Wrinkle Reducing Injections
Face & Body employ a consultant surgeon to carry
out all injectable treatments who is fully insured and
qualified to perform the procedures.
As a convenient alternative to surgery for younger
patients it is possible to use injections to reduce
and relax frown lines, forehead lines and even laughter
lines around the eyes. The benefits of the injectable
product are visible within five days of the treatment
and will last for three to six months, giving the face
a smoother more rested appearance. After this period,
the benefits of the product will still be visible as
wrinkles and lines will be diminished. If a more permanent
look is required the furrows may be filled with dermal
filler.
Facial lines are caused by the repeated use of the
facial muscles in a particular manner, just as a freshly
ironed shirt will become severely creased at, for example,
the elbow, as a result of the bending arm, so likewise
our facial lines form wherever we frown, squint or smile.
Some people have a distinctive facial habit - grimacing,
raising eyebrows, using one side of the face more than
the other and they will, in time, see a set of facial
lines appear which reflect this individual habit. Lines
can be softened, or in some cases erased, by means of
"filler injections" or surgical peeling treatment.
These processes treat the EFFECT of the facial muscle
habit (i.e. the lines themselves).
The injectable wrinkle reducing product treatment
is different in that it is a PREVENTATIVE treatment.
Injections are given, usually to the forehead frown
area, which temporarily put the frown muscles to sleep
for a period of four to six months. This freezing of
the muscle is always temporary and can never be permanent
so the treatment is sometimes called "The Hibernation
Treatment" as the muscle "hibernates"
for a few months. The aim is to break the habit of frowning,
and educate the patient in his or her facial movement
so that one "forgets" how to frown. Usually
patients have several of these injections over a year
or two until the frowning habit is broken.
Apart from the "habit breaking" aim other
positive benefits are that:
a) While the muscle is temporarily immobilised,
the frown line is not being created or reinforced;
b) Most patients notice that their existing frown
lines do soften out because the forehead is completely
relaxed.
TREATMENT INFORMATION
The injection takes around five minutes. The Practitioner
will ask you to frown hard; this is so that he/she can
see the exact pattern of forehead and frown movement
in the individual patient. The injections are slightly
uncomfortable, but brief. Afterwards, you will have
some tiny red marks for approximately one hour, where
the needle was inserted. Naturally, as with any injection,
there is a chance that some bruising may occur.
The injection gradually takes effect over a week to
ten days, when you may notice that it is becoming more
difficult to frown. After two to three weeks the muscle
will be completely "asleep". It must be emphasised
that the injection is intended to make it difficult
to frown; we all frown subconsciously, this treatment
prevents inadvertent frowning. Some patients will "test"
the injection by standing in front of their mirror at
home and trying very hard to frown! In some cases the
patient may indeed be able to use some of the frowning
muscles a little if they force the muscles very hard.
This does not, of course, mean that the injection has
not worked.
The substance that is injected cannot cause any permanent
damage or travel within the body because it attaches
itself to the muscle and cannot migrate from here. The
injection technique that is used ensures that the substance
cannot pass into the bloodstream. The action on the
muscle is never permanent.
The injectable product contains a small amount of
human albumin. Particular care is given to the control
of donors, the manufacturing process and, to the removal
or inactivation of any viral contamination. Although
the product has been used cosmetically since 1987 it
is at present not licensed for cosmetic uses in the
UK, but is administered at the physicians discretion.
There is a very small risk of eyelid or eyebrow ptosis
(drooping) following treatment. In the unlikely event
that this occurs, it is always temporary, and may be
treated with eye drops for a short time if troublesome.
High doses and frequent top-ups can lead to developing
resistance to the injectable product (i.e. it no longer
works effectively). In order to reduce this problem
it is advisable to have the areas of the face that you
want treated all done at the same session. For the same
reason, frequent top-ups are not advised.
Fillers
The Restylane range of products are based on Hyaluronic
acid, a substance that occurs naturally in the body.
Hyaluronic acid holds water, hydrating and giving volume
to the skin. As we get older our production of natural
hyaluronic acid diminishes but a simple injection of
Restylane replenishes lost volume and improves your
looks by enhancing your facial profile, creating fuller
lips and smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.
• Does not affect facial expression
• Non - permanent
• No pre-testing required
• No 'down time'
• Proven safety record
Restylane
Restylane, the treatment to smooth wrinkles and enhance
lips without resorting to surgery, is now available
from Face & Body Medi-Cosmetic Centre Ltd.
Restylane consists of Non-Animal, Stabilised Hyaluronic
Acid. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body,
but after the age of twenty-five the body slows down
production, causing facial lines, folds and wrinkles.
Restylane replenishes the skin's hyaluronic acid, enhancing
lips and smoothing out lines and wrinkles, thus helping
to erase the signs of ageing. The treatment takes approximately
fifteen minutes, results are immediate and the effects
can last up to one year.
Because hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body
and is present in all living organisms it means that
once in the skin, it works together with the body's
own hyaluronic acid and joins forces to create volume.
Furthermore, because Restylane is natural, no pre-testing
is required and it can be administered without fear
of transmitting diseases from animals.
All injections are administered by authorised medical
personnel and a consultation is first required to establish
the patient's needs. Restylane is injected under the
skin with a very thin needle (the width of a human hair).
The injections may prick a little but normally no anaesthesia
is needed for wrinkles and folds. For the more sensitive
an anaesthesia cream or dental block is normally applied
45 minutes prior to the treatment.
Developed over a ten year period in Sweden by Q-Med
AB, Restylane contains hyaluronic acid in the form of
a crystal clear gel so it is naturally integrated into
the tissue and allows for the free passage of important
nutritive elements like oxygen and glucose. Cells are
also able to pass between the fragments of the gel,
the result is healthy skin during all the time Restylane
is in the body.
Perlane
Perlane is a long-lasting gel that, once injected
into the skin with an ultra-fine needle, will lift and
add volume to the areas being treated. (Restylane and
Perlane are essentially the same product. Perlane is
simply a larger dosage). Similar to one of the body's
own natural substances (hyaluronic acid), it is a completely
safe treatment. The hyaluronic acid in Perlane simply
supplement the body's age-depleted hyaluronic acid to
plump-up the lip or to raise the skin and "fill
in" the particular wrinkle being treated.
The effect of Perlane treatment will vary from individual
to individual. It very much depends on factors such
as the person's age and lifestyle, the structure of
the skin, and the degree of perfection required. Most
patients however choose to have a further treatment
within a year since the hyaluronic acid in both products,
being a natural substance, dissolves over time. Being
larger in size, Perlane takes longer to dissipate than
Restylane
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