Out and about

ALMA ACADEMY

Hyatt Regency Tower, Barcelona

The sixth Alma Academy, held by Alma Lasers from March 1-4, was attended by nearly 400 physicians from 37 countries, as well as editor Anna Dobbie.

The global summit brought together 16 world-class experts from across the industry to discuss the latest news and insights, and share real case practices. Among the notable speakers were Prof Ofir Artzi and Prof Moshe Lapidot from Israel, Dr Munir Somji from the UK, Dr Sachin Dhawan from India, and Dr Tiago Baptista Fernandes from Portugal. Topics ranged from skin rejuvenation to addressing challenging skin conditions, scars, and body contouring. Participants included dermatologists, aesthetic doctors, cosmetic surgeons, and plastic surgeons.

The event included live demonstration sessions with Alma’s award-winning products such as the flagship Harmony XL Pro, a holistic device for treating dozens of aesthetic indications, Alma Hybrid, for skin rejuvenation and scar treatments, and Alma PrimeX, which offers whole-body treatments.

As well as great learning opportunities during the day, attendees were wined and dined at some of the hottest locations across Barcelona. On the first night, a welcome event was held at Shoko Club, with live music and canapés. Day two saw delegates dressed to the nines for an authentic Spanish dinner and party at winery Caves Codorniu, and on the final evening, there was a black-tie gala dinner at Finca Mas Solers. Journalists attending the trip also experienced a treatment to tighten and rejuvenate with the non-invasive body contouring PrimeX device.

Alma Academy offers the opportunity for professionals to learn, engage, and excel in their field alongside industry leaders. The event, held in various locations around the world including Greece, North America, Spain, Dubai, and Italy, gathers world-leading experts in the field of medical aesthetics every year, enabling them to share their recent research and case studies.

THE TWEAKMENTS GUIDE LIVE

St John’s, Hyde Park

On February 20, Alice Hart-Davis invited the public (and editor Anna Dobbie) to discover the latest tweakment technologies from brands, including Lutronic, BTL Aesthetics and InMode. Consumers could find out more about the skincare of choice practitioners and try out energy treatments such as NeoGen Plasma for themselves. Short talks from expert practitioners including Dr Sophie Shotter, Mr Marc Pacifico and Dr Catharine Denning also ran throughout the evening.

SOFWAVE X PLIM DINNER

Sexy Fish, Mayfair

Sofwave held an informal dinner to introduce guests to its ultrasound device, in partnership with buy now pay later solution PLIM and the expert marketing team from Quirky Frog. Guests, including editor Anna Dobbie, were welcomed to the Coral Room, a private dining space with an illuminated amber onyx floor and two of the largest live coral reef tanks in the world, with champagne and cocktails. Lianne Sykes from Quirky Frog introduced Matt Hubbell, Sofwave UK and Ireland country director, and Annette Bauer, business development manager at PLIM, then guests tucked into a dinner of Asian-inspired delicacies.

PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY LONDON AND AWARDS

ExCeL, Greenwich

The aesthetics, beauty and spa industry came together on March 3–4 for two days of making connections, meeting the best suppliers in the market, learning from incredible speakers and celebrating top talent at the awards and competitions. 20,116 visitors flocked to ExCeL, with more than 300 brands there to show off their latest innovations, demonstrate their treatments and meet professionals in person. There was also an impressive programme of talks and demos across three education sessions and three free live stages: Business and Digital Skills, Skin and Advanced Treatments, and Trends and Techniques. On the evening of March 3, the winners of the Professional Beauty Awards 2024 were revealed during a black-tie ceremony at The Brewery, a stunning Grade II listed building in the City of London. Industry figures, including the AM team, came together for an evening of celebration, recognising outstanding salons, spas, clinics and individuals in the beauty and spa industry.

NEOGEN LAUNCH

Ouronyx, Mayfair

Editor Anna Dobbie learned more from Dr Raj Thethi about how NeoGen harnesses the power of heat to stimulate collagen production, reduce wrinkles, and improve overall skin texture at an exclusive event on February 22. 

LPG LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE EVENT

AllBright Members Club, London

LPG hosted an expert panel event at AllBright Mayfair where Dr Tasmin Lewis, founder of Wellgevity, Flavia Morellato, lymphatic drainage expert, Professor Christophe Hausswirth, clinical research director, and Nathalie Paradis, physiotherapist and LPG expert, spoke about the importance of lymphatic drainage and how LPG Endermologie can help. The panel, attended by editor Anna Dobbie, also discussed how the treatment is built into the healthcare system in other countries, such as France, where the benefits of lymphatic drainage are far more respected.

DR L’ART CLINIC OPENING

Dr L’Art, London

Contributing writer Lollie Hancock was invited to the soft launch of the new Dr L’Art Aesthetics Clinic ahead of its official opening. Guests were treated to champagne and nibbles as they explored the state-of-the-art clinic on London’s New Oxford Street, with founder Dr Dianni Dai and her team of experts across skin and aesthetics on hand to answer any questions. Dibi Milano’s business development manager Maria Naskos was also at the event to analyse guests’ skin and provide product and treatment recommendations.

NO FILTER DINNER

5 Hertford Street, Mayfair

Editor Anna Dobbie attended an exclusive press dinner on February 21 hosted by No Filter Clinic founder Dr Sindhu Siddiqi. Dr Siddiqi, who has over a decade of experience in the industry, discussed all things skin, injectables and beauty, not to mention giving an insight into exciting innovations that will be reaching the Kensington clinic’s doors in 2024.

ALMA STUDIOS OPENING PARTY

Alma Studios, London

Aesthetic device brand Alma Lasers partied the night away to celebrate the launch of its new office, training and event space, Alma Studios, which overlooks St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The event had the dress code “glam” and was given a Studio 54 theme, complete with a dance floor and a bar with themed cocktails. Entertaining the guests – who included editorial assistant Erin Leybourne – were a variety of performers, including some disco ball dancers, a DJ, and a live saxophonist. The studio’s treatment rooms are decked out with a selection of Alma’s devices, and the brand has created a bespoke training and education programme to benefit those clients who travel to the studios.

INMODE UK EMPOWERRF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY GETAWAY

Coworth Park Hotel, Ascot

To celebrate International Women’s Day, InMode hosted an intimate weekend getaway, showcasing their EmpowerRF device. Bringing together a range of specialists in the women’s health sector, including editor Anna Dobbie, the group were invited to explore how we can curate a healthier future for women’s wellness.

The event, which was held at Coworth Park Hotel, invited leading intimate health specialists, Dr Shirin Lakhani and Dr Sarah Jenkins to talk candidly with presenter Anna Richardson, journalist and sexologist, Emilie Lavinia, several of their patients, and a range of special guests.

“51% of our population is women and yet all of the research is focused on male physiology,” said Dr Lakhani during a panel discussion. “We should all be checking our vulva for changes and abnormalities monthly, in the same way that we check our breasts for changes in their appearance.”

Dr Jenkins added, “Women shouldn’t be suffering in silence following pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal changes that impact their intimate health. I have been able to offer life-changing treatment with this device, giving people a chance to feel like themselves again.”

The event demonstrated how EmpowerRF is redefining the women’s health space, offering an opportunity for women to address their concerns, which previously they would have had their whole lives. The first treatment of its kind, EmpowerRF harnesses the power of advanced radiofrequency energy, as well as intravaginal electrical muscle stimulation, to treat a broad range of concerns.

Managing director at InModeUK, Victoria Voysey, is leading the drive for change. “Put simply, the technology and safety embedded in EmpowerRF will benefit women in years to come by avoiding complex surgery. We cannot continue ignoring the inevitable changes that women experience and expecting them to suffer in silence. I truly believe our children will not have the experience of those gone before them because of these leading experts and devices like EmpowerRF.”

As well as educational panels, attendees were treated to several delicious and healthy meals, an InMode treatment of their choice at the Coworth Spa, followed by an Et Al make-up and photo session. An all-female live band provided music over dinner and early risers had a pelvic pilates class followed by a workshop on ‘Unleashing the sexy in you’. We all felt thoroughly spoilt, thank you InMode!