Vivace® Direct – April 22nd

 

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS SERIES…IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICES FOR VIVACE®

 

The skin is the body’s largest organ, it covers the entire body. It serves as a protective shield against heat, light, injury, and infection. The skin also: regulates body temperature, stores water/fat, is a sensory organ, acts as a barrier between the organism and its environment, prevents water loss, prevents entry of bacteria, and can manufacture its own Vitamin D when exposed to the sun.

Your skin takes on different thicknesses, textures, and colors. For example, the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands are much thicker than the skin on other areas of your body. The skin is made up of three (3) layers: Epidermis, Dermis, and Subcutaneous Tissue.

Epidermis

The Epidermis is the thin outer layer of the skin. It consists of three (3) types of cells:

  • Squamous cells: The outermost layer that lines the skin and continuously sheds as new one’s form.
  • Basal cells: Found in the lower part of the Epidermis, these cells constantly divide to form new cells to replace the Squamous cells as they shed.
  • Melanocytes: Melanin (responsible for skin color) producing neural crest-derived cells located in the bottom layer of the skin’s Epidermis.

Dermis

The Dermis is the middle layer of the skin and contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. The Dermis is held together by a protein called collagen, this layer gives skin flexibility and strength, it also contains pain and touch receptors.

According to Heather L. Brannon, MD, “The dermis is split into two parts—the papillary dermis, which is the thin, upper layer, and the reticular dermis, which is the thick, lower layer. The thickness of the Dermis varies depending on its location on the body. On the eyelids, it’s ~0.6 millimeters thick. On the back, the palms of hands, and the soles of feet it’s~ 3 millimeters thick.” The Dermis is home to three different types of tissues that are present throughout:

  • Collagen
  • Elastic tissue
  • Reticular fibers

Subcutaneous Tissue

The subcutaneous fat layer is the deepest layer of skin. It consists of a network of collagen and fat cells which helps conserve the body’s heat and protects the body from injury by acting as a shock absorber.

 

DEBUNKING THE MYTH….IS DEEPER NEEDLE DEPTH ALWAYS BETTER?

There are a lot of discussions around the topic: When performing the Vivace® RF microneedling treatment, is a deeper needle depth always better?

Vivace® is a minimally invasive, FDA-cleared, radiofrequency microneedling treatment that stimulates the natural production of collagen and has been shown by physicians to be effective in alleviating facial wrinkles, fine lines, and tightening and toning the face and neck. Uniquely designed for an unparalleled patient experience and comfort levels, only Vivace® boasts a precision robotic motor that creates a virtually pain-free experience compared to any other device in physicians’ offices.

When Performing a Vivace® Treatment on the Face:

  1. Thinner skin areas (temple, eyes, forehead, nose, chin, and around the mouth):
  • A suggested depth range is 1.2mm- 0.7mm

2.  Thicker skin areas (cheeks):

  • A suggested depth range is 2.0mm- 1.0mm

 

Considerations for Best Practices:

  1. A series of 2-3 passes are recommended for best results, utilizing a 50% overlap technique.
  2. Your first pass should be your “hottest and deepest pass”. With each subsequent pass, the needle depth setting is adjusted by 0.1mm to 0.2mm for thinner skin areas, and 0.3mm-0.5mm for thicker skin areas, becoming shallower.
  3. Never press the Handpiece and needles into the skin while performing a treatment. Apply just enough light pressure to the handpiece, that the four corners of the needle cartridge are touching the skin.
  4. The Handpiece should always be perpendicular to the skin.
  5. Depth adjustments with Vivace® can be made at 0.1mm increments for precise needle depth placement.

 

We will see you next time as we discuss “Debunking the Myths Series…. Track marks, are my settings too high?” Please feel free to send any questions or comments to clinical@aestheticsbiomedical.com