by 
Introduction to Medical Aesthetics
Medical aesthetics is a branch of medicine focused on enhancing appearance through non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures. While cosmetic enhancement has historically involved surgical procedures like facelifts or nose jobs, medical aesthetics uses less invasive techniques that allow for faster recovery times. Some of the most popular medical aesthetic treatments include Botox injections, dermal fillers, laser skin resurfacing, and body contouring procedures. Let’s delve deeper into the various aspects of this evolving medical aesthesis market.
Botox and Dermal Fillers
Perhaps the two most well-known procedures in medical aesthetics are Botox injections and dermal fillers. Botox, which is actually a botulinum toxin, works by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles. This allows for the relaxation of wrinkles and fine lines caused by repetitive facial expressions over time. Common areas treated with Botox include the forehead, frown lines, and crow’s feet. Dermal fillers, on the other hand, work by injecting hyaluronic acid or collagen-stimulating fillers into the skin to plump up areas and add volume. Fillers are commonly used to treat wrinkles, thin lips, and hollow cheeks. Both Botox and filler treatments provide natural-looking results and take 30 minutes or less to perform. Recovery time is minimal with most patients seeing an immediate improvement. Side effects are usually mild and temporary like bruising or swelling.
Laser Skin Treatments
Lasers have become an invaluable tool for improving the skin’s appearance without extensive downtime. Popular laser procedures for the face include laser skin resurfacing to reduce fine lines, acne scarring, and sun damage. A CO2 or fractional laser is used to vaporize the top layers of the skin, stimulating collagen production. This results in a fresher, tighter complexion. Laser hair removal is also a sought-after treatment that uses a highly concentrated beam of light to disrupt the hair follicles and gradually reduce unwanted hair over 6-8 treatments. Laser skin tightening utilizes infra-red light to stimulate collagen growth for a non-invasive face-lift effect. Laser treatments provide long-lasting enhancements and many only require topical numbing for minimal discomfort.
Body Contouring
While the face tends to show the first signs of aging, changes to the body are also common desires. Non-invasive body contouring allows patients to reduce fat bulges, cellulite dimpling, and loose skin through procedures like CoolSculpting, truSculpt flex, and ThermiRF treatments.
CoolSculpting, one of the leading brands for fat reduction, uses controlled cooling to freeze and eliminate up to 25% of targeted fat cells. Areas like the abdomen, love handles, back, and thighs are most commonly treated. CoolSculpting delivers noticeable fat reduction without surgery or downtime in about an hour.
Radio frequency treatments like truSculpt flex and ThermiRF use thermal energy to tighten skin and stimulate collagen production. Rather than liposuction, radio frequency tightens the skin envelope over treated areas for a toned and lifted appearance. Common treatments include abdominal skin tightening and thigh tightening. Most treatments take around 30-60 minutes with little to no downtime required.
Superficial Microneedling
Another increasingly popular practice is superficial microneedling, which uses fine needles to puncture the skin hundreds of times per treatment. This controlled injury stimulates the body’s wound healing response to lay down more collagen. Microneedling is useful for acne scarring, skin laxity, wrinkles, and improving the absorption of skincare products. The “Babyfacelift” protocol is particularly effective for lifting and tightening the skin on the jowls, cheeks, and neck. Treatments take 30-60 minutes to perform and redness resolves within 1-3 days. Most patients report looking more youthful and radiant after just 1-3 sessions.
Future Technology
The field of medical aesthetics continues to evolve rapidly with new enhancements on the horizon. Technologies in development include home use micro-needling devices to suit at-home skincare regimens, non-invasive laser toning devices to replace trips to the dermatologist, and light-based brow-lifting devices capable of temporarily lifting sagging brows. Researchers are also working on a new generation of longer-lasting dermal fillers and more precise targeting methods for body fat reduction. As technology and techniques advance, medical aesthetics will provide ever more natural-looking enhancements with faster recovery times. Non-surgical treatments are empowering patients to conveniently achieve youthful, rejuvenated appearances through minimally invasive means
