An enlightening interview with Dr. Ömer Buhsem, an eminent plastic surgeon practicing in Turkey.

Dr. Buhsem kindly agreed to answer a few questions on the use of subdermal injectable fillers. He gave us his impressions on the benefits that fillers can bring to patients who wish to restore volume to certain parts of their face and keep it looking young.

Dr. Ömer Buhsem was born in 1967 in Adana, a city in southern Turkey. He graduated from Adana Anatolian Secondary School in 1985 and completed his studies at the Faculty of Medicine of Uludağ University, Turkey in 1991 where he was awarded a doctorate in medicine.

After completing his state service in the district of Van Gevaş , Eastern Turkey, he started his training in reconstructive plastic surgery at Dicle Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi (DÜTF)  and became a certified ‘specialist in cosmetic surgery’. After studying hand surgery and working in plastic surgery at Konur Hospital he  founded D'estetica Aesthetic and Laser Clinic in 2001.

Dr. Buhşem is the founding president of the Aesthetic Facial Surgery and Rhinoplasty Society in Turkey, and a board certified aesthetic plastic surgeon. He has also been the director and head of plastic surgery at various private hospitals, and the head of the plastic and reconstructive surgery department in Dicle University Medical School. He has been practising plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments in his own clinic for almost 20 years. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Medical Director of the Bursa Konur Hospital. He is also a member of the European and Turkish Associations of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.

We asked Dr. Buhsem a few questions pertaining to subdermal injectable fillers, which he answered below.

1. How did you hear about ALGENESS, and how long have you been using ALGENESS products?

I first discovered agarose gel about 10 years ago, but in an earlier form than the one marketed today by ALGENESS. I was enthusiastic about this type of product. As time went by, I waited for the product to be available and marketed in Turkey, but this did not happen.

I finally discovered ALGENESS Agarose gel filler during a professional training course in Italy. I immediately started to use it in Turkey, and I have been using it ever since. I have been injecting ALGENESS products for 5 years now and I am extremely satisfied with them.

2. Could you share with us what you think are the strengths of ALGENESS? Which specific uses do you have for ALGENESS products in your practice?

It's quite simple: ALGENESS products have characteristics that no other fillers have. I can say without hesitation that this is one of the safest fillers, since it contains no proteins, chemicals or cross-linking agents, which make up most Hyaluronic Acid-based (HA-based) fillers. ALGENESS fillers are 100% biodegradable, hydrocolloid and do not cause swelling or oedema after injection. In addition, the results are very natural, and are visible immediately after the injection.

Another advantage is their low migration once injected. They also bring good volumizing power which is particularly useful in improving facial areas such as the zygoma, temples, chin and jawline. These areas require high volume, and ALGENESS is my ideal choice for such treatments.  ALGENESS is in my opinion, the best subdermal injectable filler available on the market. Its ability to project, define and shape is far superior to that of HA-based fillers and, because it is hydrophobic, it is possible to create a more voluminous appearance, which is exactly what some patients want to achieve when I treat their lips. However, when it comes to intradermal and superficial injections, we still use HA fillers.

3. In one sentence, could you spontaneously give us the 4 main advantages of the ALGENESS product range?

Here again, the strong points are immediately apparent: ALGENESS products are very safe, they do not cause granulomas, they are 100 % biodegradable (they are in fact totally absorbed and degraded by the body)  and they have a high shaping potential, which allows the practitioner give the patient exact results.

4. What about your patients who wish to be treated with ALGENESS: what are their most frequent reactions?

The  reactions that are almost invariably mentioned by my patients are that ALGENESS brings a natural degree  of volume to the different parts of the face, and that the filler does not cause inflammation or swelling after injection.

5. How widely are ALGENESS products used among the other professionals you know?

Dermatology professionals and plastic surgeons often find it difficult to relinquish the products they are used to, such as HA-based fillers. Many of them tend to use products they are already familiar with. However, I think that they should learn to use new products such as ALGENESS which are safer and have better outcomes.

6. How do you foresee the use of ALGENESS products in the future, and which features of ALGENESS products would you put forward if you had to recommend the products to peers?

To me, ALGENESS is truly the most promising filler product in our profession. I believe you will see an even bigger variety of its usage very soon. We will also share our scientific research shortly; be ready for surprises!

From a practitioner’s perspective, ALGENESS fillers are unique. As far as I know, ALGENESS is the only injectable subdermal filler company that provides training sessions on how to use its injectables around the world. ALGENESS is not sold to anyone who hasn't completed the training, which speaks highly of the company’s commitment and engagement with both the patient and the practitioner.

As is the case for more and more plastic surgeons, Dr. Buhsem regularly uses the range of ALGENESS subdermal injectable fillers is happy with the undeniable qualities of these products.  Should you wish to obtain more information on ALGENESS subdermal fillers, do not hesitate to contact our team via the website in order to obtain answers to any questions you might have.