Dermal Fillers

What to expect during and after treatment:         

First of all... try not to worry! 

Dermal fillers sometimes sound scarier than they really are, and most people after the treatment are relieved at how easy it is! I want your procedure to be comfortable and enjoyable as much as you do.

For some dermal filler treatments I routinely use anesthetic, and for other areas it is optional. I can give a topical anesthesia as a cream you apply in advance, or I can inject numbing medicine right before treatment. Our filler products are also mixed with lidocaine, which makes the injection more comfortable.

Everyone experiences pain a little differently, so it is hard to say how painful you will find your treatment with dermal fillers. Some people find them almost painless, others are more uncomfortable, but it is always worth the end result! I will explain everything that happens as we go along, so there will be no surprises.

The most common side effects after a dermal filler treatment are swelling and bruising. These side effects happen about half of the time, but they are not predictable. They vary from patient to patient and procedure to procedure. 

Lips and around eyes swell the most, for example. I recommend having a dermal filler treatment at least a month before a major event (wedding, vacation) or an event where you will have pictures taken. This will give you time to heal after treatment if you happen to get bruising or swelling.

You can use ice immediately after your procedure and for the next 24-48 hours if needed for swelling. 

Over the counter Tylenol is safe and effective if needed for any discomfort. Ibuprofen or Naprosyn are not recommended because it is thought they increase bleeding, and therefore bruising, but I have not found this to be the case in actual life, and personally take ibuprofen if needed for pain after filler injection.

 About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Wrinkles and Botulinum Toxin (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin)

Botulinum Toxins (commonly known as “Botox”, but there are other brand names, so I will refer to them here as BTs) are injectable medicines that we use to temporarily relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles.

At Aponi Aesthetics, we love Xeomin, Dysport and Botox!

Why?

Because they make you look younger in a subtle way that won’t have people wondering if you’ve “had work done”.

Done correctly, BTs take away your wrinkles without making you look frozen. Many patients who ask us about these wrinkle modifiers are afraid that they will look like Hollywood starlets who can’t move their faces. This is not necessary (unless you specifically want that look).

These medicines can make you look completely natural AND younger at the same time. Your friends and family might not even know you’ve been treated; they will just comment on how great you look!

BTs are only used on wrinkles that are caused by muscle movement (Dynamic wrinkles). The most common areas for these injections are:

• the frown lines between the eyebrows – also known as the “elevens”
• forehead wrinkles
• crow’s feet wrinkles around the eyes
• other (non-FDA-approved) areas. 

Wrinkles that are not caused by muscle movement are known as static wrinkles, and need to be treated with Dermal Fillers.
That’s a subject I will discuss on another blog.

Frown lines can make you look mad, even if you’re not. People respond to your face unconsciously; don’t you want them to see the best possible you?

People spend hundreds of dollars a year on make-up, which we have to apply and remove daily. Botulinum toxins are with you every day for 3-4 months (and last even longer if you get them regularly), so they are a cost effective way of making you look better with no effort beyond initial treatment (which is quick and almost painless).

Unlike all the supposed “miracle” creams and lotions on the market, BTs actually WORK, and have been studied and FDA approved.

I use the smallest needles available to minimize pain with injections, and we can administer topical anesthetic if desired, though it is rarely necessary.

Plus: we offer the lowest possible prices on these products. We want everyone to have access to this cosmetic miracle, because we LOVE it, and we know you will too.

What is the difference between Botox, Xeomin and Dysport?

Medically speaking, there isn’t one. Xeomin is slightly less expensive for patients, and works in the same way as Botox and Dysport.

We are members of Allergan’s Brilliant Distinctions Program, which provides rebates on Botox treatments if you join on-line.

About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

What are Dermal Fillers?

The dermal fillers Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane and Belotero are a product made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid.   

Hyaluronic acid is present throughout the body, but we inject a thicker version of it in to creases and wrinkles. 

Dermal fillers are injected in to “static” wrinkles, which are wrinkles not caused by muscle movement. These wrinkles are often caused by the inevitable loss of fat or bone in the aging face, or by long-term “dynamic” wrinkles that have become etched in to the skin (such as forehead lines or crow’s feet that have been there for too long to erase them with Botox or botulinum toxins). 

You can also use dermal fillers on sunken or hollow areas where there has been bone loss due to aging. 

The most common area to treat with dermal fillers is the nasolabial folds which run from the sides of the nose down to the sides of the mouth. We also treat “marionette lines” which run from the sides of the mouth down to the chin. 

Other commonly treated areas treated with dermal fillers include: cheeks, under the eyes, lips, lip lines, along the jawline, chin cleft, acne scars or other scars. These products are not FDA approved for these all of these areas, but it is done. 

Lidocaine is usually added to the filler to make the injection procedure more comfortable. It is possible to dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers if needed, although this is rarely necessary.  

Radiesse is a little different type of filler made up of calcium hydroxyapatite. For our purpose that means a few things: 1. It is a stronger, denser product that lasts longer than hyaluronic acid fillers and 2. It is not reversible, so if you don’t like it you have to wait several months for it to be re-absorbed. 3. There are certain areas where it is too thick to be used, such as in the lips, and under the eyes.

Dermal fillers are amazing at creating a younger, and less-tired look. Most patients are concerned that they will look fake or “overdone”, but this is never the case in my practice. 

With dermal fillers, you will often see how you are going to look right after your treatment, so there is immediate gratification. 

Dermal fillers do not last forever, and duration is often linked to amount of product used, but most procedures last 6-9 months, and if you get a touch up at 6 months your filler can last for 18-24 months.

 About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Microneedling

Microneedling is all the buzz lately! 

Microneedling is a method of stimulating collagen in the skin, which can be used to minimize scars and wrinkles.  

Many treatments in aesthetic medicine involve coaxing skin cells (fibroblasts) to create collagen, and tighten the existing tissue, thereby improving skin texture. At Aponi Aesthetics we use the Rejuvapen microneedling device (www.rejuvapen.com). 

The Rejuvapen device uses very tiny needles to cause microscopic damage to skin cells. This damage causes skin fibroblasts to release healing hormones and proteins which encourage healthy collagen deposition. We numb the skin prior to the procedure, so there is minimal to no pain involved. 

Skin rejuvenation using this method is a process, and it takes from 4-6 treatments (spaced a month apart) to see improvements. There is minimal down time involved with micro needling. Your skin will look a little pink and you may have a few tiny needle marks. By the next day your skin is usually back to normal, and your skin cells are starting the process that will lead to smoother, younger-looking skin! 

In-office microneedling differs from home devices called Dermal Rollers because the depth of the needles is much more precise and easy to adjust. 

Also, Rejuvapen needles enter the skin at a 90 degree angle, which eliminates the tearing and damage that can happen when a roller needle lifts off the skin at varying angles. Our needle tips are disposable so they are sharp, clean and sterile every time you get a procedure, while dermal rollers are re-used and can get dull or damaged with long term use.

About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.