The mainstay of nonsurgical facial rejuvenation is the use of injectable muscle relaxants, such as Botox , Dysport or Xeomin. These treatments are typically started when people are in their late 30’s, mainly to treat forehead lines. These medications are injected into the affected wrinkles, resulting in the disappearance of lines. As patient’s age, additional areas can also be treated. These products can be used for crow’s feet, wrinkles on the nose, vertical lines on the lip, brow asymmetry, and lines on the neck, depending on what patients and their doctor decide upon during a consultation. The effects of these treatments typically last 3-4 months. Stopping the treatments results in patients returning to their pre-treatment appearance.
Another type of treatment used for nonsurgical facial rejuvenation is the use of filler materials. Facial fillers are typically used to “fill in” lines on the face. This class of products includes Juvaderm, Boletero, Voluma, Radiesse, and Restylane. These products are made to mimic natural substances in our bodies, so side effects are minimal. The most common area to be treated is the so-called laugh lines around the mouth. Other wrinkles on the face can also be treated, including lip lines, lines around the eyes, deep grooves under the eyes, and depressed acne scars. In addition to wrinkles, the natural aging process results in loss of facial fat. This is also seen in patients who have experienced dramatic weight loss. Cosmetic improvements can also be made by restoring the volume lost in the cheeks. Products such as Radiesse and Voluma can be used to restore the lost soft tissue volume, resulting in a younger appearance. All filler type treatments are done during a short office visit, and the results last 12 months.
A third way to achieve nonsurgical facial rejuvenation is through skin resurfacing, via lasers or chemical peels. These treatments are designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines, tighten the skin, reduce pore size, and smooth out skin color changes. After resurfacing is completed, patients are instructed on how to care for the area until full healing takes place. Recovery time after skin resurfacing via lasers or peels varies from a few days to several weeks depending on size of the treated area and intensity of the treatment. These can be adjusted to each person’s individual needs.
The final category of nonsurgical treatments are skin care products. There are many products which claim to provide dramatic improvements in facial aging, but these claims are more marketing strategy than scientific fact. There are a small number of products that have been studied and found to actually be effective in producing improvements in the appearance of fine lines and pigmentary irregularities. Although these products do not result in dramatic changes, they do work to slow down the appearance of the aging process and smooth out the skin. Regular use of these products does improve the overall appearance of facial skin.
When planning cosmetic procedures it’s important to understand that no two people are the same. Therefore, the ideal treatment plan is individually designed for you based on consultation between you and your doctor. Factors such as skin looseness, location and depth of wrinkles, skin color issues, your budget and your desires, are all considered in order to design an effective regimen that is tailored to your individual needs.
At Advanced Specialty Care, we provide cosmetic non-surgical procedures, as well as skin care and laser services at offices in Danbury, New Milford, Norwalk, Ridgefield and Southbury in Fairfield County, Connecticut.