Experts to offer injection tips, best practices at upcoming workshop

In three upcoming live CME courses, faculty members will discuss hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, and attendees will have the chance to participate in hands-on training.

After completing the HA filler CME, attendees will know how to plan and execute treatment with injectables based on facial anatomy rather than memorization of a standard treatment pattern, according to faculty. Faculty members Julius Few, M.D., Derek Jones, M.D., and Heidi Waldorf, M.D., took some time to share their best tips and insights about HA fillers.

“It is very important to choose the right HA filler for the given anatomic location and issue,” Dr. Few says. “I use relatively large, concentrated HA fillers for deep volume restoration and balancing. I use smaller particle and/or diluted HA filler when treating a more superficial dermal issue, such as fine lines and wrinkles of the upper lip. My target or goal for correction is 90 to 95 percent of the defect I am treating to avoid overcorrection. Patients are informed of this strategy and understand it is much easier to add more on future treatments that to undo.”

Dr. Few says he would like attendees to walk away understanding injection strategies for combination indications, using different fillers and neurotoxins in sequence.

During consultations, it’s important to know that the patient’s primary goal is most essential, Dr. Jones says.

“I give them a hand-held mirror and ask them to, ‘show me what bothers you most,’” Dr. Jones says. “The next most important consideration is to frame the patient’s primary goal in relationship to other facial features and skin quality, using principles of facial harmony and mathematics of facial beauty. I also like to have patients bring in a good quality headshot of themselves in their 20s, which greatly aids in assessing facial proportion, harmony and volume as they relate to the aging process.”

Dr. Waldorf adds that it’s also important to know what treatments the patient has already tried and why he or she considered it a success or not. The timeframe for improvement is also important to know.

“Outline a plan for successful improvement,” Dr. Waldorf says.