Injectables!

Despite the booming popularity of these office procedures, there are many people who are still new to the choices available, and who may enter their 30s, 40s and even their 50s, having never had a needle near their face.

On these occasions, I like to allow for enough time to address concerns, answer questions and sometimes, manage unexpected anxiety that may rear its head as they get on the treatment bed.

Some say to me “I was all psyched up, ready to go, when I booked and signed the consent form, but now I’m having second thoughts…”

Why these second thoughts? At Skin Essentials, we mail out as many of the relevant forms to you prior to your appointment to fill out as possible, to maximise your allocated appointment time in clinic with your treating doctor.

So common side effects we warn you about:

• bruising
• swelling
• temporary headache (with anti wrinkle injections)
• lumps and bumps (with fillers)
• asymmetry (fillers and anti wrinkle)

Additionally, we talk to you about rarer side effects and some medical emergencies, so it is no wonder some patients, on reading consent forms, begin to worry. 

Informed consent is an important part of any consultation and not something to be simply rushed into. Equally, it helps you prepare to minimise the chances of adverse effects on the day.

Having said that, how can you present to your appointment and have the best possible outcome?

1. No makeup means no makeup.

Patients will often present with a full face of makeup, or “on my eyes since you’ll be treating my cheeks” etc.

For anti wrinkle, it is less important than fillers, which are semi permanent implants, but an absolutely clean surface is vital to reduce risk of contamination of equipment and minimise risk of not only infection but also nodules down the track.

This is non negotiable for me, not to mention makeup affects the quality of the pictures we take for our records and makeup removal especially of layers, can take up precious time in clinic.

2. Hair tied back or off the face

Another big thing. Taking pictures before and after procedures is part of the process and hairstyles and hair in the face can affect results so it is imperative that hair is held off the face, and that you come with suitable hair bands and ties to do this, and during the procedure also.

3. Please avoid any supplements and medications as well as social drugs that may increase risk of bleeding

Common culprits include Vit E, ginseng, fish oil, ginkgo biloba and some medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Also, alcohol. All of these will increase risk of bleeding and bruising.

4. Please plan to go home after the procedure and ice the area treated

Patients often plan their treatments just prior to a lunch meeting, or a shopping date, and while with many minor procedures this is fine, if we are doing a fair bit in one go, it is safer to simply go home and to keep icing the area for best results and to minimise bruising risk.

5. Please don’t plan to exercise or get a facial or a massage immediately before or after your appointment

Lying face down for a massage or having a facial may move freshly injected medication to an unwanted area, so these procedures are off limits at least for a day or two.

6. Please plan your injectables at least 2 weeks before any big events such as birthdays, weddings and more.

Some of this is logistics - it takes anti wrinkle injections anywhere from 3-5 days to begin to kick in and to peak at 2 weeks. Fillers can take 2-4 weeks to settle and lumps, bumps and some asymmetry are common. Likewise, bruising is a common and well known side effect of all injectable treatments, so please plan these at least 2 weeks prior to any big events.

7. Please plan your appointment at least a week prior to any planned trips and flights away

I like to have patients around for at least 2-3 days post treatments in the event that there is an unexpected and serious side effect. There are limited options to help if you are interstate, or worse, overseas.

8. Keep your mind open and your expectations realistic

This is a big one. Please be guided by your clinician as to what is possible with your unique anatomy rather than insist on what you have seen on social media, complete with filters and photoshop.

The face is a highly mobile area of the body, and subtle changes can make for big impact, but only if done well. Have an idea of what you’d like, but be willing to listen to your provider and take their advice on board if it is not possible (or out of your budget).

What else would you add? What else would you wish to know if you were to consider injectables?