What is a hyaluronic acid treatment?
Hyaluronic acid (brand name Restylane) is a natural tissue component that has gained popularity in recent years as an injectable product for restoring facial volume and treating deep wrinkles. It is a completely safe product that has other medical applications besides cosmetics. It is used in cataract surgery and in some cases of osteoarthritis as a joint lubricant.
Who is hyaluronic acid treatment for?
Treating dark circles with hyaluronic acid has become an increasingly popular treatment for patients in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. At these ages, a loss of volume in the crease under the eyes often appears, making it more pronounced. When we have a pronounced crease under the eyes but no bags under the eyelids, there is no surgical treatment that can solve it, as the main problem is the loss of volume. When, on the other hand, the crease is accompanied by fatty bags, we can redistribute that fatty tissue to eliminate the crease.
In many patients, in addition to the crease, a dark color appears under the eyes. In some patients, this is simply due to a shadow effect, so it will improve after treatment. In other patients, there is actual pigmentation in that area, which will not improve with hyaluronic acid .
FAQS de Ácido hialurónico
-
Hyaluronic acid primarily produces two effects. The first is volumizing. The loss of volume in certain areas of the face with age causes it to sag due to lack of support. Denser hyaluronic acid, injected deeply, can restore lost volume in the face and thus lift areas of the face that have slumped. The second visible effect of hyaluronic acid is hydration, as it is a molecule that captures water molecules and retains them around itself, thus producing a noticeable hydration effect.
-
Hyaluronic acid is a great option for treating dark circles. It’s injected deep beneath the skin and muscle to avoid visible nodules and achieve a uniform result. The dark under-eye area improves in many patients. In-office hyaluronic acid treatment is performed under topical anesthesia (cream) and the effect is immediate. Occasionally , a small bruise may appear in the area . The patient can resume normal activities the same day.
These wipes are made with a mild soap specially designed for this problem. An alternative to these products is to use baby soap diluted by half with water on a soft cloth.
Daily eyelid hygiene, performed daily, can provide effective and long-lasting control of symptoms in the medium term. Eyelid hygiene is also now performed in the ophthalmologist’s office. Using devices such as the BlephEx , the eyelid margins can be cleaned very effectively, unblocking blocked meibomian glands and resulting in immediate symptomatic improvement for the patient. Occasionally, the application of antibiotic ointments (with or without cortisone) for short periods is indicated if bacterial overgrowth is suspected.
Treatment with oral doxycycline (an antibiotic) can be very effective in certain types of blepharitis, not because of its antibiotic properties, but because of its meibomian gland-modulating properties. Nutritional supplements with antioxidants, vitamins, and omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids are increasingly gaining ground in the treatment of blepharitis, as they can improve meibomian gland function.
-
The duration of hyaluronic acid treatment varies. Typical hyaluronic acid implants in cheekbones or lips typically last 12 to 18 months. The periocular area, however, is different, as hyaluronic acid in this area tends to last longer. It’s quite common for a dark circle filler to last two years or even longer. On the other hand, if the patient doesn’t like the effect of hyaluronic acid, it can be removed within 24 hours by injecting hyaluronidase into the area.
-
There are different hyaluronic acid preparations for different areas of the face. The densest compounds are implanted deeper, for example in the cheekbones and cheeks, and volumize and lift them. Less dense, more liquid hyaluronic acid compounds are suitable for the periocular area, for example, under dark circles. These softer products are particularly well suited to these areas; they are invisible, prevent the formation of nodules, and their effect is primarily to hydrate and redensify the skin.
-
- Botulinum toxin (Botox®): Used to improve facial asymmetry. For example, to balance the forehead by paralyzing the healthy side. It is also used to partially correct a deviation in the mouth. Other uses include temporarily closing the cornea in cases of corneal ulcers or reducing tearing in patients who complain of excessive tearing after facial paralysis.
- Hyaluronic acid : It can be used to improve the oral area, treating the paralyzed area to give the lip more firmness and thus improve its function. It can also be used when a gold-weighted implant is not possible or the patient does not want it. In these cases, hyaluronic acid injections into the upper eyelid have a “weighting” effect to improve eye closure.
-
The body slowly reabsorbs hyaluronic acid, but it can be re-injected over time if deemed necessary. The treatment should not be permanent, as the patient’s anatomical characteristics will change over the years, and a different type of treatment may be required.
Hyaluronic acid treatment is reversible. This means that if the patient is not satisfied with the result, a substance that dissolves the hyaluronic acid can be applied within a few hours, returning the patient to their initial state. -
For deep folds such as nasogamous folds or marionette lines, or for cheekbone augmentation, we use a product other than hyaluronic acid: calcium hydroxyapatite (brand name Radiesse). This is a much more consistent product than hyaluronic acid, so it cannot be used to treat superficial wrinkles. It is ideal for deep folds and for cheekbone augmentation, as it is injected into deeper areas and lasts much longer than hyaluronic acid. Furthermore, this product promotes collagen formation in the injected area, so some of its effect will persist once the product is reabsorbed.
-
Hyaluronic acid is also used to treat established skin wrinkles, not expression lines (for the latter we use botulinum toxin). It can be used on the brow, crow’s feet, jawline, etc. Sometimes we use it in combination with botulinum toxin, for example, for deep frown lines that cannot be completely improved with Botox alone.
