Preparing the skin for injection procedures is the key to an excellent result.

Professor Beth Briden – founder, chief physician and CEO of the Institute of Dermatology and Cosmetology in Edina, Minnesota, international expert in skin rejuvenation.

Injection procedures – one of the most popular anti-aging procedures because it provides immediate results, is minimally invasive and carries a minimal risk of complications. In addition, they are relatively inexpensive. Therefore, every doctor should know how to administer injectables for the best results.

Wipe the skin with alcohol before inserting the needle – this is far from a complete preparation for the introduction of injectable drugs.

The most popular injection procedures – injection of toxins, fillers, administration of fat-absorbing drugs, and even liposuction and some surgical procedures using non-ablative or skin tightening lasers do not really affect the surface of the skin. Therefore, "filling" wrinkles, nasolabial folds and cheeks will not give the necessary rejuvenating effect on skin with pigmentation disorders.

Wrinkles can be smoothed and volume can be redistributed in almost any area of ​​the face, however, due to certain limitations, there is a need for additional procedures. Proper preparation of the skin before injections will help to improve the condition of the skin: smooth it, even out pigmentation, narrow pores and improve the protective function of the skin – it will increase skin stamina and reduce irritation, as well as give the skin a healthy and beautiful glow. Proper preparation of the skin for injections can also reduce the risk of bruising and injections, as well as enhance and maintain the effect of injectables. 

Step by step skin preparation for injection procedures

1. History taking.
2. Developing an effective skin care regimen.
3. Additional procedures:

• superficial chemical peel;
• microdermabrasion;
• laser treatments;
• High-intensity light pulsed lasers can be used to eliminate pigmentation, and fractional lasers – to smooth out wrinkles that cannot be removed with fillers.

To minimize bruising after injections, you can:  

• use cream for topical application of arnica cream;
• consume pineapple juice for bromelain effect;
• stop taking anticoagulants;
• stop taking aspirin, fish oil, vitamin E, NSAIDs.

4. During the history and consultation, make sure the patient is not allergic to substances that may be part of the injectable.
5. Immunosuppressive agents make the body more vulnerable to infections. Sometimes, when injectable drugs are administered, the biofilm that forms can lead to chronic infections, the likelihood of which is increased by immunosuppressive drugs. Therefore, it is important to ensure proper sterility.
6. Chemotherapy drugs can also interfere with the healing process and increase the risk of infections.
7. Remember about nutritional supplements and vitamins – vitamin E and fish oil increase the risk of bruising after injections. It is also worth warning the patient about this.
8. Before administering a neurotoxin, it is necessary to make sure that the patient is not sick with myasthenia gravis, before administering dermal fillers – vascular collagenosis. Herpes should be treated with acyclovir prior to injectables to avoid exacerbation of the infection due to injury from the injection.
9. Smoking and sun exposure. Smoking slows down the healing process and can adversely affect the vascular system. Therefore, smokers are more susceptible to vascular occlusion as a result of injection procedures.
10. After collecting the history, take a series of photographs and consult – this way you can discuss the patient's wishes more effectively and show him what results can be expected from injection procedures. Realistic expectations – one of the components of the success of injection procedures.
11. Plan and schedule procedures. Some procedures can cause swelling of the skin, for example, skin tightening lasers can cause swelling of the skin, whereby the neurotoxin can spread and cause unwanted reactions. In the case of using high-intensity light pulses and fillers, it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of possible redness or irritation. Therefore, I propose to minimize the risks of any complications by performing such procedures at intervals of a week, or at least a few days.

Skin care before injection procedures – where to start?

1. Skin resurfacing – Helps remove dead stratum corneum, provide better skin hydration, increase cell renewal rate and minimize pigmentation. Alpha-, poly- and bionic acids, as well as N-acetylglucosamine, are excellent for this. Retinoids are also very effective, provided the patient tolerates them well without much irritation. Chemical peels, microdermabrasion and fractional resurfacing – also good options in this case. Alpha, poly and bionic acids also help improve the function of the skin's protective barrier.
2. Dermal matrix formation. The dermal matrix of the skin plays an important role in providing fullness and elasticity to the skin. The following ingredients are useful for the dermal matrix: Aminofil, NeoGlucosamine, polyhydroxy acids, multibionic and lactobionic acid, and some matrixyl peptides.
3. Aminofil (Aminofil) – new product for smoothing deep wrinkles. Aminofil – it is an acetylated derivative of the amino acid tyrosine called N-acetyl tyrosine. It promotes the production of glycosaminoglycans, especially hyaluronic acid, in the dermis layer. This product promotes the synthesis of hyaluronic acid in fibroblasts and cell cultures, as well as the expression of collagen in such fibroblasts, without causing irritation and burning.
4. NeoGlucosamine (NeoGlucosamine) – it is a natural component of hyaluronic acid. By itself, hyaluronic acid cannot penetrate the epidermis into the required areas of the skin, while N-acetylglucosamine overcomes the epidermal barrier and reaches the target point. It binds water, helps to improve the condition of the skin – increase its volume and elasticity. NeoGlucosamine is also a non-acidic exfoliator that can be combined with retinoids. In addition, NeoGlucosamine inhibits tyrosinase, brightening the skin due to its exfoliating effect and suppression of the production of new pigments.
5. Third generation alpha hydroxy acids. Multibionic and lactobionic acid – these are third-generation alpha hydroxy acids that have a beneficial effect on the skin: moisturize, prevent the destruction of matrix metalloproteniasis, lipid peroxidase and promote heavy metal chelation. Also, such acids help prevent pigmentation caused by UV light, and are also excellent ingredients in the fight against skin aging. Matrix peptides help boost collagen production. They can be combined with retinol and alpha hydroxy acids for a synergistic effect. They also help increase the production of fibronectin and collagen, which give the skin structural firmness.

The neck area and other areas where neurotoxins and fat-absorbing agents sometimes have to be injected respond well to a cream containing citric acid, which improves the effect of skin tightening.

Before injecting

In addition to wiping with alcohol, I highly recommend wearing a surgical gown and sterile gloves because biofilm resulting from injections can lead to acute or chronic infections.

Output

Adequate skin preparation before injectables – an integral part of the treatment protocol. I recommend using several products that include hydroxy acids, retinoids, peptides, antioxidants, and then – sunscreens to improve the function of the skin's protective barrier and make the epidermis and dermis layer thicker. Before the injection procedure, it is necessary to prepare the skin. Cosmetic peels – an excellent option that will improve results, speed up the healing process, minimize complications and help maintain the results of injection procedures for a longer time.