Mala McAlpin 
Dr Giulia D’Anna, from iDental and Dermal Distinction, is not your average practitioner. She began her dental career in the 90s before discovering her passion for skin nearly 10 years later, turning to dermal therapy and cosmetic injecting. Combining her passion for the two, she makes the ideal authority on the face and smile holistically; not just focusing on teeth, but the tissues connected to them and the patient’s face and skin condition as a whole.
We hear from Dr Giulia on the emerging dental and dermal trends for this year and beyond:
Thread Lifts – but not the usual kind
We know that thread lifts are still having their time in the sun, but according to Dr Giulia, the second lesser-known type of thread used for collagen stimulation (as opposed to tightening of facial laxity) is now making its mark.
“Mono threads are made from the same material as the long threads, but are smooth on their surface,” she tells us. “They can be used to address specific areas where we would like to build the skin elasticity or improve a very deep groove or fold. Mono threads can be placed all over the face, but are perfect in areas that require tightening. For example, a challenging area to treat is the undereye area, or the submental area (double chin). This is because these areas tend to have a lot of skin laxity as the years go by, so that any dermal filler placed can bulge as the skin is not tight enough to hold it in the optimal position.”
“However, if the skin is first treated with Mono threads, the threads help to hold the skin tight, but also help to encourage collagen formation around the threads. So essentially the skin ends up with a mesh of your own collagen. Made of Polydioxane (PDO), the threads are resorbable, and are almost completely gone about 12 months after placement, leaving the collagen in place.”
The good thing about mono threads is they can safely be used in areas where dermal filler might be high risk. For example, mono threads can be used in the frown area to smooth out deep lines, where filler is very risky. Cost varies with treatment, but is usually less than a dermal filler appointment.
Prescription skincare
We here at SPA+CLINIC have witnessed the growth of this trend throughout the year (in fact you can read up on it in our August print edition!) and Dr Giulia agrees.
“The client first completes a skin analysis survey which is quite extensive. From here, the dermal clinician will determine the base serum required for the client, and add specific ingredients that match that skin profile. There is usually a morning and night serum, and a moisturiser is also matched to the skin. I have been trialing this skincare on my own skin, and I love how easy and how few steps there are. I almost feel like I am cheating, because my usual routine of 4-5 serums has been cut right down. But my skin is loving it!”
Handheld LED for home use
“Take-home devices are becoming more and more popular as people look for preventive ways of building their skin, without the need for more invasive intervention later on,” says Dr Giulia. “I have found that younger clients are particularly loving LED take home devices, for this very reason.”
We also asked Dr Giulia what she would say to those who may be concerned that encouraging clients to use clinical treatments at home might mean a loss of business.
“I am not concerned about losing clients with the use of at-home LED. My underlying aim is that I have happy clients and we achieve real results. If using an at home LED assists my clients in avoiding more intense treatment with me, I think we have both achieved our aim. We do advise clients that in-clinic LEDs are much more intense than at-home devices, and clients know that too. Any client who has had in-clinic LED knows how intense they are, and are not achieving the same level of ATP and mitochondrial activation at home because the at-home LED devices are simply not powerful enough. But these devices do assist, and clients love prevention.”
Post-dental face masks
“People are so time poor, that offering multiple linked services makes total sense and our clients agree. Very often our clients move from a dental check and clean visit, straight into another room to have a chemical peel or LED treatment. It saves the client time, but we are also able to provide services for the client that go beyond what is normally expected. This is a real value-add bonus to our dental treatment. ”
“A good portion of our clients will combine their dental treatment with cosmetic injectables too. Often when we are doing a general exam of their mouth, they have also booked in lip augmentation too, or treatment of their frown and crows feet. You know what they say? Two birds, one stone.”
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