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FACE
- Eyelid Lift
- Facelift
- Chin Augmentation
- Cheek Implants
- Dermabrasion
- Forehead Lift
- Rhinoplasty
- Otoplasty
- BOTOX®
- Latisse™
- Injectable Fillers
- Chemical Peels
- Skin Care
- Laser Treatments
BREAST
BODY
Injectable Fillers
Juvéderm™, Restylane® and Elevess™ (Hyaluronic Acid)
With time, facial skin loses structure and volume resulting in unwelcome wrinkles. Juvéderm™, Restylane® and Elevess™ are injectable gel forms of hyaluronic acid, a natural complex sugar found in all living cells, and one of the major components of the skin. Hyaluronic acid gel makes wrinkle correction possible by retaining water like a sponge. It can absorb more than 1000 times its weight which helps to attract and maintain the water in the skin. The treatment area becomes more hydrated and the volume and density appear to be increased. Because there are no animal proteins contained in any of these products, animal-based disease transmission or allergic reaction is not a possibility. Wrinkle correction with Juvéderm™, Restylane® or Elevess™ is a quick, in-office procedure with immediate results and no downtime. The choice of which product to utilize will be suggested by Dr. Hand, based on the areas to be treated and patient product preference.
Injectable hyaluronic acid gel (Juvéderm™, Restylane® or Elevess™) is very effective in smoothing the folds between the nose and mouth and outlining the margins of the lips. Our office also utilizes these products to uplift the corners of the mouth and to fill in small wrinkles along the upper lip and face. After Dr. Hand injects a dental block to numb facial areas to be treated, the hyaluronic acid gel is injected into the wrinkle resulting in a smooth and natural contour of the affected area. Elevess™ is unique in that it has an anesthetic agent in the product, making additional local anesthesia optional.
Mild bruising or swelling may occur with temporary injection site redness. Patients should avoid taking aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications for 10 to 14 days prior to treatment. Because of the high degree of cross-linking in the injectable gel technology, the duration of results may last 6 months or longer.
Radiesse®
Radiesse® is an injectable dermal filler best utilized in filling deep lines in the nasolabial folds, between the nose and mouth. Dr. Hand also injects this product into depressed scars and the marionette lines (the lines that extend down from the corners of the mouth). A new promising usage of this product is for the rejuvenation of the hands by adding volume under the skin, making the underlying structures such as bones and veins seem less pronounced. Radiesse® is different from other dermal fillers in that it is made of a calcium-based microspheres suspended in a water-based gel. The primary component is identical to the mineral portion of bones and teeth. There are no animal or human derived components in this product resulting in virtually no risk of allergic reaction. Radiesse® also has been shown to stimulate the body to produce new collagen in the treatment areas. The results of a typical treatment of Radiesse® will last 12 to 16 months without additional correction.
As with other dermal fillers, the usage of aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs is discouraged for 10 to 14 days prior to injection of Radiesse®. Minor redness and swelling at the site usually subsides over several days.
Fat Grafting
Fat grafting is a popular alternative to dermal fillers for the patient that would like to use his or her own tissue. Fat can be injected almost anywhere on the face. The procedure involves harvesting the patients own fat from a donor site such as the abdomen or leg. The donor site is prepped and anesthetized with local anesthetic. The fat is aspirated into a syringe and prepared for injection. The recipient sites are then prepped and anesthetized and the fat is injected into the lips and/or other facial wrinkles for which correction is desired. Fat grafting can last for as little as 3 months or may give permanent results.
The advantage of fat grafting is that multiple ccs of fat can be harvested all at once and most areas of the face that are appropriate for injection can be done at the same time. With other injectable fillers, the patient may be limited by the cost per cc. Dr. Hand often performs fat grafting in combination with facial surgical procedures to refresh and soften facial lines and to augment lip size. Sometimes with this procedure, bruising and swelling may last longer than with other fillers because a larger needle size is necessary to inject the fat graft.
