Extensive Interview with Dr. Milojevic for Estetica.hr

“LITTLE SECRETS OF THE GREAT MASTERS

OR HOW TO REJUVENATE ONESELF UNNOTICEABLY AT ANY AGE”

Dr. Nikola Milojević needs no special introduction because if you’ve ever considered any kind of non-surgical rejuvenation, in the vastness of the internet you have surely come across educational articles written by this reputed doctor who acquired his knowledge and experience in the British metropolis, where his long-standing Polyclinic Milo is also located.

Dr. Milojević has many years of work and experience behind him and over 20,000 botox and filler treatments. Estetica.hr has published interviews that Dr. Nikola Milojević has given for prestigious British magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar or Marie Claire, and that is why we are proud that this expert is our very own columnist. He opened his Polyclinic Milojević in Zagreb 7 years ago, as the primary address for both “ordinary” and “out-of-the-ordinary” ladies, celebrities, the famous and not famous, younger and older, beautiful and less beautiful, everyone whose goal is a perfect and natural anti-age treatment.

Welcome to the world of Dr. Nikola Milojević!

Dr. Milojević, is it true that before having a botox or filler treatment with a certain doctor we should always have a look at the doctor’s face if she is female, and if it is a male doctor, then how his better half looks?

Well if we can joke a little, then yes, it’s true! Because moderation in modern aesthetic treatments is of the utmost importance, just as much as an eye for aesthetics is. My priority is that a patient looks refreshed and rejuvenated, but without too much trace of it. So that others ask: “What work did she get done, and what is natural?”

Modern corrections are performed without a scalpel, while the tools used can certainly achieve rejuvenation without traces of the procedure – but only if the doctor works in moderation and has an eye for aesthetics, whether it be for himself or his family members. I must admit that my colleagues in Croatia practice proper moderation and look terrific, but I have also seen all kinds of faces of doctors and their partners at world congresses…

At Estetica.hr when we talk about filler treatments for women in their early 30s, we are met with the disapproval of our female readers because they feel that that is too early an age to start using fillers. Please explain to us what happens to facial skin in the 30s and how should we treat it?

For starters, patients in their 30s who have congenital problems such as sunken eyes, a prominent nasal bridge or thin lips, it is not the skin that is the focal reason to use fillers, because hyaluronic dermal fillers can very effectively fill the sunken eyes, straighten the nose and naturally contour the lips into a “heart lips” shape, and such treatments can even be administered in one’s 20s, as they are not related to rejuvenation but to correction.

In the late 30s, signs of aging are already more pronounced, such as atrophy of the fatty tissue in the cheeks, receding cheeks, and formation of nasolabial wrinkles. The careful and professional application of fillers returns things to their proper state and prevents premature aging. If we start with anti-aging treatments at this point in time, we will achieve the most natural and subtle results, and it will be easier to maintain a youthful appearance in later years.

Here is an example. We have a patient in her early 30s. She has signs of hyperpigmentation spots, her face is dry, and visible wrinkles can be seen around the eyes… Can you come up with an effective rejuvenation plan so that this lady will still look young and nurtured at 45, namely what treatments should the patient use and how often over the next 10 years?

This imaginary patient surely spent too much time in the sun, perhaps she gave birth to one or two children, and maybe even smokes. Signs of aging are intrinsic (genetic) and extrinsic (external factors, such as smoking). That is why we often see young women like this with vivid signs of skin damage and early aging. But now it is possible to resolve such damage very easily and effectively.

Pigmentation is resolved using the Limelight apparatus and Dermamelan and Obagi preparations. We treat and rejuvenate dry and damaged skin with PRGF plasma and use botox treatments to further eliminate fine lines around the eyes. Together with good quality care at home and creams such as Skinceuticals serums and retinol-based creams, our patient will look younger and have healthier skin at 45, than in her early 30s.

We often refer to skinboosters, what is your experience with them and who are they recommended for?

Skinboosters would also help our imaginary patient from the above example. I call them medical mesotherapy because small amounts of stabilised hyaluronic acid are injected into the dermis layer of the skin. The hyaluronic acid thus stimulates collagen growth in the skin and hydrates it, and the results are skin with a restored glow, elasticity and elimination of fine lines.

Skinboosters from the house of Galderma and Juvéderm Volite from Allergan are the best products for rejuvenating skin on the face, but also the neck, décolleté and hands, especially in older patients.

They say that women in their 40s are in their golden years: they still look wonderful, and their experience and confidence make them even more special. Unfortunately, the force of gravity reminds them that not everything is as wonderful as it appears…

Women in their 40s are gorgeous, full of self-esteem, successful at work, and incredible mothers of teenage children. Due to hormonal changes in those years as well as external factors, we notice visible signs of aging on the face, such as loss of volume and skin elasticity. These changes sometimes appear to happen overnight, especially as a consequence of the fast pace of life and everyday exposure stress, which is, of course, a very common syndrome.

We have, for example, a woman in her 40s, we already see quite noticeable nasolabial lines around her mouth, and her face looks tired despite the fact that the day has just begun. Her eyelids are slightly sagging, giving her eyes that unwanted sad expression. What can we do at the Polyclinic Milojević for this lady to have her looking the best for her age?

Here we are referring to an increased loss of volume, which I call the “deflated balloon syndrome”. We simply have to fill in lost volume and lift the critical spots on the face. In order to restore volume above and around the eyebrows, the cheeks, nasolabial lines, marionette lines and around the chin, we use a non-surgical facelift with hyaluronic dermal fillers.

With professional application and use of standardised MD Codes principles, we respect the face’s natural aging process, while the use of hyaluronic dermal filler treatments restores volume and returns that youthful oval and plump face, but in a natural way.

Botox aids in erasing wrinkles, while skin rejuvenation treatments slow down the aging process so that we can take a fresh step into our 50s, without the need for many invasive treatments.

Here we are now in our 50s. Can you name one or two famous ladies in their 50s who in your opinion look terrific? What treatment have these dames undergone?

As I mentioned in the previous question, if we begin with treatments in our 30s, our 50s can be a time when we easily maintain our youthful appearance, without the need for many treatments! It is a whole other story if we begin paying attention to our skin when we are already in our 50s, because then of course rejuvenation requires a greater number of treatments.

If I mention two beautiful actresses in their 50s – Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock, you will surely agree that they look like they did in their earliest films – the irresistible Julia in Pretty Woman and the beautiful Sandra with Sylvester Stallone in Demolition Man. I must be honest that in 1993, I was a bit in love with her…

Of course, good genes are also at play here, but our celebrity actresses have surely been using low doses of botox and subtle dermal filler treatments for years. They live in an era which offers non-surgical treatments with minimal side-effects, while Brigitte Bardot, for instance, was unfortunately not that lucky, and could only opt for a surgical facelift.

Women in their 50s often use natural skin rejuvenation methods such as dermal rollers, plasma and laser treatments, where skin firming can be achieved non-invasively by using radiofrequency and infrared light.

Are our 60s too late to use filler and botox treatments?

No, we are not too late, but as we have already commented, it is much better to begin rejuvenation on time. Nonetheless, an experienced doctor using sophisticated new fillers, innovative methods, and a little more dedication and greater number of treatments, will succeed in achieving excellent results on the skin even for women in their 60s.

Can you give us a comparison of a woman who already had a rejuvenation plan in her early 40s and continued to regularly maintain her face (and what that entails), and a woman who came to her first treatment in her 60s.

A woman who begins taking care of her youthful appearance in her 40s will look astounding in her 60s. Her face will not show signs of drastic rejuvenation and she will look as though it was only due to good genetics. This is what some call a “no trace face”. It is obvious that she has had work done given her excellent appearance in her 60s, but we are not exactly sure what treatments she has undergone. In this case, all she needs to do in her 60s is maintain her looks.

If we have a lady in her 60s just starting rejuvenation treatments, it is very likely she will need multiple treatments, but there is still hope of her not having to use surgical methods. She will need a larger dose of dermal fillers, greater expertise of the doctor administering the botox treatment, and use of stronger lasers (such as fraction lasers), for even we as aesthetic doctors sometimes need to seek out the help of our fellow surgeons.

Even so, results depend on genetics and lifestyle, because you know yourself that there are women who have never had any aesthetic procedures done, and some of them looking 20 years younger at 60, while others 15 years older than they really are.

Let us not fool ourselves, rejuvenation is not cheap. What benefits does Polyclinic Milojević offer its clients in terms of payment methods and special promotions?

High quality products and superior results do come at a higher cost. In order for our clients to be even happier and more content, whenever possible we like to surprise them with special promotions. We recently held a Lip Day at the polyclinic where we reduced the cost of lip augmentation using dermal fillers by nearly 40%.

We currently offer CryoVac treatments to remove fatty deposits at a 30% lower price, as well as permanent and painless hair removal at 20% off the regular price, and all treatments can be paid for by cash or credit card. One-time payment is valid for all cards, while instalment payments up to 12 instalments are available for Diners, Mastercard and Maestro from Zagrebačka Banka, and up to 6 instalments for Visa PBZ and American Express.