1. Lasers
In aesthetics, lasers have been around for a long time, but they're truly evolving. And I think that they're at this point, the heart of aesthetic medicine.
Some of the benefits they can provide are:
True regenerative medicine
Anti-aging
Increasing collagen
Increasing elastin
There are many different types
of lasers used in aesthetic medicine also. Types of lasers used include:
Resurfacing lasers
RF Microneedling lasers for lifting and tightening skin
IPL or BBL for pigmentation
Skin Resurfacing Lasers
Laser skin resurfacing is a method that has been proven to decrease wrinkles, age spots, acne scars, and other imperfections, as well as firming the skin and evening out the tone. Because lasers can do so much, and vary widely in how they act on your skin, it is hard to know where to start when researching treatment. A quick search shows many different devices and methods that are in competition with each other!
At what point should I consider getting laser skin resurfacing?
After some laser procedures, the skin becomes very sensitive to the sun. This sensitivity could last for up to a year. For this reason, many cosmetic surgeons advise their patients to schedule laser resurfacing during fall or winter when the days are shorter and people spend more time indoors.No matter when you get your laser procedure done, make sure to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day and reapply it as necessary.
How bad do laser treatments hurt?
The pain level patients experience from laser treatments varies wildly from patient to patient. During laser treatments, patients often describe the feeling as similar to having a rubber band snapped against the skin. To keep a patient comfortable during deeper ablative laser treatments that remove some outer layers of skin, local anesthetic injections or intravenous sedation may be required.
Does having darker skin tone prevent me from getting laser treatments?
Many people mistakenly believe that laser resurfacing is only safe for people with light skin. Individuals with darker skin tone have a higher likelihood of developing darker pigmentation while healing. That being said, a bleaching agent may be applied to lighten the color tone of your skin.
RF Microneedling Lasers
For several decades, micro-needling (also called collagen induction therapy) has been a method of rejuvenating the skin and is minimally invasive.
How does RF Micro-Needling Work?
The process involves using a device with fine needles or pins to make small punctures on the skin, which in turn causes the body to produce fresh collagen and elastin. In addition to the physical process of needles entering the skin, RF micro-needling delivers RF energy into the deeper dermis layers for enhanced skin tightening and scar reduction.
How long until RF Micro-Needling benefits are seen?
It is common for the building of new collagen and elastin after a laser treatment to take 4-6 weeks. The best results will be visible 12 weeks after completing the entire series of treatments, and the benefits observed can be influenced by the number of passes and how deep the skin is penetrated.
Intese Pulsed Light (IPL) Laser Therapy
IPL (also called photofacial) Laser Therapy is a non-surgical method to enhance skin pigmentation and texture. IPL can help reduce some of the visible skin damage caused by exposure to the sun. If you have a health condition that causes red, brown, or splotchy skin, this might be very effective for you.
How does IPL treatment work?
The IPL treatment targets a specific color in your skin by utilizing light energy. Heating the skin causes the body to eliminate unwanted cells, treating and removing the unwanted red skin tone. The IPL device emits multiple pulsating light wavelengths and can treat multiple skin conditions at the same time.
Lasers are truly it and if you haven't jumped on what I call the laser train it's time!
2. Exosomes
If you haven't heard of exosomes you need to go research these because they are absolutely revolutionary! Right now in the United States, they're only FDA approved to apply topically.
In other countries that are like 10 years ahead of us in aesthetic medicine, they're actually injecting them, so that should be in the near future in the United States.
What are exosomes?
Exosomes, or extracellular vesicules, are messengers that carry key signals in your body. They can vary by the source. Platelets, mesenchymal stem cells, or other body fluids can serve as sources for deriving exosomes. Exosomes are made up of different components, such as mRNA, miRNA, proteins like cytokines and growth factors, and lipids from various hosts, and they control different cellular reactions in target cells.
What are exosomes used for?
Some studies are showing that exosomes are 100 times stronger than PRP and PRF at promoting single stem cells, growth factors, cytokines, and they help tremendously with tissue repair. In my opinion, from what I've seen in my patients, they really accelerate healing post care. Exosomes are amazing and will also be used heavily in the hair restoration market!
3. Biostimulators
Biostimulators are pretty well known at this point in aesthetic medicine, but there are several different types. Some of the different types of biostimulators are:
Sculptra
Radiesse
Hyaluronic Acid containing biostimulators as well - coming to the United States soon
What are Biostimulators?
Like fillers, Biostimulators are injected into the deep layer of the skin (called the dermis). In contrast to fillers, biostimulators do more than simply add volume to an area. Biostimulators function by promoting the growth of new tissue, assisting the skin in generating its own natural volume. There are both injectable and non-injectable versions of biostimulators.
Where are Biostimulators used?
Biostimulators can be used in many different areas, like the buttocks, face, and many other desirable areas.
Sculptra
Sculptra has a gel-like consistency and is made of poly-L-lactic acid. Poly-L-lactic acid stimulates collagen that is absorbed and encourages cells to produce even more collagen. The end result of injecting Sculptra is:
Deep wrinkle reduction
Elevate sunken in areas of skin
Contour definition
Where best in the body can Sculptra be injected?
The areas that Sculptra is best utilized are the buttocks and hips.
How long does Sculptra last?
Sculptra can last up to and over two years, and is not a permanent solution. Ongoing injections every few years can maintain positive results.
Radiesse
Radiesse helps fill in wrinkles by stimulating your body's natural collagen production and promoting the development of new collagen in your skin over time. The purpose of this treatment is to target wrinkles and folds that appear around the mouth and nose, as well as areas on the face and hands where fat has been lost.
How does Radiesse work?
The main workhouse ingredient of Radiesse is calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) delivered in gel microspheres. Initially, the physical gel from Radiesse provides the dermal filling. Over time, CaHA encourages the production of your skin's natural collagen, which in turn creates more of its own filler.
4. Ultrasound Guided Injections
Prism purchased an ultrasound machine in 2023 to help with guiding injections and believe that it will be the gold standard moving foreward. Ultrasound is a great way to help with injections because It helps measure the amount of product already present, as well as the amount going into the area.
Why Are Ultrasound Guided Injections Important?
Ultrasound is a great way to help with injections because it gives precise and exact measurements for filler already present in areas that need to be injected.
Using an ultrasound machine while injecting filler can help prevent issues like vascular occlusion. Fillers can cause vascular occlusion when used improperly, especially in high risk areas, like the forehead or nose.
We are extremely thankful at Prism that these safety measures are being brought into aesthetic medicine, and more and more people are taking it seriously!
When Should an Ultrasound Machine Be Used With Fillers?
Ultrasound guided injections are not always necessary, but for areas when you're trying to dissolve and are not sure how much filler is already present, it can be a game changer!
5. Dissolving Filler
The overfilled look is not popular anymore! What is desirable now is having a youthful, but undetectable filled look. We want patients to look and feel their best, all while looking natural and fillers not obviously standing out! I love filler, just undetectable!
How is filler dissolved?
Hyaluronidase is used and injected to break down the hyaluronic acid commonly used as filler. Hyaluronidase works is by breaking the bonds between HA molecules, which then allows the body to naturally reabsorb those molecules. After 48 hours, there is a reduced appearance of filler around injection site.
Why do patients get filler dissolved?
Filler migration
Filler may feel soft and movable for the first 48 hours after treatment. If there is significant swelling or muscle movement, the filler may compress or shift in those areas. As a result, filler may move to the path of least resistance to find a pocket where it should not be.
Lumps or Bumps
Lumps and bumps can come about through a similar process as migration. We commonly find lumps and bumps in the trough and lips. The skin in the tear trough area is extremely thin and a difficult area. Lips have high muscle moved and can push the filler around while it is still soft.
Emergency Reversal
An emergency case occurs when filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel. This can cause a blockage to occur which may stop the flow of blood and prevent the diffusion of essential oxygen to the tissues. After a while, tissues may start to die from lack of oxygen, called tissue necrosis.
Conclusion
From lasers to exosomes and biostimulators, these are some of the most popular trends in aesthetic medicine for 2023. Ultrasound guided injections can provide precise measurements for filler already present in areas that need to be injected, helping prevent issues like vascular occlusion. Finally, dissolving filler is a great way to adjust or reverse an injection if it doesn't turn out as expected.
At Prism Aesthetics we strive to ensure our clients receive the best possible care with minimal risks involved - which is why these safety measures are so important! With all of these techniques at your disposal you can make sure you get the exact results you’re looking for from any aesthetic treatment.
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