Uk-aesthetic-firsts

A History of UK Aesthetic Firsts
A History of UK Aesthetic Firsts

Since opening on Harley Street in January 2014, PHI Clinic has more advanced aesthetic technologies to the UK than any other clinic. From the first energy device for acne (), to the first cold-fibre laser cleared for all skin types (), to the first dual-wavelength resurfacing laser (), our role as a UK launch partner for leading global manufacturers has shaped how medicine is practised across the country.


This page documents that history. It is in two parts: the devices PHI Clinic was first to bring to the UK, and the for which PHI Clinic has served as the UK launch venue or Key Opinion Leader anchor.

Why being first matters in medical aesthetics

When a leading device manufacturer chooses a UK launch clinic, the is rarely about reach. It is about credibility, safety standards, and the to use a new technology responsibly in its earliest days on the market.


Being selected as a UK launch partner means a manufacturer has the clinic's clinical governance, the experience of its lead practitioners, and its track record with . For our patients, the is meaningful: when a treatment is at PHI Clinic, it has been delivered by clinicians who have been by the developers, often before the wider UK market has access to it.


That said, newer is not better. A core part of our approach is rigorously assessing each new technology before it. We we believe genuinely patient outcomes, not simply because they are new.


Each of the below a UK first for PHI Clinic, with documented or launch dates and .


PHI Clinic to the UK in January 2014, marking the first availability of the treatment for permanent reduction of underarm sweat anywhere in the . The launch coincided with PHI Clinic's opening on Harley Street. Since then, our clinical team has performed hundreds of miraDry procedures, one of the most extensive miraDry case series of any UK clinic.


miraDry uses electromagnetic energy to permanently eliminate the sweat and odour glands in the area. Two treatment sessions, spaced three months apart, are to optimal results. Because the underarms contain less than 2 percent of the body's sweat glands, treatment does not compromise the body's natural temperature .


PHI Clinic became the first UK clinic to install the Cutera laser system, as documented by Aesthetic Medicine magazine. in the UK by Sigmacon, the excel V two precision wavelengths, 532nm and 1064nm, in a single platform, treatment of conditions, benign lesions, and a wide spectrum of skin from one device. The award-winning system has since become a standard of care for complex and pigmentation cases across the UK.


PHI Clinic was the first clinic in the UK to offer , the world's first and only FDA-cleared energy device for the treatment of mild, moderate, and severe acne. uses 1726nm laser energy to suppress sebaceous gland activity, acne at its source rather than masking .


PHI's role as the UK launch clinic reflects 's position as a Key Leader for Cutera, AviClear's . In clinical studies, 87 percent of patients treated with AviClear saw at least half of their acne clear at six months following the protocol, a result class that has the treatment options available to UK acne beyond conventional and oral .


PHI Clinic was the first UK clinic to install , the first cold-fibre fractional laser to FDA clearance for all skin types and tones. Operating at a 2910nm wavelength, UltraClear a cold laser beam that minimises unwanted thermal damage to the surrounding skin, significantly the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation risk traditionally associated with Ablative Laser resurfacing [click the following internet page] in darker skin types.


The treatment is particularly valuable for patients with skin types IV to VI, who have been underserved by laser . In a single platform, addresses sun damage, age spots, fine lines, pigmentation, uneven texture, scarring, and pores.


PHI Clinic was the first UK clinic to introduce , a jet injection system originally developed from research at Seoul National University. NovoJet delivers active ingredients into the dermis through a 150 nozzle at controlled depths between 0.2mm and 2.0mm, without needles, and without open wounds.


The system offers two distinct modes. solution from a short distance, nano-spike that penetrate the skin for superficial and enhanced active ingredient absorption. Micro-BOMB places the device in direct with the skin to deliver solutions deeper into the dermis, with a micro-subcision effect that helps scar tissue and stretch marks.


NovoJet is particularly for with needle phobia and for treatments where improves outcomes, including skin rejuvenation, scar and mark improvement, acne support, and scalp and hair .


In May 2025, PHI Clinic became the UK launch partner for , described by its as the world's first portable, simultaneously-firing laser. is the named UK Key Opinion Leader for the device, as in Journal and Consulting Room.


Multifrax 1550nm and 1927nm wavelengths via proprietary SimulScan technology, both to be individually or simultaneously in a single pass. This means a single Multifrax session can address wrinkles, acne scars, pigmentation, melasma, and sun damage at skin depths, concerns that separate or multiple .


Beyond being first to devices, PHI Clinic has been chosen by as the UK launch venue for new technologies, and Dr Tapan Patel holds Key Leader positions across platforms.

ResurFX: UK industry launch hosted at PHI Clinic, March 2015

In March 2015, Lumenis, the world's largest energy-based medical device company for aesthetic, surgical, and applications, selected PHI Clinic as the UK launch venue for the ResurFX laser system. The event was by The Harley Street Journal and included a live by , described in the as "a recognised industry leader for facial rejuvenation treatments."


ResurFX uses a 1565nm fibre laser to non-ablative skin resurfacing, collagen production with minimal downtime. The choice of PHI Clinic as the launch venue, less than 18 months after the clinic opened, reflected the of Dr Tapan Patel's clinical in laser-based facial rejuvenation.


, Director and of PHI Clinic, is a UK Key Opinion Leader for , the minimally invasive laser skin tightening performed using the Eufoton LASEmaR 1500, as announced in Journal. was on Channel 5's 10 Years Younger in 10 Days, with Dr Tapan Patel performing the as the non-surgical doctor on the programme.


PHI Clinic has also hosted dedicated UK events for EndoliftX, the next-generation Endolift platform, with Dr Tapan Patel opening the discussions on the applications.


Beyond firsts, PHI Clinic houses one of the largest of medical devices of any clinic in the UK. The clinic operates across four floors at 102 Harley Street, treatment pods, theatres, laser rooms, and a dedicated training academy where international and global cosmetic brands come to learn or best in .


This breadth of technology . It allows our team to build genuinely bespoke plans, from a wide range of (injectable, laser, ultrasound, radiofrequency, and regenerative) based on what is right for the individual rather than what is available in a limited device range.


PHI role as a UK launch is by the clinical of our team. , our Director and founder, is a Global Key Opinion Leader for Allergan (the of BOTOX® and Juvéderm®), a Key Opinion Leader for Cutera (the parent company of and ), the named UK Key Opinion Leader for , and a UK Key Leader for . He has and was the first doctor invited to an teaching to members of the British Association of Aesthetic (BAAPS), at their annual in October 2018.


This concentration of Key Leadership across device is part of why global brands choose PHI Clinic as a UK launch . a new technology to market in a regulated medical aesthetics environment requires not just early access, but the clinical expertise to use it safely and effectively from day one.


For patients, our history of UK firsts into something practical: access to genuinely advanced treatments, delivered by who have been directly by the people who them.


It also means a more considered approach to treatments. Because we work with manufacturers from the earliest stages of UK availability, our team has a deeper understanding of which patients each is suited for, and equally, when it is not the right choice. That depth of experience the natural-looking, results PHI Clinic is known for.


If you are considering an advanced treatment and would like to which option is most appropriate for you, a consultation with our team is the best starting point.




Frequently asked questions

PHI Clinic on Harley Street was the first clinic in the UK to offer AviClear, the first energy device for the treatment of mild, moderate, and severe acne.


miraDry, the treatment for permanent of underarm sweat, became available to UK at PHI Clinic in January 2014.


PHI Clinic on Harley Street was the first UK clinic to install UltraClear, the first cold-fibre fractional laser to FDA clearance for all skin types and tones.


PHI Clinic was the first UK clinic to NovoJet, a needle-free jet system delivering active ingredients into the dermis at controlled depths through 150 micropropulsion technology.


PHI Clinic was the UK launch for Multifrax in May 2025, with Dr Tapan Patel serving as the named UK Key Opinion Leader for the device.


The ResurFX fractional non-ablative laser system was to the UK at PHI Clinic on Harley Street in March 2015, with Dr Tapan Patel performing the live demonstration at the industry launch event.


select launch based on clinical governance, the of lead practitioners, and the track record with technologies. PHI Medical Director, Dr Tapan Patel, holds Key Leader with Allergan Aesthetics, Cutera, Multifrax, and Endolift, and the clinic operates one of the largest medical device collections of any practice in the UK.


Not automatically. At PHI Clinic, every new technology is rigorously assessed before being introduced into patient care. The fact that a device is new does not make it the right choice for every patient, and a core part of our consultation process is identifying the treatment that fits each individual, regardless of whether it is the latest available.


can be booked by calling or via our online enquiry form. During your consultation, our team will discuss your and goals, and the treatment approach best suited to you.


Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person and treatment to treatment.


© 2024 PHI Clinic


© 2024 PHI Clinic