Turning Patients Away

Sadly, this month we have had to turn patients away because of a shortage of hyaluronidase. Wow, what is this popular product you may be thinking, and how do I go on a waiting list for it? The answer is that you probably don’t want to. Hyaluronidase or Hyalase, as its more often referred to, is used to dissolve hyaluronic acid dermal fillers when something has gone awry. So why have we been turning patients away? Because there is a limited supply of Hyalase in New Zealand at present. This means that we can only use it for emergency purposes and not for elective procedures. Each time you visit your cosmetic practitioner they discuss the risks and benefits of dermal fillers (HA or not), and remind you of the potential side effects, including occlusion (blockage of a vessel or artery). If this happens, Hyalase is used to break apart the blockage to hopefully prevent serious tissue damage, and, worst-case scenario, blindness. Yes, blindness can occur if an occlusion or blockage starves the eye of blood. These outcomes are exactly what are being reported overseas, where non-healthcare professionals are being allowed to inject. Here in New Zealand, it’s more often a case of having to clean up after inexperienced practitioners who don’t understand the nuances of the products they are working with or have overfilled (and overcharged) their patients. Lumpy, bumpy faces, where the wrong techniques or the wrong choice of product have been used, can result in the product being visible under the skin and giving the patient a distorted result. To read the full article in Verve Magazine follow the link below