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Monday, July 23, 2012

My favorite filler

People often ask: what's your favorite filler to use?

The simple answer: all of them. 

What filler I use depends on a few things: whether the person has had fillers injected before, how much volume the person has lost, what area we are injecting, and how quickly the person wants to see results. 

To start, the three main types of fillers I use are the hyaluronic acid fillers (juvederm, restylane, and perlane); calcium hydroxylapatite (radiesse), and poly-L-lactic acid (sculptra). 

The hyaluronic acid fillers usually last 9 months- 1 year.  They are my filler of choice for lip augmentation and tear troughs (undereye hollows).  They are also a great option for people that have never done any fillers before.  This group of fillers can be dissolved by an injection of an enzyme called hyaluronidase.  Hyaluronic acid can also be used for cheek rejuvination, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and chin improvement.  Care must be taken not to inject too superficially, because they will look blue under the skin.

Calcium hydroxylapatite tends to last about 18 months.  This filler is more "substantial" than the hyaluronic acids and tends to give a little more lift.  It's a great choice for those who have had fillers injected previously and want something more volumizing and longer lasting.  It needs to be injected deeper than the hyaluronic acid fillers.  Cheeks and lower face (marionette lines, jawline, chin) can all be reshaped with calcium hydroxylapatite.  Results are instantaneous.

Poly-L-lactic acid works differently than the other fillers.  It stimulates collagen formation over a series of treatments about 4-6 weeks apart.  This treatment works well for hollowed areas, such as the temples, cheeks, and lower face.  Because the changes come about slowly, results are gradual and natural.  Results can last for 2 years. 

Talk to your dermatologist about what filler (or combination of fillers) is right for you.  In the right hands, a natural, more youthful look can be easily achieved. 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Those silly derm terms...

Sometimes derm terms are a little confusing...

Ringworm is not from a worm.

You can't contract Lyme disease from margaritas.

Cafe au lait spots are not caused by downing too many mochaccinos.

Molluscum contagiosum has nothing to do with escargot. (Have no idea what that is? Just wait until you have kids!)

Similarly, chickenpox is not from poultry.

Ain't nothing funny about laugh lines. Or frown lines. Or crow's feet - which are not from birds.

Spider veins do not mean arachnids are living on you.

Cherry angiomas can not be purchased in the produce aisle.

I could go on and on...




Monday, July 2, 2012

Botox myths debunked

Hating the lines on your forehead but still hesitating to get Botox? Here's the skinny on one of my favorite beauty treatments.

"I'm afraid I'll look wierd."
With proper technique, a very natural, more youthful result can be achieved. Botox, dysport, and xeomin can smooth the "eleven" lines between the eyebrows, which make people appear angry, even when they're not. It can relax lines across the forehead, as well as crow's feet. It can stop wrinkles on the nose (bunny lines), a dimpled chin (golf ball chin), and tight neck bands. A board certified dermatologist with cosmetic experience has the training necessary for beautiful, natural, "non-wierd" results.

"I don't think it's safe."
Botox has been used in millions of patients for 20 years in the treatment of both medical and cosmetic conditions. While there are certain patients that should not have the treatment (those with an allergy to the product, certain neuromuscular conditions, those pregnant or nursing), when used correctly, it is overall a very safe treatment, with serious side effects being extremely rare.

"I don't want to look worse once it wears off."
The effects of Botox last about three months. It works by temporarily stopping the release of a chemical from nerves called acetylcholine which instructs muscles to contract. After a short period of time, the nerves begin releasing the chemical again, and the muscle will contract, just like they did before. Wrinkles will return to what they were before the treatment.

Botox injections are one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed worldwide. With no cutting or downtime, a little can go a long way.