A review of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures.

Abstract

In today's society the desire to maintain a youthful appearance has driven the development of minimally invasive dermatological procedures that are designed to rejuvenate the ageing face. The aim of this review is to present evidence for the use of techniques which can easily be incorporated into outpatient dermatology practice with low overhead expenditure. For this reason, laser and light-based treatments have been omitted. This review will instead focus on chemical peels, intradermal fillers and botulinum toxin. These techniques address the main aspects of facial ageing, namely photodamage, volume loss and dynamic lines, which correlate anatomically to skin, subcutaneous fat and muscle. A combination of such techniques will provide the practitioner with a reasonable portfolio of treatments for a balanced, holistic result.