In partnership with SA’s top medical aesthetic companies
We want injectables to enhance our faces, and the way they are used just keeps improving, giving us a more natural and subtle look
We live in an age where we don’t only want to look filtered in our selfies, we want our skin to look smooth and perfect in real life too.
We’re spoilt for choice with the sheer number of methods available to help us keep our skin looking youthful, healthy and good-looking without undergoing surgery. The most popular and accessible method is the use of injectables like botulinum toxin and fillers. And they are going well beyond smoothing out our frowns and plumping up our thinning lips – they’re helping to shape our noses and giving us mini facelifts.
The arrival of new injectable products and refinement of technique means that new treatment possibilities are opening up all the time.
As the use of injectables becomes ever-more mainstream, both men and women are embracing the fact that they can be used to subtly alter signs of ageing and to correct some things that bother us.
It makes sense to go non-invasive. It’s much less expensive. The danger of a general anaesthetic is avoided. There’s little to no downtime. The results aren’t permanent, and they are reversible, if you really don’t like it.
Getting the ‘tweak-ment’
The good news is that the trend of exaggerated enhancement like overfilled lips and frozen faces is no longer popular. Instead of turning up at a clinic and asking for this supermodel’s nose or lips, people are increasingly asking for ‘tweak-ments’, meaning they want to look like themselves, maintaining their own features, with tiny overall tweaks that leaves them with their own face that’s just a little bit filtered or refined.
It’s all about the whole
Another trend we’re seeing refinement in both assessment of the patient’s needs as well as injecting techniques.
When we study ourselves, we tend to zoom in on tiny flaws, which may lead to a distorted perspective of this or that area that bugs us.
This is a common trait seen by the experienced team of injectors at Skin Renewal. When they ask the patient what bothers them, or what they want to improve, the patient usually points to a specific distraction (e.g., lines and folds) that they see when they look at themselves.
Most are often unaware that addressing that particular distraction in isolation won’t change the overall ‘message’ of the face.
A full assessment of the features is made, then the doctor will discuss an ideal plan based on three levels: foundational changes, followed by contouring and then refinement. This proactive approach starts with the most impactful work first. Depending on budget, patients can work on a manageable, step-by-step plan.
Introducing the MD Codes
Plastic surgeon Dr Mauricio de Maio is a pioneer among injectors. Over a decade ago, he introduced the eight-point lift using injectables for a lifting effect.
His latest contribution, after over 20 years of clinical practice, is the MD Codes™. These provide injectors with specific guidelines on how to achieve natural results with safety.
We discuss what exactly the MD Codes mean and how they work in our next feature.
To find out more about the MD Codes™ or to schedule a consult with one of the doctors on the Skin Renewal team for an individual assessment, visit Skin Renewal on www.skinrenewal.co.za or contact 0861 SKIN SA (754 672).
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