The Popularity of Anti-Aging Treatments is Fuelling the Demand for Dermal Filler Courses

 

One can be reasonably certain that the desire to defeat the aging process has been around since mankind first emerged. While the fountain of youth may be no more than a myth, there is no doubt that scientists are busy working on how to selectively inactivate the genes they believe to be responsible for the bodily deterioration that accompanies our latter years. Until then, it seems we must be content just to recapture the appearance of youth. To this end, many of South Africa’s doctors are now enrolling in dermal filler courses, as the demand for all manner of medical aesthetic procedures continues to grow.

 

Dermal fillers are a cheaper and far less invasive alternative to the attentions of a cosmetic surgeon, and in well-trained hands, the results of these relatively simple procedures can be every bit as striking as those of a conventional face lift. However, they offer the advantage of a procedure free of the associated pain and bruising, and without the need for a protracted recovery period.

 

Because the procedure involves the subdermal injection of various chemicals, dermal filler courses in South Africa are only open to medically qualified candidates, although this is not the case in every country. The reasoning is sound, as it offers patients the assurance of a practitioner who has the knowledge and experience to deal with any medical situation, such as an unexpected allergic reaction that might conceivably arise during a procedure. In fact, this is something of a win-win arrangement as, from the doctor’s viewpoint, the move into aesthetic medicine offers a very effective means with which to extend his or her private practice, and thus to secure some frequently, much-needed extra revenue.

 

Typically, the organisers of dermal filler courses will also tend to include instruction in the use of botulinum toxin, known more often by the brand name Botox™. The latter is a complementary injection procedure employed in selected anti-aging treatments. Although both types of treatments involve the injection of various chemical agents, their modus operandi is quite different. The effect of Botox™ is that of a muscle relaxant, which is used to reverse the effects of the tiny muscles responsible for the involuntary contractions that give rise to the fine lines that tend to betray the fact that we are getting older, but which will often occur prematurely among those who spend too much time in the sun.

 

By contrast, the dermal fillers covered during these courses are, as their name implies, a form of soft, amorphous implant that provide a plumping effect. They are best used in the treatment of the deeper wrinkles caused by progressive loss of the proteins collagen and elastin, both of which are natural components of healthy, youthful skin. For use in this type of treatment, the choice of injectable agents, both natural and synthetic, has grown considerably since the early days of this technique.

 

The price of these agents varies, and so does the longevity of the various procedures in which they are used. It is therefore important for those who conduct the dermal filler courses to clarify the relative merits of each, so that practitioners can help their patients to make more informed choices. The first substance used was collagen, and this is generally said to offer the most natural-looking results, although its restorative effect also tends to be more short-lived than that of most alternative agents. Hyaluronic acid injections are also used and are said to stimulate the body’s production of natural collagen, while autologous implantations utilise the patient’s own fat cells harvested from his or her thighs, abdomen, or buttocks,

 

Synthetics tend to display longer lasting and even semi-permanent results, although they also carry a higher risk of allergy. The importance of understanding and managing such risks are a sound reason for attending well-established dermal filler courses, such as those offered by MedSkillsCo.