A growing number of patients worldwide are opting for non-invasive aesthetic treatments to achieve natural, quick and painless results. Among the most requested injections, the hand area is in a good position. In this article, we will explain how you can give your patients’ hands a second youth.
Apart from the face and neck, the hand is the most visible bare area of the body. However, despite great strides in facial rejuvenation procedures, treatment of the hands has been largely neglected. Following the trend of facial cosmetic procedures, patients are increasingly requesting hand rejuvenation treatments.
At a certain age, the hand tends to undergo significant signs of volume loss, caused by intrinsic and extrinsic multifactorial factors such as smoking, high levels of sun exposure and chemicals. The speed and extent of the changes vary, as they are influenced by different factors, such as genetics, rheumatologic diseases, chronic sun exposure, smoking, alcohol abuse and overwork. These factors can quickly lead to a mismatch between a revitalized face and the appearance of more altered hands.
What is the expected result of perfect hands by patients?
Naturally perfect hands are characterized by a high quality of skin, absence of flaccidity and alteration of skin pigmentation, no visible veins on the back and a natural presence of subcutaneous tissue.
As we age, hand changes are a normal part of the aging process, characterized by wrinkles, hollowing of the back spaces, and prominence of the veins and extensor tendons. Faced with these often perceived unsightly changes, patients often seek hand rejuvenation to restore the appearance of a smooth, youthful hand.
In order to improve this aspect of advancing age, our teams advise aesthetic doctors to use hyaluronic acid injections with SoftFil® micro-cannulas.
What type of patient is suitable for the hyaluronic acid hand rejuvenation procedure?
It is best to reach a certain age to receive hand rejuvenation treatment. In fact, a number of younger (and perhaps more impressionable) patients request changes to their hands. SoftFil® does not recommend this type of procedure on young skin.
A patient who may qualify for a cosmetic procedure must have older skin, ages between 40 and 80 seem reasonable. Hyaluronic acid hand injections can also be very beneficial to patients with soft tissue defects after deep burns, tumor resection or trauma. Finally, patients with poor skin quality, often related to dermatological disease: eczema and acne scars, chronic psoriasis etc. can also be treated.
How is a hyaluronic acid injection performed in the hand area?
Dermal fillers can be injected superficially into the dermal layer of the skin at a single entry point with the SoftFil® Precision cannula. Dr. Francesco Marchetti, cosmetic surgeon and speaker at the SoftFil® Academy, explains his injection method in the MasterClass “Body injection techniques with the micro-cannula”.
As with all dermal fillers, strict aseptic technique is imperative due to the close communication of the behavioral spaces of the hand; the patient’s hands are washed with an alcohol-based solution and the dorsum cleaned with chlorhexidine.
In recent years, the scientific literature and many KOLs have suggested that a safe plane for product placement is between the dermis and the fascia layer, using a 22G or 25G cannula, creating a subdermal space for injection.
Currently, we suggest that physicians not be impressed with larger diameters such as 18G micro-cannulas. Indeed, the larger the diameter, the safer the treatment. With proper use, an 18G microcannula may be less likely to puncture vessels to ensure that the product remains in the proper plane.
After correction, the filler is gently massaged in to ensure even distribution. Patients are advised to keep their hands clean and dry after treatment, avoid wearing creams and refrain from vigorous activity for 48 hours.
Injections with fillers: a continuous training process
Remember, it is crucial for practitioners to be up to date with their anatomical knowledge before treating the hands with injectable products. Clinical anatomical studies continue to emerge, analyzing the effectiveness of different treatments, including combination treatments.
At SoftFil®, our experts teach the latest micro-cannula injection methods for different areas, so if you want to stay up to date with the latest in aesthetic medicine, feel free to subscribe to our SoftFil® Academy!
