As seen on www.EVliving.com by Dr. Susan Van Dyke
It used to be that your only option to a younger look was to get a facelift. The results of this surgical fix varied—often appearing unnatural and “windblown.” Even with advances in plastic surgery, facelifts still only tighten the skin to get rid of wrinkles, ignoring the key to a younger looking face: volume restoration. To bring back the skin’s youthful fullness, cosmetic providers have been recommending “Liquid Facelifts” via facial fillers instead of the surgical counterpart.
Why Fillers?
The aging face loses volume over time—the cheeks, eyes, temples and chin hollow, and even ear lobes and lips lose their plumpness. When the first signs of aging start to emerge, you can correct the volume loss immediately by way of fillers. Because fillers noticeably improve and maintain the fullness in the face, they help you avoid age-related changes that can become profound enough to warrant a surgical procedure.
Filler Options
Numerous fillers have appeared on the market, but only a few have stood the test of time. One of the surviving fillers, Radiesse, promises greater longevity (up to a year or longer). Though its calcium-based composition is innovative, a true advance in liquid lifts occurred with the FDA approval of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers such as Restylane, Perlane and Juvéderm. HA is a naturally occurring sugar substance in the body that uses the skin’s moisture to hold its shape for several months to over a year. Fillers with HA have become the industry’s gold standard.
Fillers that stimulate collagen growth to reduce lines are also making headway. These types of fillers, such as Sculptra and Artefill, produce long-lasting results. Scultpra lasts up to two years; Artefill lasts for more than five years and is considered to be permanent.
The newest kids on the block are Elevess (an HA) and Evolence (a porcine collagen). These are variations on previous fillers, but both offer unique characteristics that make them interesting: Elevess contains a numbing agent and Evolence is a longer lasting collagen.
What About BOTOX?
Unlike fillers, BOTOX does not restore volume. It is different from fillers, because it targets the wrinkle-causing muscles and reduces their contractions to prevent wrinkles and soften existing lines. BOTOX and fillers are often used together to achieve optimal “Liquid Facelift” results.
Which Filler is Right for You?
With all of these options, the best approach to finding the right filler for you is to go to an experienced injector. Great results come from the talent, art and judgment of a skilled medical professional. Different people will do well with different products, so make sure your provider has broad experience with all of the fillers and combined use of them. Don’t forget to ask questions about her/his credentials and training, and have her/him review numerous options with you. For more information on the various fillers and qualified doctors who specialize in them, check out www.LiquidFacelift.com.
About The Author
Susan Van Dyke, M.D. has performed more than 10,000 procedures with liquid face lift products, including BOTOX® and advanced dermal fillers such as Restylane®, Juvedermtm, Sculptra® and ArteFill®. Founder of Van Dyke Laser & Skin (http://www.vandykelaser.com/), one of the first dermatology practices in the world to focus exclusively on cosmetic dermatology and a recognized pioneer in the industry, Dr. Van Dyke is a sought-after guest expert for television, radio, print and e-magazine features on a wide assortment of anti-aging, skin care and beauty topics. For 23 consecutive years, she has received the “Physician’s Recognition Award” from the American Medical Association. She can be reached at [email protected] or 480.948.5045.
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Tina--Sorry for the late reply! I hope this info still helps:
For fillers and BOTOX, a great place to start is to look on these websites for a provider:
BotoxCosmetic.com
Juvedermusa.com
They list practices that are "Platinum Plus Providers," which means they do a lot of injectable services. BOTOX and Juvederm are the big players in the industry, so docs who are good at those will most likely be good at the others as well.
From there, I recommend going to a clinic or medspa that has a physician overseeing treatments. Check credentials. The physician should belong to a medical association and s/he should be board certified. Ask for referrals. It's ok to have a nurse or laser tech. perform your procedures (many times they are more talented than the doc)--just don't forget to ask about their credentials too.
Check out their before & after photos (makes sure they are photos of actual patients of theirs--not the manufacturer supplied before & after photos).
I also would recommend asking them about new products. The cosmetic industry is changing and improving at lightning speed--if the provider can't tell you what's new, s/he is not doing her/his job.
For laser treatments, ask about their equipment. The lasers on the market will yield varying results, and some practices may still have outdated equipment. For example, Thermage's equipment has drastically improved over the years. If a provider is using their old equipment, you are going to have very uncomfortable treatments!
I like going to medicalspamd.com for insider info. It's a blog for medspa physicians, but it's good for consumers to visit too--you can read about the different technology and get candid info. on the results docs are getting.
Don't forget to go to this site to see what you'll look like with a liquid lift: liftmagic.com.
***Websites in post***
October 1, 2008 - 5:28pmwww.BotoxCosmetic.com
www.Juvedermusa.com
www.MedicalSpaMD.com
www.LiftMagic.com
This Comment
Hi there LindseyKarberg, Thanks for your great information. I'm at the age where some of my friends are talking about fillers, but are a little nervous about finding someone reputable. Can you make any recommendations about how to research/search for reliable providers in this area? Thanks.
September 26, 2008 - 11:59amThis Comment