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Informed decisions make the best decisions and that’s where we come in. We inform and we educate. In this week’s blog we’re discussing the difference between Botox and Dermal Fillers.

Research tells us there’s some confusion about the actual difference between these two popular non-surgical skin treatments. In this short blog we cover the key differences so you can make an informed decision on which treatment may offer you the best results.

First things first, lets discuss your face…

Let’s admit it, lines and wrinkles are inevitable. We all hate this fact but unfortunately your face is one of the first places to show these tell-tale signs of ageing.  But did you know that there are two very different reasons for these lines appearing? These are:

  1. Active movement
  2. Loss of volume

We know what you’re thinking: ‘I don’t care how they appear, just get rid of them!’

But we believe it’s important to understand the difference between the two, as the treatment for each one differs quite considerably.

Active Movement

Let’s start with active movement. This is pretty much what it says on the tin. Muscles in our face cause our face to move when we make different expressions. The movement of these muscles causes lines to appear which aren’t present when your face is at rest.

For example, look in the mirror and frown as if you are angry. Do you see vertical lines appear in between your eyebrows? If so, these are caused by the active movement of frowning and are known as ‘active lines’.

Now raise your eyebrows. Do you see horizontal lines appear across your forehead? Once again these are known as ‘active lines’ as they are caused by you actively moving your muscles.

Now let’s look at your lower face. Still looking in the mirror, begin to pout. Do you see small lines appear going outwards from your lips? These are known as peri-oral lines or ‘smoker’s lines’ and are caused by active movement.

So how would we treat these active lines?

Treatment for Active Lines

The most effective treatment for active lines is Botulinum Toxin Type A, also known as Botox. Botox is injected into the muscle that is causing the movement. By injecting Botox we can slightly weaken the muscle, which minimizes the movement and softens the associated lines on the face. It won’t stop all movement but it will certainly lessen it to achieve an overall natural appearance.

There is one exception for when active lines could be treated with dermal fillers. This is prolonged active movement which has led to static lines. By ‘static’ we mean those lines that are present when the face is at rest. If we make a repeated movement continuously over a number of years these lines become ingrained on your skin. Therefore Botox treatment would not be able to remove these static lines. In this case, they would need to be filled with an injectable product such as dermal fillers.

Loss of Volume

You may or may not know that the face is made up of lots of what are called ‘fat pads’. This is essentially the padding on our face which makes us appear youthful. As the ageing process takes hold, these fat pads begin to shrink and gravitate downwards. This results in less volume in the mid-face (your cheeks) and more volume lower down your face (your jowls). This causes the appearance of marionette lines and nasolabial folds to deepen.

We can liken this change to a simple triangle. When we’re young the larger end of the triangle is at the top with the tip at the bottom highlighting definition around the jaw. As we age, the triangle flips with less volume in the cheeks and more heaviness around the jowls.

The important difference here is that these lines are present when the face is at rest and are therefore known as static lines rather than active lines.

Treatment for Loss of Volume

These signs of ageing are very different to lines formed by active movement because they appear when the face is at rest. Therefore the recommended treatment is also completely different. In this case we recommend hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. The purpose of this treatment is to re-introduce the volume into certain areas such as thinning lips or loss of definition in the cheeks.

Dermal Fillers can also be used to lift the appearance of jowls; known as an 8 Point Facelift or Non-Surgical Facelift.

Let’s recap…

If the lines you want to minimize appear when you move your face but aren’t apparent when your face is at rest then the most likely treatment option will be Botox injections.

If your lines are present when your face is at rest then this will need to be treated with Dermal Fillers rather than Botox.

Active Lines = Botox

Static lines = Dermal Fillers

Which areas can be treated with Botox and Dermal Fillers?

botox and filler treatment areas

We hope this has helped you understand a little more about why we would use Botox or dermal fillers for different patients and given you an insight into the potential treatment options for your skin. In every case it is essential that you speak to a trained professional prior to treatment to determine your suitability. Always understand that each of us our made differently. Your friend may of had Botox to help her frown lines, but you may benefit from dermal fillers instead.

Botox & Dermal Filler Treatments at Cosmetic Courses

Cosmetic Courses has been training medical professionals in the UK since 2002. As one of the longest-established providers we pride ourselves on the quality of our training and the products we use for treatment. This means that you are receiving the safest possible treatment as a model with us. The added bonus is that the treatment with us is a fraction of the high street cost.

If you would like to speak to one of our consultants or to book in for our Botox and Dermal Filler treatments please call us now on 01844 390110 or register here to receive further information.

Reality TV star Chloe Goodman has sent shockwaves through the medical aesthetic industry by setting up as an aesthetic practitioner offering Botox and Dermal Filler treatments without any prior experience in medicine. Despite her lack of medical training she has just launched her own aesthetic clinic in Leeds; Opiah Cosmetics.

So how has a young women of age 23, with no medical background, managed to train and practice in Botox and Dermal Fillers?

The answer? Regulatory loopholes…

The Ex on the Beach and Big Brother star is said to have trained with the highly controversial training centre; Cosmetic Couture. Cosmetic Couture came under scrutiny as it was revealed that they were training Beauty Therapists in Botox and Dermal Filler treatments, something that the industry as a whole disagrees with.

Botox is a prescription-only medicine which means it has to be prescribed by a Doctor or nurse prescriber by law. However the administration of Botox and Dermal Fillers can, by law, be performed by anyone who has trained to do so.

This is where the issue presents itself. Aesthetic insurance companies and established training providers like Cosmetic Courses have long been setting a minimum entry requirement for these non-surgical cosmetic injectables. We only offer our Botox and Dermal Filler training courses to medically qualified professionals, whether that be a doctor, dentist or nurse.

We do offer training to Beauty Therapists at NVQ Level 4 but this is in the still lucrative but less invasive skin treatments of microdermabrasion and superficial skin peels.

Why do we choose not to train non-medical professionals in Botox and Dermal Fillers?

The training that is taken by a Beauty Therapist or any other non-medical professional does not provide the level of knowledge in terms of facial anatomy, skin anatomy, anaphylaxis etc. that is experienced during a medical degree studying to be a Doctor, Dentist or Nurse.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) have labelled Chloe’s opening of a clinic as ‘worrying’, and expressed their concern for the members of the public that she may treat. Several professionals within the business are also speaking out against this contentious announcement, stating she does not know enough to deal with the complications that may arise.

Whilst a completely safe procedure in the hands of a trained and qualified Doctor, Dentist or Nurse, procedures such as Botox and fillers can be dangerous when not performed correctly, with the risk of infections and in severe cases necrosis or blindness. A lack of adequate training in this field can lead to many complications with the procedure and could potentially put the patients at risk.

Setting the Standards for Education

Earlier this year, Health Education England (HEE) published the final part of its report indicating standards of training and entry levels for individuals considering a career in aesthetics. The aim was to make it clearer about who should and shouldn’t perform treatments such as Botox and Dermal Fillers. The last report suggested anyone performing Botox or Dermal Fillers should be trained to a post-graduate degree level (Level 7) which indicates that no non-medical professional would be considered ‘qualified’ to perform these treatments.

A key area that we feel needs to be significantly addressed is informing the general public about the risks of being treated by someone who is deemed ‘unqualified’. The patient can lead the way on setting the standards but only if they fully understand the risks and complications that can arise. It is our duty as industry professionals to develop this awareness.

Although the Health Education England report is simply a recommendation, we are hopeful that this will provide a benchmark for standards of training in the non-surgical cosmetic industry.

Aesthetic Training at Cosmetic Courses

Cosmetic Courses have been training medically qualified doctors, dentists and nurses for the past 15 years in Botox and Dermal Filler techniques as well as a range of skin rejuvenation treatments. If you’re interested in finding out more on how to start your aesthetic career please feel free to contact our course co-ordinators for further information.

 

Cosmetic Courses banne showing, Male trends

Independent Pharmacist Shailesh Patel chats about the increase in cosmetic procedures in men over the past year.

The male market has been steadily growing over the years as male consumers increasingly seek out treatments to support their lifestyle choices.

Although a small segment of the aesthetic market, recent data from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has shown Cosmetic Courses; picture showing close up of man with facial markingsthat male clients made up 9% of the total number of those undergoing cosmetic surgery operations in the UK. These numbers have nearly doubled over the past decade (from 2,440 procedures in 2005 to 4,614 in 2015). However, treatments for men tend to be less invasive than for female clients.

This trend could be driven by the subgroup of the millennials known as young urban males  (Yummies). These individuals tend to focus more on personal grooming and health than other age groups. This age group tends to marry later, meaning that they can invest in themselves and their appearance for longer than other age groups.

It is also important to remember that men are unique both physiologically and behaviourally. Having an in-depth knowledge of the male anatomy and suitable training is important to meet the needs of male clients 3.

You should have a separate marketing strategy to target males. Options include; advertising to men through your female clients (husbands, boyfriends, sons, etc.), having specific areas for male clients in your clinic and sections on your website and social media activities focusing on male clients.

Cosmetic Courses have also seen an increase in enquiries for male models. By having a diverse range of sexes, this gives our delegates the best experience in understanding the differences between the sexes, and the techniques that would work best when treating male and female faces.

If you would like to become a model for Cosmetic Courses, please call the team on 01844 390110 or fill in our Contact form

About Pharmacyspace

Pharmacyspace, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, provides cost effective medical products and consumables for your clinic. Feel free to talk to us about how we can support you with both your male and female clients.

Cosmetic Courses: banner showing an introduction to Tear Trough Training

 

Cosmetic Courses are delighted to announce our brand new peri-orbital training course, otherwise known as Tear Trough Training!  

What is a Tear Trough deformity?

Tear trough deformity is diagnosed by a sunken appearance that results in the casting of a dark shadow over the lower eyelid, sometimes giving a fatigued appearance even if recommended amount of sleep is achieved. Dark circles can also be present, however there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration when these are first noticed. Changes in the skins thickness, laxity and hyperpigmentation can also play a role in creating dark circles.
Tear troughs can also be described as a depression centred over the medial inferior orbital rim and bounded by the infraorbital protuberance. As people age, infraorbital fat starts to displace anteriorly, and is more commonly known as ‘eyebags’. This bulge can become deeper over time, and become more pronounced due to loss of soft tissue and osseous support.

What treatments are available?

The peri-orbital area is one that many individuals are concerned about and would like to be treated, but it is also one of the most challenging. Traditional techniques for treating the tear trough area have been removing the skin, muscle and fat surgically, as well as skin rejuvenation treatments such as chemical peels for those that wish to not go down a surgical route. In recent years, non-surgical volumising treatments such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin have been introduced to restore the volume rather than remove it. This treatment is less invasive than having surgery with instant results and minimal downtime for the patient, and with a 150% mark-up per patient for clinics, the earning potential speaks volumes! One of the techniques used would be injecting dermal fillers using a cannula, a safer and more controlled way to treat this intricate and delicate area.

What are the benefits of tear trough training?

• There is a high client demand for this treatment as the peri-orbital region is the focal point of the face
• This advanced treatment will keep you way ahead of the competition
• With a potential 150% mark-up per patient, the earning potential is huge

Why attend training with Cosmetic Courses?

With 13 years of experience in medical aesthetic training for registered Doctors, Dentists and Nurses, there are numerous reasons why you should complete your peri-orbital training with us:

• Our training in this treatment focuses on the entire peri-orbital region, not just the tear trough, making it a unique course to others
• We offer a small ratio of delegates to trainers to ensure you build up the confidence to go straight out and practice

• All models and resources are provided by us making it a completely hassle-free training day

• We offer a balance of theoretical and practical hands-on teaching to ensure a complete understanding of the techniques are learned

Our next tear trough training day is on Wednesday 1st July 2015 at the Paddocks BMI Hospital in Buckinghamshire. If you would like to receive any more information about the course, please call 01844 390110 or email our course co-coordinators, [email protected] to book  your place now.

For a more in depth discussion on Dermal filler treatments for Tear Trough Deformity, please click here for the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery.