclinics.co.uk

PAINT JOB UNDER

After decades of perceiving our pubic hair as unsightly, we often reach our forties and fifties and realize we’d rather have it back.

The Wimpole Clinic, which has 11 clinics across the country, says it has seen an increase in demand for pubic hair restoration and transplants over the past two to three years. “We see many middle-aged women requesting pubic hair restoration,” says leading hair transplant surgeon Dr Mir Malkani. “That could be because they’ve removed it so many times or because it’s become naturally diluted.”

He says you only need about 600 – 700 follicles, all taken from the bottom of the back of the head and transplanted into the pubic area under local anesthesia. “The skin is looser and more elastic, so it’s hard to do, but you can achieve amazing results. You have to be careful for a few weeks as the follicles integrate into the surrounding skin.’

For those looking to dye thinning or gray pubic hair, trichologist Marie-Royce Book at the Wimpole Clinic strongly recommends using a dye that’s made for sensitive areas (don’t use hair dye or bleach on the scalp) and doing a patch test on a small piece of skin. “Protect the leather and rub a little petroleum jelly or heavy cream around the edges to keep the dye where it belongs.” It may sound unlikely, but this is a treatment that is completely reduced in some selected salons.

Hair transplants from £10,000, wimpoleclinic.com

MATTRESS FOR GLAM MADE

Worried that your usual deodorant might not cut the mustard at an upcoming black tie? Time to break out the facial toner.

“Underarm odor is mainly caused by bacteria,” says esthetician Dr Christine Hall. “Exfoliating acids have antimicrobial properties that can balance this out by removing dead skin cells that trap bacteria in the underarm area.” She recommends putting some toner like REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic on a cotton ball and running it under your arms after you shower. ‘Let it dry completely before applying your regular deodorant.’ Dr Hall says it can also help with the pigmented skin that can develop in the armpits if this is a concern and, very helpfully, that it can help with keratosis pilaris – those little hard bumps that many of us have on our upper back. of our hands. “The only condition is that you have to do a patch test. the skin is quite sensitive. Don’t do it for the first time just before you go out!’

£30, renskincare.co.uk

SUGAR-COATED NIPPLES

Body hair is only considered unsightly due to societal imperatives, but it’s a fact that those with hairy fingers, nipples, and navels often wish they were smooth.

Rosie Khandwala

Pulling hair from toes is fairly common in salons when waxing legs, but if you want it removed anywhere less likely, it may require a quiet word in the therapist’s ear. While you may not necessarily see waxing on most salon menus, rest assured that it happens…

For the heeled woman with hair in sensitive areas, an absolute top choice of method is sugar waxing, which is vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and perfect for sensitive skin. “Sugar doesn’t pull on the skin in the same way that many typical beeswax-based products do,” says Aqua Natural Products owner Rosie Khandwala, who grew up in Tanzania, where sugaring was the standard form of hair removal. She and her husband introduced sugar waxing to the UK – starting with a launch at the Body Shop in the 1980s – and now their sugar wax products are used in high-end salons across the country. “Many wax products these days are less aggressive than beeswax, but may contain plastic, which is not environmentally friendly.”

If you want to try it at home, (five-star treatment at B&B prices), the lavender essential oil facial hair removal kit is ideal for use on sensitive areas.

£9.99, sugarcoatedhairremoval.com

SKIN PEELING LABELS

David Jack

Leading esthetician Dr David Jack, who has a little black book the size of an old-fashioned phone book, says his most stylish clients often ask to have their skin tags removed. “Skin tags, or calluses, are small, soft, skin-colored growths formed from collagen and blood vessels,” she says. You tend to see them increase with age, especially in those who are predisposed. They often develop in areas where the skin experiences friction, such as the neck, eyelids, armpits, groin and under the breasts. Although they are completely harmless and non-cancerous, they are a very common cosmetic concern that I see in the clinic.

Removing the skin tag is, he explains, a simple procedure, usually using either the Plexr – using a device that vaporizes the lesion – or what’s known as a shave excision, where the skin tag is removed with a scalpel (under local anaesthetic). “These methods are fast and with very little downtime or risk. The key is that the clinical diagnosis is made by an experienced doctor who can rule out anything worse!”

£500, drdavidjack.com