If you are like most people, you are stuck at home much more than you’d like to be right now. You may have picked up a new hobby or skill during quarantine, thanks possibly to online DIY videos—but not all those tutorials are beneficial. Tutorials for at-home cosmetic injectables have been growing in popularity online, but these videos do not offer a true picture of how these products can harm your skin.
At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology, we understand that safety is just as important as beautiful, natural results with any cosmetic procedure. Our world-renowned, board-certified dermatologists pioneer many of the treatments and techniques we use at our San Diego, CA office, ensuring the best possible results for our patients. Our dermatologists are involved in many research studies, including those involving injectables like Restylane Kysse and the RHA family of dermal fillers.
What Are DIY Cosmetic Injectables?
Cosmetic injectables range from dermal fillers that add volume and contour the face to neuromodulators that relax muscles and minimize the appearance of dynamic wrinkles. Many dermal fillers and neuromodulators exist, each with their own unique formulations to treat specific areas and concerns. DIY cosmetic injectables take the expertise of dermatologists out of the equation and leave people to try to inject these products on their own.
DIY injectables have gained popularity with TikTok videos and YouTube channels dedicated entirely to these products. Browsing the internet, you can find countless tutorials and reviews. The injectables themselves can be found online, and there is even a new start-up offering to “guide” consumers through the injection process virtually, right here in the US.
The convenience of staying at home—especially now amidst a pandemic—and the financial savings of DIY injectables may make them enticing enough to try, but the dangers they pose are not worth the risk.
Are DIY Injectables Unsafe?
DIY cosmetic injectables are very unsafe, not just because they are used by people without any proper training, but also because the products may not be FDA-approved or even “real.” The board-certified dermatologists at our San Diego, CA office are not only trained in injecting fillers and neuromodulators, but they understand how these products work and affect your skin and facial anatomy. They know which products will work best for certain skin types and aesthetic goals and how much product is needed for each injection. Without this broader knowledge, using injectables is essentially a guessing game.
The products, themselves, are not like the fillers and neuromodulators dermatologists use at medical practices. They are not FDA-approved, nor have they undergone the rigorous testing FDA-approved products must withstand. DIY injectables are not guaranteed to have been formulated, created, stored, or shipped safely. These products can on their own or when injected improperly cause adverse effects like:
- Blindness
- Stroke
- Severe infections
- Disfigurement
- Permanent scars
- Ptosis (droopy eyelids and eyebrows)
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing or trouble with speech)
- Diplopia (double vision or difficulty with eyesight)
- Bell’s Palsy or facial paralysis
The risks of using DIY cosmetic injectables far outweigh any benefits, and they can end up costing you more in time and money as you seek medical care to treat the issues caused by them and dermatological expertise to actually get the cosmetic results you want to achieve.
Before and after 2 weeks after injecting Radiesse and Belotero for skin treatment by Dr. Wu.
Cosmetic Injectable Treatments You Can Trust
At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology, we offer the best and latest in cosmetic injectables. Only board-certified dermatologists perform injections, so you can be sure you are receiving safe and effective treatments. Our doctors take the time to understand your unique aesthetic goals, and we create a customized treatment plan to help you achieve them.
We can often perform your injectable treatment during your scheduled consultation, so you may only need to come to our office once, then again just for your follow-up treatments to maintain your results. At our San Diego office, we offer the following dermal fillers and neuromodulators:
- Bellafill
- Belotero
- Juvéderm
- Radiesse
- Restylane
- Restylane Lyft
- Restylane Kysse
- Restylane Refyne And Defyne
- Restylane Silk
- RHA
- Sculptra
- Volbella
- Vollure
- Voluma
- Botox
- Dysport
- Jeuveau
- Xeomin
During your consultation, one of our board-certified dermatologists may recommend a different treatment or combination of treatments that can better address your concerns. With more than 50 lasers and light devices and countless advanced procedures, we can provide a wrinkle-smoothing treatment with injectables as well as with ablative lasers or chemical peels, provided by our medical aesthetician Farzaneh Momeni-Salami. Unlike treating yourself at home alone, you may call our office with any questions. Also, if you experience anything other than excellent results, we will be here to help.
Products You Can Use At-Home
At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology, we understand the convenience of staying at home—especially during this pandemic—is important. That’s why we created an online skincare store, where you can purchase medical-grade products, hand-selected by our doctors. These products may help you maintain results from your cosmetic procedure, and we will recommend the best products for you, based on your unique skin and aesthetic goals.
Schedule Your Cosmetic Injectables Consultation in San Diego Today
If you are ready to receive a safe, effective injectable treatment, contact Cosmetic Laser Dermatology to schedule your consultation.
