Achieving Safe and Natural Beauty in Medical Aesthetics

In the era of ‘Well-aging,’ where individuals maintain health and youth in their own ways, there is a growing trend to choose medical aesthetic procedures for appearance management that are as natural and safe as possible. In particular, safe fillers have recently become a major topic among medical consumers. This is due to the awareness that impurities or residues remaining from the filler manufacturing process can cause delayed inflammatory reactions.

In the midst of this, Dr. Radovan Vukicevic (Head of Filler Formulation at Merz Aesthetics R&D), who visited Korea, clearly presented the standards for safe fillers, hoping to resolve such widespread concerns. We met him at the launch event for Merz Aesthetics’ new hyaluronic acid filler (Belotero) campaign held on the 14th.

-What is your current role at Merz Aesthetics, and what is the reason for your visit to Korea?

I have worked in the Merz Aesthetics Research and Development (R&D) department for about 10 years, and I currently serve as the Head of Filler Formulation. Based on filler structure, manufacturing processes, and material science, I focus on developing fillers that can implement safe and natural results.

Korea is one of the most innovative and rapidly growing markets in the world. Korean medical professionals have a very high understanding of medical aesthetics, along with extensive clinical experience and procedural skills. Based on these characteristics, I visited Korea to directly share the scientific strengths and differentiated values of Merz Aesthetics’ portfolio. Additionally, I intend to hear directly what expectations and needs Korean medical professionals have regarding our portfolio and reflect them in our R&D.

-Medical aesthetic trends continue to evolve. What are the recent trends?

Rather than drastic changes, there is a trend toward wanting natural changes that look as if nothing was done. Accordingly, the treatment paradigm is shifting toward achieving the target improvement effect while harmonizing with the original face without being excessive. This flow will become even more important in the future.

Safety has also emerged as a key keyword. This is because medical consumers now meticulously scrutinize safety beyond just the effectiveness of the product. Medical aesthetic companies are also putting more effort into everything from the R&D stage to the manufacturing process and quality control.

-What do you see as the unique strengths of fillers?

First, the range of applications is wide. For younger people who do not yet have distinct signs of aging, they can be used as a means to maintain youth as much as possible. For middle-aged people whose aging has already progressed, they serve as an effective means to improve signs of aging, such as restoring lost volume and smoothing wrinkles.

The high predictability of the procedure results is also a major strength. Medical professionals can relatively accurately predict the expected results based on the injection amount and location, and patients can also easily understand what changes to expect after the procedure. This is an important factor in increasing procedure satisfaction. Furthermore, the most commonly used hyaluronic acid fillers can be removed or partially dissolved after the procedure, allowing them to be returned to their original state if the procedure goes wrong.

The downtime (recovery period) is also very short. In some cases, one can return to daily life immediately after the procedure. These natural changes also have a positive impact on leading a confident life as ‘myself.’

-I am curious about the factors that determine the safety of fillers.

The key elements are purity and integration. Purity refers to including only the necessary components and how effectively unnecessary by-products or residues generated during the manufacturing process have been removed. Therefore, high-purity fillers show more predictable reactions within the human body and play an important role in lowering the risk of unnecessary inflammation or adverse reactions.

Integration is a characteristic that indicates how naturally the filler adheres to surrounding tissues and how stably it settles and maintains its position when injected. Fillers with excellent integration with tissues can reduce problems such as nodules or clumping and implement more natural and stable results.

-Merz Aesthetics invests heavily in R&D. How is it in terms of fillers?

In the case of our flagship product, the hyaluronic acid filler Belotero, we have achieved both effectiveness and safety by reflecting a patented method called ‘CPM (Cohesive Polydensified Matrix) technology.’ Hyaluronic acid fillers go through a process of cross-linking the hyaluronic acid during manufacturing. Belotero conducts this process in two steps, implementing zones of high and low density within a single cohesive structure.

This multi-density structure enables natural adhesion and integration in a form similar to original skin tissue. In other words, the filler settles well into the injection site without a sense of foreignness, allowing for natural results where facial expressions or muscle movements do not feel awkward.

-How were you able to implement such patented technology ahead of others?

It is because we consider R&D very important and are actively investing in it. The expertise of the R&D department is also a great driving force. At Merz Aesthetics, specialists from various fields collaborate organically—from scientists with a deep understanding of filler materials to process development experts who design and improve manufacturing processes, and clinical research teams that study how developed products act in actual clinical settings. Such a close and systematic R&D environment is a core competitiveness that allows us to present safe and effective products.

-Recently, combined procedures merging fillers with other agents are increasing. What is the future research direction?

We are receiving feedback from medical experts who have confirmed appropriate efficacy and effects when using various Merz Aesthetics products in combination. This shows that Merz Aesthetics’ products can create significant synergy even in a combined procedure environment. We will continue to contemplate how to effectively combine and utilize our wide range of products in the future.

-How are you communicating with Korean medical professionals?

We are communicating continuously through our Korean branch (Merz Aesthetics Korea) by conducting various systematic educational programs. Representatively, under the academic program ‘MEX (Merz Experts),’ we operate the MEX Symposium, MEX Webinar, and MEX Talk (a channel providing useful information via KakaoTalk). Korean medical professionals have a very high understanding of medical aesthetic products in general, as they deeply understand not only what types of products have been released but also the physical properties and characteristics of each product.

In the future, we will not spare our support so that Korean medical professionals can provide safe and highly reliable filler procedures by broadly delivering safe and effective treatment approaches, the latest protocols, and furthermore, how the beauty that Merz Aesthetics pursues can be implemented in clinical practice.

-Finally, do you have any advice for medical consumers to keep in mind?

Most importantly, it is crucial to find a medical expert who can lead your aging management over the long term. In particular, you must meet a doctor who can perform procedures based on a deep understanding of anatomical structures. During the consultation process, you must clearly communicate what parts you want to improve and what results you expect. Only then can the medical expert accurately understand the patient’s needs and fully explain the feasible parts and limitations. At this time, patients need an attitude of accepting the doctor's explanation and understanding the limitations.

Checking what product is being used is also important. It is desirable to undergo the procedure after confirming whether the chosen product has safety and clinical evidence and whether it is suitable for implementing natural results. After the procedure, one must be accurately guided on post-care methods and precautions and faithfully comply with them.