Top 10 aesthetic medical techniques: heroes of our time

facial skin rejuvenation aesthetics

Every 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 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 "beauty medicine" method.

Injection techniques in cosmetology

Injections are popular mainly because they allow you to get the desired results without surgical intervention. The type of injection varies depending on the depth performed: from the superficial layer of the skin to the deep muscle layer. The duration of the effect also varies: from a few weeks to several years.

Let's characterize 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 they relax. Initially, botulinum toxin therapy was used to treat disorders related to spasms, such as tics, and later began to be used to smooth wrinkles.

Indications for the use of botulinum toxin in cosmetology are facial wrinkles - at the corners and around the eyes, on the forehead, at the corners of the mouth, nasolabial folds, as well as changes in the oval of the face. Moderate deep wrinkles are eliminated with the help of botulinum toxin, reversing some age-related changes.

This 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 facial muscle paresis. Injections are not given to women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Doctors carefully treat patients who have a tendency to face swelling, eyelid hernia, and cerebrovascular accident.

Preparation for the procedure does not require serious restrictions: it is recommended to avoid physical activity and not drink alcohol. Injections using a fine needle 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 evaluated after 2 weeks. Wrinkles are removed due to muscle relaxation, but with professionally performed injections, facial expressions and expressions are preserved.

The results of botulinum therapy are reversible, the effects last from 3 to 6 months. After this, the mobility of the facial muscles returns completely.

On the note

One unit of action is equal to 3 × 107 molecules of botulinum toxin. The dose (number of action units) is determined by a 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 (fillers) to correct wrinkles, facial contours and respective 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 the note
Most modern fillers are made based on hyaluronic acid. It is part of the intercellular substance and plays an important role in maintaining tissue water balance and its recovery in case of damage. Hyaluronic acid injections not only help to moisturize tissues, but also stimulate the production of the body's own framework proteins - collagen and elastin.

Indications for contour plastic surgery include wrinkles, folds, and a vaguely oval face. 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 drugs for it contain anesthetics, otherwise the doctor can give local anesthesia. After contouring, swelling, bruising and induration may occur in the injection area, which disappear on their own in a few days.

The contour effect can last up to two years.

Bioreinforcement

Hyaluronic acid has found application 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 flabby, dull, if there are fine wrinkles and signs of ptosis, then the doctor injects medicine along the "sagging line" that maintains skin tone from the inside. In this case, doctors 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 of 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 allergies to the components of the drug. The period of pregnancy, breastfeeding, as well as the exacerbation of somatic diseases are also 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 effect lasts up to 12 months. Biorevitalization is usually done once every 1-2 months.

Vector lifting

To tighten the skin of certain areas (for example, on the cheekbones, chin), the doctor uses vector lifting. It is similar to bioreinforcement, only the drug is injected along several parallel lines in the direction of the desired lifting.

To lift the vector, preparations of hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite are used. The choice in favor of the latter is made if lifting the area prone to swelling is necessary. The absorption time of this drug is longer than 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, the blood plasma itself is not a foreign substance for the body. This means that it is not rejected and does not cause an allergic reaction.

Plasmolifting improves microcirculation in the skin, normalizes water balance, and strengthens local immunity. This procedure is performed if the patient begins to develop fine wrinkles, early 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 some 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 in micropapules throughout the treatment area. A 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 course once a year.

Mesotherapy

Administration of drugs through micro-injections directly into the skin to improve its properties. Mesotherapy is used to 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 a single drug, but also a mesotherapy cocktail that has a complex effect. With superficial administration, biorevitalization and plasma lifting are also considered mesotherapy options.

For large areas to be treated, the doctor uses a special device - an injector. The need for anesthesia is determined by the individual sensitivity of the patient.

The injection technique is especially interesting for patients who fear surgery. But it should be considered that it is always possible that an individual reaction to the drug may occur, which is 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 these risks must be discussed with your doctor first.

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

Laser technology in aesthetic medicine

The essence of laser exposure can be understood by interpreting the abbreviation LASER - Light Amplification by Directed Release of Radiation - "light amplification using stimulated radiation. "That is, a laser is a device that "focuses" electromagnetic radiation into a very powerful directed beam. Because of this, the laser beam can be targeted, precise and pulsed.

The use of lasers in cosmetology is possible in several areas.

Laser rejuvenation

This technique is based on heating the skin with a beam. This effect is short-lived, meaning it does not cause serious damage. However, it is enough to cause inflammation in response. As a result, the production of collagen 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 networks, enlarged pores, ptosis of soft tissues, impaired facial contours, the presence of scars on the skin, after 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. This 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 an interval of a 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. All of them affect microscopic areas of the skin, and thus a kind of "mesh" treatment is obtained - 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 restoring the "loss" is launched. This renews the skin, improves 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 acute skin diseases.

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 noticeable, the doctor recommends attending 3-4 sessions at an interval of a month.

If the sensitivity is increased, the patient undergoes the procedure using an anesthetic gel, but in most cases this can be avoided.

SMAS raised

The English abbreviation SMAS - superficial muscular-aponeurotic system - means "subcutaneous muscular-aponeurotic layer". It is formed by muscles and ligaments. Lifting this layer allows you to achieve good results. That is, by tightening the skin, we fight superficial wrinkles, and by acting on the SMAS, we smooth deeper folds.

SMAS removal is performed using an ultrasound machine. By heating the inner layers of the skin and muscles, ultrasonic waves cause them to contract and activate the production of structural proteins. Acceleration of metabolic processes leads to a better 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 lift are those who have undergone a surgical lift and seek to prolong the results.

During the procedure, using ultrasound, the cosmetologist "sees" the inner layer and assesses the condition of the muscles and fascia. Accordingly, the therapeutic effect of ultrasound energy is directed by the doctor to the required depth on the desired muscles, fascia and ligaments.

Adoption of SMAS does not require special preparation. This procedure is quite painful; taking an analgesic allows you to tolerate it comfortably. The effect is partially visible immediately after the procedure, and the lifting results can be fully evaluated after three months.

Injection techniques in cosmetology and laser aesthetic cosmetology make it possible to solve many problems that only required surgery a few years ago. Extending youth is not only a woman's dream. Now, both young people and men who previously rarely visited cosmetic clinics are turning to the services of cosmetic specialists. And the opportunity to solve many problems without surgical intervention, of course, makes aesthetic medicine increasingly attractive and in demand.

How to choose a cosmetology clinic

Perhaps every visitor to a beauty center will say that one of the main things in choosing "your" clinic and "your" doctor is an individual approach, implemented (or not implemented) by specialists. Cosmetologists will tell you about the nuances of combining a personal and objective approach:

"Working in cosmetology, we cannot act only based on our preferences and judgments. 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 cosmetologists with medical educationhigh, specializing in aesthetic medicine, and also trained in modern techniques. This makes it possible to see 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 paying attention to this. "

Aesthetic medicine and cosmetology make it possible to correct many imperfections of the appearance, such as wrinkles, scars, acne, which improve the appearance and prolong youth.

Expression wrinkles that show age can be eliminated using cosmetic procedures such as intradermal facial contouring.

Modern technology in medicine helps 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 cosmetologist.