Alexander Turkevich: facial harmonization is top notch

Aesthetic medicine improves every year, new effective products appear on the market, unique techniques are introduced, and the results of procedures are more and more impressive. But the main principle of modern aesthetic medicine is the creation of the most natural and harmonious facial features. Volumetric correction of the future was the focus of the international volumetric correction forum Inter Profi Forum 2018, organized by the Institute Hyalulal. As part of the event, a dermatovenereologist, oncologist, PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Family Medicine, Polyclinic Affairs and Dermatovenereology of the Lviv National Medical University named after I.I. Danila Galitsky, Professor of Dermatovenereology at the University of Rome «J. Marconi» Alexander Turkevich.

Is there a difference between facial correction with fillers and its harmonization?

Here, rather, we can talk not about the difference, but about a different approach in principle. Since facial correction with fillers involves injections of drugs into certain areas of the face, this approach is absolutely not creative.

Harmonization of the face, namely the creation of an integral image – this is art, what we strive for is the pinnacle of excellence for a doctor.

And, of course, if the doctor is harmonizing the face – we are talking not only about fillers, but also about botulinum toxins, threads and other methods of aesthetic correction. But, in any case, facial harmonization – this is aerobatics.  

Is there a relationship between the amount of filler injected and the risk of post-injection complications?

Let's just say there is no direct connection. That is, it cannot be argued that if a large amount of the drug was administered to the patient – there is bound to be a complication. But, clearly, with the amount of filler, the possibility of complications increases, both associated with injections, that is, vascular complications, and complications associated with the general appearance of the patient, that is, what is called "hyaluronic faces". For about five years now, I have been promoting the idea that you need to inject very little and in very necessary places. This is what I spoke with five years ago in Paris. Previously, most experts boldly   said that this does not work, and you need to prick 4 syringes on one side and 3 syringes on the other, and then everything will be fine. But now everything has changed, and now everyone agrees,   that one or two syringes are enough for the whole face. Of course, the fewer injections, the less likely complications – This is pure mathematics. But to make sure that there are no complications at all – this is anatomy, knowledge and experience.

Which part of the face correction, in your opinion, is the most technically complex and requires special care from the doctor?

It's technically difficult to correct the whole face, because you need to know the anatomy, understand what we are doing, you need to see the face, imagine the end result, you need to be an artist. But the most difficult area on the face to correct – it's lips. We never know what the end result will be. This is the most difficult, this is really aerobatics. I can do cheekbones in 30 seconds, but sometimes I can work with lips for 20 minutes, and inject a little more here, a little more there. To make it beautiful, and it was good, sexy lips – it's very difficult.

Do you think it is important to strive for the most natural results of aesthetic correction?

I am deeply convinced that synthetic youth – it is much better than natural old age. But even all this synthetic youth must be very natural.

Best work – it's the one you can't see. That is, when you can see the general changes on the face, but it is not noticeable what exactly was done.

And when a patient is asked where she did her lips, cheekbones and correction of other areas – it means that the work is done poorly. Only the general result of aesthetic correction should be visible, and this is naturalness.  

What are the main reasons why filler injections can lead to side effects?

These are bad fillers and bad doctors! Of course, we are aware that all modern fillers are made from hyaluronic acid. That is, by and large, they all have hyaluronic acid. But there is also a lot of marketing in the market where people are convinced of something else. First of all, the filler must be well cleaned, in terms of binder content, residual proteins, and so on. If the filler is cleaned really well, and meets – the risk of complications is much lower. There are also complications associated with the doctor. If the level of knowledge of the doctor is good – risks are also reduced. And the third reason – these are patient related complications. That is, if the patient has not told something, wants unreal things, and so on.  Finally, no result – this is also a complication, and a bruise – this is also a complication. That is, complications are different, but if we are talking about some serious complications, they can be provoked by three reasons: the reason is the doctor, the reason is the patient, and the reason is the filler.

Note that estet-portal.com talked with Alexander Turkevich at the international volumetric correction forum Inter Profi Forum 2018, organized by

Institute Hyalulal.