Each year, the American Society of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), one of the most respected professional associations, publishes statistics regarding demand for services. In 2016, the most popular areas in non-surgical cosmetology include 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 treatment".
Injection techniques in cosmetology
Injections are popular primarily because they allow you to get the desired results without surgical intervention. The types of injections vary depending on the depth of their implementation: from the surface layers of the skin to the deep muscle layers. The duration of the effect also varies: from several weeks to several years.
Let's describe the main injection techniques used today in cosmetology.
Botulinum therapy
This is the introduction of a drug made from botulinum toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Its action blocks the transmission of nerve signals to the muscles, so that the muscles relax. Initially, botulinum toxin therapy was used to treat seizure-related disorders, such as tics, and later began to be 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 shape of the oval of the face. Wrinkles of medium depth are smoothed with the help of botulinum toxin, reversing a number of age-related changes.
This procedure is not performed if the patient suffers from 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 drugs, and facial muscle paresis. Injections are not given to women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Doctors treat patients with caution who have a tendency to face swelling, eyelid hernias and cerebrovascular accidents.
Preparation for the procedure does not require serious restrictions: it is recommended to avoid physical activity and not drink alcohol. Injections using fine needles usually do not cause discomfort. The doctor can perform up to 25 injections in one area of the face during the procedure. This takes 10–15 minutes. The effect can be assessed after 2 weeks. Wrinkles are smoothed due to muscle relaxation, but with professionally performed injections, facial expressions and facial expressions are maintained.
The results of botulinum therapy are reversible, the effects last 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 botulinum toxin molecules. The dosage (number of units of action) is determined by the cosmetologist. On average we are talking about the following figures:
- forehead area - 20–30 units;
- chin - up to 10 units;
- area around the eyes - 24 units;
- nose and bridge of the nose - 10 units.
Contour plastic
During the procedure, the doctor uses special fillers to improve wrinkles, facial contours and individual areas. Modern injections in cosmetology are performed using fillers, which make it possible to achieve the so-called 3D modeling effect while preserving all facial features.
On a note
Most modern fillers are based on hyaluronic acid. It is part of the intercellular substance and plays an important role in maintaining tissue water balance and restoring it in case of damage. Hyaluronic acid injections not only help moisturize tissues, but also stimulate the production of the body's own skeletal proteins - collagen and elastin.
Indications for contour plastic surgery include wrinkles, folds, and an unclear facial oval. Contraindications: cancer, diabetes, connective tissue diseases, skin diseases, blood clotting disorders, pregnancy and breastfeeding, individual intolerance.
Contour plastic surgery does not require special preparation. Some medicines contain an anesthetic, otherwise the doctor may prescribe a local anesthetic. After contouring, swelling, bruising and induration may occur in the injection area, which will disappear on its own within a few days.
The contouring effect can last up to two years.
Biological reinforcement
Hyaluronic acid has been applied in bioreinforcement, a special procedure that results in the formation of the "internal skeleton" of the face. If the patient's skin has lost color, looks flabby, dull, has fine wrinkles and signs of ptosis, the doctor will inject medication along the "sagging lines" which maintain skin color from within. 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 certain areas 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, décolleté, neck and face.
Injections are contraindicated if the patient has inflammatory skin diseases or is allergic to the components of the drug. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and exacerbations of somatic diseases also become obstacles 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 effects last up to 12 months. Biorevitalization is usually carried out every 1-2 months.
Vector lifting
To tighten the skin in certain areas (for example on the cheekbones, chin), the doctor uses a vector lift. Similar to bioreinforcement, only the drug is injected along several parallel lines in the direction of the desired removal.
For vector removal, hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite preparations are used. The choice in favor of the latter is made if removal of areas prone to swelling is required. The resorption time of this drug is longer than that of hyaluronic acid - up to 3 years.
Plasma lifting
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 most importantly, blood plasma itself is not a foreign substance for the body. This means it is not rejected and does not cause allergic reactions.
Plasmolifting improves microcirculation in the skin, normalizes water balance, and strengthens local immunity. This procedure is performed if the patient begins to experience fine wrinkles, an early sign of aging, to restore skin health (for example after sunburn). Plasmolifting can also enhance the effects of other cosmetic procedures.
Plasmolifting also has a number of contraindications, although they are few:
- oncological diseases, hepatitis, blood diseases;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- infectious and inflammatory skin diseases;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases, acute infections.
To carry out plasma removal, 20-40 ml of blood is taken from the patient's vein. Next, it is centrifuged in a special mode to obtain a plasma fraction with a high platelet content. Then the doctor injects the resulting fraction intradermally into the micropapules throughout the treatment area. The standard course includes 4 sessions at intervals of 7-14 days, and the effect can last up to two years. However, it is recommended to repeat the course once a year.
Mesotherapy
Administering the drug via microinjection directly into the skin to improve its efficacy. Mesotherapy is used to additionally nourish and moisturize the skin and prevent aging. It is also used to fight stretch marks and stimulate hair growth and vitality. For injections, you can use not only single drugs, but also mesotherapy cocktails that have a complex effect. With superficial administration, biorevitalization and plasma lifting are also considered mesotherapy options.
For the treatment of large areas, doctors use a special tool - an injector. The need for anesthesia is determined by the patient's individual sensitivity.
The injection technique is attractive especially for patients who fear surgery. However, it is important to remember that individual reactions to a drug are always possible, which are difficult to predict in advance. In addition, injections carry the risk of hematoma formation, skin discoloration, fibrosis - the formation of a seal at the injection site. All of these risks should be discussed with your doctor first.
As statistics show. . .
. . . women in the age group of 35 to 64 years constitute 60% of all people who seek help from cosmetologists.
Laser technology in aesthetic medicine
The essence of laser exposure can be understood by deciphering the abbreviation LASER - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation - "amplification of light using stimulated radiation. " That is, a laser is a device that "concentrates" electromagnetic radiation into a very powerful directional beam. It is thanks to this that the laser beam can be targeted, accurate and pulsed.
The use of lasers in cosmetology is possible in several areas.
Laser rejuvenation
This technique is based on heating the skin with rays. This effect is short-term, meaning it does not cause serious damage. However, it causes enough inflammation in response. As a result, collagen production is stimulated in the skin, and it is a structural protein that provides elasticity and tone. With this effect, wrinkles are "pushed" outward.
Indications for laser rejuvenation are fine wrinkles, visible vascular tissue, enlarged pores, soft tissue ptosis, facial contour disorders, scars on the skin, post-acne, double chin, excessive pigmentation. This 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 get 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 the fractional photothermolysis procedure.
This is also a laser technology for aesthetic treatment, 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. All of them affect microscopic areas of the skin, and thus a kind of "mesh" treatment is obtained - the areas affected by the laser beam alternate with unaffected areas. In the treated area, collagen and elastin are destroyed, and in the remaining intact cells, the process of restoration of "loss" is launched. It renews the skin, increases elasticity, firms, 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 stage.
Recovery after fractional photothermolysis occurs quickly, literally within a week, and the basal layer of the epidermis returns to normal on the first day. To make the effect more pronounced, doctors recommend attending 3-4 sessions at intervals of one month.
If sensitivity increases, the patient undergoes a procedure using an anesthetic gel, but in most cases this can be avoided.
appointment of SMAS
The English abbreviation SMAS - superficial muscle-aponeurotic system - is an abbreviation of "subcutaneous muscle-aponeurotic layer". It is formed by muscles and ligaments. Removing this layer allows you to achieve good results. That is, by tightening the skin, we fight surface wrinkles, and by acting on SMAS, we smooth deeper folds.
SMAS removal is performed using an ultrasound machine. By heating the deep layers of skin and muscles, ultrasonic waves cause contraction and activate the production of structural proteins. Acceleration of metabolic processes leads to improved appearance.
Often, SMAS removal is recommended to patients who, for one reason or another, do not want to undergo surgical removal. The second category of patients who are suitable for SMAS removal are those who have already undergone surgical removal and want to prolong the results.
During the procedure, using ultrasound, the cosmetologist "sees" the deep layers and assesses the condition of the muscles and fascia. Therefore, the therapeutic effect of energy ultrasound is directed by the doctor to the required depth on the desired muscles, fascia and ligaments.
SMAS removal does not require special preparation. The procedure is quite painful, taking analgesics allows you to endure it comfortably. The effect is partially visible immediately after the procedure, and the results of the removal can be fully assessed after three months.
Injection techniques in cosmetology and laser aesthetic cosmetology can solve many problems that a few years ago required surgery. Prolonging youth is not only the dream of women, today both the younger generation and men who previously rarely visited cosmetology clinics are turning to the services of cosmetologists. And the ability to solve many problems without surgical intervention, of course, makes aesthetic medicine even more attractive and in demand.
How to choose a cosmetology clinic
Perhaps every visitor to a beauty center will say that one of the important points in choosing "your" clinic and "your" doctor is the individual approach, applied (or not applied) by a specialist. A cosmetologist will tell you about the nuances of combining a personal and objective approach:
"Working in the field of cosmetology, we cannot act only based on our own 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 Gradient clinic employs cosmetologistswith higher medical education, specialization in the field of aesthetic medicine, and also trained in modern techniques, this makes it possible to look at the problem more broadly.
And we cannot fail to mention the importance of modern equipment. Manufacturers are moving towards improving devices, and clinics, as well as patients themselves, of course pay attention to this. "
Aesthetic medicine and cosmetology make it possible to correct many imperfections of appearance, such as wrinkles, scars, acne, thereby improving appearance and prolonging youth.
Expression wrinkles that indicate age can be removed using cosmetic procedures such as intradermal facial contouring.
Modern technologies in medicine help to solve many cosmetic problems without resorting to 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 the esthetician.