RESTYLANE® AND CAPTIQUE™ DERMAL FILLERS
What Causes Lines and Wrinkles of the Face
Several factors are usually involved including changes in your skin, bone structure, muscles of the face, and the forces of gravity. The way your skin looks is directly related to the way your skin is supported. As we age, the natural support layers in the skin break down resulting in the formation of wrinkles.
Young skin is smooth and elastic and contains a large amount of hyaluronic acid that helps the skin look healthy. As we grow older, the ability of the skin to produce hyaluronic acid decreases. Hyaluronic acid helps to bind water, so it’s loss results in the skin becoming drier, thinner and less able to restore itself. The loss of skin fullness also means that the skin becomes looser. This leads to wrinkling and the older appearance of the skin.
Significant facial rejuvenation can be achieved with dermal fillers, where in the past, plastic surgery was the only option. These improvements include wrinkle reduction, increasing tissue volume as in lip augmentation and improving skin contour irregularity caused by scars. Dermal Fillers are injected in tiny amounts with a very fine needle just under the skin’s surface in order to temporarily correct wrinkles, and to provide volume and fullness.
Several injectable dermal fillers have been approved by the FDA and are now available for use. Each of these products has certain advantages over the others and often, a combination therapy may yield the best results. At LightTouch, we utilize Restylane® and Captique™ dermal fillers, and Dr. Thomas can discuss what may be the best treatment approach for you.
What are Restylane® and Captique™ Dermal Fillers?
Restylane® and Captique™, are clear gels containing a purified form of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that is found throughout your body. It gives volume to the skin, lubricates the joints and gives the eyes their shape. The hyaluronic acid in Restylane® and Captique™ is stabilized for long duration and is not of animal or human origin.
Restylane® and Captique™ differ in the size of the hyaluronic acid particles and the thickness of the gel. These differences affect which areas are best treated with each of the different fillers. Dr. Thomas may suggest a layering of Restylane® for deeper lines and Captique™ for finer lines.
What Areas Can Be Treated?
Dermal Fillers can be used for smoothing out folds and wrinkles, lip enhancements and shaping facial contours. The most common areas are the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows), the nasolabial folds (from the root of the nose to the angle of the mouth) and the lips, although other sites can also be treated.
How Are Dermal Fillers Different from Botox® Cosmetic?
Botox® Cosmetic is a purified protein that relaxes the underlying muscles of lines and wrinkles. Botox® Cosmetic is most safely used in the upper 1/3 of the face, while fillers can be used in any part of the face. Hyaluronic Acid fillers such as Captique™ and Restylane® are used to fill in lines and wrinkles or to add volume and shaping to enhance the lips. Many patients have been very pleased after receiving treatment with both products.
How Are Dermal Fillers Different from Bovine Collagen?
Bovine collagen is derived from animals (cows) and requires an allergy test. In addition, these fillers last longer than collagen treatments.
What is the Treatment Like?
Dr. Thomas will discuss you treatment goals and the exact location and amounts of fillers will be discussed with you prior to treatment. The dermal fillers are injected under the skin or in the lips using an ultra-fine needle. The process is simple and convenient and results can be seen immediately.
Are the Injections Painful?
The fillers are injected into the skin using an ultra-fine needle, resulting in minimal discomfort. Topical anesthesia will be used to minimize discomfort for all areas. In addition, when treating the lips, you will be offered the option of local anesthetic injections.
What Should I Do to Prepare Prior to a Treatment?
No pre-testing is necessary prior to treatment, but you should take a few precautions before being treated. Avoid using aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen or naprosyn) St. John’s Wort, or high does of Vitamin E supplements prior to treatment, because these may increase bruising or bleeding at the injection site. Also, if you have previously suffered from facial cold sores, discuss this with Dr. Thomas prior to treatment. A medication may be prescribed prior to treatment to minimize recurrence.
What Are the Common Side Effects?
The rate of reactions to Dermal Fillers is very low. However, after the treatment some common injection-related reactions may occur, such as swelling, redness, pain, itching, discoloration and tenderness at the injection site. These typically resolve spontaneously within a few days after injection into the skin and within a week after the injection into the lips. Other types of reactions are very rare, and will be discussed with you during your consultation.
How Long Will Results Last?
The length of time the effect of a dermal filler treatment lasts is very individual and depends on many factors, such as the structure of your skin, lifestyle, your age, and the degree of correction performed. Having a touchup treatment before the product has fully dissipated may enhance the lasting effect. Most people choose to have a follow up treatments in 4-6 months, although many treatments last for up to a year.
What if I Chose Not to Continue Dermal Filler Treatments?
The correction will gradually disappear until your skin looks like it did before the treatment.
How Can I Find Out More About RestylaneR and Captique™?
Visit the following websites www.restylane.com/consumer/ and facialplasticsurgery.lookingyourbest.com/articles/captique.php
Call Us To Schedule a Complimentary Consultation?
Dr. Thomas will be happy to tell you more about your treatment options, possible side effects and what results you can expect during your complimentary consultation.
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