Hyaluronic Acid

The star of wrinkle removal

The era of surgical face lifts appears to be over. Wrinkles can easily be treated by means of anti-wrinkle injections without going under the knife! Hyaluronic acid (HA) is the favourite of cosmetic medicine practitioners. Deemed almost risk free, HA fills in nasolabial folds (around the nostrils) and marionette lines. Hyaluronic acid might be your fountain of youth!

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With age, skin becomes dehydrated, becomes thinner. It renews itself less and sags. Small lines begin to appear, followed by the dreaded wrinkles.
For men and women who want to fight against these effects of aging without pain, hyaluronic acid solution is becoming the star treatment. It fills in wrinkles with almost no side effects, and its after-effects are less serious than cosmetic surgery. It is ideal for filling fine and deep lines.

What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in our bodies. It is used to maintain a good level of hydration of our skin by capturing and holding water in the deeper layers. HA is a molecule that acts somewhat like a sponge.

The principle of hyaluronic acid injection.
No need for heavy anaesthesia or incisions. Wrinkle treatment based on hyaluronic acid injections is accomplished through injections of a gel. Once absorbed into the skin, the gel retains water and is mixed with natural hyaluronic acid in the dermis. The volumizing effect restores skin to its original state and wrinkles are plumped up.
It is a biodegradable product that is absorbed naturally in the body. This means you will have to repeat the process in 6 to 12 months if you want to look younger on a continuous basis. This is actually an advantage, as the reversible side of these interventions makes them less scary than the finality of cosmetic surgery.

What areas are treated?
Hyaluronic acid is mainly used for the lower face with two favourite targets: the nasolabial folds (from both sides of the nostrils to the corners of the mouth) and marionette lines (each side of the mouth to the chin). You can also use hyaluronic acid for the treatment of the cheeks, the cheekbones, forehead or crow's feet. The lips are increasingly being redrawn with HA.
Products in syringes are adaptable on a case-by-case basis, hence the term "custom injection". This means that all skin types can benefit from injections of HA. Even black skins, which are thicker and more susceptible to scarring than others, can benefit. That said, only an experienced practitioner will be able to select the right products appropriate to the specifics of your skin type and quality.

The session type
The doctor injects acid into the skin a few millimetres deep. Depending on how many wrinkles are to be treated, a session lasts between 10 and 30 minutes. Although these "stings" are bearable, it is not pain free. So if you're really sensitive you can ask your practitioner to apply a local aesthetic. He will apply Lidocaine ointment to the area 45 minutes before the injections.
Sometimes the injection site may require some massage immediately after, to level the surface.

The cost
On average, the price of an injection is 200 euros; injected per syringe. This price varies depending on the number of syringes needed and the type of hyaluronic acid used.

The results of hyaluronic acid
The effect of hyaluronic acid is immediately visible. At the end of the session, your wrinkles will have disappeared, but the final result is optimal 10 days after surgery. This is the time it takes for the body to fully absorb the acid.
Hyaluronic acid is an absorbable molecule. Its effects are temporary and last on average 6 to 8 months, 12 months in the best case. Then, to keep your eternal youth, you must return to the doctor for further injections.
The results are different from one person to another, affected by age, the area treated, if you are a smoker or not, or according to your level of sun exposure.