Mixing it Up

By: Ruth Kerrison
Created on 11th August 2010

These days, cosmetic doctors are all in agreement that a combination of treatments works best to deliver natural looking results. Here, we look at the ultimate combination to give you a glowing, dewy complexion

A t the latest Anti-Ageing Conference in Monaco, all the talk was of hydration and stimulating the body’s natural processes to help you look younger from the inside out.

Add to that the recent buzz about youthfulness being less to do with wrinkles and more to do with the tone and quality of your skin and it’s easy to see why treatments like medical skin needling are on the rise.

Skin needling results in the formation of thousands of miniscule pin prick wounds to the targeted skin tissue which in turn triggers the onset of the normal healing process to occur in the broken skin and the production of new collagen in the upper dermal layer of the skin.

Consecutive skin needling sessions continue to promote new collagen with impressive results on common skin conditions such as fine lines and wrinkles, indented scars, enlarged pores and hyper pigmentation.

Skin needling allows for controlled induction of the skin’s self repair mechanism by creating micro-injuries in the skin which trigger new collagen synthesis, yet does not pose the risk of permanent scarring. The result is smoother, firmer and younger looking skin.

But however good microneedling may be it cannot, on its own, give your skin the moisture boost it so often needs. Enter Restylane Vital, an injectable hyaluronic acid treatment that provides deep dermal hydration and moisturises from within to improve skin elasticity and smoothness.

Restylane Vital is administered in a series of micro-injections to replenish the skin’s own hyaluronic acid levels, which in turn attracts water to the dermis and encourages smoother, healthier looking skin.

It keeps the skin looking plump and hydrated, so diminishes the appearance of fine, crêpey lines caused by sun damage. A recent study demonstrates that it actually changes the skin’s biophysical properties towards that of younger skin.

Restylane Vital improves skin surface smoothness and elasticity which results in smoother and firmer skin and enhances the skin’s light reflecting qualities. Skin glow and lustre are restored.

So, if micro-needling stimulates collagen production and Restylane Vital boosts HA to hydrate the skin, surely the two treatments complement each other perfectly? They do indeed, here’s how it works.

The process

First a topical anaesthetic cream is applied for a minimum of 45 minutes to numb the area. Then the skin is cleaned with an antiseptic wash.

Restylane Vital is injected into the skin using the Restylane injector, in a series of microinjections across all areas of the face, upper from the brow, mid face to lower face and chin. A cooling ice pack is applied.

Then the skin needling technique commences with the practitioner making sweeping movements across all areas of the face with the needle roller. Immediately afterwards you can see the tiny marks made by the needling and micro-injections on your skin.

A cooling face mask is applied. The skin still looks quite pink immediately afterwards – like sunburn. But with a light application of mineral make-up, the redness can be covered and you can leave the clinic without feeling too self-conscious.

The treatment regimen comprises of on average three treatment sessions about six weeks apart, as recommended by the medical aesthetics practitioner. You won’t see the results straightaway, but about three weeks after the second treatment you will see a marked improvement in the quality and texture of your skin, and by the end of the final session your skin should be plumper, smoother and glowing.

Expert Opinion: Dr Stefanie Williams

A flawless skin surface and texture are extremely important for the overall appearance of our face. A wonderful way to improve skin texture, radiance and elasticity and diminish crêpeyness and fine lines, is a ‘Gel Needling Lift’.

In this ultimate rejuvenating treatment, which I have pioneered in my clinic, I combine large-area, microdroplet hyaluronic acid injections using Restylane Vital Light with a medical needling procedure.

This treatment is suitable for face, hands and chest and the results are amazing. I have even performed the procedure on myself, as the results I have seen in patients were so good.

When a cosmetic patient sees me for the first time, I often recommend ‘preparing the canvas’ and improving overall skin ‘quality’ with Gel Needling first, before going on to have other cosmetic procedures such as wrinkle relaxing injections, fillers or contouring.

Alternatively, any additional treatments can be performed in the gaps between the individual Gel Needling sessions, as these are spaced in six-weekly intervals.

The downtime is minimal with a sunburned appearance for a maximum of 24 hours, but this can be covered well with some mineral make-up and patients don’t have to take any time off work.

Gel Needling also works wonders for acne scaring and I have found it has superior effects to needling alone. An added benefit is that it reduces skin oiliness without drying the skin, as the hyaluronic acid provides deep hydration.