Radiesse is an additional option offering longer lasting results but should only be used to restore volume in the cheeks and nasiolabial folds. This is a calcium-based product that stimulates collagen production and lasts a year or longer.
Sculptra is used to restore volume in the cheeks, jaw lines, temples and under the mouth or chin. Multiple treatments are required in most cases and are performed once a month. This product is poly-L-lactic acid that can last up to two years and stimulates collagen production. Your body absorbs this product over a several year period and touch-ups can be done as needed.
Although Bovine Collagen is rarely used, a synthetic human collagen is still available. It is a thinner consistency that lasts three to four months. Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast, also available from Allergan, are used to fill smaller vertical lines above the lip or in conjunction with Botox Cosmetic for deeper furrows in the area between the eyes (glabella).
Hyaluronic acid is a water-binding sugar molecule and is bio-compatible with our bodies. We absorb this product gradually over a period of six to nine months. Juvéderm Ultra and Restylane are hyaluronic-based products that last 6 months or longer. We use these products to fill in furrows under the eyes, the lines between the nose and mouth, (nasiolabial folds), or lines between the mouth and chin, (marionette lines). Juvéderm Ultra Plus and Perlane are also hyaluronic based, but thicker products that can be used in areas where lines are deeper and more volume is needed. All of these products can be used to restore volume to the cheeks as well.
As we age, we lose volume in our faces due to the loss of collagen and cellular turn over. Over the last few years, a variety of fillers have emerged on the market. Although they aren’t for everyone, we offer numerous options and can assist you in choosing the one that’s just right for you. Fillers can be used to restore youthful contour and erase wrinkles with no downtime. So zip in at lunch and head back to the office or tennis court and no one ever has to know.
After choosing the product that’s right for you, we focus on your comfort and offer dental blocks or a prescription strength numbing cream. If you bruise easily, we suggest eating fresh papaya and pineapple a few days before the procedure. We also give you Arnica tablets or Auriderm, a topical cream, to reduce any discomfort.
Many of our fillers will be explained in upcoming posts, including Artefill, Juvéderm, Restylane, Perlane, Cosmoderm, Cosmoplast, Radiesse and Sculptra.
More than four million American women used injectable fillers such as BOTOX® Cosmetic last year. East Tennessee women are no exception to this trend but many of you still have questions about the administration, side effects and results associated with BOTOX®. Medi-Spa at Knoxville Dermatology Group set out to answer your most frequently asked questions.
Is BOTOX® Cosmetic safe?
BOTOX® has been used therapeutically for 17 years. The same formulation received FDA approval in 2002 for treatment of moderate to severe frown lines (also known as 11s) between the brows.
Will BOTOX® Cosmetic leave me with a frozen face?
Although the results are visible, a treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic does not make you look like “you’ve had work done.” The muscle activity that causes frown lines between the brows is simply reduced, so you can still frown or look surprised without the wrinkles and creases.
What areas can be treated with BOTOX®?
The most common areas are forehead, glabella, lips, crow’s feet, brow lift and neck.
I’ve heard that BOTOX® can be used to control hyperhidrosis. Is this true?
Yes. BOTOX® is also used on underarms, hands and feet to treat hyperhidrosis. These treatments slow the production of sweat glands and can last for five to nine months.
Brooke Nix, PA-C treats a Medi-Spa patient.
If I stop using BOTOX® Cosmetic, will my face look different than before?
The effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic can last up to four months. When the drug wears off, your face will return to its pretreatment condition. Many people choose to continue regular treatments (typically two to three times per year).
Do men use BOTOX® Cosmetic as well?
Yes, men constitute about 10% of all BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments and that number continues to grow.
What credentials should I look for when choosing my provider?
Choose an experienced provider – someone highly trained injecting BOTOX® Cosmetic who has done many treatments. Medical practices that focus on facial aesthetics, such as Medi-Spa at Knoxville Dermatology Group, have expansive knowledge of facial anatomy and experience injecting BOTOX® Cosmetic. In fact, Medi-Spa is the largest dermatological provider of BOTOX® Cosmetic in Tennessee. Experience, integrity and credibility matter when choosing a provider.
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