Injectable Fillers ~ Nonsurgical Face Lift LA

Injectable Fillers

Enhancing your appearance with soft tissue augmentation What to expect during your consultation What are the different types of fillers? Complications from fillers are uncommon. My recovery The results and Outlook Words to know

Injectable fillers can plump thin lips, enhance shallow contours, soften facial creases and wrinkles, or improve the appearance of recessed scars.

Enhancing your appearance with soft tissue augmentation

The visible signs of facial aging occur over time as a result of sun exposure, heredity and life style. One of the earliest signs of aging is a loss of facial fullness and the development of wrinkles. Softening of these facial lines and the restoration of volume and fullness in the face often can be achieved non-surgically with injectable fillers.

Injectable fillers can:

Plump thin lips Enhance shallow contours Soften facial creases and wrinkles Improve the appearance of recessed scars

What it won’t do:

Soft tissue augmentation does not stop the aging process. If you wish to change the elements of your face, surgery such as a facelift, brow lift or eye lift may be the answer. Non-surgical rejuvenation treatments such as injectable fillers cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a facelift becomes appropriate.

What to expect during your consultation

The success and safety of your soft tissue augmentation procedure depends very much on your complete candidness during your consultation. Dr. Vartany will ask you a number of questions about your health, desires and lifestyle.

Be prepared to discuss:

Why you want the procedure, your expectations and desired outcome Medical conditions, drug allergies and medical treatments Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs Discuss any past treatment with injectable fillers, facial shaping or Botoxï½® therapy or other facial rejuvenation procedures

What are the different types of fillers?

Collagen is a natural protein that supports the skin. Injectable collagen formulas derived from human dermis include Cosmodermï½® or Cosmoplastï½®. Zydermï½® and Zyplastï½® are forms of purified bovine collagen that, unlike human derived collagen, require allergy testing. Evolenceï½® is a filler made from purified porcine collagen. Results may last up to 6 months. Hyaluronic Acid is a natural substance found in our bodies. Restylaneï½® and Juvedermï½® are both composed of this material. It is well suited to plump thin lips and fill facial creases such as nasolabial folds. It may also be appropriate for some surface wrinkles and concave scars. The results may last 6 months or longer. Hydroxylapatite (Radiesseï½®) is a mineral-like compound found naturally in human bones, suspended in a gel-like formulation. It is the heaviest of facial fillers and is recommended to fill deeper creases such as nasolabial folds, marionette lines and frown lines, as well as to enhance fullness of the cheeks and other facial contours. Human fat, harvested from your own body, can be reinjected to enhance facial fullness, fill deep creases and to build up shallow contours. Fat injection requires a more extensive procedure than other injectable fillers because it uses liposuction techniques to extract the fat prior to injection. PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) fillers contain 20% tiny PMMA microspheres suspended in 80% purified collagen gel. An FDA-approved PMMA filler is recommended for the correction of facial wrinkles known as smile lines. Treatment results last up to a year or more in some cases and are highly variable.

A note about the FDA and injectable fillers: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviews and approves pharmaceutical fillers in the same manner as medical devices. However, some fillers may be used on an off-label basis, meaning they are approved medical treatments but not directly reviewed for a specific application. The options discussed in this brochure are among the current fillers preferred by plastic surgeons. Some are available for general use, others are not; regulatory status may be subject to change.

Line Filling Lip Augmentation Soft tissue augmentation of the lips requires multiple injections to distribute the filler for enhanced lip fullness and to raise or define a cupid's bow or vermillion border. Nasolabial Folds An improved appearance is visible almost immediately, although minor swelling or bruising may appear at the injection sites. With some fillers, a slightly "over-filled" appearance may be initially present. These conditions will resolve within a few hours, or at most a few days. The duration may be as long as a few weeks with injection of one's own harvested fat.

Complications from fillers are uncommon

The risks vary depending on the specific filler used and the relative permanence of the filler substance and include:

Fillers derived from non-human sources may require a pre-treatment allergy test Infection at the injection site Fillers that are not completely fluid and contain microscopic granular substances carry a risk of "clumping" as a result of facial movement and the natural aging process. Over time, these can result in lumps or nodules that may require surgery to treat Acne-like skin eruptions Antibodies to filler material may reduce the effectiveness of future injections Asymmetry Bleeding, bruising and swelling Skin rash, itching and swelling Skin redness Skin sensitivity Under or over correction of wrinkles

Tissue augmentation is a quick, in-office procedure that can produce a marked improvement in restoring facial fullness and a more youthful appearance.

My recovery

The results of soft tissue augmentation using injectable fillers are apparent immediately. Your initial appearance after treatment with any filler may include: Mild swelling or bruising Temporary numbness or redness An "over-filled" appearance to treated areas These conditions can be alleviated with topical icing and will improve

within a matter of hours or just a few days. Where fat is the injected filler, these conditions may persist for a few weeks.

The results and Outlook

The results of soft tissue augmentation with injectable fillers are not permanent, even though a filler substance may be considered permanent. The continued aging of your face and variables in the absorption of fillers will affect how long your results last. Should you choose not to repeat treatment, your appearance will return to its original condition. Plumped lips will lose volume and improved wrinkles, creases and scars will visibly recess and fully reappear in time.

Words to know

Collagen: A natural protein used as an injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation. Cupid's bow: The middle portion of the lip which has the upturn. General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness. Human fat: Fat harvested from your own body and used as an injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation. Hyaluronic acid: A natural substance found in the body used as a filler. Hydroxylapatite: A mineral-like compound found naturally in human bone used as a filler. Injectable fillers: Substances used to restore volume and a more youthful appearance. Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax. Liposuction: Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, a procedure that vacuums out fat from beneath the skin's surface to reduce fullness. Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain. PMMA: A widely used implant material formed into tiny microspheres and suspended in a collagen gel for use as a wrinkle filler. Soft tissue augmentation: The use of injectable fillers to restore volume and your youthful appearance. Vermillion: The red pigment of your lips.

Injectable Fillers I Nonsurgical Face Lift LA