The Face Place’s founder, Dr. Catherine Stone, has revealed the upcoming trends in cosmetic medicine after attending an international conference in Paris. The cosmetic medicine conference, IMCAS Paris (International Masters Congress of Ageing Skin) had its 20th anniversary and was attended by over 8500 global experts in the industry.
Here are the trends and advances you can expect to see in New Zealand soon, whether it be brand new cosmetic techniques or expanding areas of interest.
Hand Rejuvenation
Hand rejuvenation has been a big topic in the industry and will be a large growth area this year and the next, according to Dr. Catherine Stone. Hands are an area often neglected, but the signs of ageing there are obvious. Two techniques, filler – for replacing volume loss in ‘scrawny hands’ – and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) – for regenerating and rejuvenating the skin of the hands and fingers, are shown to give a more youthful appearance to hands. The Face Place already provides treatments in this area.
Sexual Rejuvenation
It’s not all about the face – what about our most intimate area? Dr. Catherine Stone says sexual rejuvenation has been an increasingly popular topic, as women become quietly concerned about visible labia majora (the ‘outer lips’ of the female genital area). At the conference, there were presentations about new techniques using filler and/or PRP to enhance the appearance and function of the genital area in both men and women.
Robots and Virtual Reality
While we may be aware of robots taking over other aspects of our lives, that might not be so true for the cosmetic industry. However, Dr. Catherine Stone says robots may very well become a bigger part of clinical practice, and virtual/augmented reality will become a fixture in cosmetic training. This is expected to reduce risks, so surgeons can practice on robots first. At the conference, ‘The Future of Medical Training’ session by Professor Alberto Rancati, the Director for Plastic Surgery Training at UCSD, revealed more insights into training which uses simulation models and robotic assistants, with use of 3D anatomy holograms.
New Treatments
Other industry advances include new treatments used overseas but not yet available in New Zealand. Juvederm Volite, a lighter hyaluronic acid addition to the Juvederm family, is expected to be available in the country eventually. This treatment is designed for improving skin texture and reducing acne scarring. Volite is injected into the middle layers of the dermis to nourish skin.
Another treatment, Cellfina, has been extremely popular in the USA according to Dr. Catherine Stone. Penned as ‘ground-breaking’, it improves the appearance of cellulite and is a minimally invasive procedure with results lasting at least three years.
A treatment that has just been available in New Zealand is Belkyra – a fat ‘melting’ injection for double chins. It is used around the jawline, neck and under the chin to reduce the pouch of fat around the jaw. This treatment is called ‘Kybella’ in the US, with Khloe Kardashian as the official spokesperson. It’s also made by the same company which makes Botox – Allergan – and will likely be available at The Face Place in the next few months, once it has been through their usual rigorous testing process.
Utilise expert commentary from The Face Place's Dr Catherine Stone now.
