Skin boosters in Medellín

Skin boosters, skinboosters, or injectable moisturizers: the treatment goes by all of these names. They're microinjections of non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid that hydrate the skin from within, with the goal of improving its texture, elasticity, and glow. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), they aren't the same as a filler: they're placed more superficially, within the skin itself, and they aren't meant to add volume or change your contours. If what you want is volume in your lips or cheeks, the treatment to look at is a different one: hyaluronic acid fillers.

They're used on the face, neck, chest, and hands. Treatment is usually 2 to 3 sessions of 30 minutes; results usually show in 4 to 6 weeks and last 6 to 9 months. They aren't permanent, so you need repeat sessions to maintain the results. Which areas to treat, which product to use, and how many sessions you need isn't decided from photos or over WhatsApp: your aesthetic physician decides that when she examines your skin at your in-person consultation.

A skin booster works on hydration and skin quality. For other concerns, there are options that may be a better fit:

• Volume in the lips, smile lines, or cheeks: dermal fillers.
• Forehead lines, frown lines between the brows, or crow's feet: Botox.
• Loss of firmness or mild sagging: collagen biostimulators, radiofrequency, or a thread lift.
• Acne scars or enlarged pores: microneedling.
• Dark spots or melasma: a treatment plan for dark spots, which may include chemical peels or laser.

If you're planning a laser treatment, a peel, or another procedure after your skin booster, tell your doctor: according to FDA information on the skin booster it approved, there may be an inflammatory reaction in the area. At your consultation, we'll tell you what makes sense for you.

According to the patient information for the FDA-approved skin booster, it isn't used if you have severe allergies or have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), if you're allergic to lidocaine or to the proteins used to make its hyaluronic acid, or if you've had an allergic reaction to hyaluronic acid fillers before. If you have pimples, sores, a rash, or an infection in the area, treatment is postponed until it heals. And tell your doctor if:

• You're pregnant or breastfeeding: its safety hasn't been studied.
• You tend to form thick scars or have had pigmentation disorders, meaning changes in skin color.
• You take medications that weaken your immune system.

With that information, your doctor will tell you whether it's better to wait.

Every procedure has risks, and this one does too. In its information on the skin booster it approved, the FDA lists, among others:

• Redness, swelling, bruising, pain, or tenderness when you touch the area.
• Lumps, firm areas, itching, or changes in color.
• Nodules, infection, or allergic reactions.
• Very rarely, the product entering a blood vessel and causing vision problems, blindness, a stroke, or permanent scarring.

If during treatment or shortly after you notice changes in your vision, signs of a stroke, skin that turns white, or unusual pain, tell your doctor right away. Before you decide, we go over each risk with you, and you sign an informed consent form.

For your consultation, bring a list of everything you take. According to the FDA, aspirin, ibuprofen, and other medications that prolong bleeding can increase bruising; don't stop any of them without talking to your doctor first. Ask for the name of the product and check its health registration online. INVIMA, Colombia's food and drug regulator, has issued more than one alert about counterfeit hyaluronic acid products. Afterward, you may have small bumps (papules) for 24 to 48 hours. For the product it approved, the FDA recommends limiting strenuous exercise, sun or intense heat, and alcohol right after treatment, and using ice if there's swelling. Ask your doctor when you can wear makeup, and call her if redness or swelling lasts more than a few days.