Before you get your wrinkles injected

Here are things you should be aware of to prepare you for the best wrinkle treatment you can have:

1- Make sure Botox is the right treatment for you

Whether you have crow’s feet, frown lines or angry lines seek experienced help. A reputable doctor who is experienced in cosmetic treatments will know what “Botox” injection can do for your skin and what it can’t. There are different botulinum toxin brands (Botox, Dysport or Xeomin) so which is best for your muscle activity. Does your doctor stock all types or is it one fits all? Are your lines suitable or you may be better off getting fillers instead of Botox for deeper wrinkles on your face, so make sure you and your doctor discuss the best therapy for your skin issues.

2- What can muscle relaxing injection can do

Botox results can be very good for many people, but your post-Botox results may not be as perfect as you thought them to be. Having realistic expectations about your results will save you from unnecessary disappointment. Botox treats dynamic lines best but deep lines may need the help of dermal filler as well. How about chemical peels or lasers?

3- Select a doctor who knows what he/she is doing

As we all know, choosing a qualified and experienced doctor is very essential. Great Botox results depend on the skill and technique of the Botox injector, so do your research and find a doctor who specializes in facial aesthetics and has been successfully administering Botox for several years already. Don’t be a guinea pig or go to back street knock out deals!

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Dermal fillers and neurotoxin wrinkle injections are the top two most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in Ireland and worldwide. Thinking about getting some work done? Before you make an appointment, read these six important factors to keep in mind before calling that number.

1. Who’s injecting me

Ninety percent of the success of these kinds of cosmetic treatments depends on who is doing them, the remaining 10 percent is dependent on the product. Think of it this way: If you got a bad hairdo, would you blame the scissors or your hairdresser? Word of mouth is the best way to find an injector. If you know someone who looks amazing (and you know they’ve gone under the needle), ask who they go to. But with so many people offering fillers and other injections these days (beauticians, nurses, dentists, your neighbour and her biannual Botox party), it’s extremely important to inquire about credentials. He or she mightn’t necessarily be a full-fledged doctor. But be sure to ask how long they’ve been doing aesthetic injections and how they were trained. Ask to see before-and-after pictures of patients they’ve done, not just those from a brochure for the product. Book an appointment for a consultation first. A no obligation consultation gives you the opportunity to discuss your desires and expectations, and to take some time to think about it before you return for the actual procedure.

2. Cheap for a reason

You get what you pay for when it comes to cosmetic injections. While prices vary depending on the exact product used and where you live, fillers typically range from €250 to €900 per syringe. In other words, a quick deal for €100 dermal filler is a red flag; you might end up on an episode of Botched. At your consultation, discuss your budget and see if it’s in line with what your injector recommends. Patients come in having saved enough money for one injection, but often they need more than that. You’ll get the best results if you wait until you can afford to pay for a complete treatment.

3. Your expectations

Even if you really want Kris’s cheekbones or Kylie’s lips, bringing snaps of your favourite celeb’s isn’t for the most part helpful. Find a picture of yourself when you loved the way you looked, and bring that to your appointment. A photo of yourself in your prime might be especially helpful, as your face was at its fullest then. This gives you a more realistic point of reference and will also help me better understand how to enhance your natural features. Even if you’re going in because there’s just one nasty wrinkle bothering you, be open to suggestions. As a cosmetic doctor I see your face in a three-dimensional way that’s entirely different from how you see it. As long as you’re seeing someone who is properly trained, be willing to take on board their recommendations, even if they’re not something you initially thought of.

4. The actual product

There are many more dermal injectables available than you realise, and it’s important to educate yourself on the various options out there. Take neurotoxins for instance, despite the fact that Botox is a household name; it is not the only botulinum toxin out there. It’s like calling any vacuum cleaner a Hoover, even if it’s a completely different brand. Dysport, Azzalure, Bocouture, Mybloc and Xeomin are all botulinum toxin brands; while it’s essentially the same type of toxin, there are subtle differences between them. Some work faster some spread further and others hold stronger! A good doctor will stock all types for different patient needs.

There’s even more variety when it comes to fillers. The largest category is those that are made of hyaluronic acid, a substance that’s naturally occurring in the body and can hold multiple times its weight in water. Dermal fillers include Restylane, Juvéderm, Teosyal, Perfectha and Belotero. Despite the fact that they’re all made of the same thing, there are differences in the size and how the hyaluronic acid particles are linked together, ultimately resulting in different correction properties. Even within each of these brands there are variations. For example, along with Juvéderm there’s Juvéderm Volbella and Juvéderm Voluma, both of which have slightly different-size particles and are better for filling different areas of the face. Restylane has various fillers as well, Silk and Lyft. Ask your doctor exactly what is inside the syringe and why it was chosen over another option.

5. What to do before and after the injection

While injectables are minimally invasive and can be done in minutes, there are a few important things to keep in mind pre- and post-appointment. For toxin injections there’s nothing you need to do beforehand, and the only restrictions afterward are not exercising or stoop your head down for about four hours.
Fillers are a different story with after treatment swelling being prominent. After filler injections bruising and swelling are the most common injection site side effects, especially in sensitive areas like the lips. Schedule your filler appointments at least a week before a major event. I also suggest that you stop taking aspirin, green tea and fish-oil supplements two weeks prior to getting dermal filler injection, since all are blood thinners that can increase the likelihood of bruising and swelling.

6. How long the results will last

Multiple factors affect the durability of the results: the product used, how much was injected, where it was put in the face. As a general guideline, botulinum toxin lasts around four months, while hyaluronic acid fillers last anywhere from six to 18 months. So if you like the new looks, be prepared to make this another part of your beauty routine that will require some upkeep. And if you don’t like the results, keep in mind that hyaluronic acid fillers are reversible. A special enzyme can be injected that will dissolve the HA filler within a week. All good cosmetic doctors should be able to provide the enzyme. Toxins on the other hand are not. However, so it’s always better to ask for less and add more later. It’s common practice at Castleknock Cosmetic Clinic Dublin to have my first time patients to come back two weeks after their injection to reassess the results and touch up with more if needed (at no extra cost).

What do you think? Did you find this article blog helpful? I’d love to hear your comments comments@castleknockcosmetics.ie or tweet me @dr_h_kahlout. If you found this article helpful I’d appreciate a positive review on our Facebook page.

Hyaluronic acid fillers come in monophasic, biphasic or homogenous consistency. Each property suits a different application potential. Experienced doctors rely on these differences to achieve the best results by tailoring the most suitable dermal filler to the individual needs of the patient correction.

Perfectha and Perfectha Deep are the “new-generation,” mixed-consistency, gel dermal fillers that instantly restore skin volume and help smoothen away facial wrinkles and folds. For many patients at Castleknock Cosmetic Clinic in Dublin, Perfectha range is an ideal way to rejuvenate their skin without surgery. Perfectha range comes in Finelines, Derm, Deep and Subskin. Our favourite at the clinic is the Perfectha Finelines and Perfectha Deep.

Perfectha Fine is indicated for injection into areas of facial tissue where moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds occur to temporarily add volume to the skin, especially around the nose and mouth. The fine is a super free flowing product that integrates readily to the surrounding tissue giving an even contour and lump free correction.

Perfectha Deep on the other hand is free flowing denser and robust dermal filler more suited for deep-seated injections in the cheek area, chin and temples to correct in a contouring manner. It is best used for volume loss replenishment.

Suitable for men and women our patients are discovering the advantages of these injectable fillers, which are made from a naturally occurring substance in your skin. With Perfectha Fine and Perfectha Deep, I am able to offer my patients a safe and effective means to create a smoother and younger-looking appearance.

Perfectha dermal filler indications

If you are looking to add volume to superficial moderate or severe facial wrinkles, then Perfectha Fine may be a good choice for you. Our patients in typically consider this treatment for the following conditions:

•             Lines between the eyebrows (angry furrows)

•             Lines around the side of the eyes (crow’s feet)

•             Lines from the outer corners of the mouth to the cheeks (smile lines)

•             Lines extending from the nose to the outer corners of the mouth (nasolabial folds)

•             Lines extending downward from the corners of the mouth (marionette lines)

•             Undereye hollowness (tear trough)

Perfectha Deep is typically used to restore volume in the mid-face area that is lost due to our natural aging process. The Perfectha Deep works by lifting the skin, restoring cheek or mid face volume loss, and helping to restore a more youthful lateral profile curve and position to the higher area of cheekbones. The Deep’s robust consistency makes it ideal for non-surgical eyebrow lifting with dermal fillers, chin enhancement in people with weak chins and for voluptuous lip augmentation.

The injection procedures

Both procedures involve either a thin needle that precisely injects the gel into selected tissues in the mid to deep dermis or a microcannula. A cannula is a soft, blunt ended tool used for contouring. Perfectha Finelines and Perfectha Deep work as filler by increasing the volume of tissue in the injected area under the skin. Because the hyaluronic gel attracts water, the correction results improve over the coming two to three weeks as the gel integrates with the tissue.

A Perfectha Fine or Perfectha Deep treatment generally takes about 30 minutes to perform. You may feel slight pain during and after the injection, but I numb the treatment area to help minimize discomfort.

What is the Recovery Process for Perfectha?

Because of its mixed-consistency, Perfectha HA gel flows easily into the skin to provide an even, natural look and feel. A single treatment provides immediate, optimal results on facial lines and wrinkles. In fact, most patients need only one session to achieve superior wrinkle smoothing.

Most side effects are mild or moderate in nature, and their duration is short, usually lasting seven days or less. It is common for our dermal filler treated patients to experience short lived redness, tenderness, firmness, swelling, lumps and bumps at the injection site. Bruising is an uncommon occurrence, but if it happens could take a few days to resolve completely. As with all skin injection procedures, there is a very remote risk of infection.

Thanks to its mixed consistency the Perfectha results can last up to one year. Correction is temporary, so touch-up injections, as well as repeat injections, are usually needed to maintain the desired effect.

Most people worry about developing wrinkles and want to delay the effects of aging as much as possible to ensure they look their best. However, a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology may prove there are more drawbacks to having wrinkles than just the aesthetics.

Emotional Expression Scale

NBC News reports people with wrinkles may have a more difficult time conveying their emotions than their younger counterparts. Researchers asked three women who were between the ages of 19 and 21 and three women between the ages of 76 to 93 to display a range of emotions: neutral, happy, sad and angry.

Then, college-aged students were asked to rate the emotional expressions on all of the faces on a scale of one to seven, one being “not at all intense” and seven considered “very intense,” according to the news provider. Researchers noted it was more difficult to pick out any of the emotions from the older group with wrinkles. The college students had an easier time rating the intensity of the younger faces.

Anger seems to be mixed

“In the case of the older expresser, the anger is seen as mixed with other emotions,” Dr. Ursula Hess, a professor of psychology at Humboldt-University in Berlin and the study’s lead author, told the news provider. “Clearly it makes a difference whether you think someone is just angry or someone is both angry and sad.”

Frown lines and worry lines between the eyebrows can often make a person look upset, unhappy or unfriendly completely unintentionally. Conveying one’s emotions is important, and this could become yet another reason why people are trying to get rid of unwanted marks.

Fight against Wrinkles

According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2012 more than $1.7 billion was spent on wrinkle injection procedures either toxin injections or dermal fillers while $1.6 billion were spent on skin rejuvenation like IPL photofacials and skincare. Combined with surgical procedures like facelift, eyelid surgery and forehead lift, the numbers indicate that the fight against wrinkles continues to be strong.

For more information about facial rejuvenation procedures visit our website sections wrinkle injections, softlift, dermal fillers, chemical peels and laser resurfacing.

How old are you? Before you answer with a number, think about the different ways that age can be perceived. Certainly one way to mark our time on Earth is to count the number of years since our birth. But at Castleknock Cosmetic Clinic Dublin 15 we say that there are many different types of age, depending on a variety of factors.
Researchers at the Sloan Centre for Aging & Work, part of Boston College, recently released a report on the subject, titled “The Prison of Aging”. It focuses on several different types of aging, and researchers there say that together these concepts can reveal a person’s true age.
In all, the report identifies 11 different concepts of aging. The first, “chronological age,” is the one with which most are familiar. The others may be less well known, but are still worth considering when thinking about aging.
“Physical-cognitive” age concerns your physical ability. While some people in their 50s and 60s may feel out of shape, others are able to exercise regularly, and even enjoy doing so.
Have you ever met someone you’d describe as “young at heart?” Then this person may have a higher chronological age, but a younger socio-emotional age, which refers to human maturation. Social age is similar – it’s the age at which others perceive a person to be.
But what happens when a person’s socio-emotional age clashes with their perceived social age? This may be a very common phenomenon among baby boomers, who truly embraced their youth, but now find themselves on the other end of the aging spectrum.
Statistics show that a full 28% of cosmetic surgery patients last year were between the ages of 51 and 64 last year. Another 8% of surgeries went to individuals over the age of 65.