Top 10 aesthetic medicine techniques: heroes of our time

aesthetic rejuvenation of facial skin

Each year, the American Society of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), one of the most respected professional associations, publishes statistics on the 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 primarily because they allow you to get the desired result without surgical intervention. Types of injections vary depending on the depth to which they are performed: 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's characterize the main injection techniques used today in cosmetology.

Botulinum therapy

This is the introduction of drugs made from botulinum toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Its action blocks the transmission of nerve signals to the muscles so they relax. Originally, botulinum toxin therapy was used to treat disorders associated with spasms, such as tics, and later began to be used to smooth out 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 and changes in the oval of the face. Medium-deep wrinkles are smoothed using botulinum toxin, reversing a number 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 kidney or liver failure, individual intolerance to botulinum toxin drugs, and paralysis of the facial muscles. Injections are not given to women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Doctors treat with caution patients who tend to face swelling, eyelid hernia and cerebrovascular accidents.

Preparation for the procedure does not require serious restrictions: it is recommended to avoid physical activity and not to drink alcohol. Injection with fine needles usually does 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 out due to muscle relaxation, but with professionally performed injections, facial expressions and facial expressions are preserved.

The result of botulinum therapy is reversible, the effect lasts from 3 to 6 months. After this, 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 beautician. 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 bridge of the nose - 10 units.

Contour plastic

During the procedure, the doctor uses special fillers to correct wrinkles, the contour of the face and its 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 made based on hyaluronic acid. It is part of the intercellular substance and plays an important role in maintaining the water balance in tissues and restoring them in case of damage. Injections of hyaluronic acid not only help to moisturize tissues, but also stimulate the body's own production of framework 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 clots, pregnancy and breastfeeding, individual intolerance.

Contour plastic surgery does not require special preparation. A number of medicines for it contain an anaesthetic, otherwise the doctor can give a local anaesthetic. After contouring, swelling, bruising and induration are possible in the injection area, which will disappear on their own within a few days.

The effect of contouring can last up to two years.

Bioreinforcement

Hyaluronic acid has found use in bioreinforcement, a special procedure that results in the formation of the "inner frame" of the face. If the patient's skin has lost its tone, looks limp, dull, if there are fine wrinkles and signs of ptosis, then the doctor injects drugs along the "blur 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 specific area with nutrients. In this case, we are talking about the biorevitalization procedure. With its help, you can improve the condition of the skin on your hands, décolleté, neck and face.

Injections are contraindicated if the patient has inflammatory skin diseases or allergies to the drug's components. The period of pregnancy, breastfeeding as well as the aggravation of somatic diseases is also an obstacle for both biorevitalization and bioreinforcement.

No special preparation is necessary before administration of hyaluronic acid. Slight redness of the skin after biorevitalization disappears within a few hours. The effect lasts up to 12 months. Biorevitalization is usually carried out once every 1-2 months.

Vector lift

To tighten the skin in certain areas (for example, in the cheekbones, chin), doctors use vector lifting. It is similar to bioenhancement, only the drug is injected along several parallel lines in the direction of the desired lift.

Preparations of hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite are used for vector lifting. The choice in favor of the latter is made if it is necessary to lift an area with a tendency to swelling. The resorption time for this drug is longer than for 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, very importantly, its 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 microcirculation in the skin, normalizes the water balance and strengthens local immunity. The procedure is performed if the patient begins to develop fine wrinkles, the first signs of age, to restore the health of the skin (for example, after a sunburn). Plasmolifting can also increase the effect 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;
  • exacerbations of chronic diseases, acute infections.

To perform plasma lifting, 20-40 ml of blood is taken from a patient's vein. It is then centrifuged in a special mode 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 7-14 days, and the effect can last up to two years. However, it is recommended to repeat the process once a year.

Mesotherapy

Administration of drugs by microinjection directly into the skin to improve its properties. Mesotherapy is used to further 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 substances, but also mesotherapy cocktails that have a complex effect. For 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 attractive primarily to patients who are afraid of surgery. But it is worth considering that it is always possible that an individual reaction to a drug may occur, which is difficult to predict in advance. In addition, injections carry the risk of hematoma formation, changes in skin color, fibrosis - the formation of a seal at the injection site. All these risks should be discussed with your doctor beforehand.

As statistics show. . .
. . . women in the age group from 35 to 64 make up about 60% of all those who seek help from beauticians.

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. "That is, a laser is a device that "concentrates" electromagnetic radiation into a very powerful directedRay. It is because of this that the laser beam can be targeted, precisely and pulsed.

The use of laser 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, meaning it does not cause serious damage. However, it is enough to cause inflammation as a reaction. As a result, the production of collagen in the skin is stimulated, and it is a structural protein that provides elasticity and tone. With this effect, wrinkles are "pushed" outwards.

Indications for laser rejuvenation are fine wrinkles, visible vascular network, enlarged pores, soft tissue ptosis, weakened 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 disorders, etc.

Deep laser rejuvenation does not require special preparation and is performed without anesthesia. To achieve a lasting effect, you need to perform 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 micro-rays (fractions), each of which is no thicker than a human hair. All affect microscopic areas of the skin, thus achieving 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 "loss" are launched. 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 to it 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 within the first day. To make the effect more pronounced, doctors recommend taking part in 3-4 sessions with an interval of one month.

In case of increased sensitivity, the patient undergoes an operation with an anesthetic gel, but this can be avoided in most cases.

SMAS lift

The English abbreviation SMAS - superficial muscular-aponeurotic system - stands for "subcutaneous muscular-aponeurotic layer". It is formed by muscles and ligaments. By lifting this layer you can achieve good results. This means that by tightening the skin we fight superficial wrinkles, and by acting on the SMAS we smooth out deeper folds.

SMAS lifting is performed using an ultrasound machine. By heating the deep layers of skin and muscles, the ultrasound wave causes their contraction and activates the production of structural proteins. Acceleration of metabolic processes leads to improved appearance.

Quite often, SMAS lifts are recommended for patients who, for one reason or another, do not wish to undergo a surgical lift. The other category of patients who are suitable for SMAS lifts are those who have undergone surgical lifts and are looking to prolong the results.

During the procedure, using ultrasound, the cosmetologist "sees" the deep layers and assesses the condition of muscles and fascia. Therefore, the therapeutic effect of energy ultrasound is directed by the doctor to the necessary depth on the desired muscles, fascia and ligaments.

SMAS lifting does not require special preparation. The procedure is moderately painful; taking a pain reliever allows you to endure it comfortably. The effect is partially visible immediately after the procedure, and the results of lifting can be fully assessed after three months.

Injection techniques in cosmetology and laser aesthetic cosmetology make it possible to solve many problems that only a few years ago required surgery. Extending youth is not just a dream for women. Today, both young people and men, who previously rarely visited cosmetology clinics, turn to the services of cosmetologists. And the possibility of solving many problems without surgical intervention naturally 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 in choosing "your" clinic and "your" doctor is an individual approach, which is implemented (or not implemented) by a specialist. A cosmetologist will tell you about the nuances of combining personal and objective approaches:

"When we work with cosmetology, we cannot only act based on our preferences and considerations. We must take into account the patient's expectations, his mood, including his doubts and fears. Here the experience of the specialists plays a decisive role. For example, the Gradient clinic employscosmetologists with advanced medical education, specialization in 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 are certainly aware of this. "

Aesthetic medicine and cosmetology make it possible to correct many imperfections in the appearance, such as wrinkles, scars, acne, improving appearance and prolonging youth.

Expression wrinkles that show age can be eliminated using 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 question you may have at your first consultation with a beautician.