INJECTION TECHNIQUES and INNOVATIONS

A masterclass on injection techniques and innovations, chaired by Dr Steven Land included a live demo by registered nurse Jackie Knight using innovative and versatile products from the Neauvia range. There was also a panel discussion with Craig Hobson, an NMC registered nurse prescriber and founder of Craig Hobson Aesthetics.

Dr Land, who is clinic director of the award-winning Novellus Aesthetics in Newcastle, has over 20 years of extensive medical training in medicine, surgery, plastic surgery, and emergency medicine, while Knight, who has been a registered general nurse for more than 25 years, is the regional leader for the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) and is the owner of A New You in Brighton. She is a big fan of Neauvia and describes their products as game-changing because of the unique polyethylene glycol (PEG) system that uses PEG-polymers to enhance the filler’s biocompatibility which in turn gives a smoother integration into the body’s tissues – contributing to a youthful and refreshed appearance.

“Neauvia stands out as a trailblazer in aesthetics,” she said. “The filler not only adds volume, but also supports overall skin health, making it a comprehensive solution. They are specifically designed multi-layering injectables, and the cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA) gives a bio-stimulatory effect, so you get a nice lift and volumisation effect with very little downtime, swelling or nodules.”

Neauvia’s PEG-HA dermal fillers are based on a unique Smart Crosslinking Technology (SXT) which is an innovative and advanced technology that combines HA and PEG. Thanks to biosafety properties, full biodegradability, biocompatibility and nontoxicity, Neauvia PEG-HA fillers are safe to be used in soft tissue and dermal correction. Its mechanical properties mimic those of natural skin tissues and it has high viscoelasticity, cohesivity and plasticity. The treatment gives immediate results, with no pathologic inflammatory reactions and minimum swelling, and its thermodynamic and thermo-stability properties allow combined protocols.

BOOST VOLUME

Knight introduced delegates to her patient Alex who had never had any filler treatment before and was looking to boost volume in her mid-face area: “I am going to make it subtly lifted using Intense LV from the Neauvia range. When I saw her first, she was a little bit flat in the upper cheeks, so I want to get some lifting for her.

“Because she’s not had this treatment before I’m going a bit slower, the product is a bit firmer than you may have used before, so it needs a fair bit of pressure on the plunger, it’s different from any other fillers that I’ve usednot just in terms of results but how it’s used. You can use less filler but get the same results.”

At this point, Alex admitted she was feeling some discomfort, but the pain was tolerable: “She’s new to all this so I’m going cautiously,” said Knight. “I’ve only put in half a ml, you actually need less product from this range to get the right correction, I want a little bit of contour and lift, but you can get a really nice result from half a ml.”

Knight and Dr Land went on to discuss the merits of other products in the range including Stimulate, a medium hard filler, which can be used to plump lost tissue as well as stimulate collagen production; and Intense Flux, which is softer and runnier in texture. Intense is the thickest filler in the range, suitable for use in noses, jawlines and cheeks, with the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid – 28 mg per ml. It can be used for filling tissue and modelling as well as improving hydration and firmness of the skin, especially within the facial area, but also on earlobes, lips, tops of feet and intimate areas.

Intense LV is the second thickest, and more appropriate for use in cheeks; Intense Lips is medium grade and can also be used in the nasal labial folds.

“I’ve used intense LV quite a lot in my practice to add nice definition to those cheeks,” Knight explained. “It’s beautiful for that, and the next product I’m going to use in the lips today as mature patients don’t always want intense volume in their lips. What I’ve noticed with this range is you need less for where you want to get to, bear that in mind when treating in clinic.”

At this point, Knight switched from using a cannula to a needle, because Alex was still finding the treatment uncomfortable: “A cannula and needle both have their place. I tend to leave the needle in for a tiny bit to stop the bleeding, it’s just the way I work, but it does make it not bleed as much.

“If you stick a needle into a facial nerve, the patient will let you know about it, it’s pretty sore. There will be obvious signs like flinching, so keep an eye on the patient which you can do even when focused intently. Afterwards, I would put some ceramide C into the skincare to take the redness down.”

INSTANT RESULTS

Results are instant from the first treatment and generally last between six and nine months. Some patients can go a year before needing to top up again, but it can depend on a variety of factors such as skin type, age, and lifestyle as well as the technique used by the medical professional.

Knight added: “Obviously you want to see your patients regularly, but I’m finding it does last longer. I’ll be looking next time at the jowl area and working down the face, and if she needed it around the temples, but this should last a couple of months longer than other fillers.

“With every filler that’s out there you will find certain areas will last longer than others. With lips, it depends on how much they talk, eat, kiss, and how mechanical they are. If you’ve got sun worshippers, you must ask if they want to spend the money, they have to do some things to help themselves.

“Alex needs a journey; I have erred on the side of caution as she had never even had a needle in her face before and was quite nervous. She could have a little, then come back three months later. Less is more, and she can have a really good result after a year.

“It is patient dependant and purse dependant. We are no longer wrinkle chasing, now we must do intrinsic as well as extrinsic rejuvenation. We can offer them a whole journey.

“We never stop learning different techniques, don’t stop learningcome to conferences and practical training like this!”