Beauty Doc Blog

Everyone wants to live a long, healthy life, but one of the downsides of aging is the effects to our appearance.  As we age our faces show the effects of time.  Gravity, exposure to the sun, and the effects of years of muscle movement, including chewing, smiling and squinting cause changes.  Laugh lines, smile lines, facial crease and crow’s feet can be the result.  Noninvasive cosmetic treatments include injectable fillers.

Popular fillers include collagen or fat, both of which can fill in the lines and creases and restore a youthful looking appearance.  These fillers can plump up creased ad sunken facial areas. Additionally they add fullness to the lips and the checks.  Either used alone or in conjunction with a resurfacing procedure, as an example a laser treatment; or a re-contouring produce such as a face lift or mini lift, injectable fillers can help and do help many patients. 

Understand The Procedure Before You Get It

Injected collagen and fat are used to improve  appearance in the texture of the skin. This includes filing out deep facial wrinkles, furrows and creases and the appearance of sunken cheeks. Also some types of scarring can be helped with injectables, and the lips can be made to appear more full and sensuous.

There are other types of fillers that can be used.  These include Fibril which is a gelatin powder compounds mixed with the patient’s own blood and injected in a manner similar to that of collagen. Also Gortex, a material that is implanted beneath the skin to add support to soft tissue.

What Should Be Expected By The Patient?

The results of injectables are temporary as the material is eventually metabolized by the patient’s body so the effects do not last as long as those of plastic surgery.  The results can last from a few weeks to very long term depending on the person.  Age, genetics, quality of skin and lifestyle are all related to the staying power of injectables, with every patient reacting differently. Some people have had less than satisfying results from collagen and find that fat injections help them, and the same is true of those who have had less desirable results from fat than they would wish.

What Risks Are There With Injectables?

Complications from injectables are rate, and generally minor.  However all people are different so the patient should be made aware of all possible complications, such as allergies to collagen.  Ask your surgeon to perform an allergy skin test to avoid this possibility. Other risks include abscesses, open sores, infections, scarring, lumpiness and skin peeling.  Still, these side effects are not common and thousands of people have had possible results from noninvasive injectables.