Once reserved strictly for filing in lines and plumping up wrinkles, injectables and fillers have a newfangled role in the aesthetic arena and are quickly becoming the go-to for everything from correcting nasal bumps to completely resculpting the face. All of the main injectables and fillers available regardless of how they work, are FDA-approved to treat specific concerns. Many dermatologists and plastic surgeons creatively inject these products off-label (meaning the product is used for something other than FDA-approved use) to remedy other signs of aging.
These are the approved uses for each category of injectable:
1. Botox and Dysport (denervating agents)
Both reduce the muscle activity that gives animation to the face, like the area between the eyebrows. Botox is also FDA-approved to control severe underarm sweating.
2. Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane (hyaluronic acids)
Hyaluronic acid fillers are typically injected into the mid to deep layers of the skin to plump up nasolaial folds.
How does Restylane Help you?
* FaceContouring
* Wrinkle treatment
* Face lifting enhancement
Frequently asked questions:
Q: Why should I choose Restylane?
A: Restylane is made in Sweden and closely resembles the body’s own hyaluronic acid, which reduces the risks of allergic reactions. It offers long lasting results which have been clinically proven, and is todau the world’s most popular treatment of its kind that has been successfuly used in over 15 million treatments across the globe.
Q: Are there any side effects for Restylane?
A: Restylane is very safe and seldom produces severe side-effects . The most common post-treatment reaction is a slight skin redness, swelling, itching, bruising or slight pain and tenderness. These reactions usually disappear shortly after each injection.
Q: How long does a Restylane treatment last?
A: Restylane is long-lasting but not permanent. After the initial treatment, follow-up sessions are normally recommended. A recent study showed that Restylane can last up to 36 months with just two re-treatments.
Q: What do Restylane treatments involve?
A: The treatment applies the following protocol:
Restylane is injected into the skin and takes about 15 to 30 minutes for full efficacy. It does not affect your facial expression after the treatment.
– For the first 2 weeks following your treatment, avoid exposure to excessive heat, e.g. saunas and hot springs. Also, avoid massaging the injected area. It’s that simple.
Q: Do I need to stay at home and rest after the treatment?
A: Restylane treatments involve very minimal downtime. You can actually resume your activities right after the treatment.
Q: Who is qualified to administer Restylane treatments?
A: Medically qualified health professionals, including plastic surgeons, dermatologists and cosmetic physicians are all qualified to administer Restylane treatments*
(*Source: I. NArins R.S. et al. Dermatol Surg 2011;37:1-7)
3. Radiesse and Sculptra Aesthetic (collagen stimulators)
These fillers are for patients who need more moderate amounts of volume restoration particularly around the mouth and the jowls.
4. Artefill (permanent filler)
This filler is approved for use in the nasolabial folds. Unlike other fillers, it is not absorbed over time, making potential complications harder to correct.
Face and neck:
Raise the eyebrows
Treating the muscles above the eyebrows with Botox or Dysport relaxes them, giving way to flatter brows that are temporarily lifted and sometimes more arched.
How long the results last? About 3 to 4 months
Define the upper eyelids
With age, the upper eyelids become hooded or even saggy. But injecting the brow area with filler, and using botox or Dysport to relax the muscles that pull the brow down.
How long the results last? About 3 to 4 months
Diminish under-eye bags and hollows
The cause of unsightly under-eye bags is the result of fat that has shifted. To create the most natural look, it’s important for your plastic surgeon or dermatologist to also inject the upper cheek, which will create a seamless contour between the upper portion of the cheek and the area below the eye.
Shape the cheeks
Both hyaluronic acid injectables and collagen-stimulating fillers can reinstate definition to the cheeks, giving a more defined profile and similar look to what’s achieved with fat without surgery or the “forever” factor. To get the most natural look that doesn’t look “done’ or “injected” , filler should be placed in the front of the cheeks, as opposed to the outside of the cheekbones , which causes the filler to push the eyes up.
How long the results last? Hyaluronic acid fillers, about six months; longer lasting fillers, up to one year
Downplay a pointy chin
Both fillers and toxins- either on their own or in tandem- can be injected into a chin that’s too pointy or pronounced to soften the angles and contours and relaxits muscles (only toxins can do this) To detract attention away from a cleft chin, hyaluronic acidfillers can be used as a means of filling in the indentation.
How long the results last: Toxins, three to four months; fillers, about six months to one year.
Smooth out minor nasal humps and bumps
Injecting the nose with hyaluronic acid fillers is ideal for those who want to test drive what they could look like after rhinoplasty surgery (depending on their anatomy and the defect they want corrected) . The technique can also be used on those with a small depression that doesn’t necessitate surgery, or have had surgery in the past that needs some fine-tuning. Botox or Dysport can also be used to lift the tip just a bit or fix a tip that’s too pinched.
How long the results last? Six months to two years (depending on the filler) since the nose has minimal movement.
Lift the corners of the mouth
When the corners of the mouth fall flat or begin to point downward, a few injections of hyaluronic acid fillers can help. It repositions the corner of the mouth horizontally so they don’t point down and provide an unintended frown.
How long the results last? About six months
Lessen neck wrinkles
Thick bands and wrinkles are a dead giveaway that the aging process has begun, but one of the easiest ways to get rid of them is with regular injections of Botox or Dysport, which help ease the bands that pull down on the neck.
How long the results last? About three to six months
Lessen Marionette lines and nasalabial folds
Those pesky fine lines that run downward from the outer corners of the mouth can easily be corrected with hyaluronic acid and long-lasting fillers, like Radiesse ( which is FDA- approved for this mode of treatment) and Artefill. Some dermatologists and plastic and facial plastic surgeons choose to also inject the surrounding areas as well as the upper lip to give a more uniform and natural look.
How long the results last? Hyaluronic acid fillers, about six months ; Radiesse, about one year or longer ; Artefill is more permanent.