Mr Bryan Mayou and Dr Susan Mayou reflect on the UK aesthetics landscape over the last 20 years
Once a niche area with limited practitioners and techniques, medical aesthetics has grown into a thriving specialty that combines artistry, innovation and science. Celebrating two decades of their aesthetics careers in 2025, founders of the Aesthetics Awards winning Cadogan Clinic, plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou and consultant dermatologist Dr Susan Mayou reflect on their careers.
The early days
In the early days of cosmetic surgery, the field was small, and standards varied widely. Cosmetic procedures were often viewed with scepticism, both by the public and the medical community, Mr Mayou explains. “There were very few of us performing cosmetic procedures,” he recalls, noting, “Standards were inconsistent, and many early commercial clinics prioritised profit over patient care by employing poorly trained surgeons, often from abroad.”
Dermatology faced its own hurdles, Dr Mayou notes. “In the 1990s, cosmetic dermatology was seen as frivolous,” she says. “Limited resources and a focus on medical conditions like psoriasis and skin…
