by Botox Edu

Which anti-aging injectable is right for you?

Injectable anti-aging treatments have become an increasingly popular alternative to surgery for a variety of reasons.  Here are some things to be aware of before deciding to seek out one of these treatments.

A survey was conducted of  2,500 physicians that perform cosmetic procedures by Medicard Financial, a Canadian company that focuses on funding cosmetic procedures. They found that injectable treatments like Botox, and fillers like Restylane and Juvederm were among the most popular cosmetic treatments for aging.  In Canada in 2005, 126,554 injections of filler were administered as well as 142,374 doses of Botox.

The survey revealed that the majority of people receiving these injections were women who lived in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.  72% of recipients were between 35 and 50 years of age, with the majority of the remainder being between 19 and 34.  At the time of the survey, women accounted for 83.5% of injectable anti-aging treatments, but the number of men seeking these treatments has been increasing.

Here is what you need to know about non-surgical anti-aging treatments to help you decide which one is best for you.

Botox

Treatment with Botox uses an ultra fine needle to inject a minute amount of purified protein made by the bacterium clostridium botulinum into the face. The injection weakens the tiny muscles in the face,  inhibiting facial expressions and the fine lines they cause.

Botox is typically injected into the glabellar muscle where it minimizes the lines between the eyebrows. It is also sometimes used to diminish lines on the forehead, around the eyes to reduce crows feet, around the corners of the mouth and in the muscles of the neck.

The effects of Botox typically wear off after about three or four months.  When injected by a doctor or nurse, the cost is about $10 per injection.  Expect to pay more, around $15 to $17 if you go to a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon.  Forehead lines may need anywhere from 12 to 16 injections to get rid of the lines.  The area between the eyes could take as many as 30 injections.  Crow’s feet will take 12 to 15 injections for each eye for women, 25 to 30 injections for men.

Botox is fast outpatient procedure with no recovery time.  In and out of the doctor’s office in about twenty minutes, you could have it done on your lunch hour and still have time to grab a bite.  The sensory nerves are unaffected, so there is no numbness or tingling in the area.  Botox requires no anesthetic or sedation as there is very little or no pain, due to the very fine needle used to administer the injections.  It might feel a little like getting bit by a bug.  Common side effects include bruising and a short-lived headache.  Other potential side effects include a bit of swelling or redness, both of which are temporary.

Restylane

Restylane is a type of naturally sugar produced in the skin and other cells.  Hyaluronic holds water much as a sponge, helping to hydrate the skin and improving the volume and density of cells.  The body’s stores of hyaluronic acid declines as we age and as a result of exposure to hormones, medications and ultraviolet rays.

Restylane is used to smooth out wrinkles, highlight eyebrows, fill in the area under the eyes, plump up lips and upper cheeks and smooth laugh lines between the nose and mouth, and highlight the profile in the area of the cheeks, jaw and chin.  Restylane can also be fill acne scars, hide jowls and subtly change shape or symmetry of the face, softening a bulbous nose or filling in a ski-jump dip in the profile of the nose.

There are several factors that affect how long Restylane treatments will last.  How much is injected is one major factor.  Another is the location of treatment.  When Restylane is injected closer to bone, it lasts longer.  Lip treatments usually last about six months, while treatment for laugh lines may last nine months.  Cheek augmentations usually last even longer.  Restylane is expensive, starting at $1,000 and can run as high as $2,500.

Restylane is not an animal product, so there’s no risk of contracting disease and allergic reactions are rare.  Restylane can be used on any skin type and treatments have immediate results and some areas of the face only need one treatment.  Restylane is also made in half-vial doses that are great for touching up the upper life or for fine lines in areas with little fat.  Common side effects include redness and swelling that may last for a few days, but should be gone in a week.  Treatments around the lips may result in a bit more swelling than other types of treatments.

Juvederm

Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid similar to Restylane, but it is manufactured using a different filtration process and different techniques to manipulate the molecules.

Juvederm is used to treat moderate to severe wrinkles, lift the upper eyebrows, fill hollows under the eyes, plump lips and cheeks and accentuate the outline of the chin and jaw.  Like Restylane, it can also be used for minor reshaping of the nose.

Juvederm lasts six months or more and cost of treatment starts at $1,000.  Each vial costs between $550 and $700.  Lips can usually be done with one vial and the area between nose and mouth usually require one for each side.  Cheeks may take as many as three vials for each side.

Juvederm’s benefits are similar to those of Restylane.  It is not an animal product, so risk of disease, allergic reactions are rare and it can be used on any type of skin.  Swelling and pain are minimal.  Side effects are also comparable to other injectable anti-aging treatments and include redness, swelling or bruising, all of which are temporary.  Reports of nerve or blood vessel injury are rare, but have occurred.