Where weight loss and appearance medicine are concerned, you want your goals to be deeply considered. This time, at these clinics, it’s personal.

PHOTOS DEBORAH DE GRAAF

Towards the end of UNO’s interview with Brenda Newman and Julia Perry, who run the Weight Loss Clinic at Fifth Ave Family Practice, I ask Brenda if there’s anything she says to her clients that really resonates. “I tell them, ‘It’s not your fault – it’s not a lack of willpower.’” Does this strike a chord, I wonder? “It’s a very emotive topic,” she replies.

Weight – and losing it – is a topic very much in the public eye. Excitement around drugs such as Wegovy/ Mounjaro (the GLP-1 drugs available in New Zealand) creeps into conversations, and for those with health-impacting weight issues, their use is being heralded as a game-changer. The great thing is that although the GLP-1s are an option offered at this private clinic, it’s far from the only solution. Expertise and wrap-around support is an important component of the service.

The Weight Loss Clinic was established last year because of the impact obesity has on health. Brenda and Julia are both nurse practitioners with a background in the management of long-term conditions, SCOPE (Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education) certified by the World Obesity Federation, unflappable, non-judgemental and reassuring. Their service is built on the understanding that a desire to lose weight should be addressed without shame or stigma.

There are a multitude of factors at play when it comes to weight gain or obesity, whether genetic or circumstantial. Having expert guidance and support on what may be a lifelong journey is invaluable.

Brenda’s quick to point out that weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have exploded in popularity because they’re a hot topic in the media, but there are criteria and costs attached. There are also several other medications available; some act as appetite suppressants, others are targeted towards reducing cravings.

“A lot of people walk in with preconceived ideas, and that’s when we say, ‘Okay, that’s cool, let’s talk about all the medications that are out there, but let’s also talk about lifestyle.’ There are so many ways to assist,” says Brenda.

“We want to be able to talk about all the options – bariatric surgery, exercise, meal supplements, healthy eating,” adds Julia. “It’s important to be well informed.”

People can self-refer to the clinic whether patients of the practice or not. A thorough questionnaire followed by an appointment then helps to establish an action plan.

What’s essential to recognise, says Julia, is that “obesity is a long-term, complex, chronic condition that’s relapsing”. Ultimately, this sits at the very core of the clinic’s value: because the battle’s not won when the weight is lost, establishing a lifelong shift in mindset is critical. The ability Brenda and Julie have to provide ongoing support as they watch their clients recover their health, improve their self-image and gain confidence is exactly why this clinic was set up.

*Dr Sam Mahesh (left) and Dr Kiran Singh.*

Contributing to Fifth Ave Family Practice’s holistic approach to health and wellbeing is its Cosmetic Medicine Clinic, run by Dr Kiran Singh and Dr Sam Mahesh. Kiran established the clinic (which he runs alongside his GP work) eight years ago, and Sam joined him last year. Both are heavily invested in the ethical practice around appearance medicine, and we discuss how standards have become less stringent as aesthetic treatments have become more mainstream.

As Kiran points out, “You can potentially be in the hands of someone who has trained through a YouTube video and set up a clinic. Our core business is in medicine. We’re grounded in safe practice and good clinical judgement, as well as cosmetic outcomes.”

Treatments such as Botox are ever more easily accessible, but it’s still important that the practitioner you choose is highly skilled. Says Sam, “Because the substances worked with have become so normalised, people have forgotten how powerful they are.”

As well as their medical qualifications, Kiran holds a Diploma in Cosmetic Medicine from NZSCM, completed, as Kiran puts it “for service excellence, really, and ensuring you’re the best in what you do”. Sam is currently working towards the same diploma.

Sam’s mantra is “enhance, don’t alter”. Kiran asserts that for the very best results, restraint is key. “It’s our job not just to provide the treatment, but to ask, ‘Is this required and reasonable?’.”

Both Kiran and Sam love the symbiotic relationship between the science of medicine and the art of aesthetics. Says Sam, “When you look at the way mental wellbeing can be tied in with physical appearance, it explains why helping improve people’s confidence is a real privilege.” FIFTHAVENUE.CO.NZ

HEALTH WITH HEART