Facial ultrasound in aesthetic medicine

I was truly delighted and honored when the authors of this book on the use of ultrasound in aesthetic medicine asked me to prepare a preface introducing it to readers. Hugues Cartier, Peter Velthuis, and Alessio Redaelli are good friends, and I’ve known them for a long time. Their commitment to medicine and safety in our profession is evident. Their experience in the field of injectables is presented in this new book, which addresses a topic that is becoming a fundamental aspect of our practice.
This book, “Facial Ultrasound in Aesthetic Medicine: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice,” opens a new, gradually developing chapter in plastic surgery and aesthetic dermatology: ultrasound. This preface is the gateway to a comprehensive guide that explores the remarkable potential of using ultrasound as a modern and reliable tool for facial and body injections. We will explore the principles and science behind this technology, analyze its applications, and share the experiences of pioneering practitioners who have leveraged its capabilities to achieve the most natural results.
With increasing malpractice and legal issues, it is increasingly important for healthcare providers to find a stable solution to prevent complications. There are many safety measures and tools to reduce risk, including improved anatomical knowledge, a slow injection technique, aspiration before injection, and “smart needle” devices with an alarm.
However, the most effective and safest tool for risk prevention is ultrasound guidance. In recent years, many conferences, training courses, articles, and books have emphasized the importance of ultrasound-guided injection training and have incorporated ultrasound injection as a critical topic in their programs. My hope is that this new book, following on from extraordinary books like those by Ximena Worsman and Hee Jin Kim, will inspire, educate, and guide all readers on this exciting journey into the fascinating world of ultrasound guidance in our profession, both in our daily work, with greater precision in our injections, and in emergency settings. The field of these applications in aesthetic medicine and surgery is just beginning. My vision is that each of our injections should be documented with ultrasound before, during, and after.

This increasingly rapid practice will likely be recommended or even legally required, hence the importance of this book.

Benjamin Ascher, MD
Plastic Surgeon and Honorary President and Founder of IMCAS
Scientific Director of THINKIN