Like everything else in life, skin changes. As we age, fine lines, wrinkles and other facial issues begin to cause us to wonder how they occurred — sometimes seemingly overnight.
Because of a gradual loss of skin hydration and fat loss, tissue can begin to sag. Enter dermal fillers — something I heartily believe in to keep you looking great or even improve the way you look. Dermal fillers are essentially small injections of gel (typically made up of hyaluronic acid) that fill in wrinkles, add volume to soft tissue, or stimulate your own body to rebuild collagen. In addition to plumping up lips , I use dermal fillers in the jaw line to camouflage the jowls, correct the downturned corners of the mouth, fill in hollowed eyes, and even correct acne scarring. Fillers do more than fill in lines; they also lift by volumizing and when applied artfully can restore the effects of gravity on the soft tissue as you age. Judicious amounts of filler in key areas can also recontour the nose or chin to give a more balanced look without surgery. Dermal fillers are really like a liquid facelift!
While it’s debatable at what age we begin losing collagen, the general consensus is that it begins happening around age 25 — much younger than one might imagine! After that, collagen and elastin levels decline at a rate of about 2% per year, and your body will have stopped producing it altogether by your late twenties. Beginning discretionary Botox and filler injections in your late 20s and early 30s, then, can be a preventative for wrinkles making a permanent home on your face.
Understanding what to expect is key to planning out a dermal filler future for yourself. Don’t confuse side effects with reactions! Redness, swelling and bruising are completely normal after facial injections. They generally occur immediately after the needle injection and disappear shortly after injection, usually in a few days. And while there may be a slight discomfort while the injections happen, I minimize it by applying an anesthetic cream, ice, or using laughing gas.
Whether it’s adding volume to a “weak” chin, lifting cheeks that have fallen with age, smoothing out smoker’s or “straw” lines around your mouth, or raising your brows a bit to feature your eyes, I offer a variety of fillers that do the trick, from the Juvederm family (Voluma,Vollure, Volbella, Juvederm Plus, and Juvederm XC), plus Sculptra, Radiesse, Renuva, and Allograft (fat grafting). These services vary in cost as well as lasting power. I encourage you to come in for a free consultation to see how “sculpting you beautiful” might just be the best gift you or a loved one might give you this holiday season (we have a special sale going — buy-two-syringes-get-one-free; this goes until December 15th or until supplies last, so book your appointment today!). For more information or an appointment, call us at (415) 925-8555.