As our skin ages, we lose fat, hyaluronic acid, and collagen, resulting in wrinkles, sagging skin, jowls, and bags under the eyes. We can now replace this loss with a class of medications called “fillers.” They physically fill in the wrinkles and fine scars.
What kinds of problems do the “fillers” fix? They work well for facial wrinkles, including frown lines, crows’ feet, smile lines, marionette lines, and lines around the lips. They can also treat many scars and can be used to restore the youthful architecture of your lips and face.
Juvederm is made of hyaluronic acid, and it typically lasts 6 to 12 months. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in the deeper layers of the skin. Juvederm is mixed with a local anesthetic--lidocaine--and often require no numbing of the skin. It works very well for lips, fine lines, smile lines, marionette lines, and under the eyes.
Radiesse is a longer- acting filler. It typically lasts 1-2 years and can help smooth out smile lines, marionette lines, bags under the eyes, and jowls. It also works well to rejuvenate aged hands.
Many patients use Botox in conjunction with the fillers for optimal improvement of facial wrinkles.
What is Botox?
Botox is the trade name for Botulinum type A toxin. This is the toxin that is derived from
Clostridium Botulinum bacteria. Botox is a highly purified form of the toxin. It is used in very small amounts to relax the muscles it is injected into. With the correct amount and good technique, one can make facial wrinkles disappear for 2 to 6 months with each treatment.
Botox is most often used to treat wrinkles of the upper face, including forehead lines, crows’ feet, and frown lines between the eyes. It can also be used to treat upper lip wrinkles, neck wrinkles, and smile lines around the mouth. Botox can also be a wonder drug for migraine sufferers, in that a single treatment with Botox can make migraines stop for 6 or 7 months.
How long do the effects of Botox last?
Depending on the person, they usually last 2 to 6 months. There have been occasional patients who are immune to its effects and get no response, and there are a few who may have the effects last a year or longer.
 Pixel Laser This is the state of the art laser for fractional skin resurfacing. Fractional resurfacing involves making tiny holes in the skin with a laser, leaving most of the skin normal. The skin in the holes grows back very quickly using the surrounding normal skin as a scaffold. This process remodels the skin with much less pain and downtime than traditional CO2 laser resurfacing.
It will treat scars, pigmentation, including deep melasma, wrinkles (like crow's feet), and large pores. It works well for acne scarring.
The Pixel laser can also be used to treat stretch marks, dark spots on the hands, legs, back, and surgical scars.
| |
| Keith Nichols, M.D., is the medical director of Genesis Vein Specialists and Genesis Medspa in Virginia Beach and Suffolk. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine. And he is the only physician in the Tidewater area, board-certified in Phlebology, which refers to the diagnosis and treatment of leg veins. He is a Fellow in the American College of Emergency Physicans and a member of the American College of Phlebology and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Trained to operate multiple leading-edge lasers, Dr Nichols uses the most up-to-date equipment. He has received special training in Laser and Facial Aesthetics, VNUS Closure, vein therapy, ultrasound diagnosis and sclerotherapy.
Two Convenient Locations
401 North Great Neck Rd.,Suite 121,Virginia Beach
1500 Breezeport Way, Suite 100, Suffolk
757-686-9747
www.genesisvein.com
| |
