HOW TO PERFORM BEAUTY INJECTIONS SAFELY?

Nowadays beauty injections have become almost a regular beauty care routine both for women and men but only few of us think about the safety of them – who and where can perform these manipulations and what issues must the patient clarify caring for one’s health?

Any invasive manipulation is connected with the risk of infection; therefore it is essential for it to be performed in sterile conditions – at the medical establishment not in the beauty salon, apartment or during a beauty fair.

Dermatologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences Dr. Kristīne Azarjana explains that beauty injections are performed to prevent human ageing, taking into account genetic and anatomic features of the person. Website of the Latvian Association of Aesthetic Medicine (LEMA) features a list of certified practitioners who can perform botulinum toxin and filler injections. In order to perform these medical manipulations it is not enough for a person to undergo just some courses or training, as patient can develop serious health complications.

What to assess before the treatment?

Before the treatment, patient must receive a consent form describing how the preparation works – how fast it acts, how long is the effect, what complications are possible and what precautions must be observed after the treatment. If you have any additional questions, definitely ask them. Medical institutions take responsibility for the result and preparations they are using.

When injections should not be performed?

Botulinum toxin injections are not performed for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers. Doctor evaluates whether patient is using specific medications, combination of which with the botulinum toxin injections are not recommended. Doctor must make sure that the patient does not have a muscle pathology related to the general weakness of the skeletal muscles then this injection is prohibited. Injection is also not performed if you have purulent infections, inflammation in the skin area where the injection is planned.

Fillers are substances that remain in the body for a prolonged time period. This manipulation is not compatible with acute and chronic inflammatory diseases and manipulations related to the risk of infection, for example, surgical manipulations of teeth, inserting of the tooth implant before or after the filler injection. Also it is prohibited if you have an active autoimmune disease.

Possible side effects if manipulation is performed incorrectly

Botulinum is a neurotoxin and when it is introduced in the incorrect areas it can relax those facial muscles which were not intended to become paralysed due to the treatment. Paralysis will persist until botulinum loses its effect (around three months but depending on the dosage). “In Latvia beauty injections are frequently performed by specialists who are not doctors but have learnt these skills in some courses. When the patient develops complications and needs treatment, those specialists are unaware what to do. Even if they know what to do, they cannot write the prescription,” tells Dr. Kristīne Azarjana. It is important to assess anatomical features of the patient, as well as age, and determine the correct dosage of the preparation. Specialist without experience will not be able to evaluate mimics of the human face, how high or low eyebrows are located, what is the state of eyelids and how it can be impacted by the incorrectly calculated botulinum dosage or introduction scheme. If the preparation dosage is too high or the location is incorrect, eyebrows can sag, eyelid droop. In very rare cases if the preparation is introduced in the wrong muscle, patients need to take medications to open their eyes. It can happen if the botulinum is accidently injected in the muscle which lifts the eyelid.

There are areas of the face – upper lip, neck, corners of the mouth – where only the most experienced doctors can perform botulinum injections because mistakes mean that patient will not be able to smile, talk or lift the head from the pillow. Whereas, non-professionally performed filler injections are dangerous with the possibility to block a certain blood vessel essential for life which can even lead to the loss of vision.

After filler injections, an acute – allergic reaction to some ingredient of the substance may occur, as well as infections if the treatment is performed in non-sterile conditions. Under the influence of COVID, immunity of people has changed and we can observe autoimmune reactions – late complications, for example, dense nodules which can become inflamed, fester and migrate. If the treatment is performed by the doctor, patient is under the medical supervision and the doctor will know the further course of action.