A growing number of New Orleans residents are discovering how anti-wrinkle injectables can help turn back the clock on aging skin with no need for surgery or extended downtime. These convenient treatments involve the injection of a liquid or gel to combat signs of facial aging by enhancing skin volume or reducing the activity of facial muscles.
Advantages of Minimally-Invasive Treatments
Cosmetic surgery is highly-effective at offering dramatic improvements in facial contours and overall appearance. However, it is not for everyone. If you do not have severely sagging skin or large areas of fat pockets, anti-wrinkle injectables like BOTOX® and dermal fillers can provide amazing results without having to undergo a surgical procedure. This means that your recovery time will be far shorter since no surgery is necessary. In fact, most patients are able to go right back to work or their normal activities immediately after their fast treatment.
In addition to no requirement for downtime, anti-wrinkle injectables are also known for providing results that appear very natural when administered by a qualified professional. Most injectables do not involve harmful substances or any type of facial implant. The drastic changes that cosmetic surgery offers are undeniable, but some people prefer treatment choices that seem more natural and plausible. Injectables usually involve the delivery of natural substances to replace age-related deficiencies or the injection of synthetic substances that mimic natural ones.
BOTOX® for Dynamic Wrinkles
When it comes to anti-wrinkle injectables, the anti-aging effects of BOTOX® are certainly behind many of the well-preserved faces in Hollywood. Once reserved only for the rich and famous, BOTOX® injections are now available to the general public. After injection, the product relaxes facial muscles, preventing skin creases and the development of wrinkles. It helps with expression lines like surprise and frown lines found on the forehead, crow’s feet, and even with other wrinkles.
The way that BOTOX® works is by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to the treated muscle, preventing it from forming a contraction. Since the muscle cannot contract fully, it cannot form a so-called dynamic wrinkle.
Some patients are concerned that BOTOX® consists of some type of harmful substance. The safety of the product has been established over several decades. BOTOX® is essentially just a purified protein solution. Both the manufacturer and the product have an excellent safety profile.
BOTOX® Results
The results of BOTOX® injections last for multiple months. Some patients begin noticing a gradual return of muscle movement after multiple months. This is a good time to schedule a follow-up appointment for maintenance injections if you wish to maintain your results.
Other Options
BOTOX® is the most popular cosmetic treatment of its kind, but we also offer other products like Dysport® and XEOMIN® that work in a similar manner. During a consultation, we can determine which treatment is most likely to give you the results you desire.
Aging Skin: The Causes
Besides age-related collagen loss, a deficiency in hyaluronic acid is one of the main culprits of facial skin aging. This important substance is produced naturally by your body in abundance when you are young. The aging process eventually takes a toll on hyaluronic acid, leading to its rapid breakdown and eventual depletion. Since its role is to take in moisture, the loss of hyaluronic acid leads to thinner, drier skin that tends to develop lines and wrinkles.
Treatment with Dermal Fillers
Instead of merely tightening or smoothing the skin, injectable fillers seek to alter the facial contours into a more youthful appearance. Injections of fillers are able to fill in deep wrinkles and nasolabial folds. These are sometimes called “marionette lines” that run from the corners of the mouth to the corners of the nose. They can also help to fill in hollow areas around the eyes and cheeks and create pouty lips. Collagen used to be the most popular type of filler ingredient, but it has now been largely replaced with hyaluronic acid.
Results of Fillers
Dermal fillers typically offer good results that are long-lasting; however, the injected materials will eventually be fully metabolized by your body. At that point, you will need some touch-up injections to maintain your wrinkle reduction results.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers typically last from six to 12 months, while synthetic ones like Sculptra® and Radiesse® tend to offer results that can last anywhere from one year to even longer. However, results vary based on a number of factors.
The important thing to keep in mind is that fillers will not last forever. Your body and skin will continue to age normally after your injections. At some point, additional injections will be required to maintain your results. It is important to educate yourself about each product so that you know what areas it treats and how long it will last.
Restylane® Injectables
Restylane® is a type of dermal filler that consists of a gel containing hyaluronic acid. Many people have heard of hyaluronic acid as a popular ingredient in a number of skincare products that are widely available. Besides being effective externally, hyaluronic acid works extremely well when delivered internally via injection.
Once Restylane® is injected into the treatment sites, it begins working to restore hyaluronic acid levels in your skin. Your skin will begin drinking in moisture for a hydrating and volumizing effect. One of the most gratifying aspects to treatment with Restylane® is the immediate results that it offers, with additional results becoming evident in the days after the injections.
Sculptra®
Sculptra® is a liquid solution delivered through a series of injections to enhance volume in facial areas, leading to softer, more youthful facial recontouring. It helps to boost your collagen levels as it is absorbed. Properly performed, Sculptra® injections do not lead to the “overstuffed” appearance that is too common with some practitioners and products.
The Sculptra® liquid itself consists of a synthetic version of lactic acid called polylactic acid. It is created in a lab, containing no human DNA or animal products. Your own body will remove the injected product and replace it with freshly formed collagen to enhance facial skin volume and smooth away fine lines and wrinkles. It has been found that patients achieve the best results when they undergo a series of Sculptra® treatment sessions spaced a set amount of time apart.
Radiesse®
Radiesse® is a dermal filler in New Orleans that is useful for plumping up moderate to severe wrinkles found on the face and for restoring lost facial volume, like in the cheeks and nasolabial folds. Unlike many other types of dermal fillers, Radiesse® works by boosting your body’s natural production of collagen. It consists of something called calcium hydroxylapatite in the form of microspheres that are mixed within a gel. Once Radiesse® is injected into your face, it will immediately add volume and help in contouring facial features.
The FDA approved Radiesse® in 2006 for the treatment of wrinkles and facial folds. It makes an excellent filler, with a gel that has high elasticity and viscosity. This means that it works very easily with your skin without migrating or changing in shape once it is injected. Since it has the ability to enhance collagen production, Radiesse® can enhance the quality of your skin and fill in deficient areas.
You should notice an immediate lifting of your skin after treatment with Radiesse®. It is also good for correcting deep facial folds. Your results will continue to build over the following months after your treatment. Your skin will become firmer and smoother when collagen production is stimulated.
Juvederm®
Juvederm® was developed by the same company that manufactures BOTOX Metairie and is one of the most well-known types of dermal fillers available today. This injectable gel is made of hyaluronic acid, which is a substance created by your own body. Recently, hyaluronic acid has become a popular compound in a number of topical skin care products. It works even better when delivered precisely where it is needed via botox injections new orleans.
Juvederm® is excellent for restoring facial volume in areas where it has been lost because of skin laxity, age, or other factors. The gel has an extremely silky-smooth consistency, making it very easy to inject and work with.
Since Juvederm® helps to replenish hyaluronic acid lost due to the aging process, it is often used to treat nasolabial folds that are found running from the corners of your mouth to the outer part of your nose. It can also be used to create fullness in the lips.
One special aspect of Juvederm® is that it contains a higher amount of hyaluronic acid than most other dermal fillers and is developed using a proprietary manufacturing process. This means that Juvederm® tends to offer longer-lasting results.
BELOTERO®
BELOTERO® is a type of dermal filler that is often used to treat moderate to severe facial lines. It can be used to treat facial folds like marionette lines and nasolabial folds. It is a hyaluronic acid filler similar to Juvederm® and Restylane®.
The Bottom Line
Anti-wrinkle injectables are a convenient alternative to some forms of cosmetic surgery when you are not dealing with overly lax skin. If you have light to moderate facial folds and wrinkles, you should have no problem finding an injectable in New Orleans to match your individual needs.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
If you are a resident of the New Orleans area who feels that you would benefit from a fast and convenient anti-aging treatment, don’t hesitate to learn more about the many anti-wrinkle injectables we offer at Metairie Plastic Surgeons in Metairie. Contact us today to book a consultation and get started. We look forward to assisting you!
