 |
After years of squinting, laughing, frowning, smoking, and worrying, the skin around the eyes and on the forehead will often develop deep lines and wrinkles called "expression lines." A frequent concern is that they often make you look older, tired, or stressed. Until recently, these advanced furrows have been difficult to treat. Now, by utilizing this FDA approved muscle-relaxing agent, expression lines can be significantly reduced.
 Smile, laugh, frown, and make all the facial expressions you want and stop worrying about wrinkles!
What is BOTOX® Cosmetic?
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent derived from the bacterium, Clostridium Botulinum. For over a decade, ophthalmologists have applied BOTOX® Cosmetic for its original intention, the treatment of blepharospasm. Physicians have utilized BOTOX® Cosmetic for years as a cosmetic treatment to correct visible signs of stress and aging.
How does BOTOX® Cosmetic work?
The contractions and movements of the facial muscles are controlled by signals from the brain. BOTOX® Cosmetic simply prevents the muscle from allowing responses to these messages. As a result, the muscle relaxes and the overlying skin remains unwrinkled and smooth.
What is treatment like?
With a very fine needle, BOTOX® Cosmetic is injected into the specific muscle that is contracting and causing the lines and wrinkles on the face. Treatment is effective, safe, and takes approximately 10 minutes. The pain is a minimal "pin prick" and no anesthetic is required. Dr. Falconer utilizes the Synercool™ skin cooling system to reduce the discomfort of the injection process while also reducing redness and swelling. Immediately following treatment, you may resume regular activities!
How long does a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment last?
The effects usually last 3 to 4 months, and fade away gradually. Following several treatments, the results may last 4 to 8 months or longer. BOTOX® Cosmetic offers extended relief over the course of long-term treatment.
Are there any possible side effects?
Side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic, if any, are usually mild and temporary. Botulinum toxins contain proteins, which in some circumstances may be naturally safeguarded against by the body's ability to produce antibodies. If antibodies are formed, the therapy will generate a lesser response. Temporary bruising is sometimes experienced, though this symptom resolves itself within 2 to 3 days. In rare cases, there can be a slight drooping of an eyelid or asymmetry of expression. If this should happen, return to your physician.
What type of results will I see?
Typically, the effect of BOTOX® Cosmetic is visible within 3 days. Maximum benefits are reached between 10 to 14 days. Once the muscle becomes dormant and the skin softens, you will have a more relaxed and youthful appearance. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments are not a substitute for the results achieved with a facelift. The optimum appearance may be achieved with BOTOX® Cosmetic therapy in conjunction with a facelift, laser resurfacing, and skin rejuvenation.
Fascian™ is an injectable human material made from fascia. Fascia is the medical name for the thick, white connective tissue located throughout the human body. Like many human tissues, fascia is composed of a single protein called collagen. Collagen provides strength and support by acting as the glue that binds different structures within the body. It is found throughout the body in cartilage, tendons and skin. Fascian™ can be used alone or in conjunction with other facial rejuvenation procedures such as laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels or facial surgery.
 Uses of Fascian™?
Fascian™ is used to treat facial contour defects. The most common treatment areas include:
- upper & lower lips
- cellulite and dimples
- nasolabial fold area
- acne and chicken pox
- depressed scars
- post-surgical scars
- fat loss in cheeks
Plastic surgeons, dermatologists, oral and cosmetic surgeons worldwide are choosing natural, soft tissue replacement material as their preferred treatment.
Benefits of Fascian™?
- No pre-skin testing is required.
- Fascian™ is a natural product.
- Allergies are very rare, unlike other products.
- Fascian™ is human tissue; it cannot provoke an allergic reaction.
- Fascian™ is a tissue product as classified by the FDA, there are no "off-label" uses.
- It is particulated, soft and pliable with a natural feel. It spreads evenly through area.
- No tissue is harvested from another site on your body.
- It is commonly replaced by natural, or 'native' collagen.
Will I need to be skin tested before using Fascian™?
No. Unlike other collagen grafts, routine skin testing is not required before the implantation of preserved fascia.
Is Fascian™ safe?
Yes. Recovery of fascia is strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The tissue is freeze-dried and gas-sterilized. It's 100% safe. Federal guidelines for recovery are the same for fascia as for other donated human tissue material indicated for transplantation to repair or replace damaged or inadequate dermal tissue. This includes kidneys, hearts, corneas, bone, and other tissues generously donated by individuals or their families.
How long does Fascian™ last?
Since Fascian™ is naturally thick, the body takes a long time to absorb it. Some studies suggest that over time, the body replaces the new fascia with its own collagen. Furthermore, studies have shown that implanted fascia stimulates the production of collagen, or what might be considered scar tissue, to fill the defect where fascia lies. So, your body can both "digest" and replace Fascian™ with your own collagen.
What will I feel like after my treatment?
Discomfort is minimal. After receiving Fascian™ injections for the lips and nasal labial fold areas, patients are up and around immediately. Any discomfort following the procedure can be controlled with medication. There may be some bruising around the injection site, which can be covered with make-up. Most patients return to normal activities the next day. What patients like the most about Fascian™ is that it's natural, and allergic reactions are rare. Most importantly, you will love the long lasting results!
Whether you're longing to reverse the common signs of aging or address a health issue that otherwise would require an invasive treatment, you have more options in looking and feeling better with Radiesse®. Developed with safety and longevity in mind, Radiesse® is a new generation injectable filler that offers superior versatility for both cosmetic and reconstructive use without surgery. What sets Radiesse® apart from other dermal fillers?
 The answer is in its durability, longevity, and versatility. The unique composition of Radiesse® provides immediate visual improvement common with other fillers, along with the benefit of long-lasting results. This is because Radiesse® is made of very tiny, smooth calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres. The microspheres (particles) form a scaffold through which your body's own collagen grows, and this produces the desired long-term effect. These unique advantages make Radiesse® the ideal choice for facial shaping and contouring - along with other therapeutic applications.
Facial lines and wrinkles are caused by a gradual breakdown of the body's collagen and the elastin fibers in the skin. No one is immune from experiencing this normal aging process. Squinting, frowning and smiling also inflict stress on the underlying collagen in the skin and accelerate the formation of these furrows. Until recently, injectable collagen was the most widely used available cosmetic filler to improve the appearance of these lines.
Restylane® is a long lasting cosmetic filler that provides dramatic results for improving the appearance of facial lines, wrinkles, and folds. This is a non-surgical solution to soften facial lines and wrinkles, restore volume and fullness to the skin, plump up lips, and fill in scars. Restylane® injected into the lips can give back fullness to lips that have receded. The cosmetic results are visible immediately, bestowing you with a more youthful and invigorated look.
 What is the treatment like?
Restylane® is injected in small amounts under your skin to fill creases, lines, wrinkles, or folds. It is also injected around the lip area to create volume, resulting in a more youthful appearance. A skin test is not necessary prior to treatment, so treatment can be performed at any time. In order to optimize your comfort, the treatment area may be anesthetized with a topical cream or anesthetic block. Treatment results are immediately evident.
How long do the results last?
Depending on many factors, such as your lifestyle, age, and skin structure, your results may last as long as six months to a year or more. You may require a touch up treatment 2 to 4 weeks after the first treatment to achieve your desired result. Treatment to enhance the lips is reported to last much longer than treatment using standard collagen filler. When the effect of the treatment begins to diminish, you can replenish the area as needed.
What are the benefits of Restylane®?
- Immediately you will discern a smoothing of the wrinkles and folds.
- Restylane® will impart lift and new firmness to your skin.
- With lip enhancement, the results will be noticeably fuller and more contoured lips.
- It is not necessary for you to be tested for skin sensitivity.
- The cosmetic results are visible immediately, bestowing you with a more youthful and invigorated look.
- When the effect of the treatment begins to diminish, you can replenish the area as needed.
Restylane® vs. Collagen
Restylane® has been demonstrated to last much longer than the standard bovine collagen injection. The occurrence of an allergic reaction is extremely rare due to the product's non-animal associated basis. Unlike injectable collagen filler that is made of bovine protein and can cause an allergic reaction in some patients, Restylane® is a natural substance, hyaluronic acid, which is a sugar molecule already present naturally in the human body. The hyaluronic acid in Restylane® is similar to that found throughout your body, which gives volume and fullness to the skin. It is both biodegradable and compatible with human hyaluronic acid. Because of this compatibility it is not necessary for you to be tested for skin sensitivity.
What can I expect following treatment?
You can resume normal activities following treatment. The most commonly reported side effect has been redness and swelling at the injection site. These effects typically resolve within a few hours or, at most, a day or two. Results are immediately evident. Lines, wrinkles and folds look softer and your skin looks smooth. |
 |
|
 |
