LAM FACIAL PLASTICS

Dr. Lam
When you inject temporary fillers for acne scars do you perform it in the same manner as injecting silicone using micro injections? Does that help the filler stay in longer. Also when you inject a filler how deep do you go into the skin? Do you reach the dermis?

Thanks, I know a lot of questions

I do not inject fillers other than silicone with microdroplets. The reason to perform microdroplets with silicone is so that it won't lump up, and the collagen will keep each microparticle in place. That is good because you should not be able to feel the silicone. Also, silicone must be done a little at a time so that each microparticle has time to have the collagen keep it in position. That is why I inject only very little at a time and wait a full one month between treatments. Restylane is injected with only 1 or 2 injections. There is no need to inject it with a lot of little injections.

I go below dermis in all injections except fine lines around the mouth with Restylane. That is intradermal. I personally think the reason you see all this weird beading that goes on, e.g., in the smile lines, is due to too superficial an injection with product.
best,
sml

Thanks again for your reply. Wish you were located in Chicago. Anyway I asked about the micro injections because a doctor said that he was able to get collagen to last a year or longer by injecting the area a couple of times over several weeks? Does that make sense. Also when injecting a filler does the needle itself generate collagen production done over several times?

Thanks for your help

I believe that about 10 to 20% of my silicone result for acne scarring comes from needling. silicone creates collagen growth around each particle that helps plus additional collagen is building about 90 days later from the needling so i see my patients who finish silicone 2 to 3 rounds, for example, oftentimes show a small increment of improvement about 3 to 5 months following the last treatment. restylane uses a smaller needle and fewer injections so the result is less from needling. basically, i believe needling helps but only provides smaller percentages of improvement.
best,
sml