Patients with a variety of skincare concerns can seek the expertise of Catherine Gillon, the resident expert RN Aesthetic Beauty Nurse Injector at Charlotte Dilworth Facial Plastic Surgery. In a consultation, she will explain the different advantages to available products and procedures, including injectables, as well as guide you to make the best choices for your personal skin care needs.
She shared with us some insight on the services she offers, and some skincare advice everyone should take.
What are the biggest complaints that your clients have about their skin when they come to you? How do you suggest they fix it?
The most common complaint I hear is of clients noticing the signs of aging, such as fine lines that have appeared over time, facial volume changes, and differences in their skin tone and texture. To achieve a more youthful appearance, the solution is typically a combination of treatments. Injectables Botox and Dysport address the fine lines and wrinkles, while dermal fillers replace volume that we’ve lost over time. Skin care treatments, such as Hydrafacial, can address specific skin concerns such as skin tone, texture, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, pigment issues or congestion. Proper skin care at home with medical grade products is vital to keeping your skin healthy, as is wearing sunscreen every day.
What kinds of treatments and products do you see trending right now?
It seems to be increasingly common for younger people to get Botox or Dysport, Charlotte injectables that can be used for preventative purposes, which is great for anti-aging. They treat the areas where we get fine lines, before the lines are noticeable and etched into the skin. These places include between the eyebrows, around the outside of the eyes, and on the forehead. It is important to note that great results are still possible with Botox and Dysport, even if the fine lines have become deeper over time. With regular treatment, lines will still soften and continue to soften over time. The other treatment I see growing in popularity is the Hydrafacial, which is 3-step treatment that deeply cleanses, exfoliates, extracts and hydrates the skin. It is a great addition to your skin care routine for better overall skin health.
Tell us more about the Hydrafacial? What is it and how does it work? Who would be a good candidate for it?
The Hydrafacial is a treatment that can make a great overall improvement to your skin by deeply cleansing, extracting, and hydrating with super serums filled with antioxidants, peptides, and hyaluronic acid. You can add boosters to your Hydrafacial to address specific concerns such as skin tone, texture, the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, redness, hyperpigmentation, or congestion. This is a relaxing facial that boasts comprehensive results. It is a truly great treatment for anyone at any age, for overall skin health and antiaging.
Please tell us more about your available Charlotte injectables.
The other treatments you can do for a more youthful appearance are Botox or Dysport and dermal fillers. Botox helps with fine lines and wrinkles by calming down the muscle contraction in the area of concern; contraction of the muscles is what causes fine lines to form. When we inject Botox or Dysport, the muscles relax, which helps to soften the appearance of the lines. It is good for people in a wide age range. In younger people who do not have fines lines and wrinkles, it is used to prevent them from forming. In more mature skin that has deeper lines etched into the skin, Botox and Dysport will visibly soften the lines, and with maintenance every three or four months, the lines will continue to soften more and more.
Dermal fillers are also injectables, used to replace volume that we’ve lost over time through the normal aging process, in places such as in the cheeks, under the eyes, smile lines (nasolabial folds), in the lower face, and along the jawline. These are the more common areas for people that are seeing the signs of aging and wish to have a more youthful appearance. Some younger clients can also benefit from dermal fillers, if they wish to add volume to their lips, or if they would like more facial balance in their cheeks or chin. I always strive to give clients very natural looking results. Looking “overdone” is the most common concern people have with doing these procedures. I believe injectables are meant to enhance your natural beauty, as well as address facial aging concerns.
What do you wish people knew about their skin routines?
If you are going to invest any money into skin care, it is best to invest in medical grade products. The use of medical grade skin care products is very important for overall skin health and addressing your specific skin concerns. The foundation of any great skin routine is a medical grade retinol, a medical grade vitamin C serum and sunscreen with physical blockers, such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. The percentage of each ingredient is higher in medical grade products, and the quality and quantity of active ingredients is much different. Over the counter products are not held to the same standard as medical grade, which are subjected to extensive testing and clinical studies, and are therefore not effective at making real changes to your skin. Medical grade products have the capability to penetrate to the deepest level of your skin, and are able to correct your specific skin concern at the actual source.
What are some ways readers can combat the signs of aging on their face? And when should they start?
We can start having visible signs of aging beginning in our 20’s, so it is never too early to start taking care of your skin. A little prevention goes a long way to help combat the aging process. I believe sunscreen is the single most important thing we can do for our skin. We need to wear it every day of the year, especially in Charlotte!
Would you describe a typical appointment experience?
During the initial consultation, we will discuss your specific concerns and formulate a treatment plan. You should have all your questions answered and leave with a better understanding of what treatments will address your concerns. We will discuss options, as well as the benefits and limitations of each. At Dilworth Facial Plastic Surgery, I offer the injectable treatments I mentioned, along with medical grade skin care and Hydrafacial treatments. I always want clients to feel comfortable and thoroughly informed about their decision to do a treatment.
