By Dr Sylvie Joly
Patient care and injection techniques have evolved. The patients themselves have changed. Now, in addition to creating a natural-looking result, we pay great attention to ensuring that the proportions and volumes blend harmoniously into the face and respect its personality and expressions.
Embellishing and reshaping the mobile face
Aging begins with hyperactive muscle contractions in the upper third of the face and the peri-oral region. Though my patients look younger after their injections, what strikes me the most is that their face looks much more relaxed.
In addition to their boosted self-esteem, they tell me that they feel calmer because they give off – both to themselves and to other people – a more relaxed aura. This can be explained by the “myomodulation effect”, which involves placing hyaluronic acid above a muscle to calm its activity. Instead of working area by area, it is a good idea to start at the top of the face – temples, Charpy fat pads – then the malar region in order to rehang the tissues. This is where Belotero®Intense comes into its own, because it is both elastic and pro-jecting. I make three injections into the cheekbone, then sweep the product in front of the ear using a cannula.
To rehang the tissues, I inject along the jawline from in front of the ear down to the bottom of the chin, which redefines the oval. The amount of hyaluronic acid injected is adapted according to how saggy the skin is, how much fat has been lost, and the patient’s budget.In younger patients, in particular Millennials, I perform small injections of Belotero® Volume into the tail of the eyebrow and the cheekbones, in the same way as make-up artists use a highlighter, playing with the way the light catches the top of the cheekbones and creates a shadow underneath.
This also refines the lower part of the face.
I might place a small bolus at the top of the nasolabial fold and one to support the mouth, to catch the light and prevent the muscles from over-contracting, just like we do with botulinum toxin. In more mature patients, I use Belotero® Intense to anchor the tissues and project the cheekbones. In the chin, the product’s elasticity and projecting ability allow me to reshape a weak chin or make it look more square and masculine.
This also reduces the mentalis muscle’s activity and gets rid of any orange-peel effect. Because the product is quite firm, it is good for placing in the oval of the face to rehang the tissues and make the oval more defined and more dynamic. Belotero® Volume injected into the temple will fill any hollowing, and into the Charpy fat pads will open up the expression by lifting the tail of the eyebrow.
Gently massaging the area after treatment enables us to position the product correctly so that it integrates the tissues properly. Your friends and family should just think (and tell you!) that you look really well, fresh and awake, and that you haven’t aged a bit!I always round off my treatments by addressing the skin qua-lity. I perform a mesotherapy treatment using Belotero® Revive, which boosts the skin’s radiance and makes the patient look lovely and healthy.
Dr Sylvie Body : Aesthetic dermatologist specialising in injections, based in Tours. Former junior doctor for Bordeaux hospitals. Allergology qualification. Inter-university degree in Aesthetic Dermatology and Cosmetology. Teaches an inter-university degree in Aesthetic Dermatology, artistic guidelines and vigilance.
