Watermelons, syringes and regulation: Instagram marketing by cosmetic clinics in the UK and the Netherlands
Medical aesthetic clinics use social media platforms to engage with both their existing and future patients. Verification surrounding these social media posts as investigated by UK and Dutch aesthetic clinics highlight the dangers associated, showing that the intersection between professionalism and commercialism is being called into question. This has sparked debate on the need for regulating social media posts.
To carry out this study, a selection of UK and Dutch social media posts were collected randomly from the widely popular platform, Instagram. These posts from medical aesthetic clinics all offer non-surgical procedures.
A total of 395 posts made by six Dutch and four UK clinics, between January 2018 and July 2019, were included in this study for analysis.
It was evident from the Instagram posts created by both Dutch and UK medical aesthetics clinics that the balance between being both professional and commercial was not evident.
The authors conclude that there have previously been calls for ethical marketing of medical aesthetic clinics and treatments on social media. Despite this, their study further proves that not all clinics follow advertising guidelines and continue to trivialise these procedures.
What this means for aesthetic nurses
For aesthetic professionals that create their clinic's social media posts, it is important to understand the ethics and professionalism required. Be wary of how commercialism might come into conflict with professionalism.
» Hailed as being the second generation platelet concentrate, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) was created to bridge the gap and the limitations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). It is said that PRF can produce a much higher release of growth factors than PRP. The release of PRF is slower, which makes it more suitable for the regeneration of tissue and growth stimulation «
Fluid platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) versus platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of atrophic acne scars: a comparative study
Hailed as being the second generation platelet concentrate, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) was created to bridge the gap and the limitations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). It is said that PRF can produce a much higher release of growth factors than PRP. The release of PRF is slower, which makes it more suitable for the regeneration of tissue and growth stimulation.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fluid PRF, either alone or in combination with needling. This was done in comparison with PRP in the treatment of atrophic acne scars.
A total of 30 patients were included in this study. All of them had atrophic acne scars. The patients were divided into two equal groups of 15 participants.
For this study, all the participants in Group one had the left side of their faces injected with PRP and their right side treated with a combination of skin needling and PRP. In Group two, the participants had their left side injected with fluid PRF and their right side treated with a combination of skin needling and fluid PRF.
All 30 of these patients had a total of four procedures, each with 3 weeks' interval between each treatment.
The results of this study showed a significant improvement to the acne scars in all of the participants. Results from patient satisfaction surveys showed that the therapeutic response was significantly higher in the PRF group than the PRP group. The authors note that the combination treatment with skin needling increases the efficacy of both PRF and PRP.
In conclusion, the authors state that fluid PRF is a highly effective, safe and simple procedure that can be used instead of PRP for the treatment of acne scars.
What this means for aesthetic nurses
Platelet-rich fibrin and platelet-rich plasma are of rising interest in the realm of aesthetics, which may have implications for future trends and practice. Watch this space in JAN for more future updates.
Acne vulgaris and the most popular and new cosmetological treatments
Acne vulgaris is among the most common skin diseases worldwide. It has a huge impact for the patient not just on their skin but also their quality of life. As treatments are often long-term and with reoccurrences, patients can suffer from depression and low self-esteem.
There are various dermatological treatments available that yield good results but education on skin is crucial. Aesthetic medicine has the means to create both in-clinic and at-home skincare regimes for patients.
The aim of this article was to provide information on available cosmetic treatments in beauty salons that are widely used to treat acne vulgaris.
To conduct this study, the authors reviewed published articles that they found published in peer-reviewed journals.
The authors note that there are various skin treatments available on the market that work well for treating acne. They acknowledge that there are always new products available and that seeking acne treatments in beauty parlours plays an important role in reducing acne.
What this means for aesthetic nurses
Beauty salons may play a role in treating acne, but caution must be used to ensure that treatment is safe and that certified health care professionals are there to advise. Feel free to read the article for detailed information on cosmetological treatments.
Clinical efficacy and safety of polynucleotides highly purified technology (PN-HPT®) and cross-linked hyaluronic acid for moderate to severe nasolabial folds: a prospective, randomised exploratory study
Treatments for nasolabial folds (NLFs) are popular. Hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers are usually the first line treatment for treating deepening NLFs. PN-HPT® (Polynucleotides Highly Purified Technology) is an emerging treatment in aesthetic medicine.
The aim of this study was to examine the rationale of injecting PN-HPT® first as a priming agent in the skin followed by injections of HA dermal fillers to correct moderate to severe NLFs.
To conduct this study, the authors followed strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. They carefully screened Caucasian women aged between 40 and 65 who presented with moderate to severe NLFs. The study was conducted from January to June 2020 and there were a total of 20 women and 40 NLFs in the study.
Of the women who participated in the study, they each had their right side NLFs injected with 4 ml of PN-HPT® while the left side had 4 ml of saline injected. Following a period of between 3 to 6 weeks, the patients had received 2 ml of cross-linked HA over both NLFs.
The authors reviewed these patients 6 months post-initial injection and used Antera 3D® and Vectra H2® skin imaging devices to collate data.
There were no reports of any side effects from any of the women. The results showed that the wrinkles and skin texture had significantly improved.
In conclusion to this study, the authors note that using PN-HPT® first might be a reasonable and effective way to treat the skin texture and quality in patients with moderate to severe NLFs. They believe that injected first, PN-HPT® has the ability to prolong the clinical efficacy of cross-linked HA dermal filler. They also conclude that further investigations with a larger cohort are required, but that these results are promising.
What this means for aesthetic nurses
Polynucleotides Highly Purified Technology (PN-HPT) is an increasingly noted treatment in aesthetic medicine. It can play a role in treating nasalabial folds, in particular the skin texture. Interested professionals may delve into it for more information.