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THE ABCS OF COSMETIC FILLERS AND BOTOX
As we grow older, our faces start to show age in the form of lines and wrinkles. Fortunately, today there are affordable and virtually painless ways to look younger without surgery. Contoure Laser Body offers the most popular wrinkle solutions including BOTOX, Dysport, Juvederm®, Prevelle, Perlane®, Restylane® and Radiesse™ and others. Our experienced staff will help you decide which treatment is best for you. We offer free consultations.
There are many trends in cosmetic enhancements: everything from bodylifts to the short-scar facelift has had a surge in popularity that has patients asking their doctors about the potential of such a procedure. But none can be more significant than the use of dermal fillers to soften wrinkles and make lips look full and fresh. These fillers are popular for several reasons: they're non invasive, they provide dramatic, natural results, and they are more cost-effective than a full facelift.
BOTOX COSMETIC
Everyone’s heard of Botox® – over a million people have been treated since it was approved by the FDA in 2002. Botox® is most effective on frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead creases. It works by relaxing facial muscles that cause the brow to furrow. Our treatments can usually be done in about an hour in our comfortable spa facilities, with minimal or no discomfort. You can return to work with no recovery time! There are virtually no side effects. The results last from four to six months (individual cases may vary). Best of all, it is one of the most affordable and effective ways to smooth wrinkles that exists today.
Botox® is also a very effective non-surgical solution for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). It blocks the excess nerve impulses that trigger the unneccesary production of sweat on the hands, face, or upper body areas. Ask us about the advantages of Botox® over surgery.
Unfortunately, all BOTOX is not created equal and over. Diluted Botox is an epidemic in South Florida. Click here to find out why
Restylane
While the name Restylane® may not be as familiar to you, it has been used to treat over 3 million people in over 70 countries. It is a completely natural substance called hyaluronic acid, a dermal filler that actually binds with water molecules. This allows it to keep its shape for up to six months. What makes Restylane® unique is their completely non animal formula, NASHA™ or Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid. NASHA™ is completely compatible with human hyaluronic acid, unlike fat injections or bovine collagen injections. The treatments are virtually pain free, usually take less than an hour and you can return to work with results that appear almost immediately.
Radiesse
The newest innovation in dermal fillers is called Radiesse™. Developed with safety and longevity in mind, Radiesse™ is a new generation injectable filler that offers superior versatility for both cosmetic and reconstructive use without surgery. The unique composition of Radiesse™ provides immediate visual improvement common with other fillers, along with the benefit of long-lasting results. This is because Radiesse™ is made of very tiny, smooth calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres. The microspheres (particles) form a scaffold through which your body’s own collagen grows, and this produces the desired long-term effect.
Call us today and one of our professionals will be glad to discuss which of these treatments is best suited to your needs. Look younger NOW with the Contoure Advantage!
Background
The skin is the body's largest organ, and is divided into 3 layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis (also known as the subcutis).
The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin and contains regenerative layers of skin cells. The dermis is the next layer and contains connective tissue (i.e. collagen) and other fibers that give the skin strength and elasticity. The deepest layer, known as the subcutis or hypodermis, is composed primarily of fat. The subcutis supports blood vessels and nerve fibers that feed the overlying dermis and epidermis.
As skin ages, the supportive components of the skin are gradually destroyed. For example, elastic fibers in the dermis break down and are permanently lost. Collagen fibers degrade and undergo chemical modifications that destroy their function. There is also gradual loss of hyaluronic acid, a substance that maintains the texture in the skin. Thus, the skin becomes stiffer, thinner, and sags. In addition, wrinkles also appear over facial muscles as they stiffen with age. Thus, areas subjected to repeated movements with facial expression, such as the forehead, and around the eyes and lips, become wrinkled. Finally, the normal healing processes and cellular repair are gradually diminished; leaving older skin less resilient to environmental insults. Excessive sun exposure (including tanning beds) and smoking can greatly accelerate the aging process.
Now the ABCs of Fillers and Botox
Collagen and other injectable wrinkle fillers give skin a plumper, smoother appearance. Although collagen is the best known wrinkle filler, there are many other substances doctors can use to plump up your skin, including fat from your own body and synthetic materials. Here's a detailed explanation of how collagen works, followed by a discussion of other injectable wrinkle fillers your doctor may recommend.
Just below the epidermis lies the second layer, the dermis. The dermis, although it contains blood vessels, nerves, and hair follicles, is primarily made up of a protein called "collagen." This protein forms a network of fibers that provide a framework for the growth of cells and blood vessels. Because it is the primary component of the dermis, collagen acts as the support structure for the skin.
The hypodermis is a layer of fat and connective tissue that contains larger blood vessels and nerves. It also hosts sweat glands, and fat and collagen cells. The hypodermis is responsible for conserving your body's heat and protecting your vital inner organs.
In young skin, the collagen framework is intact and the skin remains moisturized and elastic. Young skin is resilient to the many facial expressions we adopt as well as everyday environmental exposure. But over time, the support structure weakens and the skin loses its elasticity. The skin begins to lose its tone as the collagen support wears down. Every time you smile, frown or squint, you put stress on the collagen in your skin. The effect of these facial expressions is cumulative and facial lines and wrinkles begin to appear.
Collagen creams work only on the skin surface and, like other moisturizers, primarily slow the rate of water loss from the skin and help keep the skin supple. A moisturizer with or without collagen cannot penetrate the skin and is not designed to be absorbed. No moisturizer can undo the cumulative effect of collagen loss and make wrinkles disappear.
Collagen injections replenish the skin's natural collagen. The natural beauty of your skin is enhanced as the contour of the support structure is restored.
Zyderm and Zyplast are bovine-derived collagen products that can replace the collagen your skin loses over time. Zyderm and Zyplast are placed in the skin -- in the dermis where the body readily accepts it as its own.
CosmoDerm and CosmoPlast are bioengineered human collagen products that are used for similar indications as Zyderm and Zyplast; they have the advantage of not requiring a skin test prior to the first treatment. Other human-based collagen products include Autologen, Cymetra, and Fascian.
