Can hyaluronic acid injections be corrected?

What is hyaluronic acid in aesthetic medicine?

Hyaluronic acid is a macromolecule naturally present in the body. Its many properties make it a flagship product in aesthetic medicine.

First, its highly hydrophilic nature allows it to capture the water molecules around it, gaining almost a thousand times its weight in water. This makes it the treatment of choice for deeply moisturizing the skin. This property also gives it the volumizing effect so highly prized in aesthetic medicine: as it surrounds itself with the water molecules present around it, it gains in volume, which makes it an excellent filling material.

Hyaluronic acid also stimulates the production of elastin and collagen. These two fibrous proteins are largely responsible for the elasticity and firmness of the skin, and the decline in their production with age is one of the main causes of sagging skin. A few targeted injections can effectively counter this.

Finally, as hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally present in the body, it is very well tolerated and the after-effects of injections are virtually non-existent.

When should hyaluronic acid injections be corrected?

In most cases, hyaluronic acid injections are as effective as they are natural, and patients are fully satisfied. Some patients may, however, be unhappy with the result for purely aesthetic reasons.

Sometimes dissatisfaction has objective causes: the procedure was not carried out correctly and the result does not match what was expected, with a bulge or nodule in the injected area, a swollen appearance, or asymmetry. This may be due to overcorrection by the practitioner, too much product injected, poor placement of the injections, use of an unsuitable product, or simply a poor reaction on the part of the patient.

Dr Hayot specializes in eye aesthetics and warns against using hyaluronic acid to fill dark circles. This area of the face tolerates the product poorly and can tend to swell after injection, taking on an unsightly bluish hue.

Hyaluronidase to correct hyaluronic acid injections

While undesirable effects or complications after hyaluronic acid injections are extremely rare, the risk is not entirely nil. But hyaluronic acid injections are not irreversible.

First of all, hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally reabsorbed by the tissues. Its effects are therefore not permanent and last around 6 to 9 months, depending on the patient and the areas treated. The effects of hyaluronic acid can also be reversed by hyaluronidase injections. This enzyme degrades hyaluronic acid, significantly accelerating its natural breakdown by the body.