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Chinese woman suffers side-effects following unlicensed dermal fillers

A 28-year-old woman from the Gansu Province in China is having to undergo corrective surgery as unlicensed dermal fillers were inserted in to her face 11 years ago.

Xiao Lan, still a teenager at the time, was told by her then-boss that her looks would not be enough to secure her finding a wealthy man as her skin was too thin and papery. As a result Lan chose to have facial fillers to help plump out the appearance of her face, in order to make it what was deemed to be more attractive.

Given that she was not earning a great deal at the time, rather than save up to have the procedure carried out at a reputable clinic, Lan chose to have the procedure done at an unlicensed, cheaper clinic. At the time she was said to be happy and satisfied with the outcome; however, in 2009, changes started to occur.

Her face swelled up and changed slightly in shape, her eyes became droopy and she even suffered from excessive hair loss. At the time doctors attributed this to possible kidney or liver failure, but there was no alternative diagnosis when these were ruled out.

By 2013 things had taken a turn for the worst, when Lan’s face has swollen up and changed beyond all recognition due to the unlicensed dermal fillers. This time doctors were able to pinpoint the problem as the side effect of her earlier fillers, when the substance that was used was uncovered. Although it was banned from the medical cosmetic industry, Lan’s face had been injected with hydrophilic polyacrylamide. Previously this substance had been used in breast implants in China.

Lan is now undergoing corrective surgery to reverse the problem caused by unlicensed dermal fillers. Doctors have warned her that the effects of the illicit substance injected in to her face may be difficult to reverse given that it has been in her skin for such a long time.

Who are Cosmetic Courses?

Cosmetic Courses are the UK’s leading Botox and Dermal Filler training provider for medical professionals, offering over 50 aesthetic courses online and offline. Find out more about our courses here! 

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Ageing Hands – a new use of dermal fillers

More and more women are seeking treatment for ageing hands, in what’s being dubbed the ‘Madonna effect’, so called after the star’s own hand treatment to reverse this tell-tale sign of ageing.

It has often been said that to tell a woman’s age you need look at the neck and the hands, as previously work to reverse the signs of ageing was really only performed on the face. However as skill and technology advances it is now possible to treat ageing hands as well as an ageing face.

Until now it was usually Thermage or laser treatments that would have been used on the hands however fillers are now regularly being requested in clinics up and down the country. Thermage works by strengthening the collagen in the skin which results in it becoming tighter, whilst laser treatment can help to reduce sun spots and pigmentation.

Fillers can go a step further however as they will help to restore volume to the hands, which can often be the main problem. Thinning skin can lead to a crepey, shrunken look which can make the hands look older.

As a result of this it’s important that training for dermal fillers includes treatments for the hands as well as for the face.

Cosmetic Courses are the UK’s leading aesthetic training provider for medical professionals with over 50 courses on and offline within our 6 state of the art training clinics.

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Botox and Dermal Fillers Foundation Training Course – Our Latest Feedback

We’ve collated the results of the feedback for our latest training course – and the results are very encouraging.

On Saturday 7th July, we ran another successful Foundation course in Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Fillers.

Though the course was fairly small, the feedback we received showed that satisfaction levels are going from strength to strength.

In fact, it was among the best feedback we have received since we began. We’re very proud to share the results with you here.

The Verdict

Here’s how our delegates rated us:

  • 100% would recommend the course and return for further training
  • 100% thought the speakers communicated effectively
  • 100% thought the venue was suitable for the training
  • 100% thought the demonstrations were well presented and informative
  • 100% thought the hands-on experience was valuable
  • 98% thought there was sufficient time for discussion

A fantastic set of feedback, and we hope that many of our Foundation course delegates choose to continue their study with Cosmetic Courses – either by moving up to the next level on our Intermediate and Advanced courses, or broadening their expertise into other areas like Dermaroller and Skin Peels.

If you would like to attend our next Foundation Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Fillers course, it will be held on Saturday 11th August. Click here to book your place. Alternatively, we are always happy to arrange bespoke one-to-one training sessions at a time that’s convenient for you. Contact us for more information on 0845 230 4110 or email [email protected].

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Feedback from our latest Botox and Dermal Fillers Foundation Training Course

The results of our latest training course are in…..and they’re better than ever!

Last Saturday, 12th May, Cosmetic Courses ran another fully subscribed Foundation course in Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Fillers.

We routinely ask all our delegates to fill out feedback forms to let us know what we’re doing right, as well as highlighting any areas we can improve on.

We’ve now collated the feedback from Saturday’s course, and are very proud to be able to share the results with you here.

The Verdict

Here’s how our delegates rated us:

  • Accommodation and travel were given a score of 96%
  • Structure of the course and discussion time scored 97%
  • Course  presentation, lecture, demonstration, venue and effectiveness of communication were all rated 99%
  • Value of the course and amount learned were given a perfect 100%!

Our Foundation courses are designed for delegates just starting out in their aesthetic careers, and mark the very first step in their journey, so it’s particularly satisfying to hear that they found our latest course so useful.

We hope that many of these happy delegates will decide to join the ranks of our previous Foundation course delegates who have progressed to further study on our Intermediate and Advanced courses, or broaden their training into other areas such as Skin Peels and Dermaroller.

If you missed out on our last training course and would like to attend the next one, it will be held on Saturday 23rd June. Alternatively, we are always happy to arrange bespoke one-to-one sessions at a time that suits you. Contact us for more information on 0845 230 4110 or email [email protected].

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Dermal Fillers: Cosmetic Treatment without Surgery

Research shows that more and more people are opting to undergo cosmetic procedures, and one of the main factors preventing them from doing so is financial, rather than emotional. Among the cosmetic procedures being pursued, on of the newer options is the dermal filler. These are injections of a gelatinous substance which is used to fight off some of the effects of aging, such as wrinkles and folds in the skin. The active ingredient in these injections is hyaluronic acid. The name may sound dangerous, but hyaluronic acid is a substance found in the human body. Some of its properties are the ability to contain moisture, and to tighten up wrinkles, folds, and lines in the face. In addition to this, it is much less likely to cause allergies than most of the other options available.

Dermal fillers allow a person to achieve a more youthful appearance without the need to undergo a surgical operation. The gel is injected through the use of needles which are very tiny and cause minimal scarring. The procedure is usually undergone on the face, and anesthetic is used so that the person receiving the injections does not feel anything during the injection process.

Dermal fillers give the patient a natural looking appearance of youth. It is used to minimize frown lines, smile lines, cheek lines, and lines below and around the eyes. It can also be used to puff up a person’s chin and cheeks if they become saggy, as well as to give volume and shape to their lips. Acne scars can be reduced as well, and the nose can be sculpted in to a slightly different shape without the use of invasive surgery.

The visual signs of aging occur when collagen and hyaluronic acid levels decrease. Collagen gives flexibility and shape to human skin, while hyaluronic acid provides it with much needed moisture and volume. Dermal filler may contain both of these substances, replacing the portion that was lost with age, giving the face a more youthful appearance. Small particle fillers can be used to reduce thin lines, while larger particle fillers can be used for deeper folds and wrinkles.

Dermal filler injections typically take roughly half an hour. In some cases their may be swelling and discomfort, or redness and bruising. In most cases these effects are temporary. If they last for more than a few days than you should contact your doctor.

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Dermal Fillers: A Valid Option For Jagged Acne Scars

Jagged acne scars are something that many people have to deal with. In cases where people have an outbreak of acne, it is almost certain to leave a small scar or two. There are three basic option that can help people deal with these jagged scars, which are basic cover-up cosmetics, laser surgery or a dermal filler.

You don’t need to be a special effects artist to be able to find the right products and apply them well enough to cover up any scars you want to hide. What has been commonly known as “camouflage cosmetics” are easy to apply and are especially helpful in covering up pigmented scars. They come in all sorts of color bases so you can find just the right one that will work for you.

There are alternatives for men and women in the cosmetic field, and another consideration that many people are now looking into is laser surgery. This is now a very simple procedure in which a laser can be used to remove the scar. There is usually a very short recovery period after the surgery, and it is also a painless surgery.

While the use of cosmetics and laser surgery are options, dermal fillers may present a more affordable option. Laser surgery is not cheap and may or may not be covered by some type of insurance. The use of cover-up cosmetics also work, but depending on how often you have to use them can also start to become very expensive. Dermal fillers may be worth the investment as a cheaper, long term option.

Dermal fillers come in the form of an injection. You will need to consult your physician before deciding you want to have this procedure done so you can decide on which injection will be right for you. There are basically three types of dermal fillers, which are silicon-based injections, hyaluronic acid, and calcium based dermal fillers. The cost for this procedure can be anywhere from around 200 pounds to about 1350 pounds depending on the treatment area. This is less than the cost of laser surgery and can be less than you will spend on camouflage cosmetics over the long haul.

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Perlane For Wrinkle Removal

Perlane is a dermal filler that was created to minimise the appearance of facial folds and wrinkles. In many cases it is capable of complete wrinkle removal since it restores a great deal of lostperlane cosmetic courses facial volume. As the skin ages the natural collagen present begins to diminish. Over time this will sometimes result in sagging skin, facial folds, lines, and wrinkles.

Perlane is made of a stabilized hyaluronic acid gel that has particles thicker than those of other hyaluronic acid based fillers such as Restylane. The denser composition allows it to be more easily moulded to a patient’s face and thus produces the most natural look possible of all the hyaluronic acid based dermal fillers. Because it is not derived from animal sources like many collagen based fillers are, it may be used in patients without allergy testing. Perlane is made entirely of hyaluronic acid while other dermal fillers such as Restylane have a hyaluronic acid base but have animal collagen added to them.

Perlane may be used in a variety of facial areas. The nasolabial folds running from the corner of the nose to the outer edges of the mouth are one of the most common areas that patients have  injected. It may also be used to add some volume to the area underneath the eyes if a patient has sunken eyes. Virtually any area of the face that has wrinkling or skin folds due to loss of volume can be treated effectively with injections. A popular use for this product today is lip enhancement. Perlane can be safely injected into the lips to produce additional volume or create the appearance of an overall larger mouth.

Perlane typically lasts for about six to nine months, though some patients continue to see benefits from treatment for as long as one year. While the price is typically higher than that of some other dermal fillers, this product is longer lasting and presents a more natural appearance than other dermal fillers do.

Treatment with Perlane normally takes no longer than 30 to 45 minutes. The injection process is usually not painful for patients though the administering physician may choose to inject a local anesthetic or to apply a topical anesthetic to minimise any discomfort.

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UK Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers present a multitude of options for those who are involved in the practice of aesthetics. The use of dermal fillers has grown tremendously due to the fact that they present a valid alternative to surgical procedures. While originally used as a treatment for lines and wrinkles, dermal fillers are now available for a wide variety of other aesthetic purposes.

Dermal fillers are now available that can help with things like making someone’s face more symmetrical, enhancing people’s lips, correcting tear trough, and much more. The extensive uses now applicable to dermal fillers has flooded the UK market with a variety of these kinds of products. There are now around 160 dermal filler products available throughout the UK, and the majority of these do not even require a prescription as they are classified as “medical devices”.

While there are not even ten of these products approved by the FDA for use in the United States, there is no regulation available in regards to these products in the UK. This means anyone can buy these products and inject themselves with the ingredients without really knowing what is going into their body. Since there are so many unlicensed products now available, this makes the job of anyone practicing aesthetics harder than it already was, because they will have to learn about these products to get an idea of which one may be the best option for their patients.

While various aesthetic injections have actually been available since the late 1800’s, the term ‘dermal filler” did not come along until the introduction of collagen practically a century later. This led to the revolution of non-surgical aesthetic procedures, with Botox and collagen injections leading the way. While collagen is still a very popular choice, the emergence of other dermal fillers, one of the most popular being hyaluronic acid, has made the choice of collagen less popular than it once was.

Due to the high safety profile provided by hyaluronic acid fillers, they have become the most popular dermal filler used in the UK. Because hyaluronic acid is something that is present in every living organism and is a naturally occurring substance, some form of this type of filler has been used by an estimated 30 million patients throughout the world. The versatility of this product is likely why it has become so popular, as it is available in a variety of thicknesses. Other types of dermal fillers include:

* Calcium hydroxlapatite
* Poly-l-lactic acid
* Polymethyl methacrylate
* Porcine collagen
* Polyacrylamide

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