AquaGold Facial at Adonia Medical Clinic

When was the last time I reviewed a facial treatment? I can’t believe how long it’s been, but honestly, I think it’s because my skin is behaving so well recently (please don’t let this be “famous last words…”) that I haven’t really felt the need to try any new treatments.  Having said that, there are definitely a chosen few that I’ve read about and really fancied, one of which is the AquaGold Facial which I was kindly invited to try at the Adonia Medical Clinic.

The Adonia Medical Clinic is based in Maida Vale, on the North Kensington/Ladbroke Grove borders, so it’s easy to get to and easy to park near.  It’s a lovely clinic with a great set of friendly staff, headed up by Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, who is honestly one of the loveliest Aesthetic Doctors I’ve ever met – she has such a lovely and warm disposition with a sympathy for your particular skincare woes, plus her knowledge is amazing – she’s exciting and enthusiastic about all things beauty and is someone who you will quickly and easily put your faith in.

The AquaGold Facial involves the use of a Microneedling tool that pushes a cocktail of products into your skin, with the intention of quickly and effectively getting as much glow as possible, so great for pre-events, or like me, pre-holiday. The needle length is 0.6mm, so relatively short (all things considered) and the needles are thinner than a human hair, so they’re designed to open up the channels rather than puncture and wound.  The cocktail is bespoke depending on your needs, but the main three ingredients are, I believe, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C and a type of Botox.  I didn’t have the last two in my treatment – I have a disability that’s quite unusual, so Botox is a no-go for me and Dr Ejikeme was worried the Vitamin C might cause me problems with breakouts/sensitivity – so my treatment was all about the Hyaluronic Acid, an ingredient I love and was happy to have pushed into my skin!

The treatment starts with a deep cleanse, before the first pass of the device occurs.  You can choose to have a numbing cream applied if you’re nervous about the needles or you’re not great with pain, but to be honest, I was more concerned about the idea of a numb face than the needles themselves, and I do actually have a needle phobia, but for some reason the needles in any kind of Dermaroller/Stamp treatment don’t bother me as much.  So I had no painkiller or numbing product use, and honestly the treatment is entirely tolerable without any assistance.  Yes it is a bit unpleasant at time – think watering eyes and a bit of smarting rather than full-on pain – I actually get my eyebrows threaded and find the pain comparable!

After the first pass, you’re given a few moments to relax before the second pass occurs.  Again, I wouldn’t say this is any worse and just feels unpleasant and a touch uncomfortable.  I definitely wouldn’t describe it as painful.  As you can see from the pictures, my skin went very red and looked like bad sunburn for a short time, plus you can see lots of little dots on my nose and forehead, but I’d say it was almost completely settled down by the time I got home, and it didn’t feel especially tender or tight; it was slightly sensitive for the rest of the day, so I was careful with my skincare, but it was very minimal management and there were no issues at all.

After the second pass I was put under an LED lamp for, I think, around 10-15 minutes.  I am a HUGE believer in LED treatment (if I go more than a couple of days without using my home mask, I get congestion that eventually turns into spots, every single time – so I know it works) so I welcomed this as part of the facial.  Finally, I was given a deeply hydrating sheet mask to complete the whole experience, which really was all about putting the hydration back into my skin, which is exactly what it did! The treatment is sold on the fact that it’s a quick and effective way of transforming skin, which I believe is largely due to the ingredients used in the cocktail.  I of course was limited in what I could use, so my experience wasn’t as startling as other reviewers, but I will say that this is definitely a treatment that makes a big difference to skin – even just with HA in my cocktail, my skin was glowing, hydrated, plump and dewy for several weeks after, which meant on holiday I could reduce my skincare routine which was handy.  The treatment prices start at £450 for a single treatment, although courses are both available and recommended.  Having said that, I think the big USP of this treatment is that it’s ideal for a one-off before a special occasion, but I know a lot of people get hooked on the effects, so a course could work out more economical for them.  Find out more about the treatment I had here – link.