Every year, the American Society for Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), one of the most respected professional associations, publishes statistics on demand for services. In 2016, the most popular areas of non-surgical cosmetology included injection and laser techniques: botulinum therapy, hyaluronic acid injections, laser hair removal, laser skin resurfacing, as well as photorejuvenation, microdermabrasion and others.
In our article we will talk about the most popular methods of "beauty medicine".
Injection techniques in cosmetology
Injections are popular mainly because they allow you to obtain the desired result without surgical intervention. The types of injections vary depending on the depth at which they are applied: from the superficial layers of the skin to the deep muscle layers. The duration of the effect also varies: from several weeks to several years.
Let us characterize the main injection techniques used today in cosmetology.
Botulinum therapy
This involves the introduction of medicines made from botulinum toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Its action blocks the transmission of nerve signals to the muscles, causing them to relax. Initially, botulinum toxin therapy was used to treat disorders associated with spasms, such as tics, and was later used to smooth wrinkles.
Indications for the use of botulinum toxin in cosmetology are facial wrinkles - in the corners and around the eyes, on the forehead, in the corners of the mouth, nasolabial folds, as well as changes in the oval of the face. Medium-depth wrinkles are smoothed with the help of botulinum toxin, reversing a series of age-related changes.
The procedure is not performed if the patient has inflammatory skin diseases, bleeding disorders, or has been treated with antibiotics and anticoagulants. Contraindications also include renal or hepatic failure, individual intolerance to botulinum toxin, and facial muscle paresis. Injections are not given to women during pregnancy and lactation. Doctors treat patients who are prone to swelling, eyelid hernias and cerebrovascular accidents with caution.
Preparing for the procedure does not require serious restrictions: it is recommended to avoid physical activity and not drink alcoholic beverages. Injection with fine needles usually does not cause discomfort. Your doctor may give up to 25 injections to one area of your face during the procedure. This takes 10 to 15 minutes. The effect can be evaluated after 2 weeks. Wrinkles are smoothed due to muscle relaxation, but with professionally performed injections, facial expressions and expressions are preserved.
The result of botulinum therapy is reversible, the effect lasts from 3 to 6 months. After that, the mobility of the facial muscles returns completely.
On a note
One unit of action is equal to 3 × 107 molecules of botulinum toxin. The dosage (number of action units) is determined by the cosmetologist. On average we are talking about the following numbers:
- forehead area - 20–30 units;
- chin - up to 10 units;
- area around the eyes - 24 units;
- nose and nasal bridge - 10 units.
Contour plastic
During the procedure, the doctor uses special fillers (fillers) to correct wrinkles, the contour of the face and its individual areas. Modern injections in cosmetology are carried out using fillers, which allow you to obtain the so-called 3D modeling effect while preserving all facial features.
On a note
Most modern fillers are made from hyaluronic acid. It is part of the intercellular substance and plays an important role in maintaining the water balance of tissues and restoring it in case of damage. Hyaluronic acid injections not only help moisturize tissues, but also stimulate the body's own production of structural proteins - collagen and elastin.
Indications for contour plastic surgery include wrinkles, folds and an unclear oval face. Contraindications: cancer, diabetes, connective tissue diseases, skin diseases, blood clotting disorders, pregnancy and lactation, individual intolerance.
Contour plastic surgery does not require special preparation. Several medications contain an anesthetic; otherwise, the doctor may administer local anesthesia. After contouring, swelling, bruising and induration in the injection area are possible, which disappear on their own within a few days.
The contouring effect can last up to two years.
Bioreinforcement
Hyaluronic acid is used in bioreinforcement, a special procedure that results in the formation of the "internal structure" of the face. If the patient's skin has lost its tone, appears flabby, dull, if there are fine wrinkles and signs of ptosis, the doctor injects medications along the "sagging lines" that maintain the skin tone from the inside. In this case, the doctor can predict exactly how wrinkles will form and, by introducing hyaluronic acid preparations, prevent their occurrence.
Biorevitalization
Injections are also indicated to moisturize and saturate the skin in a certain area with nutrients. In this case, we are talking about the biorevitalization procedure. With its help you can improve the condition of the skin of your hands, neckline, neck and face.
Injections are contraindicated if the patient has inflammatory skin diseases or allergies to the components of the drug. The period of pregnancy, lactation, as well as exacerbation of somatic diseases are also an obstacle to both biorevitalization and bioreinforcement.
No special preparation is required before administering hyaluronic acid. Slight redness of the skin after biorevitalization disappears within a few hours. The effect lasts up to 12 months. Biorevitalization is usually performed once every 1–2 months.
Vector survey
To tighten the skin of certain areas (for example, on the cheekbones, chin), doctors use vector lifting. It is similar to bioboost, only the drug is injected along several parallel lines in the direction of the desired elevation.
For vector lifting, preparations of hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite are used. The choice for the latter is made if it is necessary to lift an area prone to swelling. The resorption time of this medicine is longer than that of hyaluronic acid - up to 3 years.
Plasmolifting
The essence of this technique is to give the patient his own blood plasma containing platelets. Plasma contains many biologically active components that stimulate cell growth, participate in metabolism and, very importantly, your own blood plasma is not a foreign substance to the body. This means that it is not rejected and does not cause allergic reactions.
Plasmolifting improves skin microcirculation, normalizes water balance and strengthens local immunity. The procedure is performed if the patient begins to develop fine wrinkles, the first signs of aging, to restore skin health (for example, after a sunburn). Plasmolifting can also enhance the effect of other cosmetic procedures.
Plasmolifting also has a number of contraindications, although they are few:
- oncological diseases, hepatitis, blood diseases;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- infectious and inflammatory skin diseases;
- exacerbations of chronic diseases, acute infections.
To perform plasma withdrawal, 20–40 ml of blood is taken from the patient's vein. It is then centrifuged in a special way to obtain a plasma fraction with a high platelet content. The doctor then injects the resulting fraction intradermally into micropapules throughout the treatment area. The standard course includes 4 sessions with an interval of 7 to 14 days and the effect can last up to two years. However, it is recommended to repeat the course once a year.
Mesotherapy
Administration of medicines by microinjection directly into the skin to improve its properties. Mesotherapy is used to additionally nourish and moisturize the skin and prevent aging. It is also used to combat stretch marks and stimulate hair growth and vitality. For injections, you can use not only single medicines, but also mesotherapy cocktails that have a complex effect. With superficial administration, biorevitalization and plasma lifting are also considered mesotherapy options.
For large areas to be treated, doctors use special devices - injectors. The need for anesthesia is determined by the patient's individual sensitivity.
Injection techniques are especially attractive to patients who are afraid of surgery. But it is worth considering that it is always possible for an individual reaction to a medication to occur, which is difficult to predict in advance. In addition, injections pose a risk of bruising, changes in skin color, fibrosis - the formation of a seal at the injection site. All of these risks should be discussed in advance with your doctor.
As the statistics show. . .
. . . Women in the age group of 35 to 64 make up about 60% of all people seeking help from cosmetologists.
Laser technologies in aesthetic medicine
The essence of laser exposure can be understood by deciphering the abbreviation LASER - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation - "light amplification using stimulated radiation". In other words, a laser is a device that "concentrates" electromagnetic radiation into a very powerful directed beam. It is due to this that the laser beam can be directed, precisely and pulsed.
The use of lasers in cosmetology is possible in several areas.
Laser rejuvenation
The technique is based on heating the skin with a beam. This effect is short-term, that is, it does not cause serious damage. However, it is enough to cause inflammation in response. This stimulates the production of collagen in the skin, a structural protein that provides elasticity and tone. With this effect, wrinkles are "pushed" out.
Indications for laser rejuvenation are fine wrinkles, visible vascular network, enlarged pores, ptosis of soft tissues, impaired facial contours, presence of scars on the skin, post-acne, double chin, excess pigmentation. The procedure is contraindicated if the patient has inflammation and tumors in the treatment area, psoriasis or skin diseases. Laser rejuvenation is not performed during pregnancy or if the patient has a strong tan. The procedure requires special attention in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, angina pectoris, in patients with blood diseases, etc.
Deep laser rejuvenation does not require special preparation and is performed without anesthesia. To achieve a lasting effect, you need to do 3-4 procedures at intervals of one month.
Fractional photothermolysis
Wrinkles, age spots, enlarged pores, scars on the skin, crow's feet, stretch marks, small vascular defects - all these problems can be solved if you undergo a fractional photothermolysis procedure.
This is also a laser technology for aesthetic medicine, but here the beam has its own characteristics. It is divided into several microbeams (fractions), each of which is no thicker than a human hair. They all affect microscopic areas of the skin, thus obtaining a kind of "mesh" treatment - areas that were affected by the laser beam alternate with areas that were not affected. In the treated areas, collagen and elastin are destroyed, and in the remaining intact cells, the processes of restoring "losses" begin. This renews the skin, increases its elasticity, tone and improves appearance.
Fractional photothermolysis is a procedure that can be performed even on sensitive areas of the face, such as the eyelids. Contraindications are pregnancy, cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases or skin diseases in the acute phase.
Recovery after fractional photothermolysis occurs quickly, literally within a week, and the basal layer of the epidermis returns to normal within the first day. To make the effect more pronounced, doctors recommend doing 3 to 4 sessions at intervals of one month.
In case of increased sensitivity, the patient undergoes a procedure using anesthetic gel, but in most cases this can be avoided.
SMAS Survey
The English abbreviation SMAS - superficial musculoaponeurotic system - means "subcutaneous musculoaponeurotic layer". It is made up of muscles and ligaments. Lifting this layer allows you to obtain good results. In other words, by stretching the skin we combat superficial wrinkles and, by acting on the SMAS, we soften deeper folds.
The SMAS survey is performed on an ultrasound machine. By heating the deep layers of the skin and muscles, the ultrasonic wave causes them to contract and activates the production of structural proteins. Acceleration of metabolic processes leads to an improved appearance.
SMAS facelift is often recommended for patients who, for one reason or another, do not wish to undergo surgical facelift. The second category of patients recommended for SMAS lifting are those who have undergone surgical lifting and seek to prolong the result.
During the procedure, using ultrasound, the cosmetologist "sees" the deep layers and assesses the condition of the muscles and fascia. Thus, the therapeutic effect of energetic ultrasound is directed by the doctor to the necessary depth in the desired muscles, fascia and ligaments.
SMAS lifting does not require special preparation. The procedure is moderately painful; taking a painkiller allows you to bear it comfortably. The effect is partially visible immediately after the procedure, and the results of the lifting can be fully assessed after three months.
Injection techniques in cosmetology and laser aesthetic cosmetology make it possible to solve many problems that a few years ago required surgery. Prolonging youth is not just a women's dream. Today, both young people and men who previously rarely visited cosmetology clinics resort to the services of cosmetologists. And the opportunity to solve many problems without surgical intervention, of course, makes aesthetic medicine more and more attractive and in demand.
How to choose a cosmetology clinic
Probably every visitor to beauty centers will say that one of the key points when choosing "your" clinic and "your" doctor is an individual approach, which is implemented (or not implemented) by a specialist. A cosmetologist will talk about the nuances of combining personal and objective approaches:
"Working in cosmetology, we cannot act solely on the basis of our preferences and considerations. We must take into account the patient's expectations, his mood, including his doubts and fears. Here the experience of specialists plays a decisive role. For example, the clinic Gradient employs cosmetologists with higher medical education, specialization in the field of aesthetic medicine and also trained in modern techniques, which allows for a broader view of the problem.
And we cannot fail to mention the importance of modern equipment. Manufacturers are moving towards improving devices, and clinics, as well as patients themselves, are certainly paying attention. "
Aesthetic medicine and cosmetology make it possible to correct many appearance imperfections, such as wrinkles, scars, acne, which improves appearance and prolongs youth.
Expression wrinkles that show age can be eliminated through cosmetic procedures, such as intradermal facial contouring.
Modern technologies in medicine help to solve many cosmetic problems without the use of radical measures.
The cost of cosmetic procedures depends on the complexity of the task, the area of correction and the amount of work.
You can ask any questions you may have at your initial consultation with a cosmetologist.