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A-Z of Dermal Fillers

Are you considering dermal fillers but still researching your options? In this week’s blog we bring you everything you need to know about dermal fillers, right from A-Z…

A – Aftercare

After having dermal filler treatment it is extremely important to follow the aftercare advice down to a T! One of the hardest to follow is avoiding makeup for the rest of the day post-treatment. This prevents the introduction of infection into the injection sites. If you do need to wear makeup at any point we would recommend mineral-based foundation.

B – Benefits

There are a range of benefits associated with modern dermal fillers that we use at Cosmetic Courses. Firstly there is very little recovery time meaning you can resume your daily routine immediately after treatment. The treatment can be tailored to your needs and built upon over time. If you want a subtle, natural look this can be achieved in a single treatment but if you are looking for a more dramatic effect this can also be achieved over a course of treatments. It’s important to let your practitioner know which type of look you are aiming for so that a treatment plan can be designed specifically for you.

C – Cheek Augmentation

One of the most popular areas of the face to have dermal fillers is into the cheeks, known as a cheek augmentation. The reason for this is as we age we lose fat and therefore volume in the cheek area which can make you look hollow and can cause the skin to sag downwards. This sagging can cause more prominent lines in the lower face such as between the nose and mouth and the marionette lines. By injecting dermal fillers into the cheeks, they work to add volume back into the mid-face, improving the appearance of wrinkles and making your cheeks appear chiselled and rejuvenated.

D – Dermal FillersJuvederm smile

D is for dermal fillers of course! Dermal fillers replace volume that is lost during the ageing process. There are a variety of companies that produce dermal fillers and within each brand of filler there are different strengths. At Cosmetic Courses we use the Juvederm range of dermal fillers, which is a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler. (Find out more about hyaluronic acid below!) The strength of your dermal fillers will be assessed according to your needs and desired outcome.

E – Effects

The effects of dermal fillers are immediate. However, the longevity of the effects can vary, depending on each individual, the type of dermal filler and the area that has been treated. Effects will last a shorter amount of time when the dermal filler is applied to the lips as there is a significant amount of movement in this area causing the filler to break down. We tend to say that the effects on average will last between 6-18 months on static areas such as the cheeks but 3-6 months for the lips.

F – Feet

Foot cushioning is one of the latest innovations using dermal fillers and is in demand by ladies who live and work in their heels. Nicknamed the ‘loub lift’ the treatment involves injecting dermal fillers into the sole of the foot to create a cushion and make wearing those killer heels much more comfortable!

G – Gorgeous

Dermal fillers should be used to enhance your natural beauty and make you feel gorgeous rather than make you look like a completely different person.

H – Hyaluronic Acid

The most popular type of dermal filler is made of hyaluronic acid which is a natural substance that occurs in the body. Hyaluronic acid is responsible for lubricating joints and skin tissue and gives you that plumpness in your skin. Over time the rate at which you produce hyaluronic acid slows down. Therefore by introducing it back into the skin via hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers you can achieve a more youthful appearance. It is a completely natural substance and is broken down over time and assimilated back into your body. Hyaluronic acid is also able to hold 1000 times its own weight in water which is one of the reasons it’s so popular as a type of dermal filler!

I – Injection

The treatment is performed using a very fine needle which is inserted underneath the skin and followed by a slow injection of the dermal filler. The needle is extremely fine which minimises any pain but we also numb the treatment area prior to injection by applying topical anaesthetic cream.

J – JuvedermAllergan logo

Juvederm is a brand of dermal filler produced by Allergan; a global healthcare company that has pioneered developments of medical aesthetic treatments for more than 35 years. Juvederm is one of the most popular types of filler and can help refresh, lift and define different areas of the face.

K – Knowledge

Before you commit to any aesthetic treatment it is extremely important to do your research and make sure you know the ins and outs of the process and the recommended aftercare advice – hence our A-Z of dermal fillers!

L – Lip Augmentation

Another very popular area of the face to have dermal fillers is the lips, known as lip augmentation. Dermal fillers in this area can have two effects:

  1. Define
  2. Produce volume

If you are looking for more definition in your lips then you can have dermal fillers applied to the lip border, which is the edge of the lip. This treatment produces very natural results and a nice outline to your lips. However, if you are looking for more volume then you should ask for your lip body injected with the dermal fillers. The lip body is the actual pink part of the lip and by injecting dermal fillers into this part you can restore plumpness and achieve that perfect pout!

M – Mouth

There are five different areas around the mouth that we can inject with dermal fillers:

  1. Marionette lines – the lines which go from the corner of your lip towards your jowls
  2. Nasolabial folds – the lines which go from the corner of your nose to the corner of your mouth
  3. Oral Commisures – the very corner of your mouth which can give you that downturned look
  4. Peri-oral lines – the smoker’s lines which appear when you make a pout
  5. Chin augmentation – dermal fillers can be injected into the chin to reduce dimpling, or contour the shape.

N – Non-Surgical Facelift

With advances in dermal fillers we can now produce what’s known as a non-surgical facelift also known as the 8 Point Facelift or Liquid Facelift. This technique injects dermal fillers  into various points on the mid and lower face to produce an overall lift to the cheeks and jowl area. This is a slightly more expensive approach to dermal fillers than simply injecting one specific line or fold, however it provides an overall rejuvenated effect to the face rather than just focusing on one area alone.

O – Only at Cosmetic Courses

Cosmetic Courses is one of the only places where you can receive a high quality treatment at a discounted price. By becoming a model you can save up to £175 on your dermal filler treatment!

P – Permanent Fillers

A common misconception is that if you undergo lip filler you will end up looking like Leslie Ash. This is not the case. The difference between the fillers Leslie Ash had compared to what you would receive at Cosmetic Courses or any other high quality clinic is that Leslie Ash had permanent fillers injected into her lips rather than temporary ones. In her case the silicone set around the muscles in her lips and it is now impossible for surgeons to remove it. So it’s important to remember that ‘Permanent fillers cause permanent problems’ so always make sure you are being treated with temporary hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers.

Q – Quick

The treatment itself is extremely quick usually taking only 30-45 minutes to complete. Results will be seen immediately but there will be some slight swelling and redness initially so true results can be seen approximately 2 weeks post-treatment.

R – Rhinoplasty

Dermal fillers can even be used to perform what’s known as a non-surgical rhinoplasty. A combination of Botox and dermal fillers can be injected into the nose to amend any contour irregularities or change the shape of your nose. Unlike a surgical rhinoplasty this is a much quicker procedure, is a lot less expensive and has very little downtime.

S – Smoker’s Lines

Dermal fillers can be used to correct smoker’s lines, also known as peri-oral lines. These are the vertical lines above the lip that appear when you pout. These are known as smoker’s lines because if you are a regular smoker and have been for some years, the continuous process of moving your lips into that pout position causes troughs in your skin which appear as wrinkles. Injecting these lines with dermal fillers, rejuvenates this area of the face.

T – Tear Trough Rejuvenationbefore after tear trough

Tear trough rejuvenation, also known as peri-orbital rejuvenation is most commonly used to reduce dark circle or tear troughs beneath the eyes which give a tired, sunken look. Dermal fillers are injected between the lower eyelid and cheek which will thicken the skin beneath and around the eye, resulting in a natural, brighter look.

U – Unwanted Lines

Dermal fillers can correct any unwanted lines across your face such as laughter lines or smiling lines. They will improve the appearance of your wrinkles and replace the volume that has been lost due to ageing.

V – Very Happy

We have had some very happy clients over the years including Liz who has had a range of treatments with us:

W – Women

Although a majority of the demand for dermal fillers is from females we are slowly seeing an increase in the demand for these types of injectable treatments from the male population.

X – X-rated

Dermal fillers are only licensed for patients aged 18 and over. Therefore if you are under 18 we would not treat you with dermal fillers at Cosmetic Courses.

Y – Your Face is Uniqueconsultation with mel

Everyone’s face is unique meaning treatment for each individual will be different. It is important to thoroughly discuss with your practitioner your aims and desires from treatment so that a bespoke treatment plan can be created specifically for your needs.

Z – Zero Cost

There is zero cost for a consultation at Cosmetic Courses. If you are unsure about which treatment would be best for you, or would just like to discuss your options then please feel free to visit us for your no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

Dermal Filler Treatment at Cosmetic Courses

If you’d like further information on dermal filler treatment at Cosmetic Courses then please contact us or if you would like to register as a model please fill in our registration form and one of our advisers will be in touch.

 

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Learn advanced facial rejuvenation with the Aurora Lift

The Aurora Lift forms the basis of our advanced facial rejuvenation training – both for our team at Aurora Clinics, and our delegates at Cosmetic Courses.

It’s used by our trainers in their own clinics, and to date remains the best method our Clinical Director Adrian Richards has found to achieve natural results from non-surgical treatment.

It gives us a blueprint for treatment, helping us focus on the important areas to achieve the most natural and long-lasting facial rejuvenation.

So what is the Aurora Lift?

The Aurora Lift essentially involves looking at the face as an A-frame (see picture below) and treating it accordingly, using a combination of Botox and facial fillers.

A FrameWith age, facial volume migrates gradually southwards. This changes the shape of the face from the inverted triangle of youth, with its apex facing down, to the traditional triangle of middle age and beyond, with its apex facing up.

Using the A-frame concept, we’re able to focus on distinct treatment areas to effectively counter this ageing triangle inversion.

It involves subdividing the face into areas which lie along the limbs of an extended ‘A’. To achieve the most harmonious facial rejuvenation, we ask our practitioners and delegates to focus on these areas.

 Aurora Lift points for facial rejuvenationThe A-frame Zones for Facial Rejuvenation
  1. Glabella
  2. Cheeks
  3. Nasolabial Folds
  4. Marionette Lines
  5. Pre Jowl Salcus

Glabella

The apex of the A is located over the glabella. This is treated in most cases with our standard 5 point Botulinum toxin pattern. This involves a single sub-cutaneous injection over procerus and 2 into either corrugator.

We find that sub-cutaneous placement is more comfortable for the patient, produces less bruising and trauma and reduces the risk of toxin diffusion into orbit which can result in weakness of the eye muscles.

Cheeks

Working downwards, the next focus areas lie at the ends of the transverse limb of the A-frame – the cheeks.  Where possible, we ask clients to bring in old photos so we can assess their volume changes over time. Our aim is to restore their youthful volume, not add more than they had as this can produce an unnatural appearance.

We restore lost volume with filler within each of the fat compartments of the cheeks. Our preferred method of delivery is with a blunt-ended cannula rather than a needle, as we believe it gives us more control whilst minimising trauma.

Nasolabial Folds and Marionette Lines

Our next focus areas, along the limbs of the A-frame, are the nasolabial folds and marionette lines. Again our preference is a cannula, as there is only one point of entry and less trauma as a result.

Care must be taken not to add too much volume here, as excess volume in the lower face can age rather than rejuvenate.

Most patients treated with the Aurora Lift will also have toxin treatment to the depressor anguli oris muscle to upturn the mouth and reduce the amount of dermal filler needed.

Pre Jowl Sulcus

Finally, the base of the A-frame lies below the jowls. Again, our preference here is to use a moderate dose of toxin in this region to reduce the downward pull of the platysma on the jowls.

Find out more

At Cosmetic Courses, we teach the Aurora Lift at our bespoke advanced training sessions. Attend one of these hands-on training days and you’ll learn the principles of the A-frame approach, and how best to apply them to achieve harmonious pan facial rejuvenation for your clients.

For more information or to book a place on our advanced course, please contact the team on 01844 318317 or email [email protected].

 

 

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Facial Rejuvenation: Complimentary Surgical & Non-surgical Approaches

Latest developments in facial rejuvenation surgeryFacial Rejuvenation

Non-surgical skin treatments and surgical facial procedures often go hand-in-hand. The former, if begun early enough, can be a preventative to ward off the necessity for the latter until much later. Or, they can be used to compliment each other: there is little point a patient saving up and spending their hard-earned savings on that facelift only to reverse the effects by failing to pamper their skin.

Recent figures have shown a 50% increase in the number of people undergoing facial rejuvenation procedures during the last year. Why are more people considering these forms of treatment? Many people tell Cosmetic Courses’ founding Surgeon, Mr Adrian Richards, that they don’t like having their photograph taken and feel as if they would like to look fresher and less tired. Patients often tell him that they believe their face looks far older than they feel.

In the UK, most patients considering any form of treatment want to look as natural as possible. Treatments can realistically make you look as you did 8-10 years ago.

To achieve a natural fresh appearance it is important to address each of the following: The skin, active wrinkles caused by muscle contractions and gravity changes. For some people dramatic improvements can be achieved with skin treatments which involve minimal downtime and cost.

Skin treatments alone can make you look much fresher and brighter. These treatments may consist of Microdermabrasion, Genuine Dermaroller Therapy, or perhaps a light chemical peel. These all work in different ways to removes fine wrinkles, reduce pore size or cause mild skin contraction. Combined, they are highly effective to make the skin look fresher and more youthful.

Active wrinkles caused by muscle contraction are typically found between the eyebrows (frown lines), on the forehead and below the temple (crows feet). As these lines are caused by muscle contraction they are best treated by selectively reducing the overactive muscle activity in these areas. This best performed with small injections of botulinum toxin or dermal fillers into specific muscles.

Gravity changes include descent of the cheek region which causes deepening of the lines which come down from the nose to corner of the mouth. Other changes include loss of the jaw line and jowl formation. The neck skin can also loosen and the sharp angle between the neck and chin is lost.

Gravity changes are best treated with Surgery as the muscle layers of the face need to be repositioned in their previous position. In the forties and early fifties it is often best to have a Mini-face lift (MACS-lift). This elevates the cheek, jowl and neck regions and restores a more youthful face shape.

Most people in their mid to late fifties or older are more suited to more traditional face lift techniques (SMAS-lifts).

These techniques specifically tighten the neck and jowl regions.

Cosmetic Courses offer a Professional Development Section in conjunction with our sister company, Aurora Clinics. This aims to provide support and information about Surgical procedures to enhance the non-surgical training which you can gain with Cosmetic Courses.

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Botox Injected Practitioners Half Days Training

Botox, made from Botulinum Toxin, is a protein generated by a bacterium. When administered in minute doses, it paralyzes muscles by blocking messages sent from the brain to the muscles. Traditional medicine uses it to treat uncontrollable muscle spasms and cosmetic medicine uses it as a beauty treatment. As a beauty aid, it smoothens out wrinkles from 3 to 6 months, and it only takes a half-hour to complete.

Unfortunately, due to its efficacy in facial rejuvenation and its profitability, the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service (IHAS) has cautioned that numerous medical firms are allowing employees to inject Botox into the faces of patients after only some rudimentary training, consisting of injecting oranges. In fact, staff members like administrators, are injecting patients after only a few hours of training. Moreover, many of the trainers have no medical background or qualifications.

The IHAS warns that this lack of proper regulation is putting patients at risk. Botox injections are even being given by hairdressers and beauty therapists, who are storing the Botulinum at the wrong temperature. These unhygienic conditions are causing medical complications. In Britain, one million people get Botox or facial filler injections, and 1 out of every 20 clients suffers complications, with those injected with Botox suffering droopy eyelids and those injected with facial fillers developing lumps under the skin.

A famous example about complications arising from improper treatment is the story of actress Leslie Ash. After a liquid silicone lip injection by a plastic surgeon at the house of a friend, the silicone set around the muscles creating a disfiguring “trout prout,” which surgeons have not been able to remove.

In an attempt to sort out the mess, the IHAS has launched a website called treatmentyoucantrust.co.uk that exclusively lists those who are medically qualified practitioners trained to provide injections. This industry-regulated website is also backed by the Government.

Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, a surgeon and the Chairman of the IHAS Working Group, which is responsible for the website said, “We are appalled by the sheer volume of bad practice within the industry but there is also a lot of good clinical practice and we are convinced that the great majority of providers are 100 per cent behind improving patient safety.”

However, the website is regarded with skepticism by Niger Mercer, a consultant plastic surgeon and President of The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, who said, “It is evident from the information circulated by the IHAS to the profession that the scheme is being used as a marketing tool, its regulation appears rudimentary and their ‘Quality Mark’ is not recognised by the British Standards Institute or any other regulatory body. “

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