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Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox Cosmetic) is a protein complex produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which contains the same toxin that causes food poisoning. When used in a medical setting as an injectable form of sterile, purified botulinum toxin, small doses block the release of a chemical called acetylcholine by nerve cells that signal muscle contraction. By selectively interfering with the underlying muscles' ability to contract, existing frown lines are smoothed out and, in most cases, are nearly invisible in a week. For additional information visit this link. Soft tissue
fillers are used to plump up lips, fill deep wrinkles, soften laugh
lines, plump up cheeks, chins and jaw lines, correct contour There are a variety of fillers used, some temporary, and some permanent. Autologous fat (fat harvested from your own body), once vascularized, can become a permanent filler in areas where it is injected. Other commonly used products are Zyderm (bovine collagen), Cosmoderm (human collagen), Radiance (hydroxyapetite), Alloderm (human dermis), and Cymetra (injectable human dermis). All these agents produce excellent results, and the length of time these products last depends on the location used, the product used, and your own body make-up. But in general, they last anywhere from a few weeks to possibly years. (collage 1-3 months, Radiance 1-3 years, human dermis 3 months-2 years) The choice of filler to be used is determined by your goals and desires, and often, the best results are obtained when filler injections are combined with other procedures such as Botox, chemical peel, or cosmetic surgery. These procedures compliment each other and enable a more accurate restoration of a youthful, well rested appearance.
CosmoDerm and CosmPlast are made from human collagen, which has been purified from human dermal skin grown under controlled laboratory conditions. When injected into the body's skin it is accepted as if it were the body's own collagen, forming a network of collagen fibers. If you discontinue treatment, the new collagen is simply reabsorbed and your face gradually returns to its natural contours. For additional information visit this link.
Radiance is an
injectable implant material that can fill the lines around the face,
especially the laugh lines. Unlike bovine collagen, no allergy testing
is required. The material can be placed without any skin testing. Best
of all, Radiance lasts years as opposed to months like Collagen.
Although slightly more costly than Collagen, in the long term, less
money is actually spent. Other
applications for Radiance include filling out depressions and scars on
the face. The correction achieved is both predictable and long lasting.
Recently FDA approved for use in the United States, Restylane is an Injectable material like Collagen. Used in Europe and Canada for nearly a decade, it appears that it is both longer lasting than other materials and causes less hypersensitivity reactions. Restylane, a naturally occurring biodegradable polysaccharide, is a hyaluronic acid produced by fermentation and metabolized by the body. Restylane is used to smoothen skin in the lower face, particularly around the mouth, cheeks and lips. Restylane requires no prior skin testing and lasts between 6-12 months.
In the normal process of aging, fat is redistributed to areas such as the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks and is taken away from areas such as the face and hands. Because of this redistribution and this loss of fat, you may appear older than you actually are. By replenishing the lost fat, a more youthful look can be achieved. Fat grafting fills facial features with a patient's own fat. The fat used for fat transfer is extracted from part of your body like the abdomen or thighs and injected into another area that requires plumping. Since the fat is your own, a significant portion of the fat becomes permanent, and therefore it eliminates the need for constant reinjections, as with other materials. The advantage of fat grafting is that the fat comes from your own body, so you cannot develop an allergic reaction unlike other external implant substances that are introduced into the body. Your body naturally accepts the injected fat. The fat is processed and re-injected into the area using a fine needle and syringe. The most common areas of fat graft placement are the lips and the nasal-labial fold lines of the face (laugh lines). Other areas that fat is used can also be hands, cheeks, scar depressions, irregularities, or to recontour the face or body. The procedure can take anywhere from one to a few hours. There is usually swelling and mild bruising noted which resolve over the first week after the injection of the fat. For additional information visit this link.
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Botox injections
are the fastest-growing cosmetic procedure in the industry, according to
the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). In 2001,
more than 1.6 million people received injections, an increase of 46
percent over the previous year. More popular than breast enhancement
surgery and a potential blockbuster, Botox is regarded by some as the
ultimate fountain of youth.
deformities, and restore a smoother, more youthful appearance by
increasing the volume of the tissue under the skin. As we age, our faces
begin to show the effects of gravity, sun exposure, and years of facial
muscle movement, and the underlying tissues that keep our skin looking
youthful and plumped up begin to break down, often leaving laugh lines,
smile lines, crow's feet or facial creases. By replacing these lost
tissues, you can restore a more youthful appearance.
Collagen is part
of the natural support structure of the skin. After the age of 30,
collagen decreases at a rate of about 1% per year. However, sun exposure
over one's lifetime dramatically affects collagen and is responsible for
most of the loss of elasticity and fullness of the skin which occurs
with aging. Collagen replacement therapy replenishes the skin's collagen
layer, smoothing
lines, wrinkles and scars,
and adding definition
to lip borders from the
inside out.