Elena Berclaz
Papillon de beauté
Whether it is botox or hyaluronic acid, beauty treatments by injection have many advantages highlighted in great marketing blows. But what about their dangers and drawbacks, rarely revealed to the public?
In this article, we would like to take stock of these techniques by providing important elements from recent studies, which will allow you to choose your care with full knowledge of the facts.
Recent revelations about injections
A month ago, The Guardian published an alarming article on the underestimation of the number of cases of serious side effects after treatment by injections. According to an english study published in June 2021, one in six people who were injected with Botox would suffer from complications such as bruises, headaches, nausea or "frozen" features.
This same study shows that these facial injections for aesthetic reasons could also produce serious side effects including muscle stiffness, severe pain, dizziness. even a heart attack.
At Papillon de beauté, we welcome new customers every week who wish to obtain our advice as part of a Skin Analysis. Unfortunately, it often happens that we cannot offer them certain effective and particularly adapted treatments, because of the contraindications of the injection treatments undergone in the previous months.
This is why we want to highlight here three major disadvantages to take into account before choosing an injection treatment:
1. Drainage of skin resources
Injections are aggressive treatments allowing immediate effects to be observed, but in the long term they drain the skin's resources without in any way slowing down its aging.
On the contrary, the products injected can slow down the micro-circulation of the blood and thus reduce the exchange of nutrients necessary for skin regeneration.
While it would be important to strengthen collagen production through regular anti-aging care and the use of suitable creams, many people using injections will shorten (or even stop) their beauty routine. The acceleration of skin aging will however remain invisible in the short term thanks to the temporary effect of the substances injected.
2. Side effects of injections
In addition to piercing the skin with a needle, we can list the swelling, bruising, and possible complications described in the botulinum toxin (botox) studies mentioned above.
On the side of hyaluronic acid, the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) tells us that the adverse effects would affect 0.1 to 1% of people using this type of injection. The most frequent are small bleeding, bruising and edema, which usually wear off within a few days.
An allergy to hyaluronic acid can cause an inflammatory reaction such as hives, but it is rarer. Up to several months after the operation, it is also possible to see nodules around the injected area, this when the white blood cells attack the hyaluronic acid to digest it. These nodules can nevertheless be punctured, or treated by anti-inflammatory treatments based on corticosteroids and massages.
In addition, it is important to note that after each procedure it will take at least 1 to 2 weeks for the skin to return to its normal state. This period may seem long, especially if the profession exercised requires taking leave during this period.
3. Injections incompatible with certain treatments
Another drawback that we rarely talk about: botox injections include contraindications that prevent treatments such as massages, microcurrent therapy or sauna during the weeks following an injection.
However, these treatments would have been particularly indicated to improve the condition of the skin and slow down its aging thanks to the optimization of blood circulation, microcirculation and metabolic processes.
Fortunately, these contraindications do not apply to hyaluronic acid injections, and there are other effective treatments available for people using botox injections who are concerned about their long-term skin condition (more info below).
What alternative solutions?
For a long-term anti-aging effect, there are non-invasive treatments that can naturally boost collagen productionwhether it is for people who use injections or not.
We generally recommend a skin analysis where we analyze your skin to determine the source of any abnormalities and give you personalized advice on your skin type, the treatments that are right for you and the products to use (or avoid) in your beauty routine.
If necessary, we can recommend a treatment program to quickly reach your goals, including the following treatments:
Care in lieu of injections
For effects that are certainly slower, but risk-free and just as effective.
Care in addition to injections
Particularly indicated for taking care of your skin in the long term.
