8 minute read
DERMAL FILLER TRENDS 2024
By Dr Giulia D’Anna
In 2024 cosmetic injectables are all about ‘undetectable beauty’ featuring enhancements which complement natural features with minimal invasiveness and recovery time.
As the beauty world trends towards a more natural, minimalistic look, dermal fillers will be considered to be part of a holistic approach encompassing health, skincare, and beauty.
In this fast-moving world, new trends appear quickly along with demand as patients look to cutting-edge treatments to maintain their desired look.
Industry professionals must stay well-informed about new developments as patients often seek treatments based on the latest beauty fads. It is for this reason that it’s especially important for practitioners to understand these trends, so as to provide appropriate and effective services.
Says Dermal Distinction founder Dr. Giulia D’Anna, “Clients are seeking expertise on how new treatments can work for them and are looking to providers to deliver them safely and effectively. Every patient is different and what they really need is a practitioner who understands what looks are trending along with the knowledge needed to match the right treatment for that patient.”
With that in mind, here are 2024’s top trends for aesthetic injections:
Haytox
A supposed game-changer for those who suffer from allergies, Haytox is currently all the buzz in Australia due to being touted as a quick and pain-free way to get rid of allergies like hay fever.
Dubbed ‘Haytox’ on social media as a twist on the use of botulinum toxin or Botox for the purpose of treating allergic rhinitis, Haytox treatment is administered by strategically spraying Botox into the nasal cavity to block the nerve signals responsible for triggering allergy symptoms.
However, while the term ‘Haytox’ is commonly used, the treatment is not officially recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) nor is it included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
Although Botox is approved for certain uses, its efficacy as a treatment for allergies has not been assessed. While Botox use for allergies is not illegal, neither is it officially approved as a clinical treatment.
The TGA itself has warned practitioners against misleading patients on the uses of Botox for the purpose of eliminating hayfever, noting that its use for this purpose is yet to be scientifically validated. As always, it’s essential to seek diagnosis by a medical doctor before proceeding with any type of treatment including ‘Haytox’.
Revitalising the eyes with tear trough filler
Due to age or other factors, patients experiencing fat loss in the face can end up looking deflated and hollow. Though we all possess tear troughs as a natural part of our anatomy, those who go through fat loss sometimes describe this area as an area of darkness and shadowing.
This often leads to a commonly requested procedure - treatment of the tear trough area is a subtle way to plump up the face to achieve a more filled-up look.
However, due to the complicated anatomy contained within the tear trough, a thorough assessment is required before any treatment is administered. Another important consideration before treatment is to determine whether or not tear trough darkness is due to ethnic or genetic traits.
It could be that fat loss in the cheeks is the true cause of shadowing in the tear trough. In this case, treatment of the cheek area first is necessary to correct tear trough issues.
Direct treatment of the tear trough requires careful consideration as parts of the lymphatic system runs through the tear trough. Any treatment must respect the positioning of the anatomy and practitioners must take care not to overfill the area and/or consider treating other areas that support the tear trough.
Lip flip
The Lip Flip trend involves a minimal application of a muscle relaxant to prevent the upper lip from rolling inwards, thus enhancing its volume. Made popular thanks to TikTok, this technique is fast becoming one of the most asked-for treatments due to its effectiveness in creating a full but subtle lip appearance.
Rather than injecting directly into the lips, the lip flip uses neuromodulators like Botox to relax the upper lip or the orbicularis oris muscle (colloquially known as the ‘kissing muscle’) to allow more of it to show when the patient smiles.
While ideal for patients with a hyperactive muscle around their mouth and those in possession of a ‘gummy smile’ where the lips disappear or curl inwards when smiling, the Lip Flip isn’t for everyone.
Due to the tiny amounts needed for treatment to work, the effects of a lip flip tend to be short-lived. Over-treatment of the area on the other hand could render patients unable to speak, kiss, or drink from delicate glassware. Consultation with a qualified professional is needed when determining if the patient is a suitable candidate for this treatment.
Botulinum toxin in the hairline
A legitimate if somewhat novel treatment for those suffering from acne or oily skin, an injection of Botox in the hairline reduces the amount of sweating and oil production on the skin.
Particularly beneficial for those with acne, rosacea, or oily skin, treatment focuses on reducing scalp oiliness and sweat with superficial, minute quantities of Botox within the relevant layer of skin along the hairline.
When the procedure is requested by patients, practitioners must consider whether oiliness and sweat in the hair is a matter of haircare products and refer patients to their hairdressers rather than administer treatment.
Then there’s the logistical issue of needle fatigue from having to treat a large area all over the scalp. Patients must be informed that this is likely to be a repetitive and lengthy procedure, so they are better placed to make an informed decision on whether or not to proceed.
Integrated skincare
On the theme of natural-looking, minimally invasive, and very restrained treatment, aestheticians have become increasingly aware that beauty clinic procedures can be optimised for maximum impact if given additional support.
In 2024 the relationship between skin treatments and their effects on injectable results will be highlighted as patients embrace skincare to improve the appearance of skin.
Known as ‘integrated skincare’, this approach is the first line of defence against over-treatment of the face by incorporating a medical-grade skincare routine, healthy diet, and other lifestyle interventions. In this way, integrated skincare ensures prolonged aesthetic outcomes from fillers, laser treatment, skin needling and so on.
Skinalysis
In 2024 a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment is quickly being left behind as more patients seek personalised, data and science-based assessments using advanced tools combined with the practitioner’s clinical experience. The precision of treatments leading to balanced and appropriate outcomes is led by the growing popularity of pre-treatment assessments to learn about patients’ specific concerns, current beauty routine, lifestyle, and ideal look.
A comprehensive skin analysis will consider individual anatomy, age, gender, epidermal and dermal thickness, hydration levels, pigmentation, collagen density, and more to offer a full view of skin health and ideal options for treatment.
Amino acid injectables
In line with the trend of ‘undetectable injectables’ is the emergence of amino acid-based formulas to revitalise the skin. Delivered directly to the skin’s midlayers via minimally invasive microinjections, immunotherapy promises to restore softness, elasticity, and plumpness to the skin particularly in the forehead, the lower half of the face and under the eyes.
Popular formulations include a combination of hyaluronic acid and amino acids to encourage synthesis of new collagen and elastin in the skin, foster wound healing and repair of damaged skin, and increase water retention and plumpness.
Ideal for applications like wrinkle reduction and improving overall skin quality, amino acid injectables can be considered to be an introductory gateway to other types of injectables.
BroTox
Colloquially named Brotox, this is the name used on social media for cosmetic treatments aimed at men. 2024 will likely see a rise in treatments targeted at men as the popularity of cosmetic enhancements for men continues to grow thanks to the reduced stigma of cosmetic treatment, the convenience of non-surgical procedures and their lack of recovery time, and the influence of social media. With 18.5 million views on TikTok, it’s clear that #Brotox is here to stay.
With a growing number of men embracing skincare, it’s no surprise that many are also looking at aesthetic procedures traditionally reserved for women. Like women, the aim is to preserve youth; men’s main preoccupations tend to be forehead lines and wrinkles, crow’s feet, and frown lines.
Though many prefer to maintain a youthful appearance, they are also concerned about maintaining natural expressions of their face and will therefore opt for nonpermanent, minimally invasive procedures where possible.
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