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Cosmetic Facial Treatments and ProductsAh, whatever happened to the good old days when all you had to do was go out and get a complete face lift surgery if you wanted your face to look younger? Now, there are so many options and choices to consider - Botox, laser resurfacing, chemical peels, dermabrasion, Restylane, collagen.. What is Botox? Botox is a drug made from the botulinum toxin and is a poisonous, paralyzing neurotoxin that comes from bacteria. I don't know about you, but that sounds like something I want injected into my face! Botox is marketed by Allergan, a pharmaceutical company. Botox was originally used to treat eye disorders, but it was quickly noticed that wrinkles and furrows around the eyes disappeared after treatment (at least temporarily). Further testing led to the FDA approval of Botox for cosmetic purposes in 2002, and it is now the most popular cosmetic procedure. Below, we will take a look at Botox and other drugs used in facial cosmetic processes.
How Botox Works? Does Botox work?Botox definitely works. You can see some Botox before and after photos at the main Botox website, BotoxCosmetic.com, which is the official Allergan site. Over 3 million Botox treatments were done in 2005 as it has become more and more mainstream. You can often see which Hollywood stars have had it done - watch them as they talk and move their faces. If you see a forehead that barely moves or crinkles, eyebrows that can barely be raised, you just might be seeing Botox at work. Keep in mind it is a paralysis agent, basically keeping you from moving certain facial muscles and thus causing your skin to furrow or wrinkle. It is used largely for frown lines between the eyes and in the forehead, and around the eyes to minimize crows feets and laugh lines. Botox cannot help with sun damaged skin or sagging skin. The site allows you to search for physicians in your area that perform Botox treatments. Keep in mind also that Botox results are temporary, usually lasting 3-4 months, then you have to go back in and get injected again and again, forever, as long as you want to keep those results. How much does Botox cost? An average treatment of Botox costs about $300-$450. Do Botox injections hurt? Like all shots, it stings a little, but there is not anesthesia used, and the whole thing is over with in a period of minutes. What side effects does Botox have? Not many -- sometimes redness of bruising (those are the most common complaints), and occasionally headaches. Your eyelids can also begin to droop if the Botox "leaks" into nearby muscle groups. Doctors say you should not rub or press on the treated area for a day or so after treatment.Best Treatments to Reduce Wrinkles and Creases - RestylaneHow can you make your face look younger? Many people, especially women, worry about the effect aging has on their faces (which is what the world sees of us everyday!). There is no makeup that can hide old, wrinkled, aged skin. Some people opt for formal plastic surgery and get a face lift done, where the skin of the face is loosened from the underlying tissue, pulled back tighter on the sides, excess on the sides is trimmed away, and the perimeter is then reattached, leaving you with some scarring around the edges and ears, and a "tighter" looking face with less wrinkles, bags, and excess skin. But going under the knife is not for everyone, and there are a slew of different injectable drug procedures, like Botox, to help repair and restore a more youthful looking face. What is Restylane? Restylane is a non-animal, biogdegradable dermal filler gel that is injected with a syringe into facial crease areas, like around the mouth, eyes, and forehead (but most commonly used around the lower face and lip area). It's the next most common procedure for cosmetic facial work after Botox (over 700K per year). The process takes about 30 minutes. Unlike Botox which freezes the muscles that cause wrinkles, Restylane fills and smooths the area from below the surface with the gel injection. Topical anaesthetic creams can be used if patients find the injections too painful. Eventually, Restylane breaks down into water and carbon dioxide and leaves no long term traces in your body. Of course, this also means you will need to pay for ongoing treatments if you want to maintain your look. It lasts for around 6 months and costs about $500-$600 for a single treatment.Other injectable facial wrinkle treatmentsCosmoderm and Cosmoplast are collagen products made by Inamed and come from human collagen (earlier versions, Zyderm and Zyplast came from bovine sources (cows) and required prior testing for allergic reactions). They are used in similar situations to Restylane, mostly around the mouth and lips. The procedure is quick, with injections only taking 5-10 minutes, and results from Cosmoderm usually last 3-6 months. You can see before and after photos on their site: http://www.allerganandinamed.com/products/facial/us/patient/cosmoderm/patient.html. Like these other treatments, the collagen is eventually absorbed into your body, so ongoing treatments are required. Radiesse.com is currently in use for facial surgery, as its calcium contents help natural collagen to grow beneath the surface of the skin. It is in the process of undergoing FDA approval for use in wrinkle treatment around the mouth. Juvederm is another drug made by Allergan in the dermal filler family. Juvederm claims to use a smoother particle formulation resulting in smoother skin without visible signs of underlying gel treatment. Cost is unknown until its launch in 2007.Any and all of these treatments need to be approved and performed by a doctor. We've all heard horror stories of people getting botched up Botox shots at Botox parties and the like. If you opt to try any of these treatments, of course consult with your licensed physician first and have your procedure done by a licensed professional.
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