I'm always keen to update my knowledge and training so I regularly attend workshops and masterclasses in aesthetics.
This month I had the fantastic opportunity to carry out treatments in front of some of the UK's leading injectors at OurOnyx London! Needless to say I was excited and a little nervous at the same time. Merz Aesthetics kindly invited me along to this exclusive event.
OurOnyx is a beautiful aesthetics clinic in London on St James's Street, just around the corner from the incredible Ritz Hotel. It is a stunning clinic and a truly impressive training location for the day. The fabulous doctor duo Emma and Simon Ravichandran from ATA Glasgow came to London to head up the training and share their expert knowledge.
If this isn't clinic goals, then I don't know what is...
The day started with something that I find super interesting - ultrasound scanning. What makes facial aesthetics complex is the in-depth knowledge required of the facial anatomy to carry out a treatment safely. Textbooks can only provide us with so much, as everybody is unique and therefore so is their facial anatomy. Especially with fillers, knowing exactly where the arteries and other major blood vessels in the face reside, is hugely beneficial. One of the main complications of filler treatments is referred to as a 'vascular occlusion', which means blockage of a blood vessel. When blood flow is interrupted for a period of time, the tissues on the receiving end of the blood supply are starved of oxygen and nutrients. This can result in tissue death if not treated promptly. Other rare but serious complications caused by the injection of filler into a blood vessel in high risk areas include vision loss.
The use of ultrasound in aesthetics is therefore potentially the future of injecting. By using ultrasound, it is possible to scan the face prior to injection and locate vessels in the area, allowing us to map out areas deemed safe to inject and areas to avoid. Obviously, extensive understanding of how to use ultrasound in aesthetics is required to get the best out of it and nothing can truly guarantee 100% patient safety. Nevertheless, this is something I will be looking to incorporate within my practice in the future to add an additional safety net where possible.
So, let's get onto the injecting! I had a lovely model for the day who was in her late 40s and looking for filler treatments to help her look more refreshed. We carried out a full, holistic consultation to see how we could use the Belotero dermal filler range to help her look a little younger and rejuvenated. We decided to treat her cheeks, jawline and chin to balance her profile and restore volume back to the mid-face. This was a great learning opportunity to have others watch me carry out a consultation and treatment and observe others do the same. It provided lots of discussion, sharing of knowledge, tips and tricks. Overall, an invaluable learning opportunity. Thank you Merz!
Full face rejuvenation, or non-surgical facelifts are becoming more and more popular. Many people are looking for alternatives to going under the knife and for the right candidate, it can be a great treatment option. There are limitations to what filler can do, but it can make an incredible difference when injected in the right layers of the skin and key points of the face.
One of my favourite transformations, where multiple areas have been treated to support and lift the face. We expect these kind of results to last for up to 2 years!
I'm always striving to be the best injector that I can be and this goes beyond being artistic and getting good results. Science is evolving and so is our understanding of aesthetic medicine. I invest hugely in my skills and education to ensure that my patients receive expert care, right from the very first consultation through to treatments and aftercare.
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