From the moment I got on the plane to Los Angeles, I knew it was going to be an exciting weekend. Not because I ran into actor Kelsey Grammer and his family as we boarded and had a quick chat; not because I was headed to Orange County – the home of the original “Real Housewives.”
Nope, none of that Hollywood stuff. I was excited because I knew I was about to learn something that would bring a new level of ageless beauty to my patients, and because I had the honor to be among a select few physicians in the United States to be learning about an exciting new procedure that is just becoming available in the U.S.
Let’s face it, when we hear the words “training sessions” and “conference” or “classes” – it can sound perhaps a bit boring, like dry toast. But this was different …
I was attending a special training session in the use of Juvederm Voluma – the newest in the line of dermal fillers from Allergan (the makers of Botox and other products).
I was about to learn about the first dermal filler that has been approved by the FDA for mid-face volumizing. It’s unique in that it’s the first hylauronic acid dermal filler to last up to two years. Imagine having an immediate full correction and not needing another injection for another two years!
And not only that … I was learning from the best.
I was fortunate to be training with world-renowned Brazilian plastic surgeon and top injector, Dr. Maurcio de Mario. He has been working with Voluma for years in Brazil and all over the world.
He told me about his years of great results with Voluma, and showed me before and after photos of patients in Brazil.
One point he tries to convey to his patients is that they shouldn’t wait until it’s too late. I agree. It’s always better to prevent the aging process and begin early instead of trying to correct the ugly signs of aging that appear when nothing has been done for years.
During class, extensive time was taken to review the facial anatomy. The mid-face has many arteries that need to be avoided during injection. We also heard directly from the physicians who were involved in the initial studies.
Then it was time to get down to hands-on business – injecting Voluma into real people who served as models. The process was delightfully similar to injecting other Juvederm dermal fillers – quick, smooth, and simple.
Now here’s why this sort of training is so important. Serious complications – including blindness – could occur if injections are administered by someone without proper training or knowledge of facial anatomy.
Allergan’s overall mission of the class was to provide me and the other doctors at the course with an in-depth education about Voluma and how it directly relates to facial anatomy.
I cannot stress enough how important it is for doctors to know the injection technique as developed by Allergan and approved by the FDA. In fact, Allergan asked me and other physicians at the conference to spread the knowledge, and train other doctors in the use of Voluma.
There are a lot physicians who are injecting dermal fillers as a side business and do not have the training or expertise that is required to do so. It is a risk for the patient – one not worth taking – and that’s why I am a big proponent of continual training.
One of the biggest points I came away with is the special marking pattern that Allergan has developed in order to provide the safest injection with the best results.
As my weekend came a close and left the glamour of “The O.C.” behind, I was happy to know I was bringing something exclusive and glamorous back to my patients on the east coast.
I am excited to be among the first physicians to offer Juvederm Voluma in the United States. We will be launching Voluma in our office with an evening seminar and special introductory pricing. Keep in touch with us on Facebook and Twitter to learn about its availability, or simply give us a call.
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