Facial Aesthetic Ultrasound Scanning
Seeing Under the Skin: The Future of Aesthetic Safety
Have you ever wondered how an aesthetic practitioner knows exactly where to inject filler without hitting a tiny blood vessel? For a long time, even the best injectors were working "blind," relying only on their knowledge of anatomy and what they could feel with their hands. But now, there is a massive shift happening in the beauty world. By using high-frequency ultrasound- similar to the technology used to see a baby during pregnancy- practitioners can actually see beneath your skin in real-time.
This page is a dedicated resource featuring a series of deep-dive conversations between me, Viv, one of my good friends and colleagues- Dr Sunny Dhesi, and the world’s top aesthetic ultrasound experts.
I'm one of a few advanced aesthetic prescribers in northern England who is trained to assess and treat filler adverse events using guided ultrasound scanning, including problems such as vascular occlusion and delayed onset nodules (DONs).
I'm very proud to have been trained by Dr Leonie Schelke:
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filler adverse event specialist and researcher based at the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam University, Netherlands
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provides facial aesthetic education and training at Cutaneous
If you are a patient who has undergone filler treatment, or you're thinking about it, then please follow:
@scan_you_filler - it has been created to raise awareness of the benefits of facial ultrasound scanning technology to provide safer and more effective aesthetic treatment for you.
Through these Instagram Live sessions, we explore how this "magic eye" technology is used to
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map out your unique facial structure & to inject accordingly
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prevent dangerous complications, like blocked vessel blockage (vascular occlusion)
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treat different types of filler problems, such as nodules
Whether you are curious about the science of safety or want to see how we use tech to get the most natural results, these interviews offer an inside look at the new gold standard in patient care.
To dive deeper into any of these topics:
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click an image or topic title to access our Google NotebookLM, where you can explore the key takeaways from each guest
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click a YouTube link to watch a recording of the particular guest's live video
Dr Leonie Schelke
On Clinical Necessity: "I picked up the ultrasound because I didn't know what was going on... I wasn't able to see what was going on".
On Patient Safety and Treatment: "If you pick up ultrasound you do know where the filler is... you very specifically just dissolve that one deposit".
On the Future of the Field: "What I like to see is the same with phlebology... everybody's using it and nobody's questioning why we're using it but just because it adds knowledge, it adds an extra eye".
Dr Kara
On Moving from "Blind" to Guided Practice: "Going into when I first started in aesthetics we were blind in essence... when I found out that you could use ultrasound I was like well that's our vision we're no longer blind."
On Enhancing Patient Safety: "I can prevent complications, I can treat complications more effectively, I can do treatments under ultrasound guidance... it just takes away the practitioner anxiety but also minimizes complications."
On the Importance of Formal Training: "If you don't understand the ultrasound theory then you won't understand that you know you might be putting too much pressure on the tissues [which] affects your measurements... it's much more technical than just like a point and shoot."
Dr Carolina Mariluis
On Anatomical Visualization: "The benefits of ultrasound is that we can evaluate them or watch them moving... you can see your anatomy."
On Patient Safety: "It is important ultrasound and understand ultrasound to reduce risk... because we are talking about people we patients."
On Identification of Fillers: "Every time I see patients that don't know what they have under the skin... it's a potential risk of adverse events."
Dr Rosa Sigrist
On Moving Beyond Blind Injections: "It brings better results for you because you know exactly where you are. It's not only a question of safety."
On Clinical Expertise: "Ultrasound is a method that could bring me this thing that I was missing... you are not only in the dark room."
On Continuous Learning: "I learn every single day. People sometimes think it's easy, but you have to practice a lot to get used to patterns."
Dr Tom Decates
On Clinical Vision: "I think that first we were blind and now we can see... before ultrasound we were blind and now we can see."
On Future Standards: "Ultrasound will be the stethoscope of cosmetic medicine in the future... in decades from now if we look back we say why the fuck nobody thought of this before."
On the Origin of Complications: "Most of the time adverse events occur because of doctors not knowing where they're injecting... that can has something to do with experience, product choice, needle versus cannula."
Dr Steven Harris
On Clinical Clarity: "The thought of just being able to see what we are actually doing to me was a no-brainer in terms of both safety and efficacy."
On Anatomical Reality: "What we see on the ground in real time is often different to what we're taught or shown in textbooks, and that makes all the difference."
On Future Standards: "I see a day where pretty much all of us will be using it... patients are actually going to choose to come to those who are using ultrasound."
Dr Stella Desyatnikova
On the Benefit of Visualisation: "Just being able to see... find some vessels... seeing that blood flow return and kind of seeing it clinically that was really, really just kind of amazing."
On Enhancing Patient Safety: "Patients always appreciate... that you're taking the time to make the procedure safer and better for them... they want to see what the inside of that face looks like."
On Educational Transformation: "I think it will really just kind of like spread... once people try it and they can actually see what they're doing... it's very hard to go back."
Dr Jake Sloane
On Clinical Insight: "It’s a bit like... you go swimming at the ocean... and then suddenly you can see the sharks. You wouldn't go in."
On Immediate Safety: "You see a deep anterior artery... you potentially save someone’s eye in one second just by putting the scanner on for 10 seconds."
On Future Standards: "In decades from now if we look back we say why the fuck nobody thought of this before... it truly will be the stethoscope."
Dr Martina Lavery
On Clinical Transformation: "I just can't believe that i was doing injectables without it [ultrasound]."
On Anatomical Expertise: "My anatomy knowledge has just gone through the roof since doing ultrasound because that ability to see it real time."
On Universal Individuality: "We're all very unique in our anatomy... patients don't read the books [textbooks]."
Professor Mariem Idrissi
On Medical Necessity: "Anatomy is the key... before doing it [ultrasound] we have to have anatomy in our mind or our brain."
On the Professional Standard: "We have to stop this [untrained injections]... it’s a medical act and we have to do it with profession."
On Continuous Practice: "Normal ultrasound, do it a lot... I did this all the time for me, for my children... just to practice."
Dr Steve Weiner
On Patient Safety: "Patients truly appreciate someone who is so concerned about their safety and well-being... it just takes you to like... I feel really good."
On Clinical Insight: "We don't know exactly how fillers behave once they're injected and now we have an eye through the skin using ultrasound."
On Future Standards: "I think in the future it will become the standard of care that if you're not using it you know why aren't you."
Dr Zainab Almukhtar
On Navigating Anatomy: "In the nose especially, because the vessels are so small and the anatomy is so varied, ultrasound is a game-changer."
On Clinical Confidence: "It gives you that peace of mind... you're not just injecting and hoping for the best; you can actually see."
On the Future of Safety: "I think it will become the gold standard... it’s about raising the bar for patient safety in our industry."
Dr José Ferrandis
On Clinical Vision: "Before we were blind and now we can see... ultrasound is like our new eyes in aesthetic medicine."
On Patient Safety: "It is a question of safety and efficacy... you can see exactly where you are and where you are injecting."
On Trichology Applications: "In trichology it’s very interesting because we can see the hair follicle and the scalp layers with ultrasound."
Lynette Mayes
On Precision and Safety: "It’s about being more precise... you can actually see what you're doing, and it's not just a guessing game anymore."
On Clinical Confidence: "It gives you that extra bit of confidence... knowing exactly where you are and that you’re being as safe as possible."
On the Learning Journey: "It’s a steep learning curve, but it’s so worth it... you just have to keep practicing and looking at images."
Candice Dery
On Enhancing Professional Standards: "It’s about raising the bar... showing that we are taking every precaution to ensure the safest possible outcome for our patients."
On Anatomical Visualization: "You can actually see the filler... you can see where it’s sitting in relation to the vessels, and that’s incredibly powerful."
On the Power of Technology: "Ultrasound gives us a window into the skin... it takes away the guesswork and allows us to practice with much more certainty."
Stuart Turner
On Clinical Benefits: "It gives you that extra layer of safety... you can actually see where you're injecting and avoid those critical structures."
On Professional Standards: "It’s about raising the bar in the industry... making sure that we're providing the best possible care for our patients."
On Training and Skills: "It’s not just about having the device; it’s about knowing how to use it... training and education are absolutely key."
Dr Barbara Parda
On Anatomical Understanding: "Thanks to picking up on ultrasound I finally understand anatomy and I really learn anatomy."
On Visualising Dynamics: "I understand the biomechanics and dynamics and 3D what's going on on the face."
On Professional Standards: "They need to understand better anatomy and the ultrasound is the best way to it and affordable way."
Dr Patricia Barrera
On Patient Care: "We have to [take] time to make awareness of what is best and always on the safety and thinking about the patient."
On Clinical Priorities: "Fillers courses filled in one week and complications courses doesn't... and it should be the other way."
On Professional Responsibility: "You have done a great work making conscious... about what is best and always on the safety."
Dr Olga Liplavk
On unexpected filler longevity: "We see that hyaluronic acid stays for much longer than it was expected... even 10 years or more."
On the necessity of imaging: "If we didn't have ultrasound, we wouldn't know that the filler is still there and we would just re-inject."
On clinical safety: "Ultrasound is the only way to see what’s going on under the skin and to be sure that we are safe."
Dr Mobin Master
On the Need for Vision: "We've been injecting blindly for so long, and now we actually have the tools to see what we're doing."
On Anatomical Variations: "Every face is different... ultrasound allows us to see those variations and tailor our treatments accordingly for each patient."
On the Future of Imaging: "I think MRI and ultrasound together are going to be the future of how we manage and prevent complications."
Dr Mauricio Cerón
On Identifying Fillers: "Ultrasound is the only way to be sure what we are seeing... and also identifying all fillers before injections."
On Anatomical Mapping: "You can actually visualise now with ultrasound... topics about perforators and flow and lymphatic drainage."
On Clinical Precision: "It’s about raising the bar... you can see exactly where you are injecting and avoid those critical structures."
Lisa Hackett
On Clinical Precision: "You can actually see the needle tip... you can see exactly where you're putting that product in relation to the vessels"
On Patient Safety: "It’s about being as safe as we possibly can... if we've got the technology to see where these vessels are, why wouldn't we?"
On Professional Standards: "Ultrasound is becoming the gold standard... it’s going to be a requirement for people to have this in their clinics"