In conversation with Dr Hazel Parkinson

What’s your favourite aesthetic treatment to perform and why?
Dermal fillers. I particularly love subtle treatments; small changes that make a significant impact. There’s real artistry involved: considering the whole face, ensuring facial harmonisation, and restoring natural-looking contours. The absolute highlight is seeing the delight on my patients’ faces when they look in the mirror. I’m also a huge fan of biostimulators and love combining biostimulating and regenerative treatments with dermal fillers. This approach enhances collagen production and delivers longer-lasting, natural-looking results that evolve beautifully over time.

What is your signature approach when it comes to treating your patients?
I believe deeply in holistic, patient-centred care. Each consultation involves listening carefully and taking the time to understand my patients, exploring factors such as intrinsic and extrinsic ageing, longevity, lifestyle, emotional wellbeing, and their specific life stage; particularly significant during menopause. This personalised and comprehensive approach ensures treatments enhance not just appearance, but also overall health, confidence, and wellbeing.

Why do you use IMAGE Skincare products?
Their extensive range truly offers something for every patient, no matter their skin concern. What sets IMAGE apart is their clever technology, particularly their proprietary XOSM technology. By mimicking naturally occurring exosomes, XOSM delivers active ingredients deeply and effectively. This innovative system enables IMAGE to incorporate potent vitamin C into their SPFs, ensuring the antioxidant penetrates where it’s needed, while the SPF remains effective on the skin’s surface. It’s also used in their Ageless Retinols, allowing for incredible results without irritation. IMAGE complements my clinical philosophy perfectly, blending medical-grade efficacy, advanced technology, and luxurious formulations for a genuinely delightful skincare experience.

Who does the range best suit and why?
There genuinely is something for everyone within the range. The Clear Cell collection offers targeted solutions for acne-prone skin, while The Max range harnesses powerful peptides and plant stem cells
to deliver remarkable age-defying results. Vital C is perfect for nourishing and energising the skin. Ageless, probably my personal favourite, excels in delivering outstanding anti-ageing outcomes. Ormedic focuses on organic and naturally derived ingredients for gentle care. The Biome+ range offers plant-derived formulations to nurture, soothe, and brighten skin without disrupting its natural balance; ideal for those with impaired skin barriers, including eczema or psoriasis, and is entirely vegan and eco-friendly. Iluma targets intense brightening to beautifully even out skin tone and reduce hyperpigmentation. Not to mention, IMAGE offers one of the most extensive SPF ranges in the industry, alongside the IMAGE MD collection, which is formulated with medical-grade actives to tackle complex concerns like ageing and pigmentation with professional precision.

"The [IMAGE] range truly offers something for every patient, no matter their skin concern."

Do you use IMAGE Skincare personally? Which products?
Absolutely, I’m obsessed! My current routine is as results-driven as it is nourishing:

• Vital C Hydrating Cleanser—morning and evening. Great for slightly drier skin, which I’m more prone to these days now that I’m perimenopausal. It leaves my skin feeling clean, refreshed, and hydrated without tightness.
• IMAGE MD Restoring Power C Serum —every morning. This is genuinely my favourite vitamin C serum on the market. It brightens, firms, fades pigmentation, and defends against oxidative damage,all while hydrating beautifully.
• VOL.U.LIFT—morning and night. I’ve just started using this myself, even though I’m not on GLP-1 medication. One of my hobbies is amateur bodybuilding, and I’m currently prepping for competitions this September. That involves rapid fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, and last time I did it, I developed what we call ‘prep face’, a similar look to what’s now dubbed ‘Ozempic face,’ with facial deflation, sagging, and skin laxity. I’m genuinely excited to see how VOL.U.LIFT supports my skin throughout this process. I’m applying it twice daily on my face and neck, and also on my abdomen, where I tend to see some skin sagging when I get lean. It’s such an innovative product and I’m genuinely optimistic about the results.
• MD Restoring Recovery Eye Gel— perfect for lines, dark circles, and puffiness. It visibly brightens and firms.
• Ormedic Balancing Lip Enhancement Complex—an ultra-hydrating polypeptide formula that instantly soothes, hydrates, and plumps the lips without any stickiness.
• Advanced Smartblend Mineral Moisturiser SPF 50 —my go-to daily SPF for my face.
• Ultra Defence SPF 50 Moisturiser— ideal for neck, hands and body. Light, protective and beautifully wearable.
• The Max Serum—every evening post-cleanse. A peptide-rich serum with plant stem cells that supports skin firmness and elasticity, perfect for perimenopausal skin
• Ageless Retinol Pure Liquid 0.75%— truly liquid gold. Potent yet non-irritating, this retinol has transformed my skin tone and texture overnight.

Which are your must-have products and why?

VOL.U.LIFT
The newly launched peptiderich moisturiser featuring the first and only GLP-1 4D Skin Rebound Complex.
Intentionally formulated to combat specific facial changes associated with GLP-1 medication use, VOL.U.LIFT addresses facial deflation, sagging, crepey skin texture, dehydration, and wrinkles.
This is incredibly beneficial given the widespread use of these medications and the related skin issues we’re now frequently seeing. Preliminary studies have shown very impressive results, highlighting its potential to significantly enhance skin firmness and volume.


Image MD Restoring Power C Serum
It helps to fade discolouration and restore brightness. Alongside a powerful dose of vitamin C, it contains a synergistic blend of superantioxidants which enhance the efficacy of vitamin C while defending against environmental damage. Hyaluronic acid adds a layer of deep hydration, promoting a plump, smooth, and firm skin appearance.

Vital C Hydrating Serum
The original and best-selling serum in the IMAGE Skincare range, packed with potent vitamin C yet gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types—including those with acne or rosacea. It brightens and soothes beautifully, making it essential for menopausal skin prone to dryness and sensitivity.

Advanced Smartblend Mineral Moisturiser SPF 50
This multitasking mineral moisturiser delivers both anti-ageing hydration and broad-spectrum sun protection in one sleek formula. It’s ideal for sensitive skin types and particularly well-suited for use after inclinic procedures; it’s now my go-to post-treatment SPF.


Ageless Retinols with XOSM Technology
These advanced formulations deliver potent retinol deep into the skin where it’s most effective, without irritation, for visibly smoother, more youthful-looking skin.

How does IMAGE Skincare complement the aesthetic treatments you offer?
IMAGE Skincare significantly enhances and maintains the results of aesthetic treatments by improving skin health, hydration, and barrier function. Their clinically backed ingredients accelerate healing and provide sustained skin improvements. They even offer postprocedure, post-peel, and post-injectable kits, which make ideal add-ons for patients seeking optimal recovery support. Their extensive peel portfolio ranges from gentle enzyme-based options to more advanced peels. The Ormedic and Biome+ ranges are also particularly well-suited for use postprocedure, helping to calm and nourish the skin while supporting a healthy barrier.

What do you enjoy most about working in aesthetics?
I love the unique combination of medical knowledge, artistic flair, and genuine human connection. Supporting someone to rediscover their confidence, especially women navigating perimenopause and
menopause, is a real privilege. Aesthetics is also exciting because it never stands still. With constant innovations in technology, ingredients, and technique, there’s always more to learn and explore.

What do you think are the industry trends to watch?
There’s a definite shift happening in aesthetics, from simply replacing volume with dermal fillers to actively stimulating the skin’s own regenerative capacity. Biostimulators are gaining traction, not just for their visible results but for their ability to encourage long-term collagen production. I’m seeing a real appetite among patients for treatments that enhance skin quality and structure from within.

Dr Hazel Parkinson is an award-winning aesthetic doctor, menopause specialist, and the founder of Dr Hazel Skin Solutions, an aesthetics and wellness clinic.