Introduction to Injectables: The Different Types and Common Areas to Inject
Two Types of Injectables
1. Muscle Relaxers: Dysport® and BOTOX® are two wrinkle relaxers that we use at our Boca Raton plastic surgery practice. In 2014, 6.3 million injections of Botox® were given to men and women in the United States, and Dysport was a close second. Tested safe by the FDA, these injectables relax the “muscles of animation,” which are those muscles that move the most when we smile or frown, such as those around the eyes, between the brows, and around the chin to weaken muscles that cause the corners of the mouth to turn down. Both can also be used to soften the bands of the neck. Repeated use of these muscle relaxers has been shown to diminish future wrinkling, so less is needed over time. The results of Dysport® and Botox® last 3-4 months, depending on a given patient’s rate of absorption.
2. Wrinkle Fillers: Wrinkles cause little “indentations” in the skin that can be plumped up with wrinkle fillers, also called “dermal fillers.” They can also be used to plump the lips and the backs of the hands. We carry four dermal fillers:
- Juvéderm®
- Juvéderm® Voluma XC, sometimes just called Voluma
- Restylane®
- Sculptra®
Common Areas for Dermal Fillers
- The back of the hands
- The frown lines between the eyes, sometimes called the “11’s” because they appear to be the number 11 when you wrinkle your brows
- Marionette lines, those between the mouth and the chin
- Nasolabial folds, those between the nose and the mouth
- Wrinkles above the upper lip
- To add lip volume
- To outline the lips, particularly Cupid’s Bow
- To create fullness for those with hollows beneath the eyes
- In plump and lift the cheeks
- In a “liquid rhinoplasty” to reshape certain nasal deformities
A smooth gel made of hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a natural ingredient in our skin, Juvéderm® binds with the water molecules in the skin to plump and hydrate. A favorite among our patients in Boca Raton, Juvéderm® lasts up to nine months after injection.
Approved by the FDA as a filler specifically created to add volume in the cheek area, Voluma XC eliminates the “flat” facial appearance that comes with age as the cheek pad descends lower on the face. Voluma® is a “deep” injectable but, with the use of blunt cannula needles, you’ll feel no discomfort during treatment, and you’ll love the results, which last up to two years!
Restylane®, like Juvéderm®, is a hyaluronic acid filler. The difference is that Restylane® is a granular gel with a firmer texture, perfect for the lips and for deeper wrinkles. My Boca Raton Restylane® patients find the results last approximately six months, on average.
Sculptra®
Originally created to combat facial volume loss in AIDS patients, Sculptra® works overtime to deliver natural-appearing facial volume. It can be used in the temples, cheeks, marionette lines, and in smile lines from the mouth to the chin. Results last up to two years in the average patient.
A Warning about BOTOX®, Dysport® and Dermal Fillers
In the United States, any licensed MD can inject Botox®, Dysport®, and facial fillers. The question is, “Would you want a non-plastic surgeon to inject you?” Something to remember is this: “The hand that holds the needle determines your results.” Facial anatomy is complex. Injecting incorrectly can create uneven brows, weakened eye muscles, overly filled lips (trout pout), and any number of other results that won’t please you. Your face is there for everyone to see, so I advise that you choose a plastic surgeon with over 30 years of experience with these materials. Experience and skill matter, not just in surgery, but in non-surgical rejuvenation as well.
If you’d like to do something about your facial aging, call my office at 561-417-0171 for a consultation or complete this online consultation form. I’ll give you my best advice, based on over 30 years of experience, as to the treatment or procedure that will give you the results that you want.
Dr. Jonathan Ross Berman is a Boca Raton plastic surgeon who has been certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery with over 30 years of service experience specializing in Breast Augmentation, Rhinoplasty, Face Lift, Liposuction, and many other types of plastic surgery in Boca Raton, FL.
