An Atlanta bride-to-be who was getting married in a scant two weeks began worrying about how she would look in her wedding pictures. Although those photos often last for generations, it was far too late for surgical incisions to heal. While she is a very attractive 38, the woman saw too many wrinkles, facial furrows, scars and thinning lips in her mirror.(Pictured: Dr. Elliot Jacobs)When she talked with a plastic surgeon, she learned more about a new and growing trend in plastic surgery: “injectibles,” which are popular substances delivered through a syringe to remove facial furrows, wrinkles, worry and laugh lines, crow’s feet and more.
When injected just under the surface of the skin or deeper, the substances add lift and volume to smooth folds and wrinkles. The effect of many last less than a year but quickness is the attractive feature for busy working women and men. While not quite drive through medicine, most injectibles can be administered during a lunch break or in short, after-work appointments with no general anesthesia or time lost to healing.
“Quick, in-and-out visits for injectibles would describe the lion’s share of my practice,” says New York City’s Elliot Jacobs, M.D., a top plastic surgeon.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2003 saw a 64 percent increase in the number of minimally invasive, “lunch hour” rejuvenations and enhancements, most of which was provided with some form of injectible.
And while almost three million people in the U.S. received Botox in 2004 to remove wrinkles, the types of injectibles does not end there.
Broadly speaking, injectibles can be divided into three main groups: fillers, wrinkle removers and lip augmentations.
Fillers are used to smooth out lines in the aging face. One of the most common, the (Nasolabial fold,) is the crease that runs from the corner of the nose to the corner of mouth. Until recently, the most commonly used filler has been Collagen, a substance made from bovine tissue.
“Collagen requires an allergy test that comes back in several weeks,” says Dr. Jacobs.
Collagen is also used to fill some scar depressions on the face, remove crow’s feet from around the eyes and the thick frown lines that appear on aging foreheads.
“But a newer filler, Restylane, also adds volume and requires no allergy test,” Dr. Jacobs says. “Two other similar substances used for facial fillers are Hylaform and Captique. You can see results immediately.”
CosmoPlast, yet another popular filler is derived from human tissues and tends to last for six months.
Sculptra stimulates your body’s collagen production; it’s in a class of medications known as “bioactivators.” That compound fills in sunken checks and chins by thickening the under side of your skin. But you won’t like it if you think immediate gratification takes too long.
“Three or four months are required for results to appear,” says Dr. Jacobs, “However, the changes will remain on your face for about two years.”
Radiesse, (formerly known as Radiance) is a newly approved substance in the U.S. that fills in deeper lines and furrows and then stimulates new skin growth. Its primarily use is enhancing cheekbones and chins. Results are seen immediately and last from one to two years. Eventually, the body absorbs the material.
“Radiesse is injected into a facial furrow between the skin and the underlying fat layer and plumps the face up nicely,” says Dr. Jacobs.
Artecoll, an injectible on the medical horizon, has been used with good results in Europe and elsewhere and may be soon available in the U.S. Artecoll requires an allergy test and provides correction of depressions and deep creases like neck folds and acne scarring.
Lip augmentation has become popular with many consumers.
“Lips can be difficult,” Dr. Jacobs says. “When patients want lip augmentation, they want to end up with soft and pliable lips and for the enhancement to last a long while.”
Restylane, Collagen and CosmoPlast are frequently used.
“A lip augmentation procedure that lasts much longer by implanting a compound known as AlloDerm in a minor surgical procedure,” Dr. Jacobs says. “But once healed, AlloDerm gives a nice, soft look and lasts a number of years.”
AlloDerm’s downside: expense and down time for recovery. The patient’s lips can be swollen for three to four weeks before the swelling subsides. (Cymetra is another form of Alloderm.)
But most injectibles require no downtime whatever. Possible reactions to injectibles include some swelling, redness and bruising. The ever-popular Botox has side effects which can include droopy eyelids, headache and flu-like symptoms.
Because most injectibles are short lived, most patients know they will have to return for additional treatments to keep up their youthful appearances.
“From where I sit, most patients consider facial rejuvenations a part of their appearance maintenance,” says Dr. Jacobs. “Just like they return for haircuts, nails and other styling, they are adding ‘cosmetic surgeon’ to their regular personal maintenance routines.’”
Dr. Elliott Jacobs' website: http://www.plasticsurgeonnewyork.com/
For more information on all aspects of plastic and cosmetic surgery: http://www.cosmeticsurgery.com
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+ Injectibles: Facelifts in Syringes
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