Anti-ageing creams, lotions and serums are often successful in slowing down and preventing the formation of wrinkles, but they are ineffective in removing existing deep wrinkles.
New treatment methods resulting from advances in plastic surgery have proven effective in combating the signs of ageing. Dermal fillers injected under the skin to fill and smooth wrinkles are the most common of these treatment methods. Dermal fillers can be used on the face as well as on the hands in combination with laser skin resurfacing methods. This makes the face and hands appear the same age.
Dermal fillers are a temporary treatment, so they need to be repeated to maintain their effects. They are also less effective when applied to very sagging skin compared to other treatments. In such cases, a facelift treatment is more appropriate.
Today, one of the dermal fillers used in cosmetic surgery is hyaluronic acid fillers.
What is Hyaluronic Acid?
The most common alternative to collagen, hyaluronic acid, is also used to treat wrinkles and lines on the face. Hyaluronic acid is made from biologically degradable, non-animal-derived, balanced hyaluronic acid. This acid is naturally found in the skin and gives it fullness and volume. As we age, the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin decreases and the signs of ageing become more pronounced. The reason hyaluronic acid injections are so effective in skin treatment is that they increase the level of hyaluronic acid in the skin. When injected, hyaluronic acid absorbs moisture from the surrounding area and expands, smoothing out lines and wrinkles and plumping the skin.
What are the characteristics of hyaluronic acid facial fillers?
Hyaluronic acid injections tend to maintain their effect longer than collagen injections. In general, the effect of hyaluronic injections lasts between 6 and 12 months. This means you don’t have to repeat the treatment too many times to maintain its effect. Additionally, since hyaluronic acid plumps the skin from within by hydrating it, it produces more natural-looking results compared to Botox or certain facial rejuvenation procedures. This makes hyaluronic acid a preferred treatment for lip augmentation, smoothing nasolabial folds, and improving the appearance and contour of the jawline.
Another advantage of hyaluronic acid is that it is not an animal product. Therefore, unlike collagen injections, it does not cause allergic reactions. For the same reason, allergy and skin tests are not required before treatment.
However, hyaluronic acid treatment is slightly more painful than collagen injections and therefore usually requires local anaesthesia. This can increase the cost of treatment.
What is post-treatment skin care like?
For a few days after treatment, your face may be slightly swollen and red, and the injection sites may be slightly sore. During this time, you should keep your skin as clean as possible to reduce the risk of infection. To deal with redness, you can apply natural anti-inflammatory oils to your face. Emu oil is known to be effective in this regard.
Your long-term goal should be to keep the amount of hyaluronic acid in your skin as high as possible. Hyaluronic acid can be broken down by the hyaluronidase enzyme found in the skin. If you can prevent this enzyme from breaking down hyaluronic acid, the effects of the injection will last much longer. One way to do this is to use face creams containing Phytessence Wakame extract. This extract, derived from a Japanese seaweed, helps preserve the amount of hyaluronic acid in your skin by reducing hyaluronidase activity. You can also find this extract under the following names: Undaria pinnatifida, wakame seaweed, Japanese brown seaweed extract, fucodian, or fucoxanthin. In addition to this method, you can also maintain the amount of hyaluronic acid in your skin at a certain level by taking hyaluronic acid supplements.
