Time is the master of all. No one outsmarts its steady march, not Ponce de Leon, not that Nazi sympathizer dude in Indiana Jones. No one.
And your skin is the first line of defense, taking casualties every minute! Dr. Ip offers a variety of injectables to counter this onslaught of time. There are a more options seemingly every day, enough to actually confuse some of our patients. Sure, everyone on the planet (well, maybe not the wilds of Borneo), has heard of Botox, but there are a host of fillers that also do great work turning back the clock.
Different strokes for different injectables
Every injectable wants the same thing — for you to look younger. They just do it in different ways. Botox is called a neuromodulator. Certain wrinkles are the result of muscle contractions under the skin when we do things like frown or squint. This type of wrinkle is called a dynamic wrinkle. When Botox is injected into the muscle it causes the muscle to relax and not contract for a period of four to six months. By stopping their contractions, the wrinkles they form also go away.
Dermal fillers are the other kind of injectables. They have the same goal, to erase wrinkles and lines, and even to restore volume. But, they don’t do it like Botox. They are more true to their name, filling in the crease or wrinkles and plumping the skin. Fillers are injected beneath the wrinkle and basically push the skin back up, erasing the wrinkle. They treat the other kind of wrinkles, static wrinkles. These wrinkles show themselves at all times.
Five fillers for different targets
Here are five fillers popular fillers we use and their characteristics.
- Restylane® — Restylane is made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body that is responsible for plumping the skin. Hyaluronic acid plumps the skin by binding with water molecules beneath the skin surface. This makes the surface skin smoother. Restylane is very effective at improving wrinkles and creases around the mouth and lips, as well as those under the eyes. It is best on areas with thinner skin.
- Juvederm® — Juvederm is also a hyaluronic acid-based filler. Juvederm restores volume and addresses deeper wrinkles, especially those around the mouth and nose and on the forehead. There are three types of Juvederm: Juvederm XC, Juvederm Voluma XC, and Juvederm Ultra Plus. Each has different characteristics that target different issues such as volume vs. wrinkles.
- Perlane® — This hyaluronic acid-based filler is made by the same company as Restylane, but its consistency is much thicker, making it best for improving large nasolabial folds and worry lines on the forehead. Perlane, due to its thicker consistency, needs to be injected in areas where there is underlying fat to hide it.
- Sculptra® — Sculptra is one of the longest-lasting fillers, providing results for up to two years. Sculptra is made from poly-L-lactic acid, which encourages the body to produce new collagen. Collagen is the skin’s basic support structure, making it firm and taut, and it decreases with age. Since Sculptra encourages new collagen production, its results are more gradual. Sculptra is effective for nasolabial lines, marionette lines, and lines on the forehead.
- Artefill® — Artefill is the first “permanent filler” approved by the FDA. Made from a combination of plymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and purified bovine collagen, Artefill is only used on nasolabial folds. Artefill is permanent, but as you continue to age, you will likely need additional Artefill in five to 10 years.
Now that you’re an expert in various injectables, maybe it’s time you put them to use with Dr. Ip. Call us at our Newport Beach or Manhattan office and let’s talk injectables.
