Aesthetic Medicine
Replace volume under the skin to fill wrinkles or enhance facial features.
Procedure
Soft tissue fillers, also called dermal fillers, facial fillers, or simply “fillers”, are used to fill up defects in the soft tissues, typically wrinkles, folds and dents in the face. Some fillers are intended to add volume, for example to the cheekbone or the chin and are often used for lip enhancement.
There are many products on the market. The most important distinction is between non-permanent fillers, which disappear spontaneously after a while, and the permanent fillers, which stay embedded in the tissues forever. Most non-permanent fillers are quite safe to use, but it is advisable to demand fillers that are generally accepted, such the ones based on hyaluronic acid, collagen and calcium hydroxyapatite microspheres. Always demand to know which product your physician is going to use.
Fillers are injected directly into the area to be treated, often after application of a topical anesthetic cream. The effect is immediate, and lasts between two to 18 months, depending on the type of product and the treated area.
Length
Ten to twenty minutes.
Anesthesia
Usually topical anesthetic cream, sometimes a local anesthetic injection.
Inpatient/Outpatient
Outpatient.
Possible Side Effects
Transient swelling (mainly when used in the lips), redness, tenderness, and bruising. Cold application after treatment can minimize these side effects.
Risks
There is widespread consensus that, although they may seem appealing, permanent fillers are not to be recommended lightly as they sometimes induce adverse reactions which are very difficult if not totally impossible to treat without surgery. For all fillers, risks include irregularities or lumpiness, over- or under-correction, asymmetry and infection. Permanently visible lumps or late reactions with some permanent fillers can result.
Recovery
If present, swelling and redness usually settles after 24 to 48 hours. Most patients can go back to their activities immediately with some make-up.
Results
Partial or complete correction of wrinkles and folds. Enhancement of facial features.
Smoothes out lines and wrinkles caused by facial muscle contractions.
Procedure
Botulinum toxin type A, better known as BOTOX®, is a product used in aesthetic surgery to correct annoying expression lines in the face. The correction occurs because botulinum toxin temporarily paralyzes the muscles responsible for these lines. This allows the skin to recover from years of squinting and frowning.
Since the early 1990s, botulinum toxin has been used to treat disorders such as exaggerated blinking, facial spasms, and muscle contractions affecting partly paralyzed patients.
These applications have provided sufficient experience to know the product well. It is perfectly safe so long as it is used properly. The aesthetic effects of botulinum toxin were discovered over a decade ago. Since then it has also been successfully used for this purpose.
There are several brands of botulinum toxin available. The best indications for treatment with botulinum toxin lie in the upper third of the face, for correction of vertical frown lines between the eyebrows, horizontal furrows on the forehead and crow’s feet. Other uses are less common, and are best performed by experienced practitioners. Light under-treatment is usually preferred. Over-treatment can result in a diminished expression in the face.
Length
Ten to thirty minutes.
Anesthesia
None or topical anesthetic cream.
Inpatient/Outpatient
Outpatient.
Possible Side Effects
Immediately after treatment only the small pinpricks are visible. Light bruising. Some patients experience a slight headache during the first week.
Risks
There are no permanent risks in healthy individuals. Myasthenia Gravis is a contraindication. Asymmetry. Drooping of the eyelid can occur in one to five percent ; it always recovers spontaneously within three to four weeks.
Recovery
The effect only arises after three to four days, and lasts for four to six months. When treatment is not repeated the original movement always comes back spontaneously.
Results
Correction of expression wrinkles, which improves with repetition of the treatment. More relaxed facial expression.
Eliminate unsightly veins which commonly develop on the face, legs, and hands.
Procedure
Non-surgical vein treatments get rid of unsightly veins by causing the veins to collapse and be absorbed by the body.
Sclerotherapy involves injections of a solution into the unwanted veins using a fine needle. The solution (made with substances such as saline or glycerin) causes the lining of the veins to swell and stick together. This simple, effective varicose and spider vein treatment involves minimal discomfort and has been in use for over a hundred years.
Laser vein therapy, which is most effective on the face and small spider veins, causes the veins to collapse by heating up the pigment in the blood that is concentrated in the veins. Treatments create mild discomfort with each pulse of the laser and can be performed without anesthetic.
Length
Treatments take approximately 30 minutes to one hour to complete, depending on the number of areas being addressed.
Anesthesia
Topical anesthetic can be used for enhanced patient comfort.
Inpatient/Outpatient
These are outpatient treatments which may be performed in the physician’s office.
Risks
Sclerotherapy may result in temporary bruising, brown spots, lumps from trapped blood, swelling, telangiectactic matting (a collection of fine blood vessels), ulcers, and inflammation.
Laser vein therapy risks include temporary bruising, burns, changes in skin coloring, and discomfort caused by nerve damage.
Recovery
Patients can return to work immediately after vein treatment. They will need to avoid exercise or strenuous activity for approximately one week so that treated veins remain collapsed. After vein treatments on the legs, the patient may need to wear support stockings for one or more weeks to maintain pressure on the treated veins. It is important to avoid sun exposure until inflammation has subsided, which could be several days to a week after treatment.
Results
After sclerotherapy the treated veins clear away within three weeks to six months.
After laser vein therapy treated spider veins clear away in about a month.
Both treatments may need to be repeated to completely clear away the unwanted veins.
Looking to smooth out wrinkles, erase scars, skin lesions and stretch marks or attain that perfect, bright complexion? Then this is the ideal treatment for you. Micro-needling, lifts and rejuvenates your skin to give a natural and youthful complexion.
How it works:
Over time collagen, a natural substance present in our bodies, decreases. Collagen is what keeps our skin smooth, plump and youthful. A decrease in production equals fine lines and wrinkles.
Micro-needling uses vertical insertions to create tiny punctures in the skin’s surface. The release of serum growth factors then stimulates the breakdown of old fibrous collagen and the production of healthy new collagen.
What makes Micro-Needling unique?
Micro-Needling uses a specialized, automatic spring-loaded cartridge which delivers fast, easy and essentially painless treatments for the individual. This technology ensures the highest quality treatment with minimal damage, downtime and discomfort, while its adjustable speed and depth customizes each procedure for specifically targeted results.
Is this treatment safe?
Each Micro-Needling procedure is performed by a trained and qualified Micro-Needling specialist who will execute the treatment under a safe and sterile environment. All treatment consumables are single use and sterile.
How long does the procedure last?
The Micro-Needling procedure should take a maxiumum of an hour to complete.
Is the treatment painful?
Before the Micro-Needling treatment, a mild numbing cream will be used in order to provide comfort and ease any pain that you may feel. Micro-Needling specialized oscillating system further increases tolerance by diffusing nerve sensations.
Are there any side effects?
In the first 48 hours after treatment you may experience redness, swelling and itching. However, this will dissipate in the first few days, and you can use cold compresses, or aloe vera to soothe the skin during this time.
What is the downtime for the Micro-Needling treatment?
Erythema may last up to a maximum of 2 days post treatment. However, most clients are able to resume daily activities immediately after the Micro-Needling procedure. If there is any visible redness, makeup may be used 24 hours after the treatment to reduce this.
How soon will I see results?
Results after the procedure should be seen immediately after just one Micro-Needling treatment. However, depending on the individual, multiple sessions are recommended in order to achieve the full desired effect. The regenerating process should continue up to 24 months after treatment.
Improve the appearance and texture of the skin.
Procedure
Chemical peels restore wrinkled, blemished, unevenly pigmented, or sun-damaged facial skin, using a chemical solution to peel away the skin’s top layers. This procedure works best on fair, thin skin with superficial wrinkles.
Length
The procedure takes approximately one hour for regional areas and two hours for the full face.
Anesthesia
Topical anesthetic or sedation combined with local anesthesia may be used. When sedation is given frequently, EKG monitoring is used.
Inpatient/Outpatient
Usually this is an outpatient procedure. A full-face phenol peel may require hospital admission for a short period of time.
Possible Side Effects
Phenol and TCA peels: can cause temporary throbbing, tingling, swelling, redness and acute sensitivity to sun.
Phenol peel: may cause permanent lightening of treated skin and permanent loss of the ability to tan.
Risks
Phenol and TCA peels: Tiny whiteheads (temporary), infection, scarring, flare-up of skin allergies and cold sores, excessive temporary skin pigmentation.
Phenol peel: Abnormal color changes (which may be permanent) and heart irregularities (these are extremely rare and occur during the procedure).
Recovery
Phenol peels: Formation of new skin takes seven to twenty-one days. The patient may resume normal activities in two to four weeks. Full healing and fading of redness may take three to six months.
TCA peels: New skin forms within five to ten days. The redness will fade over several weeks
Results
Phenol peels: Permanent, although new wrinkles may form as skin ages.
TCA peels: Results vary and the effect is temporary.