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Non-Invasive TreatmentsRestylaneRestylane is a cosmetic dermal filler made of non-animal based hyaluronic acid. It was FDA-approved in 2003 for the correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds, the lines between the nose and mouth. Upon being injected beneath the skin's surface, the gel adds natural volume and lift to smooth wrinkles and folds. Restylane integrates into dermal tissue then attracts and binds to water molecules to help maintain volume. Restylane is gradually degraded by the body's own mechanism and disappears without any residue. Results can be seen immediately following treatment and last six months, or even longer.HylaformHylaform is a hyaluronic acid-based product used in the temporary treatment of facial wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance present in all living cells throughout the body and helps maintain skin volume. Injected just below the surface of the skin, the products add volume to the skin, smoothing unwanted lines and wrinkles. The body naturally absorbs Hylaform over time. No skin test is necessary before treatment and immediate results can be seen. Hylaform was FDA-approved in 2004 for injection into the mid to deep dermis for correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds (such as nasolabial folds). Hylaform Plus, with its larger gel molecules, was FDA-approved for the correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds.CollagenInjected collagen is primarily used to improve the appearance of the skin's texture. It can help fill out deep facial wrinkles, creases and furrows, skin depressions and some types of scars. It can also be used to give a fuller, more sensous look to the lips. Collagen is not usually sufficient for severe surface wrinkles on the face, such as multiple vertical "lipstick lines" that sometimes form around the mouth.Some people may be allergic to the product, so a skin test is required prior to use. The results of your collagen injection will vary for each individual as will the length of time it will last. Some patients have reported their treatment lasting a year or longer, while others report a duration of only 3-6 months. Fat InjectionsFat transfer, also called autologous fat transplantation or micro-lipoinjection, plumps up facial features with a patient's own fat, and is a popular alternative to other wrinkle treatments. Fat transfer to the face is a safe, natural non-allergenic procedure, designed to recontour your face, and can provide definition to your cheeks and chin. It can also be used to correct facial deformitites. Since fat transfer uses your own fat cells, you can never have an allergic reaction, because it's from your own body.With fat transfer, it is possible to have fat liposuctioned from your thighs, for example, and then transferred to any area of your body. Reinjected fat lasts longer in larger areas of non-movement, so it is very successful for the correction of sunken cheeks, because this area does not move as often. Fat transfer can also correct atrophic aging of the hands, and post-surgical and post-traumatic defects. But not every area of the body responds well to fat transfer. The breasts for instance, are not appropriate. Injecting fat into the breast makes it much more difficult to detect breast cancer with mammograms. Fat transfer is performed on an outpatient basis. Both the area from which the fat is taken, and the treatment site, are anesthesized with a local anesthetic. Using a small needle attached to a syringes, fat is removed from a donor site, where the fat is most tightly packed, such as the abdomen or the buttocks. Once removed, the fat is processed to remove excess fluids, and then reinjected using another needle, which is placed under the skin beneath the wrinkle. This process may be repeated until the desired correction has been achieved. Harvesting the fat cells for reinjection is often performed in conjunction with other procedures, such as liposuction, tummy tuck or cosmetic breast surgery. When fat is harvested during another procedure, it is often possible to obtain a larger amount of fat, then freeze and store that fat, for future usage when it becomes necessary. BotoxBotox injections are used to weaken the fine muscles around the eyes and forehead that are responsible for the frown lines and deep wrinkles that occur in these areas. By selectively weakinging the proper muscles, the surgeon can eliminate the wrinkles without disturbing normal function.Treatment consists of a number of tiny injections made through a very fine needle directly into the muscle. Effects of the injections begin to appear within a few days. The results generally last around four to six months, after which time, the injections must be repeated. Injectable FillersThe use of injectable facial fillers is one of the fastest growing areas in the field of cosmetic surgery. Many advances in have been made in the last 5 years that have led to safer, more predictable and longer lasting fillers.As one ages, the face loses volume. This creates more prominent wrinkles and skin folds while features become less distinct. Dynamic wrinkles caused by facial movement such as smiling and frowning appear. Injectables were designed to subtly reduce these signs of aging. Injectables include two basic classes: fillers, to restore lost volume, and botulinum toxin injections, to lessen the appearance of wrinkles with smiling, frowning, concentrating and looking surprised. Most fillers work by filling the lip or wrinkle with volume and are gradually digested by the body. While botulinum toxin injections work by weaken the underlying muscles to decrease their overlying dynamic movement. FDA approved injectable fillers include Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid Fillers, Fillers with microscopic beads and Poly Lactic Acid. For those wishing to avoid the injection of any foreign material, lipotransfer, the harvesting and reinjection of your own fat, may be an option. Collagen Fillers: These were the first FDA approved fillers. They had the disadvantage of requiring a skin test prior to injection with a one month wait prior to treatment. As new injectables were approved by the FDA, these declined in popularity. Evolence is a filler that is made from porcine collagen (derived from pig tissue) and has the consistency of a paste. Allergy testing is not required, permitting injection immediately following consultation. Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: These were the first of the new fillers to be FDA approved. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring carbohydrate which occurs in skin. It is a clear gel with a thick consistency. Since skin testing is not required, injections may be done on the same day as the initial consultation. Manufacturers have manipulated particle size (thickness) and crosslinked molecules to offer both normal and longer duration products. Restylane and Juviderm are examples of normal duration products that are injected in more superficial lines and have easier flow characteristics. Perlane and Juviderm Ultra Plus are examples of longer duration products are usually injected into deeper lines and folds. The newest advance has been the addition of local anesthetic, Lidocaine, to the filler to reduce discomfort upon injection. Prevelle silk is an example of this advance. Elvess and Prevelle Silk are hyaluronic acid filler that contains the local anesthetic dilute lidocaine. By combining a local anesthetic with the filler, the injection process is more comfortable for the patient, although most surgeons use local anesthetic injection routinely before filler administration. Fillers With Microscopic Beads: This class includes Radiesse and Artefill. Radiesse contains calcium based microspheres suspended in a water based gel. Since skin testing is not required treatment may be received on the same day as consultation. Artefil contains polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) synthetic microspheres suspended in a bovine collagen gel and lidocaine. A skin test is required and must wait at least one month following the skin test for injection. The advantage is its longer duration of effect since the body does not reabsorb the synthetic PMMA microspheres. Poly Lactic Acid Fillers: Sculptra is substance known as L-Poly Lactic Acid which is similar to the material used to make a type of suture that is used to close lacerations. This material does not require allergy testing. Following injection the body produces new collagen in the area injected. The reaction is not immediate but increases over the next 3-4 weeks after injection. Who is a Candidate?
Intended Results
Procedure Description
Recuperation and healing
Other options
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