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Wrinkles are a source of concern to many people in New Jersey. The cause must be understood before the treatment is chosen. Mimetic lines -- those lines cause by muscle action, such as the 'crows feet' near the eyes or the line between the brows -- must be treated by attacking the muscle which causes them. This can be done with surgery or with BOTOX®. Static lines -- those caused by aging and sun damage -- can be improved dramatically with laser peels, a chemical peel, or dermabrasion. |
The main use of the Erbium laser is to remove wrinkles of the face. It also does a wonderful job at evening uneven facial pigment, leaving patients with smoother, clearer, skin.
Treatments are done in the office with intravenous anesthesia. Patients are not put to sleep and no breathing tubes are needed.
Using the Erbium laser, a full-face peel can be done in less than one hour. Smaller areas such as the lips and eyes can be done in minutes. You can go home soon after the procedure.
After treatments, your skin will be red and weeping, similar to when you scald yourself or skin your knee. There will be some pain, but overall there is more discomfort than pain and the prescribed medications will help. The skin will heal in 4 to 7 days. During this period you will wash you face frequently (every 3-4 hours) and apply protective ointment. Sunscreens, moisturizers, and skin creams will be needed once the skin is healed. Redness may persist for 6-8 weeks but can be covered with makeup. The final results can be dramatic with smoother, more even-toned, younger-looking skin.
Contact Image Plastic Surgery for more information
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels with Phenol, Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA), and milder acids such as Glycolic and Lactic have been used for years.
Phenol is a powerful agent which is capable of laser-type results. A major drawback of phenol, however, is that it can leave the skin hypo-pigmented (lighter) and this lightness may be permanent. Like laser, it causes an open-type wound.
TCA peels are very popular and they can be light to moderate in intensity. They are excellent for lighter, repeated peels and the skin heals quickly (2-3 days) in most cases.
Glycolic, Lactic, and Salicylic chemical peels are among the lighter peels, but are very safe and can be repeated. They rarely cause permanent pigment problems and cause peeling, but no open wounds.
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Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion uses a sanding-type instrument to remove skin manually. The technique is very precise, like the laser. Areas can be treated preferentially, which is useful in cases of acne scarring and deep lip wrinkles. The technique requires some type of anesthesia and the open wounds take several days to heal, depending on how deep the treatment goes. Pigmentation problems are not very common.
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BOTOX®
BOTOX® is a drug that will paralyze muscles for 3 to 6 months after injection into the muscle. Botox injections incur only mild discomfort due to the tiny needle. This treatment is useful for all mimetic lines. Keep in mind, however, that the paralysis may change your facial expression slightly since you cannot move the injected muscles at all - even if you want to.
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Fat Injections
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Fat injections are a terrific way to fill in the deeper lines of the cheeks as well as provide fuller lips with lip augmentation. The procedures are done in the office and offer the benefit of potential permanent correction versus collagen injections which are always fully absorbed.
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Injectables
Research over the past decade has produced several new injectable compounds to help even out depressions, erase wrinkles, and plump lips.
Collagen is a compound derived from cow skin and requires skin testing to rule out allergies. It has been used for many years, but it will always be absorbed over 3-6 months.
Restylane is a form of hyaluronic acis and is well tolerated with few side effects or allergic reactions. It will, however, be fully absorbed in several months.
Radiance is an injectable composed of a material similar to bone. While it is not used in the lips, it can be used in other areas of the face for a long lasting correction.
Artecoll and Bioplastique are small permanent beads that are injected in a liquid carrier. They are currently still under study.
Overall, Image Plastic Surgery uses fat more than any other injectable because there are fewer complications, lower costs, and the possibility of a permanent correction.
Contact Image Plastic Surgery for more information
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