What You Should Know

There are many non-surgical options that are a great compliment to pre-and post-surgical facial procedures. In some cases, they make excellent improvements without surgical intervention. These treatments range from non-invasive to minimally-invasive procedures that provide temporary relief of fine lines, wrinkles or sun damage that makes skin look older.

Facts on Fillers

What are fillers?

Temporary implants that are injected into the dermis or deep dermis layer of our skin. Fillers are used to treat mild, moderate or severe facial wrinkles or creases.

What to expect:

Each treatment session will involve multiple small needle injections on each side of the face. The sessions will take approximately 1 hour. One to three treatments will be required to maintain the best result, depending on the filler you choose. You will have mild soreness, swelling and possible bruising lasting hours, to 2-3 days after your treatment (which may be covered with makeup within 4 hours). The product chosen and individual facial characteristics will determine how long the correction will last and how frequently you will need to return for follow up injections.

Possible side effects:

Fillers can be associated with bumps, papules or nodules in the deep skin layer. Most are not visible, but only palpable and non-threatening. If a large papule occurs, it can be excised, or it will resolve on its own in 6-12 months. Redness, swelling or bruising at the site of injections, typically resolving within 24 hours, may occur and last up to 7 days. Corrections may not last the desired length of time. Our recommendation is to come before all visible correction is gone.

Will I need anesthesia?

Yes, it makes the procedure more comfortable to tolerate if a topical anesthetic is used. A combination cream of Lidocaine, Benzocaine and Tetrocaine is used for most fillers, EXCEPT Radiesse, which requires a dental block.

Fillers

Restylane®
Restylane® is considered a premier wrinkle filler because it is a safe, temporary, non-animal form of Hyaluronic Acid Gel and a naturally occurring substance that binds water to cells. Restylane® is injected to fill out creases and lines.

Radiesse™
Radiesse™ is a biocompatible, non-toxic, non-allergenic filler that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and skin folds around the mouth and nose, and fills certain scars.

Sculptra™
Sculptra™ is used for restoring volume and improving facial contours due to facial fat loss and can be used for cosmetic correction of scars and wrinkles.

ArteFill®
ArteFill® is the first and only FDA-approved, non-resorbable, injectable wrinkle filler for the correction of facial wrinkles known as smile lines. The unique PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) microspheres in ArteFill® are not absorbed by the body and provide the permanent support your skin needs for long-lasting wrinkle correction. It is a combination of purified bovine collagen gel and PMMA. A skin test is required by the FDA to determine if you have an allergy to bovine products.

Cosmoderm®
Cosmoderm® I, Cosmoderm® II and CosmoPlast® are human-based collagen injections that act as a skin filler for smoothing out your facial wrinkles, lines, or acne scars. Cosmoderm® is also used as a temporary lip plumper.

Juvederm™
Juvederm™ and Juvederm™ Plus injectable gels are a 'next-generation' dermal filler. The smooth consistency gel helps to instantly restore your skin's volume and smooth away facial wrinkles and folds, like your 'smile lines' or 'parentheses.'

Botox® Cosmetic
Botox® Cosmetic (botulinum toxin type A) is nature's most potent blocker of nerve impulses that cause overactive facial muscles. It works by partially blocking the chemicals that cause facial muscles to contract and decreases the pull of these muscles, thereby allowing treatment of some skin creases without surgery.

Botox® Injection Sites:
• Nose/Eyebrows
• Crow's Feet
• Horizontal Forehead
• Brow Lift (Medial and Lateral)
• Smoker's Lines
• Chin
• Down Turned Mouth

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

The signs of aging go beyond fine lines and wrinkles. Photo damage is the result of a lifetime of ultraviolet light exposure. The visible signs include pigmentary changes, coarse skin texture, spider veins, facial redness, hair removal, enlarged pores, sun damage and-of course-wrinkles. Intense Pulsed Light treatments such as the Palomar TX guide, which uses sapphire crystal, are designed to combat the effects of aging with a gentle approach.

Treatments Available:
• Hair Reduction
• Pigmentation Reduction
• Acne TX
• Facial Vessels/Rosacea ETC
-Cherry Angiomas
• Leg Veins

Leg Vein Sclerotherapy
 
Spider Vein and Telangiectatic leg veins are a common complaint for people who visit our office, and laser and/or sclerotherapy is an excellent treatment for most people. These unsightly vessels are treated in a series of injections of 2-4 sessions, 1 month apart for improvement of up to 80%. Varicose veins are NOT ideal for sclerotherapy. Please call to see if you are an eligible candidate for the injectable service.

Lux 1540

Fractional™ Laser Treatment provides the benefits of ablative laser skin resurfacing without the downtime and lengthy recovery period. By penetrating deep into the dermis while leaving the protective barrier of the skin completely intact, this treatment allows the body's natural healing process to create new healthy tissue. As new healthy tissue develops, skin imperfections such as acne, pockmarks, scars, pigmented lesions, age spots, fine lines and small wrinkles begin to fade away.

Treatments Available:
• Acne Scarring
• Melasma (resistant brown stain)
• Fine Lines and Wrinkles
• Scars
• Large Pores
• Stretch Marks