5 Things to Think About Before Having Fillers
Unsure about what to consider before having dermal fillers? Our Little Rock-based team at Dermatology Group of Arkansas is here to guide you through the process if you’re interested in facial fillers to minimize wrinkles or improve the definition of your facial contours.
As the quest for youthful, radiant skin continues, dermal fillers have emerged as a very popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment. Fillers are injectable substances that help restore volume, smooth wrinkles, and enhance facial features. Before considering this treatment, however, it is crucial to understand what dermal fillers are and what you should know before choosing them.
See below for five key considerations to ensure that you have the best possible experience and optimal results from fillers.
- Understand What Facial Fillers Are
Facial fillers are injectable, gel-like substances that can be added below the surface of the skin as a way of restoring volume to certain areas or reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Fillers shouldn’t be confused with BOTOX®, which is an injectable neurotoxin that relaxes muscles by preventing them from contracting to stop the dynamic wrinkles that are linked to our facial expressions.
- Decide On Your Goals
Getting fillers is about more than achieving a younger-looking appearance. If you’re having facial fillers, it’s important to think about what look you want to achieve before your appointment. Are you aiming for a subtle refresh or an obvious enhancement? You can check out before-and-after photos to get a better idea of what kind of results you can expect.
- Think About the Lifespan of Results
Facial fillers are temporary treatments and won’t last forever. Your body will eventually break them down. If you like the results and want to maintain them, you’ll have to come back for touch-ups once a year or more.
- Fillers Aren’t a Cure for All Skin Problems
Facial fillers work very well for adding volume, but they aren’t designed to address issues relating to the general tone, texture, and quality of your skin. You will need other types of treatments for uneven pigmentation, dullness, and other conditions.
- Ask Lots of Questions
You can ask us about our experience, aesthetic, and style to ensure that our approach aligns with what you hope to achieve. You can also ask us about what kind of results you can expect, the techniques we use, and what you could do to reverse the effects if you were ever unhappy with the results.
For more advice about what to consider before having dermal fillers, contact our Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas team so that we can explain everything you should know about this treatment. Call us at 501-227-8422 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation.
What Is Hyaluronic Acid and How Does It Help Your Skin?
Can skin quality be improved? Our Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas team knows that patients are routinely searching for treatments to make their skin clearer, smoother, and even healthier.
One of the best-known powerhouse ingredients for the skin is hyaluronic acid. Chances are good that you have heard of this ingredient before, since facial fillers and many types of topical products contain it. Even if you know the words, however, you may be wondering what exactly hyaluronic acid is and how it works.
Hyaluronic acid can often be the key to getting a plump and glowing look. To put it simply, this ingredient works by increasing water content in the skin. It’s a strong hydrating ingredient—medically known as a humectant—that absorbs water from the environment and holds it in the upper layers of skin. The molecules can even retain up to 1,000 times their own weight in water, so hyaluronic acid is great for keeping your skin dewy and luminous throughout the day.
It has many benefits, such as:
• Making the skin look and feel more supple
• Speeding up wound healing
• Smoothing the texture of the skin
• Decreasing the depth of wrinkles
• Enhancing skin firmness and elasticity
• Reducing symptoms of mild to moderate eczema
• Acting as an antioxidant to protect the skin against damaging molecules called free radicals
It's best to use toners, essences, serums, and moisturizers that contain hyaluronic acid. Water or gel-based products are ideal for those who have oily skin, while oil-based products will be the better choice for those with dry skin. It’s perfectly safe to use products that contain hyaluronic acid every day, but it’s important that you use them the correct way to get the most from them.
Always apply hyaluronic acid products to clean and damp skin, then lock it all in with a layer of moisturizer. Remember that hyaluronic acid fillers come in different “sizes.” Products with a lower molecular weight can penetrate the skin more deeply and are longer lasting. Hyaluronic acid fillers can also be injected directly into the skin to reduce the depth of wrinkles and give it a smoother appearance.
Want to know more about improving skin quality? Our team at the Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas will explain more about how cosmetic procedures can enhance your appearance. Call us at 501-227-8422 or submit a contact form online and schedule a consultation.
3 Ways Lip Fillers Can Enhance the Cupid’s Bow
Can you change the shape of your Cupid’s bow? Our Little Rock-based team at Dermatology Group of Arkansas commonly meets with patients who want to give their lips a more defined appearance by enhancing this specific area.
The Cupid's bow is the prominent V-shaped dip that sits above the center of the upper lip that comes to two distinct points, giving the lip a heart-like shape. The double curve is said to look similar to the bow of Cupid, the Roman god of love. This feature is considered to be one of the defining characteristics of a youthful and aesthetically pleasing lip shape.
The Cupid’s bow is a significant feature that has a subtle but important impact on the overall shape of the lips. However, as we age, the skin and underlying tissues of the lips can start to lose volume, causing the Cupid's bow to become less defined and prominent. In other cases, patients may naturally have less defined lips.
In either case, lip fillers can be used to enhance the upper area of the lips, helping to create a more youthful and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Want perkier lips? If you want subtly fuller lips, you should consider focusing on one area to define the lip shape without enlarging the entire area.
Here's a closer look at how lip fillers can be used to enhance the Cupid's bow:
Adding Volume
By adding volume to the upper lip, lip fillers can help to create a more pronounced and defined Cupid's bow. This can be especially useful for individuals with thin or aging lips, since the added volume can help to restore a more youthful and revitalized appearance.
Contouring
Lip fillers can also be used to contour the Cupid's bow, helping to create a more defined and pronounced shape. This can include adding volume to specific areas of the Cupid's bow, such as the peaks or dips, to create a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Improving Symmetry
In some cases, the Cupid's bow may not be symmetrical, with the lack of symmetry causing an uneven appearance. Lip fillers can help to improve the symmetry of the upper lip, creating a more even and proportionate appearance.
Our Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas team can tell you more about the Cupid’s bow, lip aesthetics, fillers, and other treatments. Call us at 501-227-8422 or submit a contact form online and schedule a consultation.
How Can You Make Your BOTOX® Results Look Natural?
Do you look normal after BOTOX®? That’s what Little Rock-area patients who are having the injectable treatments for the first time to reduce dynamic wrinkles often ask us. While there are many topical skincare options and minimally invasive treatments for addressing wrinkles, botulinum toxin injections are still considered to be the most effective method for reducing moderate to severe expression lines on certain areas on the face.
In addition to wanting to reduce pesky wrinkles around the eyes and forehead, patients also hope that the results will look as natural as possible on their face. Basically, they want to enhance their natural beauty rather than looking like someone else—or worse, a robot. Due to some common misconceptions about BOTOX®, patients are sometimes worried that the results from wrinkle injections will cause them to look “expressionless” or “frozen.”
The truth is that this is far from the case. Experienced injectors are trained to administer BOTOX® in a way that relaxes key muscles, but preserves the patient’s ability to continue making the wide range of facial expressions.
In other words, the answer is yes: Your results will look normal. BOTOX® only affects specific muscles in the face and won’t prevent you from showing emotion. However, it can sometimes seem as if some people’s results look more subtle than others. If your goal is to make your results look as natural and attractive as possible, here’s what you should know about getting wrinkle-relaxing injections.
The key to a natural-looking result is choosing an injector who uses the correct techniques and has a deep knowledge of facial anatomy. Be sure to start slow and ask us for subtle results that won’t look obvious. Tell us what your ultimate goal will be from the treatment. Our injectors have the experience to create customized results that suit your face, lifestyle, and aesthetic goals.
Still wondering about how you can look “normal” after BOTOX®? Our Little Rock-based team at Dermatology Group of Arkansas can provide a detailed answer to this question and explain everything involved in the treatment process in detail. Call us at 501-227-8422 or 1-800-225-8422 or submit out a contact form online and schedule a consultation if you’re interested in finding out more.
What Should You Know About Juvederm® Aftercare?
When it comes to reducing wrinkles that result from muscle activity in the face (which are referred to as dynamic wrinkles), neuromodulators like BOTOX® are the gold standard. However, for wrinkles that deepen in the face because of collagen deficiency, loss of moisture, or the breakdown of skin cells due to exposure to other environmental aggressors, facial fillers are best. These gels are injected beneath the skin, acting as a temporary replacement for the collagen, fat, or other volume-providing substances the skin is lacking. Hyaluronic acid facial fillers such as Juvederm® injections from our Little Rock-based practice are one of the best ways of restoring volume to areas where it is diminished in the skin or adding more definition to facial contours.
Since it’s a non-surgical procedure, one of the major advantages of this treatment is that there is very little recovery time and few limitations on activities after, meaning patients will be able to resume their usual routine right away for the most part. Nevertheless, there are still some side effects that may occur after having any type of injectable, and it’s helpful to know what to expect during recovery.
Don’t Put Too Much Pressure on Your Skin
When it comes to fillers, it’s wise to remember that you can look as much as you want, but try not to touch your face too frequently. If you massage or poke at your face too much, the activity could undo the work that has been done by the injector. Try to avoid deep facials, sleeping in positions that put too much pressure on your skin (such as the side or stomach), or wearing heavy glasses.
Apply Ice
To decrease some of the redness and swelling, try icing the treatment area right after the injections. Don’t leave ice on for too long, though. Try a few minutes on, then give your skin a break to avoid damaging it with cold.
Avoid Certain Activities
Rest up, avoid stress, and keep your heart rate down after getting fillers. Some activities or environments could increase your heart rate and blood flow to the facial area, which can make swelling and bruising worse. Avoid sun exposure, blood thinners such as NSAIDs, smoking, and exercise for the first 24 hours at least. You should also stay out of spas and saunas for about a day.
For more advice about facial fillers, contact Dermatology Group of Arkansas. Call us at 501-227-8422 or 1-800-225-8422 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.