Injectables are quite commonplace now in the population, many of whom had not thought about cosmetic correction before. While sometimes successes in the non-surgical field of cosmetic enhancement can be marketing driven, Botox and fillers actually work. By temporarily reducing signs of aging on the face as they fill in lost volume and fine lines, the growing list of products appeal to patients who aren’t looking for surgery; they just want a small boost of youth to age gracefully.
Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Fodor of Los Angeles describes how they work and what areas can be treated in the best ways to stifle the aging process.
A True Success Story
Dr. Fodor loves what many of the injectables on the market today can do for patients looking to partake in some facial rejuvenation while avoiding surgery. Facial aging centers around a slow loss of volume, as well as introduction of fine lines and wrinkles. With a combination of filler injectables and Botox, these more slight features of aging can be significantly corrected. No injectable lasts forever, but for a much smaller price as compared to surgery (and a short “procedure” with no downtime), patients embrace the short term benefits.
Success still is entirely dependent on skill; not everyone can just inject these products and expect great results. “There are many doctors who over-promise, and thus over-inflate patients,” explains Dr. Fodor. “Even though some dermatologists came up with the ‘liquid face lift.’ Let’s reach up to the shelf and take some bottles down and do a facelift with it. And to a degree you can get fairly significant improvement with injectables. But, unfortunately, these same people have over-injected patients – and unfortunately some plastic surgeons have done that as well.”
With Injectables, it’s Not All or Nothing
As trained plastic surgeons, Dr. Fodor and his colleagues are able to quickly tell when a patient clearly needs surgical intervention with a facelift, or just some injectable procedures to give a small boost. The challenge comes when patients fall somewhere in between.
When this type of in between case arises, Dr. Fodor often discusses the combination of injectables along with surgical intervention. “I think it’s a real art to figure out where somebody is,” says Fodor. “With a younger patient of course more often he or she will benefit from injections alone.”
The Difference between Botox and Fillers
Botox is the granddaddy of injectables. The material is extremely successful in temporarily “erasing” frown lines and other wrinkles caused by the movement of facial muscles over decades. By stunning the muscles that cause these wrinkles, Botox is able to temporarily introduce a younger, less line-crossed face.
Fillers are quite different and are easily lumped in with Botox, even with such a pointed name. These products are hyaluronic acid-based and are not meant to erase wrinkles, but to provide volume. Volume-loss is one of the most significant aspects of facial aging. The ability to provide some of the lost volume can dramatically improve the look of the face, and in a union with Botox, can truly “erase” a decade or more of facial aging happenings.
Patient’s Should be Cautious with Marketing for Injectables
With the advent of more dermal fillers, and other related injectables becoming more sophisticated and successful, marketing campaigns have ramped up to sell them. Magazine ads, social media posts, commercials, and celebrity endorsements all tell the success tale of injectables. What doesn’t fit into a 30 second ad spot is the complexity of human facial anatomy – and why it’s extremely important to go to a provider who knows how to assess a unique face and come up with a unique plan to treat it.
According to Dr. Fodor, these ads and commercials may be too convincing, sending patients into plastic surgeons’ offices with their minds already made up. “They’re set on injectables because they’ve seen so many commercials and advertisements about injectables so that’s all they want to have,” he explains. “I like to have a heart-to-heart with them and tell them each case is unique and it’s important to choose the right option for the right challenge.”
Injectables are Great – Now Make Sure Your Injector is, too
It is entirely vital for curious, would-be patients to see an experienced physician for injectables. It may seem easy to just inject Botox here or there, but there is a requirement for a deep understanding of the face to get great results. This trust in an expert also shields patients from terrible results, which is unfortunately commonplace. Bad results have little to do with the product and all to do with who injected it.