EmbodyForYou.comthe online guide to health and beauty
EmbodyForYou.comthe online guide to health and beauty
As a result of age, sun damage, worry, gravity and other environmental factors, our facial skin begins to develop lines and wrinkles. Whilst this is a manifestation of ageing of the skin and a reduction in the collagen and elastic framework of the skin it is possible to smooth out folds and wrinkles using Dermal Fillers to give a more relaxed and youthful appearance.
How is the procedure done?
The chosen filler material is injected into the lines and defects to plump them out and then remains in the skin where it binds water to produce a lift and firmness to the treated areas. The filler material is introduced into the skin by a simple injection technique, usually without the need for local anesthetics.
Which areas can be treated by dermal fillers?
Dermal fillers can be used for filling out lines and wrinkles around the mouth, eyes, nose and forehead. In addition your mouth can be a fuller and more sensuous form by enhancing the lip in order to produce a better definition and reduction in lipstick bleed. The lips can also be given a greater volume and fuller appearance by this simple technique. Facial contouring, for example cheek and chin dimples can be achieved using dermal fillers to smooth out the hollows and alter the facial contour. The exact type of filler chosen will depend on the site of treatment and the degree of correction required.
How long does the treatment take?
Treatments usually take around thirty minutes and for lip enhancement a local anesthetics injection is usually given to remove any discomfort associated with treatment at this site.
How long does the treatment last?
Typically, the results of the treatment can last six to nine months but this varies from one individual to another. The filler is gradually broken down and absorbed by the body so the lines, wrinkles or lips will ultimately return to their previous appearance unless top up treatments are given. There are now some semi-permanent or even permanent dermal fillers available producing long lasting results.
Are dermal fillers a safe treatment?
The modern synthetically produced dermal fillers are extremely safe with a low incidence of allergic reaction. There is, however, a very small possibility of allergic reaction, which will be discussed with you at your consultation. There is usually some degree of redness and swelling after the treatment, which usually resolves within 1-2 days. In the case of lip augmentation there may be some swelling and bruising for several days.
Types of Dermal Fillers:
1. Restylane
Restylane smooths wrinkles and enhances lips instantly.
If you would like to get rid of wrinkles and folds or if you want to improve the image of your lips, there is a new answer to your needs. Restylane is an innovation based n non-animal hyaluronic acid, manufactured by a unique method in the Q-Med Laboratories in Sweden . The treatment is performed by injecting Restylane into the skin or lip, and because no pre-test is needed it takes less than 30 minutes. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body and therefore it also dissolves naturally with time.
The natural alliance
Hyaluronic acid is present in all living organisms. In your skin it creates volume, resulting in a healthy and vital appearance. Restylane contains hyaluronic acid in the form of a crystal-clear gel injected into the skin to lift the lip, wrinkle or fold. Once in the skin, Restylane works together with the body's own hyaluronic acid and joins forces to create volume.In contrast to other biodegradable implants, Restylane is not extracted from animals. This means no risk of allergic reactions. Therefore, Restylane is perfectly safe to use instantly without pre-testing.
Dissolves with time, leaving you a choice
Restylane's ability to bind water is unique, and when the molecules dissolve even they turn into water and depart without leaving any trace in your body. Unlike permanent implants, Restylane always leaves you a choice when the effect of the treatment has worn off. Who knows what the concept of ideal beauty will be in 5, 10 or 20 years? Furthermore, a face is constantly changing and beauty is best maintained by periodically evaluating the need for further treatment.
Free passage leads to healthy skin
In pursuit of natural beauty the most important thing to maintain over the years is healthy skin. It is very important not to disturb the body's natural balance if you have an implant inserted.
Restylane is naturally integrated into the tissue and allows for the free passage of important nutritive elements like oxygen and hormones. As cells are also able to pass between fragments of the gel the result is healthy skin all the time Restylane is present in the body.
Enjoy natural beauty for up to a year
How long the effect of Restylane treatment lasts is very individual. It depends on many factors such as the structure of the skin, lifestyle and age as well as on the degree of perfection demanded by the individual. However, we know that for the majority of the patients treated about 50-80% of the effect remains after 6 months. Most people choose to have a touch-up done within a year of the original treatment.
The great thing about Restylane is that you can replenish your natural beauty whenever you feel the need. A touch-up can be performed any time you like after the previous treatment.
2. Juvederm
Your tissue sags over the years, and your lips lose their substance. They retract, giving a sad, tired appearance. Lipstick runs, ... You look at yourself one morning in the mirror; the crow's feet in the corner of your eye, these hollowed out nasal furrows which make you look tired... they become an obsession with you. Juvederm fills nasal furrows and oral commissures and smoothes medium and superficial wrinkles. In a totally natural but not definitive way, the product will restore the sensuality of your lips and smooth curves to your face. Juvederm is also an excellent volume creator which, when injected into your cheeks, gives you back your good looks. Through a simple injection, without a prior test, minor imperfections and signs of ageing are softened very evenly.
Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid in injectable form for filling facial lines and wrinkles, enhancing the lips and correcting small facial scars and minor imperfections. Hyaluronic acid is the most popular material used for these purposes and has, over many years, been demonstrated to be both safe and effective. Juvederm is of NON animal origin, an important consideration for people today and need NO pre-test. Juvederm is the most concentrated form of hyaluronic acid available today and comes in three strengths:
Juvederm 18 for fine lines such as laughter lines around the eyes and the smoker lines or peri-oral lines above the top lip.
Juvederm 24 for medium lines and wrinkles such as naso-labial (nose to mouth) lines, glabellar lines (vertical lines between the eyebrows) and oral commisures (corner of mouth).
Juvederm 30 for medium to deep lines and wrinkles such as naso-labial folds and for chin and cheek augmentations. Juvederm 30 is also used for enhancing the border on the lips.
Without any need for preliminary testing, Juvederm can be used immediately. The outcome can be optimized and made to last longer with a follow-up procedure a few weeks after the initial treatment. The effects of Juvederm usually last 8 to 12 months, but sometimes more or sometimes less depending on skin type, the area treated, the volume injected, and the technique used for the procedure.
The company L.E.A.Derm (Paris, France) has put a great deal of effort into making Juvederm as long-lasting as possible by highly concentrating the product and using a highly innovative manufacturing process which generates extensive cross-linking, i.e. a dense network of 'bridge'-type bonds between different molecules of hyaluronic acid. The resultant larger molecules are more resistant to break-down.
Results are always difficult to predict as all patients respond differently to hyaluronic acid due to different skin types, however, in general the results should be still visible some 8 to 12 months after treatment, and for lip enhancement, 4 to 6 months.
3. Radiesse
Radiesse is the latest injectable substance that is newly available for cosmetic purposes to give you fuller lips and fill in wrinkles and lines. Radiesse is made up of microscopic calcium particles (hydroxylapatite) suspended in gel. This is a safe material (one that is already in use for dental reconstruction, bone growth, and vocal cord injection) and one that has proven to be very compatible with the body. Unlike Collagen it does not require an allergy test, and lasts 2 to 5 years!
Radiesse, along with Restylane and Juvederm is considered a cosmetic filler. If you are interested in lip augmentation and facial contouring, but you would like something that lasts longer than 6 months and less than forever, then Radiesse (Bioform: Franksville, Wisconsin) also known as Radiesse FN, may be for you. A calcium hydroxyapatite injectable, Radiesse is currently EU approved for tissue augmentation.
Radiessee is a biocompatible product, which consists of calcium hydroxyapatate microspheres in a gel carrier. Radiesse injections last anywhere from 2-5 years. Radiesse does not require skin testing because it is the same mineral component as bone and teeth.
Typically, the patient who has never had their lips augmented before might opt for something less permanent such as Juvederm or Restylane (both being hyaluronic acid). For those who are confident of the look they want, then Radiesse may be just the ticket.
Normal side effects are swelling for the first 2 days. Since calcium hydroxylapatite is a normal component of bone (a substance already familiar to the body) and does not contain any animal products there is no allergy test required before treatment.
The procedure is done with local anaesthesia and takes about 30-40 minutes. Down time is minimal and you can look good in 24 to 36 hours.
Use the links below to search for Dermal Fillers practitioners.