Hyaluronic acid
The principle
Hyaluronic acid is a glassy and transparent substance present in the skin, where it fills (together with other substances) the spaces between the fibers. It is found in large quantities in young organisms and fades over the years. At 50, for example, we only have 50% of our hyaluronic acid capital left.
In aesthetic medicine, it is injected to fill in wrinkles. The product used in this case is a substance synthesized in the laboratory, biodegradable. In the form of a gel, it attracts water and mixes with the hyaluronic acid of the dermis to restore its initial volume. This technique also stimulates the synthesis of hyaluronic acid and collagen in the skin itself.
The product is presented in a cross-linked (dense) or non-cross-linked (fluid) form. The first is more compact and stable over a longer duration, from 6 to 9 months or even more. The fluid version allows you to keep the effects for about three months.
Practically
One session lasts 30 minutes. Hyaluronic acid is injected under the skin, in the form of a transparent gel, through a very thin needle. Under the wrinkle, it swells the tissues and gives the skin a smooth and natural appearance. Often, depending on the area treated, the doctor can proceed to a "local anesthesia.
The injection techniques are the same as for collagen. The doctor can "choose to make an injection" under a specific groove, letting himself be guided by the geometry of the wrinkle. The wrinkle is filled: the tissues rise to the level of the adjacent wrinkle-free skin. Or the doctor can opt for a series of small injections: a series of drops of product are injected under the wrinkle. Warning, this method can cause poorly distributed product balls and rough skin.
For which wrinkles?
- The nasogenic furrows
- The peribuccal folds and the labial commissures (around the mouth), the lip contour line
- Lion's wrinkles (the space between the eyebrows), crow's feet (star wrinkles on the outer side of the eye)
- The horizontal wrinkles of the forehead
To know
- After the surgery, redness and swelling may occur, but disappear in 24 / 48h. Avoid exposing yourself to extreme temperatures for 10 days following the injection.
- The effects are immediate and the injection leaves no scar.
- It is one of the safest filling products. There are very few contraindications to hyaluronic acid injections, aside from skin diseases, diabetes and autoimmune diseases.
- In some cases, the association of hyaluronic acid and botulinum toxin (Botox®) gives remarkable results.
- Certain scars can be treated with hyaluronic acid injections.
- There are hyaluronic acids of synthetic origin, therefore free of animal proteins. It is not necessary to do a test before the injection, as with collagen.
- The effect is visible for 3-9 months after which the product is reabsorbed. Most patients have the second session between 6 and 12 months after the first.
- Before any intervention, inquire about the skills acquired and the experience of the doctor you have chosen, and request a quote relating to the services you wish to obtain.
- Rates vary, depending on the number of wrinkles to be treated, between € 300 and € 800. The average price of a session for the treatment of nasogenic furrows is
about 400 €.
Photo: Chanel
