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Filler
Injections - before & after
Thermage: Loose skin that has been
stretched by age and exposure has been treated
in the past with surgery. Traditional "face
lifts" undermine (separate) the skin
and then pull it towards the ears to make
it tighter. The excess skin is cut away and
the edges are sutured together. Permanent
scars in the hairline and in front of the
ears are necessary for this correction. Face
lifts are still common but don't do much for
thin skin and can look artificial and stretched.
A well done facelift can last ten years before
needing to be redone. It requires a number
of weeks to look normal enough to go into
public and facelifts that don't meet expectations
are still permanent.
Loose skin can now be treated
with a new medical technology called "Thermage".
This process tightens the skin using focused
energy (radio waves) that causes the collagen
and protein in the skin to shrink. This shrinking
tightens the skin and causes new collagen
to form making it stronger and more resilient.
The effects increase over time with maximum
results achieved a few months after treatment.
Injections
Your surgeon will most likely
use topical anesthesia (painkiller applied
directly to the lips) for injections. These
are performed on an outpatient basis in your
doctor's office or an outpatient center and
you will be sent home the same day.
Here are the options:
* Artecoll
is a synthetic material that plumps up
the lips. Because it's synthetic, you
are at higher risk of having an allergic
reaction to it than if you got an injection
of collagen or fat, but it lasts longer
than either.
* Autologen
is an injection of your own collagen,
extracted from another place on your body.
There's no risk of allergic reaction,
however, the results are only temporary.
This may be good for people who aren't
ready to commit to a permanent result.
* Collagen can be
extracted from cows and injected into
the lips. There's a risk of allergic reaction,
so it's best to have your surgeon give
you a test dose before proceeding to the
full dose. The results are temporary lasting
4 weeks to three months.
*
Dermalogen is collagen extracted
from deceased human donors. It's also
called injectable Human Tissue Matrix.
This is also a temporary fix, but your
body should not reject it.
*
Fascia injections use a specific
type of connective tissue harvested either
from your own body or from a deceased
human donor. It can be implanted surgically
or injected. The main drawback is that
within a year of injection, your body
will reabsorb the fascia.
*
Fat from your own thighs or abdomen
can be injected into your lips. There's
no risk of allergic reaction and you may
achieve permanent results. This can also
be implanted surgically (see below).
* HylaForm is a
material created from natural body substances.
There's no risk of infection, but you
will need repeated treatments to maintain
the result as it's only a temporary fix.
* Restylane is a
clear gel. It contains hyaluronic acid,
which naturally occurs in humans, so there's
little chance for an allergic reaction.
It's biodegradable, so your body will
absorb it within about six months of the
injection. |
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