injectablesTag
Skincare Blog
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Tag: injectables
Is Preventative BOTOX® Worth It?
Is it worth it to get preventative BOTOX®? Our Arizona-based team at Ironwood Dermatology provides this injectable treatment to reduce wrinkles that have already formed, but it can also be used for other purposes.
Preventative BOTOX® is a cosmetic strategy that has gained popularity in recent years. Unlike traditional BOTOX®, which is used to reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles, preventative BOTOX® is employed to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the first place. Here’s how it works.
First, it’s important to understand what causes wrinkles. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and collagen, which are essential for maintaining a smooth, youthful appearance. In addition, repetitive facial expressions like frowning, squinting, and raising eyebrows can cause lines and wrinkles to form, especially on the forehead area and around the eyes.
Preventative BOTOX® works by targeting the muscles that cause wrinkles to form. This makes it ideal for patients who want to take a proactive approach to anti-aging treatments instead of correcting wrinkles that have become deeply etched in. When BOTOX® is injected into specific muscles, it relaxes them for months at a time. Using this injectable before wrinkles have a chance to form allows the skin to better maintain its elasticity and collagen, resulting in skin that has an overall smoother and more youthful appearance.
Preventative BOTOX® is typically recommended for individuals in their 20s and 30s, before wrinkles have become deeply ingrained in the skin. However, the treatment can also be effective for older individuals who are only just starting to notice the early signs of aging.
The procedure for preventative BOTOX® is similar to traditional BOTOX®. We will inject small amounts of the neurotoxin into the targeted muscles using a fine needle in the areas where deep creases are likely to develop.
This treatment can potentially slow down the development of wrinkles or prevent them from forming at all. Preventative treatments can be ideal for patients who are likely to get deep wrinkles or a high number of wrinkles. If you have family members with an excessive number of wrinkles or who have a very expressive face or thinner, finer skin, you may be a good candidate for this procedure.
Our Arizona-based team at Ironwood Dermatology can explain more about using injectable treatments to soften—or prevent—wrinkles on the upper third of the face. Call us at 520.618.1630 or submit a contact form if you’d like to learn more.
How Can You Get the Most Natural Results from Facial Fillers?
Can dermal fillers look natural? Our Arizona-based team at Ironwood Dermatology is aware that many patients prefer their filler results to look as subtle and natural as possible rather than overdone. The goal is to enhance the face and emphasize your natural beauty without ending up with a pillow face or “duck lips” appearance. “Pillow face” is a term that’s used to describe that unnatural look with overly pronounced lips and cheeks that you can get from overusing fillers.
Of course, most of us would prefer to avoid that look—but is it possible to get fillers that are so subtle others notice the change but aren’t sure why? The answer is yes. It’s entirely possible to achieve natural-looking results from injectables if you want to get a youthful, rejuvenated look. There’s no need to be afraid of ending up with results that look overly “fake” from fillers, especially when you work with highly trained and experienced injectors—such as the Ironwood Dermatology team—who know that fillers are customizable so they can be as subtle or as detectable as you would like them to be.
Here are a few more tips for avoiding duck lips:
Take a “Less is More” Approach
Getting great results from fillers won’t necessarily be about using lots of the product. Injecting the right amount of filler is critical, which is where choosing an experienced provider comes in. The anatomical placement of the filler and the type of filler used are both important aspects that should be considered.
Get a Treatment Plan
You will need a detailed, well-thought-out plan to ensure that your fillers look natural. Work closely with your injector to explain your goals and understand the possibilities. The results should enhance the balance of the face and provide support when they’re done correctly.
Use the Right Ratios
When it comes to adding volume—especially lip injections—there are specific ratios that will provide the most natural look. There should be a 1:1 ratio between the outer corners of the top and bottom lip. The lower lip should always be larger than the upper lip, and the skin should have some variation since a perfectly smooth, shiny appearance would not look natural.
Talk to our Arizona-based team at Ironwood Dermatology for more details about what fillers can do and how to get ideal results from the treatment. Call us at 520.618.1630 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation.
Who’s an Ideal Candidate for Kybella®?
A pocket of fat below the chin—commonly referred to as a “double chin”—is often believed to be caused by weight gain, but that isn’t always the case. Yes, gaining excess weight all over your body can cause more fat to be deposited in the chin and face area, but people who aren’t overweight at all can also sometimes have this issue. This is because genetics determine where the body stores fat. So-called double chin exercises that claim to reduce fat in this specific area might be able to strengthen your neck muscles, but they probably won’t have any effect on the localized fat, because targeting specific congregations of fat cells doesn’t work that way. Even with a strict diet and good exercise routine, it may seem nearly impossible to get rid of persistent double chin fat. A more reliable option is Kybella®, an injectable form of deoxycholic acid that gradually dissolves isolated fat below the chin to create a sharper jawline without harming other tissues in the body. Not sure whether double chin reduction at the Tucson and Oro Valley area’s Ironwood Dermatology is right for you? Here’s what makes a good candidate:
You Prefer a Non-Surgical Approach
Patients who are frustrated by the appearance of submental fullness but want to avoid the long recovery times, invasive nature, incisions, and anesthesia involved in plastic surgery can avoid all of those drawbacks with Kybella®.
You’re at a Stable Weight
Patients get optimal results when they remain at or close to their ideal body weight, because future weight gain could cause any remaining fat cells below the chin to become enlarged and create a bulkier look once again.
You Have Good Skin Elasticity
Is your double chin caused mainly by loose skin or by fat? Kybella® is ideal for reducing fat cells specifically, but tightening loose skin requires other strategies. That means fat-reduction injections produce better results on patients who only have mild to moderate skin elasticity. People who have dramatic skin elasticity may have better results with other procedures.
Kybella® is a convenient injectable treatment for removing stubborn fat below the chin without invasive surgery. Sculpt a more defined jaw area with double chin reduction from Ironwood Dermatology, or find out about other cosmetic treatments available. Call 520.618.1630 or submit a contact form to request an appointment and find out whether you are eligible.
5 Tips for Soothing Dry Lips After Lip Injections
The air is particularly dry and cool during wintertime in Arizona. These weather conditions can take a negative toll on the thin, delicate skin of the lips, leading them to become tight and chapped—even for people who haven’t recently had lip fillers. Our Tucson and Oro Valley area injectors recommend giving your lips some extra attention during the colder season, especially if you’ve had lip injections. Here’s what you can typically expect after a filler session, as well as some simple tricks for keeping your lips hydrated and soft.
For patients who have always wanted to give their lips a poutier appearance or more defined shape, lip fillers are the gold standard for achieving this look. One of the aspects of lip injections that patients are most curious about before having the procedure is what their lips will feel like after they’ve received their injections.
Although one of the benefits of an injectable procedure is that there’s no actual recovery time needed after, there are some short-term side effects to consider, such as mild bruising and swelling. Simply put, your lips can feel “weird” at first, but each person has a different experience depending on a range of factors.
Despite the hyaluronic acid that fillers contain, which is designed to retain water in the skin, post-lip injection dryness is a rare side effect that happens to some people—and can persist for a few days after you’ve had fillers like JUVEDERM®. This can be more likely if you already naturally tend to have drier lips. The flaky, dry feeling could be happening as a result of the skin stretching due to swelling and added volume, as well as licking your lips more often after fillers, or because of the lip products you’ve been using.
If your lips are looking and feeling uncomfortably dry, here’s what you can do:
- Apply a thick ointment, like white petroleum jelly, several times during the day
- Apply moisturizing ingredients like vitamin E, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter
- Drink plenty of water
- Stick to non-irritating lip balms and lipsticks that are fragrance free and hypoallergenic
- Avoid ingredients that dry or irritate the lips, such as eucalyptus, menthol, and salicylic acid
Need more advice on aftercare for lip injections? Our Tucson-area providers at Ironwood Dermatology can guide you on everything that’s involved in healing and maintenance for lip fillers. Call 520.618.1630, or submit a contact form to request a consultation.
What Are the Most Common Skincare Mistakes?
It can sometimes seem like everyone is obsessed with skincare these days, but it’s more than just a passing trend. There are very good reasons behind this movement toward protecting and enhancing our body’s outer covering. It’s so important to give your skin the attention it needs consistently, not just for cosmetic reasons (such as making your pores appear tinier and defying the aging process), but also for the sake of your overall health. Even though we might think we’re doing our skin good, sometimes we’re actually harming it without knowing. Understanding where you’re going wrong can help you to keep your skin calm, avoid intense breakouts, and enjoy your most stunning complexion. At Ironwood Dermatology, our team provides aesthetic treatments like neuromodulators and injectable fillers for Tucson and Oro Valley area patients, and we can also assess your skin to help you develop a skincare routine that’s customized for your needs.
With that in mind, here are some of the most typical beauty mistakes most people make—most likely without even realizing it.
Overdoing Exfoliation Techniques
As any experienced skin professional will tell you, regular exfoliation is the key to maintaining clear, glowing skin instead of being left with a dull, washed-out, and uneven look. Exfoliation removes dry skin, dead cells, and dirt that clog the pores. Just remember that too much exfoliation with harsh mechanical techniques or chemicals can harm the skin’s moisture barrier.
Forgetting the Neck
The neck has thinner skin and is one of the areas that shows the most pronounced signs of aging. Don’t forget to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, and use sunscreen on the neck area.
Skipping Toner
One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that toners are useless. Actually, toners can be a crucial part of your skincare routine because they help to close the pores after you’ve finished cleansing and prevent any remaining dirt or impurities from getting in. They also prevent your skin from becoming dried out and boost the effects of serums or moisturizers. If you’re not using toner, your skin might become dehydrated.
Looking for more advice on keeping your skin healthy and looking young? Call us at Ironwood Dermatology at 520.618.1630, or submit a contact form online to schedule an initial consultation.
Lip Injections Explained: What is VOLBELLA® XC?
Lip augmentation is a cosmetic treatment designed to enhance the shape or size of the lips by adding volume. The demand for the most common lip augmentation option—hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers like JUVEDERM®—has continued to rise steadily worldwide as consumers have become aware of their choices for achieving fuller, plumper lips with lip injections. The Tucson-area’s Ironwood Dermatology team explains that Juvederm VOLBELLA® XC is one popular option from the Juvederm line due to its subtle, natural-looking results.
Statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons have shown that soft tissue fillers—which are popular volume-adding strategies for filling out skin that has lost collagen and fat over time—were the second most popular form of cosmetic minimally invasive procedure performed in the United States in 2018.
In recent years, a number of innovative products have been introduced to the lip injections market, making the treatment more convenient and accessible than ever for women and men seeking a specific look. While there are various forms of dermal fillers that can be injected into the lips and around the mouth, JUVEDERM® is one of the most recognized and commonly requested.
All of the options in the JUVEDERM® collection of fillers have the same hyaluronic acid base, but are formulated differently depending on the area they are designed to treat. VOLBELLA® XC is a soft and supple HA variation. This cosmetic “tweakment” offers a soft, light touch for smoothing delicate areas and fine lines on the face and lips. The malleable gel is ideal for temporarily adding subtle definition to the upper and lower lips with natural-looking outcomes.
The “XC” added to the end of the name means that it contains lidocaine for a more comfortable injection experience.
To get a better understanding of how VOLBELLA® XC works to plump up naturally thin or age-depleted lips, it’s helpful to start by examining its main ingredient. In simple terms, hyaluronic acid is a transparent, gel-like, lubricating molecule found naturally in almost every cell of the body. It is most densely concentrated in the skin, cartilage, and joints. VOLBELLA® XC (and other injectables in the JUVEDERM® family) contain a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid, which draws in moisture, hydrating the areas where is injected to further restore lost volume over time.
To find out more about lip injections like VOLBELLA® XC, contact Tucson’s Ironwood Dermatology online or call 520.618.1630.
The VOLUMA XC® Difference
Allergan makes many products that dermatologists use every day to improve the look of patients’ faces. One of the most popular lines from this manufacturer is Juvederm®, which is a family of hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers. Fillers are typically associated with smoothing out static wrinkles on the face, but the volume-adding clear gel can accomplish so much more. Case in point: VOLUMA® XC at Tucson’s Ironwood Dermatology.
A special process that links different “weights” of molecules together gives VOLUMA® XC some unique qualities. It is both smooth and hardy, able to flow easily into the skin when injected, but also robust enough to provide the structure and support so crucial to the midface.
Patients who benefit from VOLUMA® XC are those who have lost volume in the “apples” of their cheeks. So named because of their rosy roundness, the apples are signs of youthful health—and are especially apparent when someone smiles.
Unfortunately, the natural effects of aging on the skin can be particularly apparent on the apples. As volume decreases over time—a process made worse by regular exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun—the roundness can flatten into a gaunt look. As volume loss continues, it can progress into an aged, even skeletal look common to older people who have hollow cheeks.
To further the undesirable cosmetic changes, dwindling volume also leads to skin laxity. Tissue that slides downward without proper support from healthy amounts of collagen and facial fat creates jowls.
VOLUMA® XC counters all of these changes by restoring that vital volume. The gel is injected directly into the skin to replenish the apples. Using just the right amount, an injector creates a natural-looking symmetry that can make the apples “re-appear”—which also lifts away the slight look of volume-loss-related jowling.
Of all the available Juvederm® fillers, VOLUMA® XC lasts the longest. Studies have shown that its effects can last for up to two years—especially when injected by experienced providers who know how to maximize results.
Patients interested in smoothing out nasolabial folds or other creases are encouraged to learn more about other options available in the Juvederm® family. Signs of aging are not typically limited to just one area, so chances are good that diminished volume in the cheeks may accompany facial creases, thin lips, and other signs of retreating collagen.
Learn more about VOLUMA® XC at Tucson-based Ironwood Dermatology by sending a message online or calling 520.618.1630.