With years, skin looses its moisture and becomes thinner. Lines and wrinkles start to settle. Hyaluronic acid injections can help smoothing them without surgery.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the body. Like a sponge, it absorbs water and maintain the skin deep layers hydrated. It’s possible to inject this molecule as a gel to give volume and plump the skin or smooth wrinkles. The hyaluronic acid will mix with the one contained in the body and will progressively resorb. It is advised to have regular injections done, between  3 and 12 months depending  on patients and area treated. Reversibility is an advantage compared to the permanent effect of a cosmetic surgery.

What can we treat?

The most common treatments concern the naso-labial and marionette lines around the mouth. It’s also possible to reshape the lips or give them more definition, or contour the face and add volume on the cheekbones but also sharpen a jawline or enhance a chin.

The treatment in itself

Most of product contain local anesthetic but some don’t. A numbing cream can be applied before to improve the comfort during the injection. The procedure is quite quick, beetween 15 and 30 minutes depending on which areas are treated. A massage of the area will be performed to make sure the product is well placed.

Cost

From £350 per syringe

The results

They are visible instantly but the the effects are optimum about 2-3 weeks after the injection when the body integrates the molecule and pumps water. The treated area may swell for a few days, bruise or present redness, but you can apply make up while everything is getting back into order. Depending on people, their metabolism and their personal habits (cigarette, sun exposure, physical activity), injections have to be repeated every 3 to 12 months.

Contra-indications

There are very few as the molecule is naturally present in the body, the risk of allergy is extremely low. Injections should be avoided when pregnant or breastfeeding.