Abstract
Use of injectable volume replacement products has increased dramatically in the US in recent years. An optimal outcome with volume replacement depends on a thorough knowledge of the products on the part of the dermatologic/aesthetic physician specialist, identification of patients with a likelihood of benefiting from volume replacement procedures, selection of an appropriate product for the individual patient, and effective patient counseling to ensure adherence to posttreatment care instructions. Adherence to physician instructions in the field of dermatology appears limited, and there is very little published information on adherence to physician instructions following facial volume replacement procedures. The purpose of this review is to provide strategies for understanding and overcoming the barriers to adherence with the widely used dermal fillers. Strategies include using patient-centered techniques, such as a motivational interview encouraging the patient to follow postprocedure care instructions, eg, massage. In this case, demonstrating massage techniques while the patient is still in the office, with patient participation and detailed feedback, also contributes to good adherence with posttreatment care instructions. Telephone counseling, reminder postcards, and text messages may help improve clinic attendance for follow-up. Motivated patients who demonstrate good adherence to physician instructions generally respond well to volume replacement treatments, and usually experience fewer adverse events than patients who do not follow instructions. Although promoting adherence to pretreatment and posttreatment protocols remains a challenge, patient counseling throughout the treatment process can lead to successful results.
Acknowledgements
Dr Day has been a speaker for sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, Allergan, Inc., and Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation. This article was funded by Dermik Laboratories, a business of sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. Editorial support for this article was provided by the editorial staff at Embryon. The author gratefully acknowledges Roderick Sayce, who assisted in the preparation of this article based on author-provided comments. The author was fully responsible for all content, editorial decisions and opinions expressed in this article.
Disclosure
The author did not receive any financial compensation or honoraria related to the development of this manuscript.