Understanding Injectables

Time owns everyone. There’s no stopping its relentless march; a person can only hope to slow it down! When Dr. Lavey’s patients are looking for a non-surgical solution, he offers a variety of injectables to push back the aging process. But there are quite a few options out there and our patients sometimes are confused about what does what. While everyone has heard of Botox, there are a variety of dermal fillers that also are excellent at addressing aging issues.

Different injectables, different approaches

All of these products have the same goal — to turn back the clock, hiding wrinkles and lines. It’s the way they go about it that differs. Botox is called a neuormodulator. When injected into a muscle it causes the muscle to relax and not contract for a period of four to six months. So, when these muscles play a role in common facial expressions such as frowning, when they are injected with Botox the contractions stop and so do the wrinkles they form This type of wrinkle is called a dynamic wrinkle, because it is formed by muscle contraction.

Beyond neuromodulators, there are dermal fillers. They have the same goal, to erase wrinkles and lines, and even to restore volume. But, unlike Botox, fillers don’t block the contraction of facial muscles, they instead fill crease and plump the skin. They are injected down into the dermis below the epidermis and then “fill” the area beneath the wrinkle or crease, pushing the skin back up. They treat the other kind of wrinkles, static wrinkles. These wrinkles show themselves at all times.

A tale of three fillers

Here are three fillers Dr. Lavey uses and their characteristics.

• Restylane® — Restylane is a hyaluronic acid filler. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body that is responsible for plumping the skin. Once injected, the hyaluronic acid molecules bind to water molecules in the skin, pushing the skin up and making it smooth and more youthful. Restylane is able to spread out once injected, so it is excellent in areas where the skin is thinner. It is very effective at improving wrinkles and creases around the mouth and lips, as well as those under the eyes.
• Perlane® — Perlane is a sister product to Restylane, made by the same company. But while this hyaluronic acid-based filler is a sister product of Restylane, its consistency is much thicker, making it best for improving large nasolabial folds and worry lines on the forehead. It can also enhance the volume and size of the lips. Due to its thicker consistency, Perlane needs to be injected in areas where there is underlying fat to hide it.
• Sculptra® — Sculptra is one of the newer fillers coming to market. It is also 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. This is important because collagen is the skin’s basic support structure, responsible for making it firm and taut. Collagen production drops as we age (one percent each year after the age of 20). Since Sculptra encourages new collagen production, its results are more gradual. Sculptra is effective for nasolabial lines, marionette lines, and lines on the forehead.

Let’s do something about those lines and creases without surgery. Call Dr. Lavey at 925-820-3633 to schedule an appointment.