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Injectable Implants
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Injectable Implants
There are a number of injectable treatments available
on the market today. Injectable treatments are often
used to soften or eliminate the appearance of wrinkles
and to enjance the size of the lips. There are many
injectable products available on the market that can
perform these function, such as:
* Botox® Cosmetic
* Collagen
* Fat
* Radiance™
* Restylane™
While many of these treatments perform essentially
the same function, the main difference is the method
in which they perform the function and the length of
time the treatment will last. For instance, Restylane™
lasts between 3 and 6 months while Radiance™ lasts between
3 and 6 years. This is a huge difference if you merely
want to see what you would look like with bigger lips.
Botox® Cosmetic
One of the most popular injectable treatments for reducing
wrinkles is Botox® Cosmetic. Since Botox® Cosmetic
is a toxin, it reduces wrinkles in the face by disabling
the muscles in the face that crease the skin and cause
wrinkles. Botox® Cosmetic, once injected, typically
lasts around 3 to 6 months.
Although it is a toxin, Botox® Cosmetic has been
used safely by ophthalmologists for over 10 years. It
has been used for wrinkle therapy since the early 1990's
with no serious side effects documented. Recently, Botox®
Cosmetic has also been proven and used to effectively
releive headaches, treat eye uncontrolled eye twitching
and crossed eyes, muscle spasms and excessive underarm
sweating by relaxing the muscles that promote them.
Botox® Cosmetic injections relax the muscles that
create wrinkles thereby lessening the appearance of
frown lines, laugh lines and crow's feet. After a Botox®
Cosmetic injection, for example, you are no longer able
to frown so the lines created by frowning are eliminated.
A small amount of Botox® Cosmetic is injected right
into the muscles that are responsible for creating wrinkles.
Botox® Cosmetic effectively inactivates the muscles
that produce wrinkles, thereby causing lines to disappear
or diminish dramatically.
A Botox® Cosmetic treatment is quick, and results
usually last three to six months. After that, you may
return for a follow-up injection. Some doctors report
that after several treatments, the effect of Botox®
Cosmetic appears to last longer, often up to several
months while some reports prove quite the opposite.
The most common complication is a slight, temporary
drooping of the eyelid. Botox® Cosmetic is used
in extremely small amounts and does not spread throughout
the body, so you can return to full activity immediately.
Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding or who have
a neurologic disease should not use Botox® Cosmetic.
Collagen Replacement
Therapy
Collagen can also be used to reduce wrinkles. Collagen,
when injected, replenishes the support layer of collagen
that occurs naturally in the skin and last about the
same amount of time as Botox® Cosmetic (3 to 6 months).
Collagen may also be used to augment (increase) the
lips. A collagen injection into the lips will create
more volume resulting in fuller lips. Currently, the
downside of a collagen injection is that testing is
required prior to treatment, so injections are not performed
on the same day as a consultation. New synthetic collagen
injectable is in production that will eliminate the
need for testing prior to collagen treatment in the
future.
Facial lines and wrinkles are caused by the wearing
down of the natural collagen support layer that lies
just beneath your skin. Creams can moisturize or exfoliate
the surface of your skin but they cannot diminish the
lines or wrinkles that are caused by the wearing away
of the underlying support layer. Collagen Replacement
Therapy is a safe, non-surgical treatment that smoothes
out facial lines, wrinkles and scars by replenishing
the natural collagen support layer beneath your skin.
The results may be seen immediately.
What is collagen?
Just beneath the outer layer, or epidermis, of your
skin is the dermis, which is composed primarily of the
protein collagen. Collagen forms a network of fibers
that provides a framework for the growth of cells and
blood vessels. As the primary component of the dermis,
collagen acts as the support structure for your skin.
When your skin is young, the collagen framework is
intact, keeping your skin elastic. Over time, the collagen
framework weakens and your skin loses elasticity. Older
skin is less resilient, so the facial lines that appear
with a smile or frown do not disappear when you stop
smiling or frowning.
Are creams containing collagen enough to smooth
out lines?
While creams may temporarily diminish the harshness
of facial lines or wrinkles, they only work on the surface.
They cannot penetrate the skin to remedy the underlying
cause of lines or wrinkles, the depleted collagen support
layer. Creams can, however, help you to keep your skin
supple by slowing the rate of water loss from the surface
of the skin.
How does Collagen Replacement Therapy work?
Collagen replacement therapy replenishes the skin's
natural collagen support layer, smoothing facial lines
and most types of scars. Collagen implants are injected
just beneath the skin's surface, where the body commonly
accepts them as its own. Collagen replacement therapy
produces an immediately visible difference in the appearance
of your skin.
What can I expect with Collagen Replacement
Therapy?
Collagen replacement therapy is a proven, non-surgical
treatment simple enough to be completed during your
lunch hour. Our doctors will review with you your medical
history, the risks and benefits of treatment and the
specific areas you want treated. collagen replacement
therapy may not be appropriate for certain lines and
scars, or in the presence of certain medical conditions.
For most people, it is a safe, convenient and immediate
way to treat lines and wrinkles.
Just like natural collagen, injectable collagen loses
its form and wears down. Ongoing treatments are required
to maintain the improvements achieved with collagen
replacement therapy.
What are the risks of Collagen Replacement
Therapy?
Collagen replacement therapy is not for everyone. Since
all collagen currently available is of bovine origin
it may cause allergic reactions in some patients. We
require that all patients receiving collagen injections
undergo a collagen test six weeks prior to injection.
New synthetic collagen is being developed that promises
all of the advantages of collagen without the risk of
allergic reaction.
Fat Transfer
A fat transfer, also called autologous fat transfer
or micro-lipoinjection, fills facial features with the
patient's own fat. Unlike collagen, since the fat is
harvested from the patients own body, they cannot develop
an allergic reaction to it. The results of a fat transfer
usually last a few months with one treatment but can
be come permanent with multiple treatments.
Injectable fat taken from your own body is the most
frequently used material for filling facial wrinkles
and frown lines.
While collagen is popular as an injectable filler,
it is not for everyone. Some people are allergic to
collagen or may develop an allergic reaction. Everyone
must have a skin test prior to receiving collagen injections.
Fat transfer, also called autologous fat transfer or
micro-lipoinjection, fills facial features with the
patient's own fat. Because the fat comes from your own
body, you cannot develop an allergic reaction. Fat transfer
to the face is a safe procedure designed to
re-contour the face and provide definition to cheeks,
chin, lips and eyes.
The fat used for fat transfer is removed either with
a syringe or via liposuction from one part of your body,
like the abdomen or thighs, and injected into another
area that requires plumping.
Injected fat lasts longer in larger areas of non-movement,
so it is successful for the correction of grooves under
the eyes and sunken cheeks. Fat grafting can also correct
atrophic, aging of the hands.
Fat grafting is performed in our office on an outpatient
basis. Both the area from which the fat is taken and
the treatment site are anesthetized with a local anesthetic.
Using a small needle attached to a syringe, fat is removed
from a donor site where the fat is most tightly packed,
such as the abdomen.
Once removed, the fat is processed to remove excess
fluid and then reinjected using another needle, which
is placed just under the skin beneath the wrinkle. This
process may be repeated until the desired correction
has been achieved.
Swelling is expected after fat injection and discomfort
following the procedure can be easily controlled with
medication. There may also be some bruising. Over the
first few months your body will absorb about 65% of
the fat. The remaining 35% will usually stay in place.
For longer lasting results, patients usually receive
three or four treatments over six months.
Radiance™
Radiance is a relatively new synthetic product on the
market that has successfully been used to augment the
lips. Radiance™ is a composite of material found in
teeth and bone, and the effects of a Radiance™ injection
can last from 3 to 6 years. A common side effect of
Radiance™ is the development of calcium deposits. These
deposits occasionally show up as lumps in the injected
area. The doctor will administer a steroid injection
to breakdown the calcium deposit.
Radiance™, a new injectable implant that was recently
made available in the U.S. There are tremendous differences
between Radiance™ and other injectables such as collagen
and Botox™.
Radiance™, like collagen, can be used to augment the
lips but, unlike collagen, which has a 3 to 4 percent
allergy reaction, Radiance™ has a zero allergy reaction.
Radiance™ can also be used as a "filler" for
wrinkles, but unlike its counterpart Botox,™ the muscles
are not relaxed; therefore, the face retains its expressiveness.
How Long Does It Last?
One primary difference between collagen and Radiance™
is the length of time that the injected substance is
retained by the body. Collagen has a "life-span"
of about 6 months, which is not bad if you are just
trying out the "look" of it. However, if you
want a more permanent solution, Radiance™ will last
up to 3 years.
Is It Dangerous?
Since Radiance™ is an injectable, there is no surgery
and only a small amount of local anesthetic required.
Radiance™ is made from well-known biocompatible substances
found in teeth and bone, which will be absorbed by the
body over a period of about 3 years. As with any injectable,
the procedure should only be performed by a trained
medical professional.
Restylane™
Another new product on the market is Restylane™. Restylane™
is a completely natural alternative to reduce wrinkles
and augment the lips. Restylane™ does not require testing
like collagen, does not disable muscles like Botox®
Cosmetic, does not require harvesting like a fat transfer
and does not have the occasional side effects or the
lengthy effect of Radiance™. The effects of Restylane™
last between 3 and 6 months.
What if we told you that there was a new method for
smoothing wrinkles and enhancing lips that was completely
natural with no risk of allergic reaction? What if we
also told you that the effects would last for 4 to 8
months (unlike Radiance™ which can last up to 6 years)
and then dissolve into water and depart your body without
leaving a trace? Well, it's all true and it's called
Restylane™ by Q-Med Laboratories®. Restylane™ is
a non-animal based product derived from hyaluronic acid
(present in all living organisms) in the form of a clear
gel. Once Restylane™ is injected into the skin it works
with the body's own hyaluronic acid to create volume.
Unlike Botox™, Restylane™ does not relax the facial
muscles therefore the face does not lose any of its
ability to form expressions. Best of all, a Restylane™
treatment is relatively painless and takes an average
of about 30 minutes to perform.
Below is a cross section of skin before a Restylane™
injection. As we grow older our skin loses its elasticity
and lines form . These lines turn to wrinkles and the
wrinkles turn to folds in the skin.
A Restylane™ treatment will actually fill the depressions
in the skin and smooth out the skins surface appearance
resulting in a more youthful complexion.
Restylane™ can be used on any area of the face such
as: worry lines, nasolabial folds (vertical lines extending
from nose to chin), oral commissures (lines at the corner
of the mouth), glabellar lines (frown lines), periorbital
lines (crows feet), perioral lines (smokers lines) and
smile lines. (see figure below)
Please note: The content and photos contained on this
page in regards to injectable implants are NOT sponsored
or paid advertisements. This page is for educational
and informational purposes only. Only doctors listed
in the Implants.com doctor directory or listed as sponsors
are paid advertisements. The content on this page is
copyrighted and owned by Dr. Marvin Borsand and The
Body Sculpting Center.
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