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Skin rejuvenation at GHC Clinic Prague

In spring months, more than in any other season, we are usually aware of small deficiencies in our appearance, tiredness of the facial skin, wrinkles and sagging. Even though modern medicine still cannot do miracles, we have a number of non-surgical methods which, when applied early, can help significantly.

Modern aesthetic medicine is able to effectively defer visible aging.

Botulotoxin

Botulotoxin application is a basic method suitable even for beginning wrinkles. It is not true that botulotoxin applied in the face always looks unnatural and is noticeable. The improvement might just be very subtle so that the overall impression is that one is just relaxed, after a vacation, and facial expression is partially preserved. Everything depends on the applied dose, which we choose according to the type of facial expression and upon agreement with the client (some want a massive effect, some a subtler one). The application itself is simple; very small doses of the drug solution are injected in spots of greater facial expression. Within about 14 days, an effect develops – the affected muscle partially relaxes, excessive facial expression is reduced and skin smoothed, which usually lasts for 3-10 months. The treatment can be repeated as needed. 

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Front desk of GHC Clinic Prague

Filling materials

If there is a deeper wrinkle, for example, at the root of the nose, nasal labial lines or wrinkles above the upper lip, we use injection fillers, typically based on hylauronic acid. The advantage of this substance is that it is prepared in a laboratory, without using animal or human tissues, while its chemical composition is identical with that of hylauronic acid found in hypodermis. The treatment is simple: the gel preparation is delivered in a sterile package from the manufacturer and ready for use; usually one package is applied, sometimes more. There are a number of products of this type; the most common are Resltylane, Juvederm, Esthelis and Princess. Each preparation has usually several versions to be used for different indications. With these products, we can also model parts of jaw bones, chin, temples, fill bony cheeks, etc. Duration of the effect is about 5 – 12 months, depending on product.

Rejuvenation

Methods improving the skin as a whole are also very popular. They are often referred to as rejuvenation methods. The best-known ones include gentle peelings, usually with so-called AHA acids, when short application of the product accelerates the exchange of cells in the treated skin, softens pores, soothes acne, reduces pigmentation and generally refreshes the skin, making it more radiant. Aggressive types of peeling causing the skin to actually peel off and redden after the treatment and making you stay at home for two to four days are no longer commonly used today. On the contrary, we often do gentle peelings, when no peeling off or drying is noticeable, while all effects described above occur in a series of four to six treatments.

ACCENT XL with fractional pixel microplasma

Parts of lower cheeks and under the chin often need to be strengthened because, depending on individual innate dispositions and habits, the tissue sometimes gets loosened soon after 30 years of age, and these parts then somehow “slacken”, particularly after a busy day or in the morning. The radiofrequency device Accent is ideal for this purpose. After removing make-up and applying a gentle oily gel, the doctor works on the particular part with a sensor. During this “massage”, radiofrequency energy works on the entire surface tissue (not only on the skin surface), which warms up and the reconstruction of collagen is induced. As early as after the first or, at the latest, after the second treatment, the client can notice that their skin is smoother, firmer and the face looks healthier.

The procedure is very popular, because it is non-invasive. It is performed once in three to five weeks, with a total of three to five sessions. To maintain the effect, an individual regime can be chosen – some prefer to undergo a series of five treatments once a year, others like to get occasional treatments, after completing the basic series, once in three to four months, depending on situation. Even though the skin is red immediately after the procedure, it does not look like after a treatment, but rather like after exercising or sauning. In addition, you can immediately use make-up, and sun tanning after the procedure does not cause the development of pigmentation. The treatment yields very good results also when performed on the body – lower neck, belly, buttocks, parts above the knees, etc.

When we want to improve skin smoothness, particularly outside of summer, we perform various so-called ablation procedures. The gentlest one is microdermabrasion, when we remove the top, “dead” layer of skin cells with fine crystals. The procedure can be performed with various intensity, usually just until slight reddening. It is used for gentle smoothing and refreshing of the skin or for softening pores; it is usually repeated two to four times. 

Fractional procedures

However, other methods, such as the radiofrequency device Accent and fractional CO2 laser, are much more modern and effective. “Fractional” means that the skin is only affected in regularly spread out points, not on the entire surface. This is why healing after the treatment is much faster and simpler for the client than after classical laser facial treatments performed under general anaesthesia, when the face healed as a single injured area. 

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MUDr. Nina Koutná

Fractional procedures never require general anaesthesia, however, we often use the Emla desensitizing cream applied by the client 30 minutes or one hour before the treatment to prevent unpleasant charges or burning in the treated area. Immediately after the treatment, the face is red and slightly swollen, but make-up may be applied on the following day. The treated area then gradually gently peels off in dotty scabs, under which new, smooth and stretched skin is revealed. However, since the environment, stress and other factors keep affecting us, this state is not permanent. It is therefore beneficial to undergo a series of two to six treatments, with one treatment per month, or to include other methods, such as botulotoxin, depending on the issue. 

The care described above is not associated with actual age. Often, a 16-year old girl has a wrinkle already indicated for a botulotoxin treatment, while a 45-year old woman looks good with virtually no care. However, it is not good to keep thinking that you still have enough time, that it is enough to begin at 50 years of age, and such. On the contrary, most described methods also have a preventive effect, which means that if you start early in the right extent (not excessively), visible aging can really be effectively deferred.

MUDr. Nina Koutná, GHC Clinic Prague, www.ghc.cz