We see them on-screen more than we see some of our own family members but have you ever thought about how the likes of the stars of Coronation Street keep their youthful looks? William Foley's problematic skin as a young man has led to him working at a Cheshire cosmetic studio where he has helped some of our very own TV stars including the ITV soap's Sally Dynevor and Samia Longchambon.
The 38-year-old works at the ØNE aesthetic studiø in Alderly Edge under the expertise of Dr Jonquille Chantrey, who has over 16 years of plastic and cosmetic surgery and regularly features as an expert on Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies.
"I suffered really badly with my skin," William, originally from Burnley, said. "Being a teenager, it's quite debilitating having acne so I went into that world of skin and beauty." Speaking more of his own experience and how it lead him to where he is now, William added: "I remember being a 15-year-old boy at an all-boys school and I didn't get bullied for it but I felt so self-conscious and I wanted to cover it up all the time. It was on my forehead, my neck, my back... it was really bad."
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He shared how his parents tried to help, taking him to a dermatologist. "So I remember I was always passionate about products and skin but at that time, I was probably doing it all wrong anyway but it just led me into that world and I've found a passion." William said he studied for a number of years and worked for big beauty brands such as Clarins.
But he soon realised he wanted to get into more "results-driven and science-based" work, deciding to train and join the aesthetics world. "I kind of wanted to help myself and help others," William said of his decision to get into the industry in the first place. "I don't feel like I'm going to work, it's a passion for me because I think my main purpose is to help people.
"I want to serve people and [see] how can I help them feel better. And not just aesthetically, but internally as well. That's a big thing for me." And now William finds himself treating celebrity, high-profile clients on a regular basis.
Earlier this year Samia stunned fans by revealing she was celebrating a milestone birthday. The Eccles-born star has spent more than 22 years on our screen as Maria Windass - nee Sutherland and Connor - on the long-running soap have made her debut when she was just 18-years-old.
On the last day of her 30's, Samia took to Instagram with a gorgeous selfie of herself from a recent birthday photoshoot with OK! Magazine. The mum-of-two was channeling rock chick glam in a plunging leather jacket and dramatic silver sparkling earrings. Her blond locks had been styled into loose curls while her rocked a dark smokey eye and nude lip. And fans couldn't believe she was turning 40.
But Samia recently gave a hint as to how she stays looking so youthful. She paid a visit to see William at the ONE aesthetic studiO where she enjoyed a facial. Posting a selfie with William, she penned: "I've been so excited to try the #ultracel treatment. Look forward to the results."
She then shared a video of her enjoying the treatment as she explained: "I prefer natural treatments over more invasive methods for 'antiaging so really wanted to try this... It's great for skin tightening and firming so I'm in!" And back in July, Lisa George, known for playing Beth Sutherland was being flooded with compliments after undergoing a skin tightening treatment by William.
Speaking about working with the stars of one of the UK's biggest soaps, William said: "I've been looking after Samia [Longchambon] for coming up to a year and the same with Sally [Dynevor]. I do help them in terms of their interntal confidence as well as looking great."
Former Corrie star Katie McGlynn also paid the clinic a visit just last week. Sharing how images with Jonquille and William the actress, who plaid Sinead Osbourne in the ITV soap, shared how the pair have managed to help her with her problem skin.
The 29-year-old added: "I can’t explain how much my skin has improved and how much I’ve learnt along the way! This isn’t an ad FYI - simply an appreciation post for having my skin in the most capable hands."
William goes through different stages with his clients, such as skin management, skin health and chemical peels. "They're in for the long run, I guess," William laughed. "And a lot of them don't want to look different as so they don't want the surgical route or the injectible route. They want to keep things as natural as possible and that's a big part of what I do in [the] clinic."
But something William, and the clinic, are key to stress is the importance of research and regulation. "I always say there is a light and a dark [to the aesthetic industry]. The dark areas are very much people can start injected here there and everywhere and you've got aesthetic clinics popping up everywhere but we are very much on the light side of trying to get things regulated and create that safe place for people and our patients."
He added: "It does need heavily regulating. I see so many patients who come into our practice and they've had so much work done... people are just not doing their research and thinking it's just about the chiseled cheeks and whatever but there's a whole bigger scale to that and it's about education. That's all we try to do at the clinic, educate people to make smarter choices."
Offering his own advice, William said: "I always say research practitioners, research clincs and get the background work of what they have done in the industry, whether they've been reviewed or had articles out. We call it the 'Instagram face' now where people want to look the same and there's so much advertising on social media platforms that it's so inviting to people who are just not aware of the standards and the safety and the complications that can happen as well."
Earlier this year the government confirmed it intended to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. It is the latest move by the government to safeguard those who access non-surgical cosmetic treatments and follows on from new legislation making it illegal to administer such treatments to under 18s, and banning adverts on all forms of media including social media, influencer advertising and traditional advertising for cosmetic procedures which target under 18s.
The government is currently analysing responses from a public consultation which ran to 25 November 2021 and will publish a formal response in due course.
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