A Cosmetic Doctor’s Anti-ageing Secrets
Jasmine PanayiotouDr Victoria Manning reveals her science-backed formula for lasting youth, steering young women away from surgery and towards natural alternatives.
I tapped out the station barriers to head towards the fractured light, spilling from the exit stairs at Bond Street underground. I’m then swept forward by the ongoing stream of people and driven headfirst into chaos. I surfaced like a buoy floating through the sea, straight into the current of Oxford Street - a city of monotone murmurs and constant shoulder brushes.
As I turned left onto Harley Street, the crowd began to thin, and the white noise subsided. The faint smell of cleaning agents lingered, but it was the potent hunger for cosmetic reinvention that truly overwhelmed me. This infectious yearning hung in the air, tugging at me, whispering sweet promises of self-redesign.
I approached the clinic's porcelain entrance for my 3:15 meeting, eager to unearth the secrets that uphold this successful clinical practice, pledged by the prestigious Dr Victoria Manning to be far more than just skin deep.
Who is Dr Victoria Manning?
Dr Victoria Manning is a prima donna of all medical trades. Since graduating with a doctorate in Medicine in 1966, she’s made her mark as a GP specialising in mental health, and later, substance misuse in a prison facility. Her focus shifted to aesthetics after meeting her current business partner, Charlotte, in Bournemouth in 2013.
Dr Manning recalls setting up her first independent clinic with her business partner thirteen years ago in the New Forest; a location that remains open today and has since become one of many in a growing chain. As one of the early pioneers in clinical aesthetics, Dr Manning’s expertise lies in collagen stimulation, thread lifting, and, you guessed it, inflammatory science.
Dr. Manning’s 30+ years of medical experience enrich her approach to clinical aesthetics as both a director and practitioner. She weaves her traditional and textbook knowledge into her current practice, headlining the importance of diet and exercise in preventative health.
As the launch of her new book ‘The Inflammation Game’ draws near, Dr Manning is keeping her social media followers hooked with regular sneak peeks. While she claims the book offers something for everyone, she concedes its contents are largely geared towards her usual clientele.
What is the Anti-ageing Wellness Trend?
The women’s wellness anti-ageing trend has exploded in recent years, starting out as the longevity movement, where skincare quietly merged itself with science. From hormone research, bio-hacking technology and overseas wellness sanctuaries, ageing has become something many believe can be slowed through sleep, nutrition and stress management, Dr Manning herself included.
“95% of my clients are women, so the book was undoubtedly based on my experience with this gender client base.” Says Manning. Her work highlights the health disparities between men and women and equips her clientele with the knowledge they need to age well.
When Did the Anti-ageing Trend Start?
Dr Manning's interest in ageing took shape five years ago, following the pandemic, when she spotted a recurring trend in how her patients reacted to clinical treatments.
“People who were normally fine with filler treatments were suddenly having strange side effects due to a sort of cytokine storm, likely due to COVID-19 or the vaccinations. There was a massive inflammatory response,” says Dr Manning.
What Are Cytokines?
Dr Manning says cytokines are small proteins that make up “the body’s text messaging system". Cytokines have the ability to aid healing or accidentally trigger inflammatory chaos, depending on the signals they relay between the body's cells.
When critical signals are communicated properly, cytokines protect the female body against viruses by destroying diseased cells. Dr Manning calls this the 'dance of cytokine balance', a well-choreographed routine these microscopic messengers perform 24-7, around the clock.
Why Do Women Age Faster Than Men?
“Women begin losing collagen at a rate of about 1% per year from the age of 25, at a much faster rate than it is for men.” Says Dr Manning. “And women suffer with hormone irregularities, which can contribute to increased stress levels, leading to an increase in inflammation.”
What is 'Inflammageing'?
‘Inflammageing’ is a key term the practitioner uses to describe chronic inflammation that causes ageing, stemming from factors like cellular damage, impaired tissue repair, oxidative stress and immune-senescence. These processes can impact the body, hair, eyes, and skin in both subtle and significant ways.
What Are The Different Kinds of Ageing?
“There’s intrinsic ageing, which is your genetic blueprint, and extrinsic ageing, your environment and life choices, such as your diet, exercise routine, sleep habits and stress levels,” says Dr Manning. Poor regulation of extrinsic factors can speed up the body’s internal clock and has been linked to a range of chronic diseases, such as heart disease.
GP and Aesthetic Practitioner Dr Victoria Manning on Anti-ageing Clinical Procedures
Dr Manning’s 30+ years in clinical aesthetics have left her feeling increasingly cynical about her industry, which thrives on withholding knowledge. With the UK aesthetics market set to reach £3.6 billion by 2025 (Policy Bee, 2025), she’s on a mission to spread the truth before surgery becomes the next generation’s go-to anti-ageing fix.
“If people can adopt good habits now, they won’t need to spend as much money with me in 20 years’ time.” Says Dr Manning.
A GP's Bio-Hacking Secrets That Can Reverse Ageing
Dr Manning says that the secret to delaying the ageing process lies in a 360 approach; an integration of practices depending on personal genetics and environmental tendencies.
Manning kicks off her typical consultation by asking the client about their diet and exercise routine. She will then delve into patient habits, which could be contributing to any ongoing inflammation, causing oxidative stress and cell damage.
Invest in This Anti-Ageing Skincare Trio
Dr Manning prescribes nothing extravagant by way of skincare, but stresses that a decent SPF and moisturiser combo goes a long way, best accompanied by vitamin C and retinol.
“An SPF of at least thirty will help to prevent free radical damage and further skin oxidation, which can lead to an early loss of skin elasticity, the leading cause of wrinkles.” says Dr Manning.
This is particularly important for those who live in warmer climates and for women who wear makeup regularly. Retinol further stimulates collagen production, increases skin cell production and reduces hyperpigmentation, whilst Vitamin C offers protection against any present environmental damage and boosts retinol’s rate of collagen production.
Increase Your Collagen Intake
As Dr Manning previously mentioned, from 25, women begin losing 1% of their collagen per year. Therefore, this age is a perfect time to up your collagen levels, which can be done through your diet, primarily by increasing your protein intake, or supplementing collagen peptides. This will maintain your skin’s elasticity and help your body to build new hair, nails and skin cells. Collagen also has the potential to deactivate inflammatory cytokines and foster tissue and cartilage growth.
Get Deeper and Better Quality REM Sleep
“Many people think they get enough sleep but are lacking high-quality sleep,” says Dr Manning. Peak rest is experienced during REM cycles (rapid-eye-movement), which occur when cortisol production decreases, and the body can regulate immune responses and flush out inflammatory cytokines. A lack of sufficient sleep causes heightened cortisol, and in turn, increases inflammatory cytokines and increases the risk of metabolic disorders. Dr Manning recommends putting limitations on your screen time and winding down earlier in the evening.
How Do Whole Foods Slow Down the Ageing Process?
Dr Manning says that herbs and spices such as curcumin and aspirin are excellent sources of polyphenols, which neutralise free radicals that work to reduce bodily inflammation. Whole foods such as plant compounds are also packed with polyphenols (plant compounds) owing to their antioxidant properties, and their ability to modulate cell immune responses. These have the potential to eradicate pro-inflammatory molecules like cytokines and enzymes, restoring the cytokine symphony balance to its former state.
Common Habits That Can Make You Age Faster
- Inflammation
- Processed foods
- Over-exposure to UV rays
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
Dr Manning says that consuming alcohol, inflammatory foods and processed foods can accelerate the ageing process. The GP also recommends limiting vices like sunbeds and smoking when trying to delay the ageing process.
Dr Manning's Stance on the Cosmetic Industry
The clinical practitioner's desire to write about the science of age-reversal with the same steady hand she uses to administer Botox injections drew me in from the very start. But it’s Dr Manning's experience, both as a practitioner and a mother, that kindled her interest in early prevention.
As a result, she continues to equip the young women of today with practical, no-nonsense tips to looking youthful, only filler-free; even if it shrinks down her future client base.
The seasoned practitioner hopes her advice will steer young women away from surgery and entice them to sip from her studied fountain of youth.
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