Millions of injectable treatments are performed in the United States every year, and they continue to become increasingly popular. But with so many products available, you may not be sure where to start when it comes to the right injectable treatment for your needs! While a consultation with a qualified provider like Dr. Tag is the best way to learn more about injectables, we’ve created this handy guide to help you understand the basics of each treatment we offer to the Baltimore area in our Owings Mills office. Keep reading to learn more!
Look younger with safe, effective, and non-invasive options
If you’d like to turn back the hands of time but aren’t quite ready to commit to plastic surgery, injectable treatments could be the solution you’re looking for. These non-invasive options diminish fine lines and wrinkles, produce a more even skin tone, and improve the appearance of scars and blemishes with minimal downtime.
If you don’t love how your skin is looking as you age, we can help! The expert team here at U Plastic Surgery + Aesthetics has the skill, knowledge, and expertise to successfully treat a variety of areas with our high-quality fillers. Since each of these products is unique, Dr. Tag will create a custom plan for you based on your specific needs and the desired results. We’re proud to offer patients in the Baltimore area the following injectable treatments.
BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dysport
Dr. Tag has two types of injectable toxins available: BOTOX® and Dysport. Unlike the other options we’re discussing today, BOTOX® is not a dermal filler. This botulinum toxin type A injection works by freezing the activity that causes facial wrinkles, not by filling in the wrinkles like a dermal filler does. Dysport works like BOTOX® Cosmetic but is another brand option.
Dr. Tag uses extremely thin needles to administer these injections, making the procedure almost entirely pain-free. Although there can be a bit of initial discomfort, you shouldn’t experience any irritation or inflammation. If you’re squeamish about needles or struggle with anxiety, we can apply a topical numbing cream to the area before administering treatment.
The procedure itself is usually completed within ten to fifteen minutes, and you’ll be able to resume your regular routine almost immediately after your appointment. This makes treatment especially convenient if you’re trying to fit it into a busy schedule! This injectable lasts about 3-4 months, at which point new injections will be needed to maintain the effect.
Toxins can be used for several purposes, including softening or eliminating frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead creases, and lines around the mouth. It can also be used to elevate or lift the brow, soften the chin, shape the brow, and improve the appearance of old or new facial scars. In the neck and chest region, toxins can minimize creases, wrinkling, and the dreaded “turkey neck.”
Did you know toxins can be beneficial outside of reducing lines and wrinkles? BOTOX® has been FDA-approved for treating a number of other medical conditions, such as migraines and severe underarm and palm sweating that hasn’t responded well to topical agents.
Juvéderm
There are several different products included in the Juvéderm family, with each one using specific concentrations of hyaluronic acid to target different areas of the face. This ingredient adds volume to facial tissue by stimulating the production of collagen, which naturally plumps the skin. The products we use include:
- Juvéderm Voluma XC to add volume beneath the surface of the skin and increase the size of the cheeks
- Juvéderm Ultra Plus XC to fill out wrinkles and lines around the nose and mouth
- Juvéderm Ultra XC and Juvéderm Volbella XC, which work as nonsurgical lip enhancement treatments
- Juvéderm Vollure XC to smooth moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, including the “parentheses lines” around the nose and mouth. It is only available to patients over the age of 21.
Once Dr. Tag has injected the Juvéderm product of choice, he’ll lightly massage the treated area to ensure the filler is evenly distributed. This also helps reduce the chance of swelling. The procedure normally takes 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated. The injections themselves contain a small amount of pain-reducing lidocaine to help minimize any pain or discomfort, and recovery time is minimal. Best of all, most patients will see results right away!
Restylane
Like Juvéderm, Restylane uses hyaluronic acid to smooth wrinkles and add volume to the cheeks. It can also enhance the lips and target lines around the mouth. When Restylane is injected into areas where collagen has been lost, it helps to smooth, lift, and plump the skin. Dr. Tag will use a topical cream or ice pack to minimize any discomfort before injecting Restylane using an ultrafine needle. There are several kinds of Restylane that can be used for different areas of your face, including:
Restylane for facial wrinkles and folds, lip augmentation, and dark under-eye circles
Restylane Lyft for cheek augmentation, laugh lines, and overall volume and fullness
Restylane Refyne to help soften laugh lines while maintaining your facial expressions
Restylane Defyne to help smooth out deep laugh lines and enhance chin projection
Restylane Kysse for enhancing the volume, texture, and color of the lips
As with our other fillers, downtime is minimal. In just 15-30 minutes, you’ll be on your way to a more youthful appearance! Most patients choose to return to work after their procedure, but if you have several injections, you may want to give yourself a day to recover. Full results are usually seen within a week, but immediate effects will also be noticeable since the fillers add volume when injected.
Sculptra Aesthetic
Dr. Tag also offers Sculptra, an injectable compound of poly-L-lactic acid. Sculptra is the only FDA-approved injectable treatment on the market to boost the skin’s natural collagen production!
The typical treatment regimen for Sculptra Aesthetic consists of three injections over 3-4 months. Once injected, it works deep within the surface of the skin and is naturally absorbed by the body to help reinforce its inner structure and manufacture more collagen. We use it most often on smile lines, marionette lines, nasolabial folds, and chin lines, where it gradually adds volume that lifts the soft tissues and plumps the skin from within.
Sculptra results appear over a period of a few months and often last more than two years! In contrast, our other fillers last until the hyaluronic acid is absorbed by the body and excreted. This typically occurs anywhere from 6-12 months after it’s injected.
Kybella
Excess chin fat can not only make you feel self-conscious, it can also age your overall appearance. That’s where Kybella comes in! This injectable treatment targets double chins by melting excess fat for good, contouring your neck and giving you a more sharply defined chin. Kybella is made of deoxycholic acid, a molecule that naturally occurs in your own body, where it breaks down as dietary fat. Dr. Tag injects Kybella directly into the fat, where the deoxycholic acid destroys fat cells.
Because the fat cells are destroyed permanently, you won’t need any further injections once you reach the desired results. Anywhere from 1-6 sessions may be recommended depending on the amount of excess chin fat you have. These sessions are spaced one month apart, with the injections only taking about 15 minutes to complete. You’ll be able to return to your normal activities immediately, although you may experience some minor bruising, swelling, and numbness for a few days following the procedure.
Find the best injectable treatment for your needs at U Plastic Surgery
If you’ve been looking for a way to reduce the signs of aging and rejuvenate your skin, our injectable treatments could be just what you’re looking for! When safely administered by Sam Keesey, our RN Aesthetic Nurse Injector, these products can add volume and softness to the face for personalized results you’ll love. If you’d like to learn more about the non-surgical options we have available, contact our office today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Tag!