Kick-Start Your Medical Aesthetics Practice with Some Dermal Filler Training
As is the case in most countries, the private healthcare industry in South Africa has become very competitive. Consequently, it is one in which it can be especially important for the practitioner to remain abreast of new developments and trends. One of the most significant areas of development in recent years has been that of medical aesthetics and, in particular, its increasing focus on effective anti-ageing treatments.
While these include factors, such as attention to diet and the use of so-called rejuvenating skin creams, it is through the use of procedures such as Botox™ and dermal filler injections that a practitioner, given the appropriate training, is able to offer his or her patients a rapid and sustained return of their previously youthful appearance.
Although this is not a universal requirement, in South Africa, these treatments may currently only be undertaken by a qualified medical doctor, and he or she, in turn, must have undergone a recognised programme of instruction in the theory and practice of these techniques. It is a fairly common practice for such a course to cover both types of treatment, as well as to include the use of Botox™ injections for non-cosmetic purposes, such as the treatment of hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating, and bruxism or grinding of the teeth.
While the Clostridium botulinum toxin and various other chemical compounds, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite and poly-L-lactic acid, may all be used for the treatment of facial wrinkles, they are not totally interchangeable. Although Botox™ injections are effective for the treatment of the naturally-occurring or dynamic wrinkles that form around the eyes and mouth, they are not effective in the treatment of the fine lines caused by collagen breakdown. In this instance, injections of a suitable dermal filler will be the answer.
An effective training course will need to cover the relevant use of each form of treatment in detail and, in the latter instance particularly, the relative duration of the results possible with the various products available. Other considerations, such as the increased risk of side effects in patients with pre-existing medical conditions, should of course also be covered, as should the various ethical and medico-legal aspects pertaining to these non-surgical, but nevertheless, minimally-invasive treatments.
At the Medskills Training Academy, the entry-level course is designed to offer doctors an introduction into the field of aesthetics and anti-aging medicine, and begins with a discussion of the relevant psychology and anatomical details, progressing to the theoretical aspects of the various treatments, and culminating in some basic hands-on practical applications. During the course, each attending doctor will be assisted to perform basic treatments on their own patients, while observed by the other attendees. The academy’s limit of five doctors per course serves to ensure the exceptional learning experience that has made the academy a leader in the field of dermal filler training and many of the other procedures now commonly performed for medical aesthetic and anti-aging purposes.
The basic course covers the use of botulinum toxin to treat frown and laugh lines in the glabellar region, while focusing on the use of fillers for nasolabial and marionette lines and lips, and incudes an introduction to cheek volumising. Holders of the basic certificate may choose to extend their skills, and thus the services offered by their practice, by attending the academy’s advanced course.
After a review of the basics, the course continues with a number of additional applications, including Botox™ treatments for lip, bunny and neck lines, as well as brow lifts and the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. For more information, please give us a call.