Injectables
Many people who book consultations at a plastic surgeon’s office aren’t looking to have surgery at all. Instead, they are more interested in the minimally invasive treatment available through injectables, such as Botox® and dermal fillers. These types of treatments have become incredibly popular through the past several decades, as formulations have been developed to treat a wider variety of issues with more natural looking results.
What are injectables?
When you discuss injectables with your plastic surgeon, you will be talking about a few different types of treatments. Most commonly, injectables refer to dermal fillers. These treatments help to restore volume in the face. They may add definition to the cheek and jaw bones, fill in fine lines and wrinkles, or plump the lips for a naturally beautiful pucker. Injectables can also refer to treatments like Botox®, which will disable the muscles below the skin that cause brow lines and forehead wrinkles. Alternatively, injectables can include Kybella®, which destroys fat cells in a targeted area.
How are injectables used?
Injectables are generally temporary treatments. However, results with some can last up to 2 years. Often, patients will consider dermal fillers and other injectable treatments in their mid-30s and early-40s, when fine lines and wrinkles are just beginning to take hold. However, there is no set age at which you will begin to notice the signs of aging, and some filler formulations can help when age-related damage has become more significant. By working closely with your doctor to discuss your desired results, you can achieve a wide range of effects. These include:
- Enhancing the lip shape or fullness.
- Diminishing vertical lip lines.
- Filling fine lines and facial creases.
- Eliminating visibility of recessed scars.
- Smoothing or lifting deeper facial creases or folds such as nasolabial folds (cheek grooves aligned with nose).
- Softening or filling hollows, bags or depressions beneath the eyes.
- Restoring fullness in the mid-face or cheeks.
- Enhancing contours to the jaw and chin.
- Shaping to improve the contours and fullness of the face.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are designed with biocompatible substances that fill in the gaps beneath the skin as volume is lost in the facial features. While historically dermal fillers were made from injectable collagen, this has been replaced by hyaluronic acid (HA). HA yields more predictable results and thus has fewer risks of potential allergies in patients. It can also be formulated in different molecule sizes to address everything from delicate crow’s feet to deep laugh lines. There are several brands of safe, FDA-approved dermal fillers on the market today.
- Bellafill® – Adds volume and kickstarts the body’s own collagen production.
- JUVÉDERM VOLBELLA® XC – Ideal for lip augmentation and reduction of perioral lines.
- Sculptra® – Utilizes Poly-L-lactic acid to stimulate collagen production to address smile lines, marionette lines, and chin wrinkles.
- JUVÉDERM VOLLURE™ XC – Fills in moderate to severe facial wrinkles and laugh lines.
- Radiesse® – Uses calcium-based microspheres to create scaffolding, which stimulates and supports new collagen production.
- JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC – Restores facial volume in the cheekbones for an overall more youthful appearance.
Botox®
Botox® is not a filler, but it does work to soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in the brow and forehead area. It achieves these results by weakening the underlying muscles that cause the brow to furrow and then create deep creases in the forehead and between the eyebrows. Botox® can also help in reducing the appearance of crow’s feet.
Kybella®
Kybella® is theInjectables first and only injectable treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration to address a double chin. It works by destroying stubborn fat cells under the chin using deoxycholic acid. The result is a smoother and subsequently more defined facial profile. Plus, unlike other injectable treatments, Kybella® can last for a lifetime, since it permanently destroys fat cells in this commonly problematic area.
At Perfection Plastic Surgery and Skin Care, we offer a variety of injectable treatments to address our patients’ various concerns. We also stay up to date with the latest research and product trends, so you can rest assured that you are receiving the safest, most modern care available. If you’re unsure which fillers or injectables are right for your aging skin concerns, call us for a consultation at (520) 323-7100 , or fill out the form below.