What is Hyaluronic Acid?
Hyaluronic acid is a sugar naturally present in the dermis that fills the space between collagen and elastin fibers. Thanks to its hydrophilic properties, hyaluronic acid attracts water and thus hallowing us to volumize and hydrate the skin.
With aging, the cells of the dermis gradually lose their ability to produce hyaluronic acid, which contributes to the loss of volume and increases wrinkles and sagging of the face. In aesthetic medicine, hyaluronic acid is used as a corrector and sculptor to restore volume, facial contour and hydrate the skin.
Hyaluronic is used to treat facial aging as well as in the correction of targeted problems and complaints such us lip and cheek augmentation. Our better understanding of facial aging, has changed the way we inject patients. A common complaint is increased nasolabila folds; in the past aesthetic physicians used to inject them directly with an unnatural result. Today we treat them indirectly by injecting lateral parts of the face thus reducing nasolabial folds, and slimming the face. Furthermore, in the last few years a new approach, developped by Dr Mauricio Di Maio, emphasizes the treatment of emotional aspect in facial aesthetics. Patients, young or older, often consult complaining of having a sad, angry, tired or saggy looking face. Today with the MD Codes® developped by Dr Mauricio Di Maio @mauriciodimaio, we are able to use a combination of injections to treat the emotional symptoms described above.
What can be treated?
- Naso-genic grooves
- Folds of bitterness (and other wrinkles around the lips)
- Lips: volume, vermilion and commissures
- The contour of the face
- The cheekbones, cheeks and temples
- Wrinkles of the lion and crow’s feet in addition to botulinum toxin injections (Vistabel or Botox®)
- Eye hollow circles
- Non-surgical rhinoplasty (irregular nose) and proflipolastie (leaky nose)
- A fleeing chin
- Acne scars in combination with the fractionated laser (Intenz® fractionated CO2 laser)
- The back of the hands
The number of sessions
The number of sessions required varies according to needs. Once injected, hyaluronic acid has a shelf life of 12 to 18 months after which it will gradually dissolve.
In order to optimize the results, 15 to 30 days after the first treatment, an additional session may be necessary for any refinishing.
Current recommendations by Dr Mauricio Di Maio MD Codes® for treatment of patients wih important facial aging is as follows:
foundation: 4 syringes of 1 ml are required for this treatment.
contouring: 4 syringes are generally required for this treatment phase
refinement: final step of the treatment
This treatment approach which applies only to certain patients with important facial aging symptoms, can be planned over a 12-month period, depending on the patient’s treatment response, wishes, and budget.
What are the results?
The wrinkles are blurred, the face recovers its volumes and the lips are redefined. Hyaluronic acid rehydrates the skin and stimulates the fibroblasts, cells responsible for the synthesis of collagen and elastin. Thus, repeated at regular intervals, hyaluronic acid injections restore health, suppleness and a radiance to the skin.
The goal is to get a rejuvenation and a freshness evoking more a rested appearance (or return air of holidays appearance) rather than an artificial and frozen face. The success of treatment lies in the fact that it is visible but discreet and without modifications of the shape and facial lines.
Side effects
Redness, mild swelling (mainly after injecting the lips and under the eyes), small bruising or nodules can sometimes occur in the injected area, these side effects are all temporary.
In case of edema or asymmetry, the doctor can inject hyaluronidase, an enzyme capable of dissolving hyaluronic acid.
It is also possible to observe small bruises or redness. These side effects are all temporary.