Hyaluronic Acid: What is it?

Hyaluronic Acid: What is it?

It is a substance naturally present in the skin. Hyaluronic acid is an essential component of the skin’s fundamental substance. It attracts water and helps hydrate tissues.

As we age, the quality of hyaluronic acid degrades, and its quantity decreases, leading to dermal deterioration. The skin becomes drier, fine lines form, and then wrinkles appear. The cheeks, cheekbones, and lips lose volume.

The Solution

Thanks to its volumizing and hydrating effect, hyaluronic acid fills wrinkles and restores facial volume. It can remodel the cheeks and harmonize facial contours. With a simple intradermal injection of hyaluronic acid, imperfections and wrinkles can now be corrected.

It is possible to inject the wrinkles of the forehead, glabella, and fine lines around the crow’s feet (eye contour) with a very fluid and fine product; however, today, botulinum toxin (Botox©, Vistabel©, Dysport©, Azzalure©) is preferred for these areas.

For the nasolabial fold, a thicker product will be used.

Hyaluronic acid also allows for the remodeling of the cheeks and sculpting of the facial oval, restoring its harmony.

Hyaluronic acid is a perfectly tolerated resorbable product used as an implant in the treatment of facial and neck wrinkles, known and used in medicine since the 1930s!

• It may not be of animal origin.
• It is not recognized as a foreign body.
• It does not require a skin test (generally, unless deemed necessary by your doctor).
• It is fully resorbable.
• The aesthetic results are immediate and very natural and do not require any interruption of social life.

Various products are now available in different concentrations, allowing for both facial volume remodeling and fine line smoothing: synthetic origin hyaluronic acids, without animal protein, of extreme purity. However, it is essential to know the patient’s possible allergic history.

The Treatment

The injection is performed with a very fine needle, allowing perfect targeting to erase the wrinkle or reduce its depth. A small correction may be necessary after two weeks if needed.

The injection is not very painful. The doctor may, however, offer local anesthesia for more sensitive areas such as the lip contour.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a component found in large quantities in all young living organisms. Over time, free radicals we are exposed to (sun and pollution) destroy our hyaluronic acid. It is estimated that by age 50, humans have about half the amount of hyaluronic acid they had in childhood.

Discovered about sixty years ago in the eye, hyaluronic acid was first called glycosaminoglycan (GAG). It is vitreous and transparent. The skin, organized in layers, is supported by collagen and elastin fibers. This network forms the connective tissue, within which spaces are filled with water, protein complexes, and hyaluronic acid. This gelatinous tissue is necessary for the transport of nutrients from the blood to the skin cells through the capillary vascular network.

In aesthetic use, the product is available in cross-linked or non-cross-linked forms. The cross-linked form is more effective as it is more compact and stable over a longer period than the other form.

How is hyaluronic acid injected?

Hyaluronic acid is injected under the skin with a very fine needle, intradermally, in the form of a hydrophilic gel. It attracts water and mixes with the hyaluronic acid in our dermis to restore its original volume. Injected under a wrinkle, it inflates the tissues and gives the skin a smooth and natural appearance. The treatment of the wrinkle with hyaluronic acid is practically easy, and the results are immediately visible, without leaving any scars.

Which areas can be treated with hyaluronic acid?

• Nasolabial folds (lines on either side of the mouth)
• Perioral wrinkles (around the mouth)
• Oral commissures (marionette lines on either side of the mouth that droop towards the chin)
• The lip contour line (restoring shape and remodeling)
• Smoothing the facial oval
• Restoring volume to the cheeks and cheekbones

For the treatment of glabellar lines, crow’s feet, and horizontal forehead lines, it is combined with botulinum toxin (Botox©, Vistabel©, Dysport©) treatment.

Additionally, certain acne scars or post-traumatic scars can be treated with hyaluronic acid injections.

How long does the effect of a hyaluronic acid treatment last?

The effects of hyaluronic acid treatment last an average of 6 to 12 months or more for the first treatment. As with any treatment, the duration of the results varies from person to person. However, to optimize the result, annual maintenance is recommended to play on the cumulative effect of the product, as the injections also stimulate the synthesis of your collagen.

What are the side effects?

Small redness and swelling may appear and persist for a few hours to a few days. However, in general, it is possible to resume activities on the same day. A slight edema may exist; it will also be temporary. However, it can be reduced if small ice cubes are placed on the treated areas right after the injection.

Is there any danger in injecting hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is one of the safest filling products. The risk is minimal, but a hypersensitivity reaction is always possible, sometimes in the long term.

Are there any contraindications to hyaluronic acid treatment?

• In the case of skin diseases (treat them first);
• In case of sensitivity to hyaluronic acid;
• In the case of autoimmune disease or diabetes;
• If susceptible to keloids (scars, especially on black skin)

Who is this treatment for?

Generally, women are the most in demand for this type of treatment, but it is not exclusively reserved for them.

Because men’s skin is about 15 to 20% thicker than women’s and their wrinkles are deeper, there are more concentrated products specially adapted to male physiology.

PHOTOS

Photos of treatment results can be found on many websites, but their presence is now condemned by the Medical Order and Belgian law. This is why we do not show them here. However, it is legitimate for you to obtain personalized information on the topics that concern you. During your consultation, many photos will be shown to you so that you can judge and appreciate the results.

If you would like explanations and details about yourself personally, come and meet us for a consultation.