The banana lift

You can expect subtle yet effective results after visiting cosmetic appearance doctor Joanna Romanowska from Clinic 42. Her focus has always been to enhance your best features while erasing the signs of fatigue, and her new technique, named 'The Banana Lift', is no different. Editor Trudi Brewer shares a bespoke dermal filler treatment with before and after results. Read on to see more.

Light makeup on the before shot. The after photo is makeup-free, and then four hours later, back in the office with a touch of makeup.

The appeal of a mini facelift that takes an hour (without a knife) is what busy women like me are looking for from cosmetic medicine. A new technique that gives you the look of wellness and a youthful lifted boost is now available. Known as 'The Banana Lift', it was inspired by plastic surgery techniques (but tailored to suit a non-invasive treatment), by Dr Joanna Romanowska and her team at Clinic 42 in Auckland. It targets the upper part of the face, from the cheeks to the hairline and temples. Romanowska says, "As we age, we lose volume in the outer part of the face, but not as much in the middle part of the face, which is when the skin falls forward with gravity. When that volume goes, the face starts to sink down and in. The temples also lose volume and hollowness sets in." Ageing can be cruel and not just wrinkling the skin; once that look of fatigue sets in, it makes you appear tired and grumpy, which I dislike most about ageing. "It's not necessarily noticeable, but the effects of this volume loss mean we make a judgement about someone's looks, that they are tired, gaunt and aged," says Romanowska. 

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM 'THE BANANA LIFT' TREATMENT

First up, this treatment uses a needle, a cannula (blunt needle), which allows large amounts of the dermal filler (made with hyaluronic acid, it also contains anaesthetic) to be injected in a sweeping, fan-like pattern under the skin's surface. Then, starting at the temples, the dermal filler is injected to replace lost volume in a curved shape along the cheekbone and hairline around the outer part of the face. "We start at the temples at the top outer part of the face, to create as much elevation as we can, and then work down and in toward the cheekbones," says Romanowska. In the same way, with makeup, you would contour your face using blush or highlighter from the cheekbones up to the temples in a 3-like movement; for a definition or that light-catching illumination, this treatment lifts the same part of the face. Hence the name 'The Banana Lift.' Romanowska believes, "Even when ageing elements are only subtly corrected, the overall effect creates an impression of fresh-faced wellness."

Doctor Joanna Romanowska performing ‘The Banana Lift’ on editor Trudi Brewer.

THE RESULT

For me, the results are subtle but life-changing. It helps draw attention to my eyes and the upper part of the face, which looks fuller and lifted. It has also managed to balance my face. For example, my left eyebrow has always been slightly higher; now, it is in line with the other brow. Also, with mask-wearing right now, it's the upper part of your face that the world sees, and for me, my eyes feel wider and appear less tired-looking. Romanowska says, "The Banana Lift' treatment can be customised to work with other cosmetic procedures, such as Botox, or with dermal fillers on other areas on the face. For example, for those patients that need more volume around the mouth and chin, we can use a platforming technique that rebalances the mouth area, which we call the 'Wow' treatment."

THE TAKE-HOME

There is an element of mild discomfort; with injecting dermal filler but thanks to the built-in anaesthetic, it's not painful. You will hear a squelching sound as the filler is injected under the skin. As with most injectable procedures, there may be slight bruising at the injection sites (I didn't get any bruising). But the best part of having dermal filler is seeing visible results immediately. 'The Banana Lift' is subtle enough for me to return to the office without sporting a red swollen face with needle marks. Excited by the effects of this treatment, Romanowska is enjoying the results of how this treatment can restore the look of wellness to an ageing face. For me, coupled with the knowledge and the natural-looking effect, the fact this service is fast and almost pain-free, this treatment has helped me look and feel the very best version of myself.

Expect to pay: The Banana Lift costs: $1,900

Allow: 60 mins

How long does it last?: Between two and three years.

Our editor paid $1900 for this treatment, this review is her honest account of 'The Banana Lift'. It's never easy to capture the subtly of cosmetic medicine on film, but less is always more when it comes to dermal fillers. Safe to say, our editor is thrilled with the results. We welcome all questions and feedback. Please feel free to post below, and our editor will answer any queries for you.