Do you need a skin test for hydrating injections?Don't be misled by unscrupulous beauty clinics—let me explain clearly: Do you really need a "skin test" for hydrating injections?!
Hydrating injections are a fundamental method for treating skin concerns. By incorporating different medications into the solution, doctors achieve various aesthetic effects. The injection itself is simply an altered delivery method, targeting specific areas directly for optimal results. Its primary active ingredient is "hyaluronic acid."
Hyaluronan, also known as hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan, is a large polysaccharide composed of disaccharide units: D-glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine.Unlike other mucopolysaccharides, it contains no sulfur. Its hyaluronic molecules can bind over 500 times their weight in water, making it widely recognized as the premier moisturizing ingredient today. It is extensively used in skincare products and cosmetics.
The maturation and aging processes of human skin are also influenced by hyaluronic acid levels and metabolism. It enhances skin nutrition and metabolism, promoting softness, smoothness, wrinkle reduction, increased elasticity, and anti-aging effects. While providing hydration, it also acts as an excellent transdermal absorption enhancer. When combined with other nutrients, it achieves more ideal results in promoting nutrient absorption.
Hyaluronic acid used for injectable hydration treatments requires specific medical-grade non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid.This type of hyaluronic acid is a readily absorbed low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (molecular weight range 400,000–1,000,000). It can penetrate the dermis, slightly dilate capillaries, increase blood circulation, improve intermediate metabolism, and promote skin nutrient absorption. It possesses strong wrinkle-reducing capabilities, enhances skin elasticity, and delays skin aging. This hyaluronic acid is frequently used in high-end cosmetics.
Cross-linked medical-grade hyaluronic acid, however, is used for injectable fillers in cosmetic procedures. Due to varying cross-linking indices, it differs in firmness and absorption rate—higher indices result in slower absorption and greater firmness.
Therefore, hyaluronic acid used for nose augmentation and chin augmentation involves higher-crosslinked, firmer macromolecular hyaluronic acid. Conversely, areas requiring softer tissue filling—such as tear troughs and lips—utilize lower-crosslinked hyaluronic acid, which is relatively softer and easier to smooth.
Hyaluronic acid used for hydrating injections is non-crosslinked. Its advantage lies in excellent local diffusion, delivering noticeable, even results without lump formation. The downside is faster absorption and shorter duration.Therefore, the effects of hyaluronic acid injected via the hydrafacial gun are relatively short-lived, typically lasting one to three weeks, depending on injection depth and dosage. We recommend beauty enthusiasts repeat the hydrafacial treatment approximately one month later to enhance cosmetic results.
Hyaluronic acid serves as the foundational solution in hydrating injections, primarily hydrating the skin. To achieve specific goals like brightening, wrinkle reduction, or pore minimization, we add targeted medications according to precise dosages. For smoother, more refined skin, we may also incorporate PRP, placenta extract, or other skin-regenerating agents into the injection.
Regarding the "hyaluronic acid skin test" incidents reported online, my analysis suggests these occurred when practitioners unfamiliar with the application principles and techniques injected clients with cross-linked macromolecular hyaluronic acid. This caused the hyaluronic acid to fail to diffuse, resulting in non-dissolvable lumps. Currently, the only option is to wait for the hyaluronic acid to gradually absorb.The current treatment involves injecting a specific concentration of hyaluronidase to selectively dissolve the hyaluronic acid, aiming to improve its smoothness and promote absorption. However, administering hyaluronidase requires highly specialized physicians, as accurately targeting the skin layer where the cross-linked hyaluronic acid resides is a complex procedure.This is a highly technical procedure demanding extreme precision. Misplacement could cause loss of the skin's natural hyaluronic acid and normal tissue components, leading to the adverse consequence of thinner skin.
Therefore, hydrating injections constitute a formal medical procedure. As an aesthetic treatment demanding advanced medical knowledge and technical skill, it must be administered exclusively by qualified plastic surgeons. This is not a treatment to be casually performed at street-side hair salons or beauty parlors. For your health and beauty, it is strongly advised to seek hydrating injections at the plastic surgery department of a reputable hospital.