Tired of looking tired? Cosmetic Injections could be the answer.
Over time, our skin reacts to ageing and climatic elements, particularly the sun. Years of muscle movement like frowning, smiling and squinting cause us to develop frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet around the eyes. These lines can give us a tired or sometimes angry appearance.
As the skin loses its elasticity over time, we also develop lines in the lower face particularly around the mouth, on the cheeks, and between the nose and corners of the mouth. We offer simple non-surgical techniques to relax our muscles and smooth out facial lines and wrinkles.
These techniques are so versatile, they can even be used to achieve slight eyebrow lifts and enhancement of the lips.
Click on the headings below to reveal specific information on the benefits of chemical injections
What is involved in the treatment?
Cosmetic injection therapy is considered a ‘lunch time’ procedure. It is a simple walk in/walk out office procedure that takes between 15 and 30 minutes of your time. The procedure is simple, however, the results can be dramatic.
Consultation with the doctor allows him to ascertain which areas you would like treated and the best product to use in your case. There are many products available, but essentially, the doctor uses very fine injections into the areas to be rejuvenated.
A local topical (cream) anaesthetic can be used with minimal discomfort, before and during the procedure. Depending on the desired effect, initially treatment is usually maintained with periodic follow-up treatments.
What can you expect after the treatment?
With some forms of cosmetic injection therapy, there are absolutely no immediate after effects and that is why it is often referred to as a ‘lunchtime’ procedure.
Occasionally, very slight redness or swelling can occur immediately after the treatment but this is short-lived and can be easily covered with make-up. Dermal filler injections will give instant and dramatic results – you will see the lines disappear before your eyes!
What are the potential risks?
Cosmetic injection therapy is a very safe procedure. Due to the temporary nature of the products used, there are no permanent side effects. Consultation with your doctor prior to the procedure to discuss the results you would like to achieve and also to discuss minimization of any temporary side effects is a very important part the overall treatment plan.
Who is a candidate?
Most people can benefit from cosmetic facial injections. Some people have very few facial lines but still like to minimise the actions of frowning and squinting. By limiting these actions they will also slow down the further development of these lines. Other people who have developed facial lines over 20 to 30 years can have them erased in a matter of days with these simple non-surgical treatments.
The typical areas treated by cosmetic injections include:
• Crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes
• Frown lines between the eyebrows
• Worry lines that run horizontally across the forehead
• Deep smile lines that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth
• Smoker’s lines or lipstick bleed lines that run vertically around the mouth
• Marionette lines at the corners of the mouth
• Lip enhancement
Anti-Wrinkle Injections
As we age, we notice that wrinkles appear where our facial muscles move the most. Repetitive frowning, squinting and raising of the eyebrows causes wrinkles on the upper face to deepen. Common areas for wrinkles to be noticeable are on the forehead, between the eyebrows, the ‘crowsfeet’ near the eye area, the lines that run from each corner of our nose to the outside corners of our mouth – known as the nasolabial folds. We can treat these areas, and reduce the appearance of these wrinkles by relaxing the muscles that lay under the skin in that area. If you prevent the repetitive muscle actions, it makes sense that you will also prevent the development of those unwanted wrinkles.
Manufactured from a bacterial toxin, a prescription-only purified protein product is injected with a very small acupuncture-type needle into the small facial muscles causing them to become relaxed over a period of time, usually 7-14 days, but sometimes longer. Results may start to become visible within 2 or 3 days. The result is a smooth and rejuvenated appearance of the overlying skin, lasting several months. The most popular areas to have the product injected is the forehead, the area between the eyebrows known as the glabella area, the crows feet (lines to the side of the eye area), and areas around the mouth. Many younger people are using this cosmetic medicine as a preventative anti-wrinkle strategy. Side effects are rare, but treatable and are not permanent. Please discuss this with our treating doctor. If you have had this product or similar products before, you should have a list of the treatments, the doses or amounts you have had and the dates when you had the treatment – the provider of this service will have this information. Some other products do not work well together and the effect of any future treatment may be altered as a result of this. Dr Phillips will not inject anyone under the age of 18 and any woman who is pregnant or lactating, and who based on his discretion, is not suitable for this treatment.
Once you have had a consultation with Dr Phillips, the procedure itself takes a matter of minutes, and you are usually able to go back to work immediately after the treatment or resume your normal daily activities.
Next time you look in the mirror, imagine yourself without those lines around your eyes or forehead. The wrinkles that give an angry, frustrated or tired appearance can be erased or softened within a matter of days.
Dermal Fillers
Unfortunately, and sometimes despite our best efforts, wrinkles and folds do appear on our face overtime, as the elastin and collagen in our skin naturally deplete as we age. We can treat these wrinkles and fine lines by injecting a gel-like product into the skin immediately under the area we want to treat. These products are broadly referred to as Dermal Fillers. They are ‘filling’ the dermis of our skin.
Injecting Dermal Fillers is a rejuvenating non-surgical procedure whereby the product is injected into the skin and helps to add volume and smooth out facial wrinkles and folds. The products we use last anywhere UP TO 9-12 months. Just like your body’s natural collagen, the injected protein will be gradually absorbed and will need to be topped up at regular intervals to maintain the correction. Most people need top-ups about once or twice a year.
The technology of the ingredients gives this gel a remarkable elasticity and suppleness that integrates smoothly into the skin. The filler we use provides a natural-looking aesthetic solution for a range of common concerns including: treating fine lines and wrinkles, ‘crow’s feet’, smoker’s lines, deep furrows, lip augmentation, definition, volume and correction and facial depressions such as scarring. The product we use can also be used to enhance and augment areas of the face. One session usually takes just 20 minutes. The resultant improvement in fine lines is instantaneous. You can return immediately to your daily activities. There have been few reported incidences of swelling after treatment with our products.
It is very important to have realistic expectations of what this product can achieve. The reason for this is simply that some lines are difficult to treat, depending on their depth and location.
During your consultation with Dr Phillips for the treatment with either/both products, he will determine how much of the product/s you will need to help to achieve your desired results. You will be quoted on this treatment and may have the treatment on the day of consultation or booked for a later date to suit.