If you are interested in non-invasive, non-surgical treatments to help correct the effects of the aging process and the environment on your face, injectables may be the solution for you. At the Plastic and Cosmetic Center of South Texas, we offer a number of injectable options to help treat common facial concerns. Two of our most popular are Juvederm and Radiesse.
Juvederm is a dermal filler. Unlike injectables like Botox, which are intramuscular injections derived from a bacterium, Juvederm is injected underneath the skin into the dermis — the middle layer of your skin — in order to “fill” areas that need volume or an increase in fullness.
Juvederm is not derived from bacteria. It is a hyaluronic acid filler. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally present in the human body, mostly in the joints and in the eyes. For cosmetic and medicinal use, hyaluronic acid is either created in a lab or is derived from the combs of roosters. Juvederm hyaluronic acid was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 for use as a dermal filler, specifically for the treatment of mild to moderate facial creases. But since its approval, it has been used for a wide variety of cosmetic concerns:
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- Smoothing facial wrinkles
- Plumping or augmenting lips
- Filling or treating acne scars
- Reducing lines on the forehead and brow
- Adding volume to hollows under the eyes
- Enhancing sunken or hollow cheeks
- Reducing wrinkles on the hands
Juvederm has an excellent safety profile and is easily injected in the comfort of a professional medical office like ours. Results are long-lasting, averaging eight to 12 months before another injection is needed.
Radiesse is yet another kind of injectable treatment and dermal filler. It is a calcium hydroxylapatite filler. This is a substance found in the human body, mostly in the bones; it is a heavy material, much like a mineral. The calcium hydroxylapatite in Radiesse is entirely biosynthetic and contains no animal products at all. This is an important feature of this kind of dermal filler, because it significantly decreases the risk of allergens for anyone who would be sensitive to animal-derived ingredients.
This kind of filler is the heaviest of any facial filler. It produces very natural-looking results, doesn’t migrate and has the lowest amount of potential side effects. But because of its heaviness, it can’t be used for everything. Radiesse has been most often used to fill deep wrinkles and creases, such as “marionette lines” or nasolabial folds, and also to make cheeks and other facial contours appear fuller and more rounded.
Unlike other dermal fillers and other injectables, Radiesse is considered to be a semi-permanent solution. Results of treatment appear immediately and last over a year — up to 18 months, according to some studies. But just like other injectables, Radiesse is simple and easy to administer, right in your doctor’s office.
To determine whether Juvederm or Radiesse is the right filler for you, talk to our professionals here at the Plastic and Cosmetic Center of South Texas.
