Know your basics pt. one

We often hear of people talking about common aesthetic treatments like botox, fillers and laser. So what are these treatments actually? How can it help my skin? If you want to get a quick crash course on these terms we use in aesthetic, you have start with the basics first. This is part one of know your basics.

1. BOTOX (R)

Botox(R) is a brandname for neuromodulator that are used not only in cosmetics, but also in other medical fields such as surgery and opthalmology (eye department). The basic gist of what it does is, it renders part of the treated muscle weak or non-functioning (depending on the dosage) for a temporary period of time. Think of it as a sleeping pill to the muscle. We used this unique character of this medication to treat conditions where there is hyperactivity of muscle movement e.g. muscle spasm, nystagmus (involuntary movement of eyes). Its then tried on the facial muscle at very tiny dose to improve appearance of wrinkles and its now widely used for many cosmetic condition including facial slimming, brow liftings, correcting gummy smiles and hyperhydrosis (sweaty underarms). So is Botox(R) safe? Its an FDA approved treatment for cosmetic and approximately 10.9 million vials of it have been sold in the United States since 2002. Millions of people have already made Botox(R) a part of what they do for themselves. Its action is quick, predictable and does not has any long term side effects. Safe in the hands of trained aesthetic doctors.

There are many brands in the market for neuromodulators including Dysport(R) or Neuronox(R), basically different in origin, price and the technology involves in producing the product.

2. Fillers

Fillers include a large group of products where we use to 'fill' certain area of the face. Aging involes a main component which is de-volumization of the face caused by resorption of skin layer, fats, muscle and bone layer causing an appearance of sunken and old looking face. So by using fillers we are able to restore the loss volume to give an appearance of fuller more youthful face. The same filler is also used widely for non-surgical nose, chin or lip augmentation. Sounds good? So whether it is safe or not, it will be largely dependent on what type of filler material used. We have many types of fillers in the market, HA or hyaluronic acid fillers being the one most famous one, and others including Calcium based fillers, Poly-Lactic acid fillers, collagen fillers and now banned silicon fillers.

The safety profile of each individual fillers lies on many factors, so its through the consultation between the doctor and patient, where the decision on the choice of fillers is made to achieve the best aesthetic outcome for the client. Besides that, each filler will last for different duration.

Sometimes, we refer to this procedure as liquid facesculpting or liquid facelift because essentially we are using liquid to improve ones facial features. Often, the results looks natural and it comes with little to no downtime. In my practice, there is a high demand for this procedure, more commonly done to correct tear through (deep and sunker undereye area often referred to as dark eye circle), flat nose bridge, thin villainous lips and short, receeded chins.

Same as neuromodulators, fillers come in many different brands and be very sure of what product you are using, in my practice, I only use FDA-approved fillers for its high safety profile and to ensure that my patients receive top quality material. And never do your treatment especially injectables by non medical personnel.

3. LASER

LASER stands for light amplitude of stimulated emission of radiation. What it means is that we pass a broad spectrum light through a medium to filter them into specific desired wavelength e.g. 1064nm or 532nm to bring benefits to the skin. Laser technology is widely used in the industrial, military, dentistry and also medical field. In aesthetic, we largely deal with skin conditions which can be treated by using laser such as pigmentations, acne, hair removal, skin rejuvenation and scar/mole removal. We have few hundred types of laser system in aesthetic alone depending on the manufacturing countries and brands.

Some laser comes with downtime and some do not have any downtime. Most laser need more than 1 treatment to achieve the best outcome and the result depends largely on the machine used and the experience of the operator.

So how do you choose your laser? How do I know it is safe? I will always recommend FDA approved laser system for assurance of quality and safety profile so the price of treatment should never be the main considering factor when choosing your treatments. Instead, focus on the brand and quality. Do talk to your doctor and do your research online before signing up for any laser treatment. There are plenty of information and customer reviews on the internet for most, if not all FDA approved laser treatments. The general rule of thumb is, if you couldn't find any information of the treatment you're doing, you should never sign up for it!

And lasers are only allowed to be operated by professional who undergo intensive training so you should not engage in any treatment if you doubt the authenticity of the operator doing your treatment. In Malaysia, only doctors are allowed to do laser treatments as they are considered medical devices.

If you have an enquiry, please do send us an email at sliqclinic@gmail.com or contact us through our official facebook page at fb.com/sliqclinic.