Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

No matter how meticulously you care for your skin throughout your life, changes are inevitable at some point. You might notice fine lines start to form around the eyes or deeper creases along the nose and mouth. Perhaps your skin doesn’t seem as firm as it once did, or you see brown spots form that detract from your soft smooth complexion. These changes can be quite noticeable when you look in the mirror and may affect your confidence in your appearance over time.

There is little you can do to completely prevent skin aging. Factors like UV rays, environmental pollutants and gravity will take their toll eventually. While changes to the skin might be unavoidable, you don’t have to live with them. Thanks to a wide range of options in non-surgical facial rejuvenation, Dr. Barrett can help you turn back the clock and restore confidence in your appearance.

What is Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation?

Your face is one of the most sensitive and delicate parts of your body, as well as the largest organ you have. The thought of surgery on this area can make many patients hesitate over worries about incisions, scarring and recovery time. Dr. Barrett understands that surgery is not the right choice for every patient, so he offers an extensive menu of non-surgical options for patients that want to restore the shape, volume and projection of their facial features without going under the knife.

Non-surgical skin rejuvenation consists of a combination of injectable treatments customized to your precise needs and aesthetic goals. Both neuromodulators like Botox might be used, as well as a collection of dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane. With experience and expertise in these procedures, Dr. Barrett is qualified to create a treatment plan tailored just for you. Injections are cost-effective and can be done during your lunch break, making this a convenient and effective way to refresh your appearance at any time of the year.

Is Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation Right for You?

Most men and women that would like to refresh their look without anesthesia and downtime are good candidates for non-surgical facial rejuvenation. There are few contraindications for this procedure as the risks are minimal and potential side effects are mild. People benefit most from this treatment if they have any of the following goals:

• Increase or reduce nose size or add volume to deflated areas of the nose
• Fill in shallow areas of the face or add subtle sculpting to the facial contour
• Improve the overall tone and texture of the skin
• Soften and minimize fine lines, wrinkles and deeper facial creases
• Elevate sunken scars left behind from acne, chicken pox and other injuries
• Restore facial fullness to areas like the midface, temples and jawline
• Results become apparent within a few days after the procedure
• Minimize the appearance of asymmetries to various facial features

Dr. Barrett will assess your specific concerns to determine whether non-surgical facial rejuvenation is right for you. Rest assured he will take ample time with you to create a customized treatment plan that meets your needs and goals beautifully.

Choosing Your Surgeon

There are many doctors and technicians that advertise non-surgical facial rejuvenation today. While injections may seem like a relatively straightforward way to improve your appearance, keep in mind placement and dosing amounts are critical to ensuring your results are natural and meet your expectations. At the same time, minor asymmetries can be a risk when using an inexperienced doctor for your treatment.

It is also imperative that your doctor understands the specific concerns you have the results you hope to achieve. Dr. Barrett is known for taking plenty of time with each of his patients so he can pinpoint needs and expectations. When you choose Dr. Barrett for your non-surgical facial rejuvenation, you know you are in good hands that will deliver a safe and highly satisfying procedure.

Benefits of Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

While non-surgical options are not the right treatment for all patients, those that are good candidates for this procedure will enjoy numerous benefits:

• Ability to treat multiple concerns in just one treatment session
• No anesthesia reduces risks related to the procedure
• Most procedures are free of significant discomfort
• Treatments are quick, taking just a few minutes in our office
• Because no incisions are used, there is no visible scarring after treatment
• You will be able to return to your routine immediately following your appointment

The biggest drawback to non-surgical skin rejuvenation is the duration of the results. These procedures are temporary, which means you will need to repeat them to maintain your positive results. However, most patients find that treatments once or twice a year are well worth the benefits they receive from facial rejuvenation without the risks, time or costs associated with surgery.

Options in Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

With a variety of injectable options to choose from, your non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatment plan will be unique to you. Rest assured you will only get the correction you want from your procedure – no more, no less. To ensure your treatment meets your precise needs, Dr. Barrett offers the following options

Botox

This formulation contains a purified, low-concentration of the botulinum toxin, which can temporarily relax the muscles that form wrinkles around the upper face and eyes. Botox has been used for decades in both medical and cosmetic treatments, so it has a proven track record of safety and efficacy. Dr. Barrett uses this medication to treat the following concerns:

• Horizontal lines across the forehead
• Vertical lines between the eyebrows (also known as frown lines or the 11s)
• Horizontal lines at the top of the nasal bridge (referred to as bunny lines)
• Fine lines that feather out from the outer corners of the eyes (better known as crow’s feet)
• Uneven brow line, as Botox can be used off-label as a nonsurgical brow lift

Botox can also be used to treat horizontal banding around the neck, sometimes referred to as tech neck. If you would like your facial rejuvenation to include this area, let Dr. Barrett know at your initial consultation.

Juvederm

This FDA-cleared formula consists of hyaluronic acid, which is a natural substance found in human tissue. This formulation counters wrinkles caused by collagen loss that typically appears from the nose to the lower face. The products work by adding support to the underlying dermal structure to smooth away wrinkles from the inside out. The Juvederm line features a range of products designed to produce natural, beautiful results in nearly any area of the face. Options include:

• Juvederm XC – reduces the appearance of lines around the nose and mouth
• Juvederm Vollure XC – features unique cross-linking technology for natural results in the lower face
• Juvederm Voluma XC – restores youthful volume to areas like the midface and jawline
• Juvederm Vobella XC – adds subtle volume to the lips and smooths away lines above the mouth

Restylane

The Restylane family is another line of hyaluronic acid-based products used to treat static wrinkles that form as a result of collagen loss. While they work in a similar fashion to Juvederm fillers, there are subtle differences between the products that Dr. Barrett can use to his patient’s advantage. He will select the product that will give you the smoothest, most natural results possible. Choices might include:

• Restylane – reduces creases in the lower face and can also be used to plump the lips
• Restylane Silk – offers smooth results in delicate areas like the lips and tear trough
• Restylane Refyne – provides cross-linking technology to achieve natural results on moderate creases in the lower face
• Restylane Lyft – provides the same cross-linking technology to address moderate to severe creases

Radiesse

This filler contains calcium hydroxylapatite, which can soften skin crease, revive shallow contours and stimulate collagen growth to smooth away recessed scars and minimize their appearance. One of the best treatment areas for Radiesse is the upper cheek area right underneath the eyes, where it can add subtle plumping and a more youthful facial contour.

Sculptra

Sculptra works differently from the other fillers on this list. The ingredient in the formulation, poly-L-lactic-acid stimulates the body to produce collagen over an extended time period. The results of this filler appear gradually in the months following your appointment and will last for up to two years for most patients. Sculptra is an excellent choice for nasolabial folds, marionette lines and chin wrinkles. It can also add gentle sculpting to the face and some areas of the body.

What to Expect from Your Procedure

Dr. Barrett’s patients are often delighted to discover non-surgical facial contouring is not nearly as painful as one would suspect. Dr. Barrett takes ample steps to ensure your experience is as painless as possible, including numbing cream, ice packs and numbing medication that can be injected into the area before your treatment. Fillers and Botox are administered using a fine needle and Dr. Barrett carefully pulls the skin taut before injecting to minimize discomfort as well.

Non—surgical facial rejuvenation usually takes anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the extent of the correction you want. During the treatment, Dr. Barrett uses a combination of dermal fillers to address each of your concerns, as well as Botox to rejuvenate the upper face. The specific treatment plan is discussed before your treatment begins so you know exactly what to expect. Once your appointment is completed, you should be able to return to work or other activities with little visible evidence you just had a cosmetic procedure performed.

After Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

You may experience some mild side effects after your non-surgical facial rejuvenation, but the specific symptoms will vary based on the areas you had treated and the amount of filler that was used. If you had correction around the nose, the area may be swollen and tender for about one week, so you will need to be patient and wait for your results to become apparent once that subsides. Lips are also prone to swelling, which could last a week or two.

Other treatment areas should have much less swelling and you should not feel much discomfort after your treatment. Dr. Barrett will provide you with specific instructions on how to care for your skin after your treatment to ensure rapid healing and the best possible results. None of your side effects should be severe enough to keep you from all your regular activities immediately following your procedure.

Once the results become apparent, they should last for many months before you need a touch-up. Keep in mind that if you are unhappy with the results of your hyaluronic fillers, these treatments can be reversed in our office using a product known as hyaluronidase. However, when you work with an experienced injector like Dr. Barrett, the results of your treatment should match up with your expectations quite satisfactorily.

Botox tends to be the shortest duration, lasting about three to four months in most patients. Fillers typically last about six to 12 months, although those with cross-linking technology tend to last about six months longer than the other formulations. Radiesse and Sculptra also last longer than hyaluronic acid fillers. Your specific duration will depend on the area treated and how quickly your body reabsorbs the filler.

Refreshed Skin, No Surgery Required

Non-surgical facial rejuvenation is an excellent choice for refreshing the skin and reversing signs of aging without the need for anesthesia, incisions or downtime after treatment. With expertise and a wide range of injectable treatments to choose from, Dr. Barrett will ensure your procedure is tailored to your individual concerns and the outcome you hope to achieve. In just an hour or less in our office, you can smooth away wrinkles, restore youthful volume and eliminate nagging imperfections to improve your appearance and your confidence level. If you would like to learn more about your choices in non-surgical facial rejuvenation, contact Barrett Plastic Surgery at 310-598-2648 to schedule your consultation.

The information about non-surgical facial rejuvenation was reviewed by Dr. Daniel Barrett. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our contact form below.