What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Many years hyaluronic acid has been used in several medical fields: ophthalmology, reumatology, dental surgery, urology and of course in esthetic / cosmetic medicine. Hyaluronic Acid is a substance that is present in the skin by nature and that is responsible for the hydration of the skin (restores the tissue fluid balance)
On aging the amount of Hyaluronic Acid is reduced in quality and total amount. Your skin dehydrates, small lines and later on wrinkles start to form. Your cheeks, jugular structures and lips decrease in volume.
Thanks to the development of synthetic Hyaluronic Acids it has become possible to give a long term supplement to the volume and to rehydrate the skin. Several compounds are available for different solutions for a wrinkle treatment: fill deep or superficial wrinkles,  improve your facial structure and contour and to accentuate your lip lines or give them more volume.

Here an example of the nasolabial fold with a hyaluronic acid
before	after

Many manufacturers bring one or more forms of Hyaluronic Acid to the market Rimpelconsult prefers among others (Restylane^©, Zyderm^©, Hylaform^©, Evolution^© or Evolence^©), the Hyaluronic Acid-product line of  Teosyal^©or Juvéderm^©.
If you need another product it is no problem to order that one for you.

Which type of Hyaluronic Acid for which application?

Hyaluronic Acid is a protein that in its pure form is metabolized rather quickly. To slow down this process manufacturers use the best quality of (synthetic) pharmaceutical, combined with a so called cross-linking technique. After this reaction all Hyaluronic Acid chains are linked together in a very efficient way. The effect in the skin is that this natural filler is broken down much slower so you can enjoy the long lasting result of it. The degree of cross-linking is also a determining factor of the durability of the used filler and how supple it feels in the skin. Most of the time after the first treatment a second one will be planned to optimize the results and / or to prolong the effect of the final result.

What are the advantages of synthetic Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic Acid has the following advantages:
Contains no animal ingredients (less chance of allergic reactions)
No skin test necessary (unless your doctor decides to do so based upon your medical history)
Completely biologically degradable
You body recognizes the product as body-own substance and therefore will not rejected.
The esthetic results are visible at once and give a natural and prolonged result.

Example of the use of hyaluronic acid for lip accentuation:
before	after

Hyaluronic Acid has several varieties so that the doctor can choose the best material for every type of wrinkle: for the very small superficial lines, for the moderately deep lines and for the really deep grooves. Also specific Hyaluronic Acid has been developed to increase the lip volume, to accentuate the outlines and to embellish the contours. 

Hyaluronic Acid is injected intradermally (in the skin). The result is visible at once.
After the treatment the skin is cooled with a cold pack if necessary, to reduce a possible swelling as much as possible By nature Hyaluronic Acid is a hygroscopic substance that will attract a greater or lesser amount of tissue fluid.
To prevent overcorrection after filling your wrinkle or lips the first treatment is carried out sparingly and an appointment for control will be made for up to 3 weeks later. If necessary some extra filler can be added then, to optimize the long term effect.

Possible risks and complications

During every wrinkle treatment a very small chance exists on getting an infection or allergic response. However, the chance that such an allergic reaction will occur is very small, especially at the synthetic form of hyaluronic acid.
In some cases an infection can appear that can be treated well with antibiotics.
Sometimes, shortly after injecting the substances, small tangible hardenings develop. The origin of these hardenings has not been established yet, but these irregularities disappear without a trace almost always after a couple of weeks. No extra treatment or medication will be necessary. Very occasionally a small skin blood vessel is punctured which causes a (little) blue spot. This hematoma disappears within a week and can easily be camouflaged by a good make-up foundation or a special stick (ask your beautician).
A possible local swelling and irritation (red stains) is limited by cooling and disappears without rest symptoms within some days. Generally speaking you can proceed with your normal activities the day after your treatment at last.

Results

The effect of Hyaluronic Acid has a temporary character and does not prevent further aging of the skin. The effect also strongly depends on (among other things) your personal skin characteristics, exhibition to UV-light, activity of your facial muscles and your lifestyle.
These factors are strongly determinative for the time span you will enjoy the results of the treatment. Depending on the composition of the Hyaluronic Acid (degree of cross-linking and concentration) you can expect a result that lasts for 4 up to 18 months at the least.

Method:

After filling out a health-related questionnaire and having your picture taken, the skin will be disinfected, and the Hyaluronic Acid will be injected under the skin with a very thin needle. For very sensitive areas like the upper lip a local anesthetic (lidocaine) can be applied, but in most other locations this will even not be necessary. The only thing you'll feel is a slight sting when the needle enters the skin.

It's important to refrain from using aspirin or blood thinners prior to the treatment, since that will slightly increase the chance of bleeding. Directly after treatment you should avoid pressure to the treated areas, strong mimic muscle movement and more than two entities of alcohol. It is also advisable to avoid too much UV light (both sun and artificial UV lighting) and extreme exercising in the next 48 hours.

Want to know more?

 Go to the page about Teosyal© (click on the name).