My Combined Approach to Skin-quality Care
Dr Benoît Coursin
Skin and beauty are inseparable. Aesthetic medicine targets skin quality at its source, deep within, with a goal of restoring and preserving aesthetic health.
Collagen, the focus of everyone’s attention
Collagen-based cosmetics are very popular, and the market for collagen-based dietary supplements has exploded, demonstrating that consumers understand its importance for health, well-being, and appearance. Medical aesthetics, meanwhile, focuses on deep collagen stimulation and regeneration to help the skin repair and regenerate itself.
Restoring natural beauty, a quest for authenticity
Biostimulation allows the skin to rebuild its own collagen by injecting a molecule that stimulates fibroblasts. I have chosen to use calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) for the purpose of skin regeneration. I have observed that 75% of my patients take collagen supplements, which was not the case a few years ago, proving that users of medical aesthetic procedures are well informed about intrinsic aging. During consultations, patients often complain of looking tired and sad, with dull skin, despite taking collagen and vitamin supplements. “I would like a treatment but I don’t want people telling me that I’ve done something, but rather that I look rested,” they tell me. From there, we begin a discussion where I explain the difference between hyaluronic acid and collagen-stimulating products.
A pioneering biostimulator for skin regeneration
The product I use is Radiesse®, the only biostimulator on the market that acts on five pillars of the skin: The biostimulating action of Radiesse®, in particular the induction of type I and III collagen and elastin, marks a shift towards regenerative aesthetics. The goal is genuine tissue improvement rather than simple temporary filling. The combined generation of these extracellular matrix components – type I collagen providing strength, type III involved in early healing, and elastin providing elasticity – suggests more complete tissue rejuvenation. Radiesse® is not only a passive “filler” but also an active “biostimulator,” offering deeper and more lasting improvements in skin architecture. The product received FDA approval in 2006. It also has an excellent tolerance profile. It is backed by more than 250 clinical studies, making it one of the most studied products and one of the pioneers of collagen induction in medical aesthetics.When focusing on skin regeneration, I use it diluted with saline solution at a ratio of 1:1 for the face and 1:2 for the décolleté and hands.
An innovative dual treatment to redensify and hydrate
I inject with a cannula into the dermo-hypodermic layer using a retro-tracing fanning technique. This gives a lifting and pulling effect that tightens and redensifies the skin and reduces facial sagging. The results begin to appear after 6 to 8 weeks, the amount of time needed for the carboxymethylcellulose gel to be resorbed, and for the initial type III collagen to be replaced by type I collagen, which is more structural, and which continues to work inside the skin. The second session is scheduled 3 to 4 months later. After leaving the clinic, patients may sometimes notice slight swelling and rarely, a small bruise at the cannula entry site. To ensure that the treatment is totally comfortable, I regularly propose a light local anaesthetic.
When the skin needs to be rehydrated, I associate it with one ampoule of Belotero® Revive with one 1.5 ml ampoule of Radiesse® and 0.5 ml of lidocaine. This solution is injected into the dermo-hypodermic layer and has two synergistic effects. Immediate skin hydration and, thanks to the glycerol contained in the product, a sustained hydration in synergy with a finely cross-linked hyaluronic acid, which prolongs the glowing and plumping effect. In some cases, the patient will only need one injection of Revive® during their second session. The combination of these two products allows the treatment to be personalised without any overfill syndrome, making it possible to adapt to the condition of the skin while also staying within the patient’s budget. For mature users, I explain that the Trio of Youth – neck, décolleté, and hands – requires special attention and that treating these areas allows them to be in perfect harmony with the face.
I generally recommend two sessions spaced three to four months apart. It is important to explain the mechanism of action of CaHA during the consultation, as the results are gradual, in comparison with a hyaluronic acid volumising treatment where results are seen instantly. The consultation also allows me to provide lifestyle advice on exercise, sleep, nutrition, and supplementation, in keeping with a comprehensive approach to personal care.
Dr Benoît Coursin
Doctor of Medicine, graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Rennes (35). DIU Treatment of Baldness – Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University. DU – Injection and Filling Techniques in Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery – University of Paris 12. DU Physical Agents in Aesthetic Medicine – University of Paris 12. DU in Genital Aesthetic Medicine – University of Paris 12. Diploma from the International College of Aesthetic Medicine and Longevity – Dr Gadreau. Doctorate in General Medicine – University of Rennes 1. Consultant to laboratories for injection techniques. Member of the following learned societies SFME, FME, SFLD.
