DHA twitter clinic discusses safety tips before undergoing plastic surgery.

United Arab Emirates, Dubai, September 19, 2013: The Dubai Health Authority(DHA) discussed safety tips before undergoing plastic surgery procedures, particularly botox and fillers, during its live twitter clinic which took place this morning.

Experts addressed several queries that were received on the authority's twitter account @DHA_Dubai and the authority provided health and safety tips to ensure people can avail of safe plastic surgery procedures.

Dr Qassim Ahli, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Rashid Hospital said: “ Botox and fillers are becoming extremely common procedures throughout the world and the UAE is no different. However, the key is to ensure that people go to licensed practitioners and use quality products to avoid complications which can sometimes be irreparable.”

Dr. Hisham Hassan Al Hammadi, head of registration and accreditation, DHA Health Regulation said: “Dubai has more than 180 licensed facilities that  provide  dermatology, plastic and aesthetic services so there is really no requirement to go to unlicensed facilities and people should be aware that unlicensed clinics that offer cheaper treatments are unreliable. The most important step is to ensure that the clinic has a licensed health professional and that the products they use are licensed by the Ministry of Health.”

He also stated that when botox is used for cosmetic purposes, only a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon is allowed to give botox injections and this should be verified before undergoing the procedure.

Hammadi urged people to contact the DHA health regulation department if they are unsure of the license status of a healthcare professional or if they have noticed any illegal practice being conducted.

Dr Ahli said that botox is used to treat certain medical conditions such as migraines, hemorrhoids, muscle spasms and for cosmetic purposes it is used as a wrinkle-reducing/anti-ageing treatment. “ Botox is a kind of concentrated protein which if administered correctly using high quality products will provide desirable results. But first and foremost, people need to ascertain whether they really need it or not.”

He also said the people need to be aware that botox is not a one-time treatment and that it needs to be repeated every four to six months, whereas fillers needs to be repeated once between six months to two years.

He said while botox is used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, fillers are used to add volume to a particular area in the body and examples of fillers include lip and cheek augmentation procedures.

Dr Ahli also advised that people should discuss the exact kind of results they are looking for before undergoing botox  as it can hide facial expressions. He said: “ Some people are clear that they want to get rid of fine lines on their forehead and have no movement, which means a frozen forehead, while others would dread that. So before you get a botox injection, it is important to discuss the type of results you are looking for.”

In terms of the age for beginning botox, he said that while initially botox was used as an anti-ageing treatment, it is now being used as a preventive treatment as well. “ Let's get one thing clear, teenage botox is not recommended unless it is for medical purposes. Botox works on wrinkles by relaxing the muscles responsible for expression lines and teenagers do not have wrinkles. They may have facial expression lines, but there is a vast difference between that and wrinkles. Botox can start in your late twenties and this depends on your skin type.”
 
He also advised that people should follow basic beauty routines and lead a healthy lifestyle to avoid developing deep facial lines and wrinkles. “Everyone should follow a daily moisturizing routine. People should moisturize their face at least twice a day and those with dry skin can do this more frequently. Other steps include tobacco cessation, eating a healthy diet , drinking plenty of water, avoiding sun exposure particularly for a long period and exercising regularly.

The next DHA twitter clinic will take place on the 26th of September from 10:00 am to noon. The e-clinic will address queries on heart health and prostate cancer to mark World Heart Day and Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, which take place this month. Those interested may tweet their queries on @DHA_Dubai during the twitter clinic.