Aesthetic medicine in Colombia, with the anatomy imaged first
Fillers, botulinum toxin, collagen biostimulators and skin tightening, performed by a radiologist who looks at the face with ultrasound before treating it.
Every procedure is assessed before it is performed
Where ultrasound adds control — fillers, corrections, endolifting — it is used in real time. That is the part of this practice that is genuinely different.
What the scan shows before anything is injected
Most aesthetic injections are placed by feel, guided by anatomy that is true on average. Faces are not average. Ultrasound turns that estimate into something the physician can see.
Where the needle actually is
Skin, fat compartment, muscle or bone. The plane decides whether a product lifts, spreads or forms a lump — and it is not the same depth in every face.
The complication that matters
Facial arteries do not run in the same place in everyone. Seeing the vessel is how product entering an artery is avoided, rather than managed once it happens.
What previous work left behind
Filler does not always dissolve, and does not always sit where the record says. It can be located and mapped before anything new is added — or before dissolving it.
The scan happens in the same visit, not in a separate appointment.
The face is imaged, the plan is discussed against what the screen shows, and the procedure is performed with the probe in hand. If the images say the treatment you came for is not the right one, that is said before anything is injected.
What non-surgical treatment can and cannot do
Every medical procedure carries risk, and anyone who tells you otherwise is not being straight with you.
What it does well
- Restores volume and definition without surgery, with downtime usually measured in days.
- Corrects earlier work, including product that migrated or was placed in the wrong plane.
- Treats function as well as appearance — clenching and jaw width, for example.
- Works in stages, so a full plan is not decided in a single session.
What it cannot do · risks
- It does not replace surgery. Skin laxity past a certain point is a surgical problem, and it will be called one.
- Bruising, swelling and asymmetry are common and temporary. Nodules and vascular occlusion are rare and, in the second case, an emergency.
- Results are temporary. How long they last depends on the product, the area and your own metabolism.
- Nothing is performed without an assessment — and sometimes the honest answer is that the treatment you asked about is not the one that would help.
Imaging is his first specialty
Dr. Jorge Vives is a radiologist and an aesthetic physician. Reading ultrasound is what he was trained to do before he ever injected a face, which is why the procedures here begin with the probe rather than with the syringe.
- TrainingRadiology, with subsequent practice in aesthetic medicine
- Member ofAsociación Colombiana de Radiología
- PracticeCartagena, with scheduled dates in Bogotá and Medellín
Where this procedure is performed
The same medical assessment wherever you are treated. Travel from abroad is coordinated in English, around the city that fits your trip.
Cartagena
The main practice, in Bocagrande. Full consultations, assessment and treatment in the same visit.
Book in CartagenaBogotá
Dr. Vives travels on scheduled dates and sees patients at a partner clinic. Same assessment protocol; procedures are planned around the confirmed date.
Request dates in BogotáMedellín
Dr. Vives travels on scheduled dates and sees patients at a partner clinic. Same assessment protocol; procedures are planned around the confirmed date.
Request dates in MedellínBogotá and Medellín are consultation days at partner clinics, not permanent offices — dates are confirmed before you travel.
Start with a virtual consultationFrequently asked questions
Are aesthetic procedures painful?
Most treatments are minimally invasive and performed with topical or local anesthesia, so discomfort is limited. Most patients describe pressure rather than pain, and go back to their routine the same day.
How long do the results last?
It depends on the treatment. Botulinum toxin lasts 3 to 6 months; hyaluronic acid 6 to 18 months depending on the area; collagen biostimulators up to 2 years. Duration is also affected by your own metabolism.
Will I need time off afterwards?
Generally no. Most patients return to normal activity the same day. Swelling or small bruises for a few days are common depending on the area treated.
Are there risks or side effects?
Every medical procedure carries some risk, and anyone who tells you otherwise is not being straight with you. The relevant risks here are vascular — product reaching a vessel — which is precisely why the anatomy is imaged with ultrasound before injecting. The specific risks of your procedure are reviewed with you before you decide.
How do I know which treatment is right for me?
That is what the assessment is for. The right procedure depends on your goals, your skin and your anatomy — and sometimes the honest answer is that the treatment you came asking about is not the one that would help you.
Can I see Dr. Vives in Bogotá or Medellín?
Yes. Dr. Vives is based in Cartagena, where he sees patients on a regular weekly schedule at his practice in Bocagrande. He also travels to Bogotá and Medellín on scheduled dates each month and sees patients at a partner clinic in each city, following the same assessment protocol.
Consultations and treatments are available in all three cities. Plans that involve several areas are usually staged, so the sequence is arranged around the confirmed dates.
Because Bogotá and Medellín are consultation days rather than permanent offices, dates are confirmed before you travel. Request the next available date through the form and we will confirm the city and the date with you. If you are traveling from abroad, you can also start with an online consultation before booking your trip.
Book a consultation in aesthetic medicine
The first step is always an assessment. What you need, whether it can be done without surgery, and what is realistic for your face is decided there — not from a price list. Consultations in Cartagena, with scheduled dates in Bogotá and Medellín, or online if you are planning a trip.