We Meet With “The Eye Doctor” Maryam Zamani

Dr Maryam Zamani, the visionary founder behind MZ Skin, is a trailblazer in the world of luxury skincare. With a passion for helping individuals achieve radiant, healthy, and glowing skin, Maryam has dedicated her career to revolutionizing the beauty industry. Her journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment to creating skincare products that not only deliver transformative results but also empower individuals to embrace their natural beauty.

As a skilled oculoplastic surgeon and a renowned facial aesthetics doctor, Maryam possesses a deep understanding of the intricacies of skin health and beauty. Her extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in the field have allowed her to develop a line of skincare products that combine science, artistry, and luxury, catering to the diverse needs of a global clientele.

With MZ Skin, Maryam has redefined the skincare experience, offering a range of products that fuse cutting-edge medical expertise with the finest, natural ingredients. Her commitment to delivering effective, results-driven skincare solutions has earned her a devoted following of clients and beauty enthusiasts worldwide.

In this exclusive profile, we will delve into Maryam’s inspiring journey, her passion for skincare, and her unwavering dedication to helping individuals achieve luminous and healthy skin.

Could you share insights about your career and how it paved the way for the inception of MZ Skin?

Coming from a family of doctors, I always knew I would become a surgeon and MZ Skin was the bonus on the way.  My career trajectory took a different turn when I moved to the UK and married.  Because my credentials of being a Board-Certified Surgeon took time to be registered and transferred over in the UK, I decided to undergo more training.  As a young surgeon, I was worried about taking time off at such an early stage in my career.  In this fellowship, I learned about hyaluronic acid and less invasive treatments to help patients who had injury or trauma to the face.  That led me to undergoing Dermatology studies to become educated in skin.  Along the way, I had two children and suffered from a form of pigmentation called Melasma. My clear skin looked dirty.  I had always loved skincare not just for the ingredients but for the ritual aspect of self-care.  At the end of a long day, I would shower, spend a few minutes pampering myself with my skincare and relaxing before going to bed.  With the melasma, I turned to doctor endorsed skin brands, but they were made by men and the self-care aspect seemed lost.  They felt medicinal.  So, I went back to the brands I loved using and started formulating on the side.  Ultimately my husband recommended I just create my own for myself and my patients and that is exactly what I did.   I did not know I was creating a global brand.  In fact, I thought I would just sell in my clinic if anywhere.  That changed when I met the Harrods buyer and she wanted to launch MZ Skin 6 months later.  MZ SKIN the brand, was created in the following month and now 7 years later we are growing from strength to strength.  During this time, I also wanted to have a space curated to make my patients feel well taken care of. I wanted to offer treatments and surgical interventions in a manner that I would want to be treated and cared for. The Clinic by Dr. Maryam Zamani is an oasis of calm in busy Chelsea where my patients can feel secure, safe, and well taken care of. Bespoke treatment protocols and intimate staff make an experience more enjoyable and pleasurable. After all, what I hope to achieve in my office is to make my patients feel more confident and happier about themselves at every age. 

MZ SKIN was born from my own necessity for science led, clinically trialled, patient formulations made by a woman for all the woman I meet. It is multifunctional, efficacy and consciously created to help Reveal, Enhance and Protect the skin. When I started, I had no idea what to expect or where it would take me!

Among the multitude of treatments you offer, what is your absolute favourite in terms of the transformation it brings to your patients?

I love every aspect of what I do but I think the best thing is when I make someone feel better about themselves, when that individual feels more confident and happier when they look at themselves in the mirror. Whether it’s a skin transformation, tweakment or surgery, it’s hugely rewarding!

What’s one common misconception or myth about Botox that you’d like to address?

A common misconception from the outside is that aesthetic treatments are visible, exaggerated or overdone. Patients are terrified of looking frozen or having ‘spok ‘brows.  If done well, tweakments should make you look the best version of yourself rather than looking different. The devil is in the attention to detail. Meticulous treatments look effortless and never done. Less is more!

MZ Skin boasts an impressive skincare line. Could you highlight your personal favourite products from the line and explain why they hold a special place for you?

This is like asking me as a mother who is my favourite child! Difficult question as all the products are formulated to work in synergy to Reveal, Enhance and Protect. However, as an Oculoplastic Surgeon, the eyes are always the first point of skin changes and aging.  I cannot go without applying the Soothe & Smooth morning and night.  The most common request I get in the office is how to make my patients look less tired. Our Soothe & Smooth is dual action by helping decrease the appearance of dark circles and helping detoxify that area while also plumping the skin and promoting collagen production simultaneously. It is packed with hyaluronic acid and ceramides so you can lock in that hydration. Peptides help bolster collagen production and the bark extract helps to detoxify the skin for brighter smoother skin. 

Which ingredients in skincare products do you believe make the most significant difference in improving the appearance of our skin?

I am always seeking the best results for pigmentation and therefore, ingredients targeting pigmentation are always high on the radar. I think Retinols and antioxidants such as Vitamin C should be in almost everyone’s regimen as powerhouse ingredients. Hydrators such as Hyaluronic Acid are also excellent to plump and moisten the skin for a natural glow. Stem cells whether plant or animal can also help boost collagen and elastin production while improving skin hydration.  At home treatments like LED have excellent clinicals to help reduce inflammation and bolster collagen and elastin production. 

With the surge in brands offering LED masks, could you shed light on their effectiveness and how they work their magic?

LED phototherapy or light emitting diode phototherapy combines clinically proven wavelengths of light to deliver safe and efficacious results to treat several conditions with no downtime or discomfort. LED phototherapy uses light from the visible and infrared spectrum to stimulate the cellular response to regenerate faster through a process called photo biomodulation. Shorter wavelengths target superficial skin while longer wavelengths penetrate more deeply. Different LED colours target a different benefit and are emitted through different wavelengths. Red strengthens and firms the skin to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. Blue to help decongest and clarify skin. Green to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Yellow to soothe the skin from sensitivity and redness. White for a complete skin rejuvenation to repair, soothe and calm the skin. In the same way that skin responds to skincare, there are receptors within the skin that will respond to the LED light to replenish and boost skin cell turnover leaving skin with a glowing finish! Our LightMAX Supercharged LED 2.0 helps with skin rejuvenation and skin inflammation. It is the only FDA cleared device with two modes. The red mode helps with skin rejuvenation and inflammation by promoting collagen and elastin production. The blue mode helps particularly acne prone skin to reduce the amount of p.acnes (the bacteria responsible for acne) on the skins surface to reduce inflammation and decrease acne. We have also recently launched of LightMAX MiniPro Eyeconic LED which is the first-to-market of its kind. It combines active ingredients with the power of LED to deliver targeted light-therapy to help reduce dark circles, puffiness and fine lines and wrinkles, under and around the eyes.  The clinical results have been incredible, with an improvement of fine lines by 30% in four weeks, shows how effective LED can be. 

There has been considerable discussion about retinol. What should individuals know before embarking on their retinol journey?

Formulas that contain retinol are growing in popularity due to their numerous benefits they offer to the skin. It is considered the most effective clinically proven ingredient to improve fine lines, wrinkles and to help with acne. Vitamin A (retinol) and its derivatives (retinaldehyde and tretinoin) can induce the synthesis of collagen and reduce the expression of collagenase (which breaks down collagen). Retinol has been clinically proved to reduce the signs of UV induced early skin ageing (think wrinkles, loss of elasticity and pigmentation). If you our beginning your journey with retinol, I suggest using a non-prescription retinol and to start with a low concentration 2-3 times a week and gently increase to nightly. As one ages, individuals can progress to prescription strength tretinoin. Always best to start slowly to diminish potential side effects. Layering it with hyaluronic acid works well as it provides a great moisturiser. It’s important to remember that retinol increases sensitivity to UV light so one should have an SPF 30 + on daily. For those with sensitive skin, I recommend building retinol tolerance.

What, in your expert opinion, is the most damaging thing people may unknowingly do to their skin?

Not wearing SPF daily, especially on cloudy days! UVA exposure happens regardless of the weather and is responsible for ageing. UVB is what causes burning. Even on cloudy days, 80% of the dangerous rays penetrate through the clouds. Using a daily moisturiser such as MZ SKIN Hydrate & Nourish which has the addition of an SPF 30 can help protect the skin from both UVA/UVB rays.

Some of your products incorporate stem cells. Could you elucidate why this is such a remarkable boon for skin health?

Placenta is frequently associated with Stem Cells in a broader context due to the presence of growth factors. Stem Cells, often referred to as the body’s master cells, have the remarkable ability to transform into various types of tissues. Clinical trials have studied both the topical and oral benefits of them and have shown that both plant and animal-derived Stem Cells can effectively enhance collagen and elastin production, ultimately improving skin hydration. It is this extraordinary capability that is driving their increasing popularity in skincare.

We have 3 placenta or plant-based placenta products within the MZ SKIN collection:

• Rest & Revive Restorative Placenta & Stem Cell Night Serum
• Replenish & Restore Placenta & Stem Cell Night Recovery Mask
• Reviving Bio-Placenta & Stem Cell Serum (launching in November 2023)

Independent clinical studies have shown Rest & Revive Restorative Placenta & Stem Cell Night Serum specifically is proven to decrease wrinkle depth up to 14% and increase hydration by 20% after 4 weeks.

We’re eager to learn about some of your favourite nonsurgical treatments.

Like all my patients, I love a little tweakment too. I do botulinum toxin treatments, 2-3 times a year everywhere: forehead, around the eyes, glabella, neck and sometimes in the axilla to helping with sweating prior to the summer.  Post summer I like to refresh the skin and treat any pigmentation that may pop up with a laser duo called MOXI / HALO with 2-3 smaller laser and light treatments throughout the year to help refine pores, decrease pigmentation, and even skin tone while promoting collagen and elastin production. This year I also did a BBL treatment on my body to treat pigmentation and I am thrilled with the results. Periodically I do an energy-based treatment like Ultherapy to help tighten jowling. I like to do this every 2 – 4 years. Skin boosters are another favourite for the face and neck that I do once a year, usually before the summer.  And of course, I try every treatment I offer at the clinic prior to bringing it on board!

Can you provide insights into laser treatments suitable for facial use and the benefits they offer?

We are so fortunate to live in a time where there have been substantive improvements in technology used on the skin. The treatments below are currently my favourite to target pigment, textural skin changes and to improve collagen and elastin production.

One of my favourite innovations is the enhanced versions of IPL (intense pulsed light) called BBL Hero (BroadBand Light) harnessing the power of light to target hyperpigmentation, telangiectasia and other skin imperfections on the face and body in a customisable way. Light is absorbed by specific chromophores like melanin or haemoglobin in the skin to destroy superficial pigmentation such as brown spots and seal dilated blood vessels. The technology also has a regenerative effect in the skin’s dermis promoting collagen and elastin production to tighten the skin and improve skin texture. Fast and effective, this is the perfect way to clear skin imperfections and stimulate collagen production not just on the chest, neck and décolletage but also on the body. This treatment is best suited for Fitzpatrick skin types 1-3 and in experienced hands, some skin type 4s. Hyperpigmentation becomes darker for 3-7 days and appears almost like coffee grounds that gently flake off. A series of treatments may be needed monthly for 3 sessions.

To target skin texture and deeper pigmentation, HALO is a super targeted dual laser resurfacing treatment that can be tailored to specific skin concerns. The device is a hybrid non-ablative, fractional laser that creates controlled zones of micro coagulation at specific depths into the dermis to stimulate the production of collagen and tone skin precisely. Halo targets skin damage and improves the appearance of lines, wrinkles, scarring, superficial imperfections and enlarged pores. Halo laser resurfacing treatments also reduce pigmentation and redness, improves skin thickness and density, and tightens the skin for overall skin improvement. It too can be used on the face and body. Expect mild to moderate swelling and MENDS (micro epithelial necrotic debris) that look like little black dots on the face for 4-7 days. This can be done in combination with BBL in the correct candidate for optimal results.

Another personal favourite is MOXI, a 1927 nm wavelength laser which is a wonderful laser for all skin types. This is unusual because there is risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation or post inflammatory erythema with darker skin types. Considered an entry level laser, MOXI can be done on younger skin types as well as older patients as frequently as monthly. I particularly love this treatment to help improve the appearance of melasma on all skin types and while being a light laser, hugely effective in helping improve skin tone and texture.  

You’re often referred to as “the eye doctor.” Could you share the story behind this nickname? 

Whilst in medical school, I started research at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the Department of Plastic Surgery which led to my interest in Operation Smile, an incredible charity helping correct cleft lips and palates in impoverished children around the world. Traveling on a mission with them was awe inspiring; a short surgical procedure immensely helped these children both functionally and aesthetically.   Both in my student life and home life, I have always been methodical, and incredibly specific; I discovered that I enjoyed the more delicate and intricate facial procedures in medical school and a friend in the year above me recommended Ophthalmology as an elective. I worked with an Oculoplastic Surgeon and loved the idea of being super specialised and becoming an expert in one area. My parents always drilled the importance of excelling in one area, to be the master of a trade instead of a jack of all trades. I felt that Ophthalmology and further sub specialisation into Oculoplastics would harness that. ‘The Eye Doctor’ is a reference the media has made about my expertise in rejuvenating the eye area surgically and non-surgically and for my focus on helping people feel good about themselves and empowering them with self-confidence at every age.