The Live Patient Injections Sessions which take place each year at the South Beach Symposium (SBS) are always a hit! Not only does it allow participants to view these treatments up close and get a feel for the procedures, but also it provides an excellent opportunity to pick up valuable tips and tricks from some of the foremost experts in the field.
The session on Sunday, Feb. 12, was led by expert cosmetic dermatologist and SBS Planning Committee Member, Doris J. Day, MD. She was joined on stage by expert injectors, Susan H. Weinkle, MD, Z. Paul Lorenc, MD, and Shasa Hu, MD, who performed several injectable procedures for the audience.
Throughout the session, the team of experts demonstrated a number of injection techniques and products used for facial rejuvenation, supported by educational grants and in-kind products from AbbVie, Galderma, Merz Aesthetics, Revance Therapeutics, and Suneva Medical.
Dr. Weinkle kicked things off with a look at toxins and how these are used to treat forehead and glabellar lines. She first took participants through her consultation routine, highlighting the importance of evaluating the patient in an upright position. As she began injecting her on-stage patient, a 45-year-old male, Dr. Weinkle spoke about the depth and site of the injections. She mentioned to the audience that she tells her botox patients not to put any pressure on the injection sites as the pressure can cause the toxin to diffuse into other areas. Icing the area, she said, is also not recommended as “Botox does not love ice”. One other tip she shared in order to decrease pain levels is to push the skin into the needle as opposed to pushing the needle into the skin, to which Dr. Day agreed.
Dr. Lorenc followed with a demonstration of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) into the mandibular border and pre-jowl sulcus to restore volume. He began with a brief explanation of how he prepares before diving into the procedure with his female patient. He discussed the volumes and dilutions he uses explaining the reasons behind his choices. He added that this particular product has good versatility making it very useful in several areas. Dr. Day provided her own useful tips during this procedure as well, adding her thoughts about PLLA being one of the best beginner products to use as you are injecting mostly water. “I find this to be one of the easiest products to learn to use and one of the most versatile products to use and one of the most forgiving products to use even though it’s not reversible”.
Dr. Hu began by assessing the facial features of her female patient before demonstrating how dermal fillers can be used to restore volume in the cheeks, treat fine lines and wrinkles, fill tear troughs, and add volume to the lips. Dr. Hu pointed out that it is important to look at the patient’s facial proportions as well as their ideal aesthetic. Speaking specifically about the tear trough, Dr. Hu mentioned she prefers to use cannulas as she finds they are more tolerable and there is a lot less bruising. While injecting the chin, both Dr. Hu and Dr. Day point out that due to the muscle in that area, it is normal for patients to experience some pain in the area for a few days after the procedure, and to ensure patients are aware of this.
The session was full of exciting demonstrations of injectable products, and packed with pearls and key takeaways. Attendees, as always, stayed to the end to be sure not to miss out!
