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Radiesse: A Filler with Collagen-stimulating Properties

Radiesse is a  filler with a proven track record of over 10 million treatments since 2006. This US FDA approved treatment can:

  • Volumise facial areas and deep wrinkles.
  • Help in hand rejuvenation.
  • Help with deep acne scars and skin rejuvenation.

The mechanism of Radiesse involves a two-step process. Initially, it promptly restores volume to the treated area. Subsequently, over the course of the next 1 – 3 months, the Calcium Hydroxyapatite (CaHa) microspheres serve as a scaffold for skin cells to adhere to, stimulating the production of new collagen. This results in firmer, lifted, and more radiant skin with reduced wrinkles. It’s noteworthy that results from Radiesse are known to last approximately 18-24 months, which often leads to treatment recommendations every 2 years. It’s advisable to consult with a doctor to explore whether Radiesse aligns with your specific skincare needs and objectives.

FAQs

  • How long does a treatment take? Is there any downtime? 

In the hands of an experienced doctor, the treatment typically spans approximately 20-30 minutes, the duration varying based on the specific areas addressed. Following the procedure, you may encounter some swelling in the treated regions, which can persist for several days. It’s important to note that there is no mandated downtime, allowing you to resume your regular activities promptly. However, it is advisable to refrain from facial massages for a recommended period of 1-2 weeks, allowing the product to settle into the skin effectively.

  • Is the treatment painful?

This treatment is only mildly uncomfortable from the injection. A topical local anaesthetic will be applied prior to treatment. In addition, Radiesse PLUS contains 0.3% of lidocaine, a local anaesthetic.

  • Who should not go for this treatment?

This treatment is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or those with open wounds on the skin. 

  • How is this treatment different from fillers such as Juvederm/Restylane? 

Most fillers on the market are made from hyaluronic acid- they act by volumizing the treated areas. The results typically last for 9-12 months and annual treatments are recommended. 

For patients who are receiving fillers for the first time- it is better to start with a hyaluronic acid filler, which can be reversed. For those who have received fillers before and liked the result, and are seeking a longer lasting (and more value for money!) treatment, then Radiesse would be ideal.

  • How is Radiesse different from Sculptra or Ellanse?

These three injectable fillers share several characteristics, offering long-lasting effects that typically endure for more than a year. They are valued for their capacity to restore volume and stimulate collagen production. While these fillers share similarities, there are subtle distinctions in their composition.

Radiesse incorporates Calcium Hydroxyapatite (CaHa) within a CarboxyMethylCellulose (CMC) gel, Ellanse employs Polycaprolactone (PCL) in a CMC gel, and Sculptra utilizes Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA). One unique aspect of Radiesse is its FDA approval for hand rejuvenation. Moreover, it can be hyperdiluted for applications in skin rejuvenation.

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Acne: What Causes It, and How To Overcome It

Acne is not an uncommon sight for anyone, regardless of age, race, or gender. The little white bumps on one’s face are relatively normal and its appearance and disappearance is so commonplace that we accept it as a recurring part in our daily lives. But what is it exactly, and how can one overcome it?

Acne forms when hair follicles on your skin are plugged with oil and dead skin cells, resulting in several variations such as whiteheads (closed plugged pores), blackheads (open plugged pores), or pimples (small, red bumps with pus at the tip).

While these are the most common ones, other types of acne may also occur, such as nodules (painful lumps beneath the skin’s surface) or cysts (larger lumps underneath the skin that contain pus).

Typically, acne forms on the face, but can also appear on the chest, upper back, and shoulders.

 

What causes it?

To keep itself soft and lubricated, the skin relies on pores which consist of a hair follicle and a sebaceous gland that produces oil which then travels up the hair, onto the skin to maintain its softness.

Acne occurs when the pores are clogged with too much oil, buildup of dead skin cells, bacteria buildup in the pores, or a combination of all three.

 

What treatments are available to overcome acne?

There are several ways to treat acne and reduce the risk of it breaking out:

 

Home Care

  • Shampooing your hair regularly to maintain a regular oil coat
  • Cleansing your skin frequently with mild soap to rid it of excess oil and dirt
  • Refraining from squeezing the pimple, as it runs the risk of spreading the bacteria and oil to other parts of the skin
  • Avoid wearing hats
  • Using makeup that is water-based

 

Medical

  • Salicylic acid is a topical antibacterial agent that helps unplug pores due to its exfoliation capabilities. The acid is commonly found in various soaps and acne solutions.
  • Benzoyl peroxide not only kills bacteria that causes acne, it also dries out existing pimples and effectively prevents new ones. The compound can be found in acne creams and gels.

In more serious cases, an individual may require consultation with a doctor, who will then prescribe you with oral or topical antibiotics to reduce inflammation, kill the bacteria, and prevent scarring.

 

What are some of the best practices to prevent acne?

It is impossible to prevent acne, but there are some practices to reduce the chances of acne happening, including:

  • Keeping good facial hygiene by washing it with an appropriate cleanser
  • Wearing loose clothing
  • Changing your diet to include less refined sugars
  • Reducing stress
  • Using water-based makeup instead of oil-based
  • Taking a shower after exercising

 

Speak to our doctors today to learn how you can combat acne today!

 

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Maskne and how to treat them

Needleless Serum Infusion Treatment

The COVID19 pandemic has changed the world and changed our lives in so many ways. Wearing a mask when we are out has become the new norm. Working from home has become the default for a lot of us. These changes inevitably cause some of us to alter our lifestyle drastically, including staying up late, eating unhealthy meals and forgetting to exercise. This indirectly causes our skin quality to deteriorate and become more prone to acne and scars. In addition, wearing a mask in our hot and humid climate leads to developing mask-related acne, or commonly known as maskne.

How do we deal with these adverse skin changes due to mask wearing and poor lifestyle? Here are the 5 tips that can help improve and maintain your skin quality during this period.

Invest in good skin care products

We often ignore the importance of skin care (and skin care products) when we are not meeting people regularly. It is as if we take care of our skin just to look good in front of others. Like it or not, how you look does affect your self esteem and confidence. Good skin makes you look and feel good about yourself.

Invest in yourself – by investing in good and suitable skin care products. Use quality cleanser, moisturiser, sunblock and skin anti-ageing serum such as vitamin C and peptide serum diligently. This will keep your skin under control on good and bad days, and reduce the likelihood of having acne breakouts and acne scars.

Protect your skin from the sun, and cleanse your face thoroughly each time after you workout. This can prevent bacteria proliferation around the facial skin that leads to acne.

Have good regular facial treatment

Due to prolonged mask wearing, there is often trapped moisture around the face. This causes congested skin and pores, which becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria that inevitably leads to maskne. It also does not help that some people do not change or wash their mask regularly. This explains a sudden increase in acne breakouts during this pandemic period. Therefore, what you do at home (cleansing) may not be sufficient sometimes.

Go for a regular facial treatment, such as the popular Hydrafacial. Hydrafacial is an effective multi-step treatment that combines the benefits of hydra der­mabrasion, a chemical peel and painless extractions with a special delivery of antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and peptides. This helps cleanse the facial skin more thoroughly and improve overall skin hydration and skin health.

Use retinol

Retinol is a form of vitamin A, which is one of the body’s key nutrients for boosting cell turnover. It is commonly used to treat acne and reduce wrinkles.

Retinol works by triggering the skin cells to turnover faster so that new skin cells can generate. By doing so, it also helps increase the production of essential chemicals such as hyaluronic acid and collagen that help improve overall skin quality.

Retinol helps improve acne skin by accelerating cell turnover and reduces oil production. Decreased oil production prevents oil from clogging up pores and helps to prevent acne.
Collectively, this results in a smoother skin with less acne. Add a retinol in your skin care routine!

Try facial laser

Facial laser treatment has set a new standard for skin rejuvenation treatment. Laser helps improve skin pigmentation, pores, acne, overall skin tone and skin texture.

Gentlemax Pro laser is an option to explore when addressing concerns like acne, redness, and acne scars. While it’s not a one-time solution, regular sessions can contribute to maintaining healthier skin.

Pico laser toning is a lunchtime laser treatment that you can do on a monthly basis to help improve your overall skin quality and maintain a radiant and glowy skin tone. It is almost painless with minimal to no downtime, perfect for individuals with busy schedules.

See a doctor

If you struggle with keeping up with your adverse skin changes, perhaps it is time to seek professional help. Sometimes, in more severe cases, you may require medications such as antibiotic cream, retinoids (stronger version of retinol) and antibiotic tablets to treat maskne. These can only be prescribed by doctors.

Let your doctor assess your skin condition and prescribe the most appropriate medication and treatment for you.

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Misinformation About Acne On Social Media

Do you seek advice for your skin issues from the internet? 

Social media has become such an inherent part of our lives that often, the first thing that comes to mind when we have a question to answer is scroll through our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok feeds for the solution. This often gives us a mix of results, some work, and some do not work. We often just laugh off the ones that do not work and promise ourselves not to follow it again, just to go through the same cycle soon after. 

This is benign in many circumstances, but more recently, a survey published (Yousaf A et al. Pediatr Dermatol. 2020 Jan 15. doi: 10.1111/pde.14091.) suggests that many patients consult social media for advice even on acne treatment. Also showed in that same study is that the majority of people who do will go on to follow recommendations that do not align with proven clinical guidelines. 

The study surveyed 130 patients of whom 45% consulted social media for advice on acne treatment and 52% of those went on to follow recommendations that do not correspond to medical guidelines. Most patients reported no (40%) to minimal (53%) improvement in their acne after following the advice. 

Of the most common social media platforms used, YouTube and Instagram came tops, with 58% each, followed by Pinterest (31%), Facebook (19%), Twitter (9%), Snapchat (7%). [patients could select more than one platform].

The social media advice patients went on to follow included using over the counter products (81%), making dietary adjustments (40%), using self-made products (19%) and taking supplements (16%). 

Of these, only 7% reported significant improvement in their acne. This is a concerning trend, and poor results are likely due to inaccurate content on social media compared to healthcare sources. 

It is not difficult to see why there is so much misinformation on the internet. Social media is increasingly becoming not just the main route of marketing products, it has also indirectly fueled emotional and mental associations of an individual to their appearance by increase in usage of social media and photo-editing apps. The global anti-acne cosmetics market size was valued at USD2.07 billion in 2018 and continues to grow year on year. With multiple parties trying to get a share of the market, unscrupulous parties have marketed products either with false claims, using a variety of marketing tactics to reach these vulnerable patients. 

Acne patients are prone to suffer from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, poor quality of life and loneliness, and it is not rocket science as to why that is. Acne can be a debilitating disease, and may leave permanent scars which are sometimes even more difficult to treat than the acne itself. In the survey, about half of the patients (51%) had moderate acne, while 38% had severe acne. Only 11% of the patients surveyed had mild acne. Taking up the advice on social media means that patients with moderate to severe acne may have been delayed in their seeking medical treatment for their acne, and deprived of early treatment. It is especially crucial in these patients that medical treatment of acne is instituted quickly and effectively to prevent lifelong scarring. 

Acne is not only a social concern. It is a medical condition with medical treatments that are able to address it. Solutions seen on social media may be effective for one person, but the results may be the complete opposite in another individual. Treatment of acne is never a once-size-fits-all solution and a tailored treatment based on the assessment of the doctor is crucial for its success. Unproven treatments are never a replacement to medically proven treatments that have not only been reviewed for their efficacy in labs, but in large randomized controlled trials all over the world. 

If you are suffering from acne, speak to your doctor about treatments before speaking to Dr. Social Media.

Also on this site: Tattoo Removal Singapore, Pico Laser Singapore

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