Dr Yasmin Rates the Trends: From Morpheus8 to Pillow Face

I Rate the Trends: From Morpheus8 to Pillow Face

There is no shortage of aesthetic advice online. Every week brings a new device, a new supplement, a new ritual that promises firmer skin, smaller pores or a more sculpted jaw. Some of it is genuinely brilliant. Some of it is harmless. And a fair amount of it, frankly, is noise.

So I decided to score a handful of the treatments and trends that my patients ask about most. No marketing spin, no hedging. Just a number out of ten and the reasoning behind it. What comes through, more than any single rating, is a theme I return to again and again: results depend far less on the treatment itself and far more on the hands performing it and the honesty behind the recommendation.

Below I have taken my verdicts and expanded on each one, so you can understand not only what I think but why. If you have been eyeing up any of these, this should help you spend your time and money on the things that actually deliver.

Morpheus8: a 10 in the right hands

Morpheus8 was the clear winner, and it is easy to see why. It combines two proven approaches into one treatment. Fine needles create controlled micro-injuries in the skin, which is microneedling, and at the same time radiofrequency energy is delivered through those needles into the deeper layers of the skin. That heat is the clever part. It remodels tissue below the surface and triggers a sustained wave of collagen and elastin production over the following weeks and months.

The result is skin that looks tighter and smoother, with an improvement in laxity around the jawline, cheeks and neck. Because the energy reaches the deeper dermis, it can also help soften the look of acne scarring and refine texture. Most people have a short recovery, often a day or two of redness and a slightly gritty texture where the pins have touched the skin. A course of three sessions is typical, spaced several weeks apart, with the collagen response continuing to build long after the final appointment.

Here is where my caveat matters. I rate it ten out of ten in the right hands and two out of ten in the wrong ones. Radiofrequency energy is powerful, and the settings need to be matched to your skin type, the area being treated and the depth required. Too aggressive and you risk burns or unnecessary trauma. Too timid and you have paid for very little. The device does not make the outcome. The practitioner setting it does.

Collagen drinks and supplements: promising, not proven

Collagen powders, sachets and shots are everywhere, and the marketing is seductive. I give them two out of ten, and I want to be careful to explain why. I am not against the idea in principle. The problem is the evidence.

Most oral collagen products contain hydrolysed collagen peptides, which are collagen proteins broken down into smaller fragments so the body can absorb them. There are some studies suggesting modest improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, but many are small, short and funded by the companies selling the products. That does not make them worthless, but it does mean the science is far from settled. Your body also breaks protein down into amino acids during digestion, so the notion that swallowing collagen sends it straight to your face is a simplification.

What I would say next is the part worth remembering. I will not offer something in the clinic that I do not fully believe in yet. That is a deliberate standard. Plenty of clinics happily sell trending supplements because the margins are good. Choosing not to, until the research is convincing, tells you something about how recommendations are made at Wellface. If collagen supplements are part of your routine and you enjoy them, there is no harm. Just keep your expectations realistic and remember that a good diet, sun protection and proper skincare will always do more of the heavy lifting.

LED light therapy: a supporting act, not the star

LED, or light-emitting diode therapy, earns a middle-of-the-road five out of ten, and that feels about right. Different wavelengths of light do different jobs. Red and near-infrared light are used to encourage collagen production and calm inflammation, while blue light targets the bacteria involved in acne. The treatment is gentle, painless and has a genuine place in a wider plan.

The key word I would use is miracles, as in do not expect them. LED works best as a complement to other treatments rather than a standalone fix. It can help skin recover after a more active procedure, support a breakout-prone complexion and gradually improve overall quality with regular use. What it will not do is lift heavy jowls or erase deep lines on its own. Think of it as maintenance and support, the kind of thing that quietly helps your skin behave, rather than a dramatic transformation in a single session.

The wellness trends: taping, cold and cryo

Not everything my patients ask about happens in a clinic. A lot of it is happening at home, driven by social media, and I have thoughts on the current favourites.

Mouth taping

This one I dismiss outright. Mouth taping, where people stick tape over their lips at night to force nasal breathing, has been sold as a fix for everything from snoring to jaw definition. My view is simple. For most people it is unnecessary, and if you are struggling to breathe through your nose at night or grinding and clenching, that is a reason to see your dentist or doctor, not to reach for tape. Persistent mouth breathing or disrupted sleep can point to an underlying issue worth investigating properly, and taping over the symptom is not the answer.

Ice baths

Cold water immersion scores a four to five out of ten from me, with a sensible dose of realism. Cold exposure causes blood vessels to constrict, which can temporarily reduce puffiness and make pores look smaller. There is also interest in whether cold activates brown fat and contributes to a small amount of fat reduction over time. It may aid recovery and feels invigorating, and plenty of people genuinely enjoy it.

My point is about limitations. An ice bath is not going to reshape your face or solve a skin concern. If you love the ritual and the way it makes you feel, keep going. Just do not expect it to replace the treatments that actually target the structures under your skin.

Ice gloves and cryo tools

Cold globes and ice gloves, often used to finish a facial, get two out of ten. I am warm about them, and I would describe the de-puffing and temporary tightening they give, the way they shrink the look of pores for a while and leave skin feeling refreshed. The catch, and the reason for the low score, is that the effect is genuinely short-lived. It is a lovely finishing touch and a nice sensation, but it is not a treatment that changes your skin in any lasting way. Enjoy it for what it is.

Pillow face and duck lips: why more is never better

If there is a moment where my opinion is unmistakable, it is here. Pillow face, the overfilled, puffy look that comes from too much dermal filler in the cheeks and midface, scores a flat zero. Duck lips, the flattened, projected shape of lips that have been overdone, go even lower. My exact words are minus one hundred.

Behind the humour is a serious message about how these results happen. Overfilling is rarely about one bad appointment. It builds up when filler is added repeatedly without stepping back to assess the face as a whole, or when someone chases a trend rather than what suits their features. It is made far worse by an unqualified injector and by cheap, poor-quality products. When you combine an untrained hand with a product that behaves unpredictably in the tissue, you get exactly the outcomes I score so harshly.

Good filler work should be almost invisible. It restores balance, supports areas that have lost volume with age and enhances your natural proportions. Nobody should be able to point at your face and name the treatment. That principle, enhancing you rather than changing you, is the thread running through everything our team does. It is also the reason a proper consultation matters so much. A responsible practitioner will sometimes tell you that less is more, or that the treatment you asked for is not the one you actually need.

Common questions about trending treatments

How do I know if a treatment is right for me or just a trend?

Start with your own concern rather than the treatment name. What is it you actually want to improve, whether that is laxity, texture, volume loss or dullness? A good consultation works backwards from there and recommends the approach that fits your face and your goals. If a clinic is pushing a single trending device for every problem, be cautious. The best plans are tailored, not one-size-fits-all.

Why does the same treatment give such different results in different clinics?

Because the operator matters enormously. Devices like Morpheus8 and products like dermal filler are tools, and their outcome depends on training, judgement and settings. The difference between a ten and a two is almost always the person holding the handpiece or the syringe, along with the quality of the products being used. This is why medical qualifications and experience are worth prioritising over price.

Are collagen supplements a waste of money?

Not necessarily, but the evidence is not strong enough to promise results. Some people enjoy them and feel they help, and there is no real harm in that. Just treat them as a possible extra rather than the foundation of good skin. Sun protection, a sensible skincare routine and in-clinic treatments that stimulate your own collagen will do considerably more.

Can I overdo filler without realising it?

Yes, and it usually happens gradually. Small amounts added over time, without an honest overall assessment, can tip a face into looking heavy or unnatural before anyone notices. This is why working with a practitioner who will pause, review your whole face and occasionally say no is so valuable. The aim is balance, not maximum volume.

Is there any downtime with the treatments I rate highly?

Morpheus8 typically involves a short recovery of a day or two, with some redness and a slightly rough surface where the microneedles have worked. LED therapy has no downtime at all. I will talk you through exactly what to expect and how to look after your skin afterwards, based on the treatment and your skin type.

Come and find out what actually suits your face

Ratings out of ten are a bit of fun, but the real answer to what is worth doing depends entirely on you. Your skin, your features, your goals and your stage of life all shape the right plan, and no online trend can account for that. What my verdicts show is a clinic that will be straight with you about what works, what is merely pleasant and what is best avoided.

If you would like an honest, doctor-led opinion on any of the treatments in this post, or you simply want to know where to start, book a consultation with me at our Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon clinics. You will get advice built around your face, not the trend of the moment, and a plan designed to enhance you rather than change you.