Why are injections not always enough to rejuvenate the face ?
A face can retain harmonious volumes while showing signs of skin ageing.
Hyaluronic acid injections restore certain volumes and correct hollows. Botulinum toxin acts on the muscles responsible for certain expression lines. However, these treatments do not correct sun spots, diffuse redness or skin irregularities.
Facial ageing therefore involves several structures : volumes, muscles and skin. Each treatment acts on different signs and must be chosen according to the concern to be corrected.
Why does skin quality influence facial appearance so much ?
Skin colour and evenness directly contribute to the perception of a rested, radiant face.
Repeated sun exposure can cause brown spots and make the complexion less even. Redness or small visible blood vessels can also affect the skin's overall appearance.
These signs sometimes remain visible even after successful correction of wrinkles or volume. Skin with numerous irregularities may therefore continue to look aged despite appropriate injections.
What does photorejuvenation add alongside injections ?
Photorejuvenation can treat certain skin signs that injections do not correct. Depending on the technology used, it can act on certain pigmentation spots, redness, small visible blood vessels and complexion irregularities.
Its action differs from injections. It does not fill hollows, restore volume or act on the muscles responsible for expression lines.
Photorejuvenation and injections can therefore complement each other when a face shows skin changes, volume loss and expression lines together.
Should you start with photorejuvenation or injections ?
The choice depends on the signs to be treated. Photorejuvenation may be performed first when spots, redness or complexion irregularities predominate. Injections may be prioritised when the main concern is volume loss or expression lines.
When skin signs predominate, treating the skin first allows any subsequent injectable corrections to be assessed more clearly.
Conversely, volume loss or expression lines can be treated directly with injections.
If both treatments are planned, their order and the interval between sessions must be adapted to the techniques used and recovery after each treatment.
Can photorejuvenation replace hyaluronic acid injections ?
No. Photorejuvenation does not restore lost volume or correct facial hollows.
Hyaluronic acid is used to restore certain volumes or correct hollows, particularly as part of a non-surgical lift. Photorejuvenation acts on certain skin changes, such as spots, redness or complexion irregularities.
These two treatments therefore have different indications and are not interchangeable.
Can photorejuvenation replace botulinum toxin ?
No. Photorejuvenation does not act on the muscle contractions responsible for expression lines.
Forehead lines, glabellar lines and crow's feet are mainly linked to repeated facial muscle activity. Botulinum toxin temporarily reduces this activity.
Photorejuvenation can treat certain skin changes in these same areas, but does not act on muscle activity.
Can you need photorejuvenation without needing injections ?
Yes. Photorejuvenation can be performed without injections when the concern involves only the skin, for example pigmentation spots or an uneven complexion.
In this case, hyaluronic acid injections are not indicated because there is no volume loss to correct.
Conversely, a person may have even skin but experience volume loss or expression lines. Photorejuvenation then does not address the concern to be treated.
Photorejuvenation and injections therefore do not need to be combined routinely. Each treatment must address a precise indication.
Does photorejuvenation treat all facial spots ?
No. Not all pigmentation spots respond to photorejuvenation in the same way.
A solar lentigo, melasma and post-inflammatory pigmentation have different causes and do not require the same treatment.
It is therefore necessary to identify the nature of a spot before treating it. An unusual, irregular or changing lesion must undergo medical examination before any aesthetic treatment.
Can photorejuvenation be performed after sun exposure ?
Recent sun exposure can increase the risk of complications after photorejuvenation treatments.
Tanned skin contains more melanin. Depending on the technology used, this increase may promote burns or pigmentation disorders.
Photorejuvenation is therefore generally performed when the skin is no longer tanned and sun exposure is limited. Appropriate sun protection is also necessary after sessions.
How can you tell whether photorejuvenation should be combined with injections ?
Photorejuvenation and injections can be combined when the face shows several signs requiring different treatments.
In Geneva, facial examination identifies spots, redness, uneven texture, expression lines and volume loss.
A person mainly concerned by spots or redness does not necessarily need injections. Conversely, volume loss cannot be corrected with photorejuvenation.
Combining treatments therefore depends on the signs present. The aim is to treat each concern with the appropriate technique without unnecessarily multiplying treatments.
Article written by Dr Valeria Romano
Dr Valeria Romano supports each patient with a comprehensive approach to the aesthetics of the face, body and intimate areas, and to skin and hair quality. Every treatment is based on a personalised medical assessment.
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