What Are Crow’s Feet and How Does BOTOX® Reduce Them?
Can BOTOX® get rid of crow’s feet? Our Los Angeles-area team at Palm Desert’s Cosmetic Surgery Institute believes that this injectable is one of the most effective strategies for softening these wrinkles.
Crow's feet are the fine lines and wrinkles that develop around the outer corners of the eyes. They are one of the most common signs of aging, and they are caused by a combination of factors, including a natural loss of skin elasticity, repeated facial expressions, and exposure to environmental factors like sunlight and pollution. While crow's feet are a common part of the aging process, many people are self-conscious about the fine lines and seek ways to reduce their appearance.
One popular treatment for crow's feet is BOTOX®, which is an injectable neurotoxin made from a purified form of botulinum toxin. BOTOX® works by temporarily relaxing the muscles that cause wrinkles to form. When injected into the muscles around the corners of the eyes, BOTOX® relaxes the muscles involved in squinting and prevents them from contracting, which in turn reduces the appearance of crow's feet. The skin smooths out, generating results that are most noticeable when you laugh.
Using BOTOX® for crow's feet is relatively simple and straightforward. Once you have decided to move forward with the treatment, we will inject small amounts of the medication into the muscles around your eyes using a fine needle. Only a small number of units of BOTOX® will be needed. The treatment session typically takes only a few minutes, and there is minimal discomfort or downtime.
The effects of BOTOX® treatments for crow's feet typically last for several months, and the results can be seen within a few days of the procedure.
In addition to BOTOX®, there are other treatments that can help reduce the appearance of crow's feet. These include over-the-counter creams and serums that contain retinol, vitamin C, and other antioxidants. Additionally, lifestyle changes like protecting your skin from the sun by wearing sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats or limiting sun exposure, using over-the-counter products, quitting smoking, managing stress, and eating a healthy diet with foods high in antioxidants can help prevent the development of crow's feet in the first place.
Our team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute team can tell you more about how this injectable works. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.
What Are the Benefits of Preventative BOTOX®?
People tend think of BOTOX® as a corrective treatment to soften lines and wrinkles that have already formed on the face because of repetitive facial expressions. For decades, it has been marketed as a treatment for visible signs of aging on the face. However, it’s often easier to prevent the effects of aging than to treat them after they have developed. Consider this, many of our patients want to know: Does preventative BOTOX® really work? Our Palm Desert-based team believes that this treatment is highly effective for preventing the formation of lines and wrinkles on the face. The idea is that you can receive the injections before the onset of pronounced wrinkles to stop them from developing.
The best candidate for preventative BOTOX® would be someone who is just starting to see faint expression lines developing on their face. Lines could become deep wrinkles in the future, and you can see where they’re going to develop.
Botulinum toxin injections work by directly targeting specific active muscles that are responsible for these lines. The active ingredient presents nerve signals from reaching the proper receptors, thereby preventing contractions. By limiting a few contractions related to certain expressions, you can prevent the associated wrinkles.
When you start getting BOTOX® injections at a younger age, there will be fewer lines and wrinkles to treat as you get older. You may therefore need less BOTOX® compared to another person who never had preventative botulinum toxin injections. Because of this, people in their mid to late 20s and early 30s may benefit most—especially if they have very expressive faces.
Just like traditional applications of BOTOX®, the treatment is simple and straightforward. Injections are typically completed in just a few minutes. Furthermore, there’s no downtime, so you can go back to work or your normal activities right away after an appointment. If you’re accustomed to buying topical anti-aging products, botulinum toxin injections can save you money as time goes on.
If you’re searching for answers to such questions as, “Does preventative BOTOX® really work?” our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team can explain more during your consultation. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request an appointment if you would like to discuss wrinkle injections.
What Are the Benefits of Combining BOTOX® With Fillers?
Can you get BOTOX® and fillers at the same time? Our Palm Desert patients often ask us this question when they’re thinking about having minimally invasive treatments to enhance their appearance.
Non-surgical injectable treatments not only have amazing anti-aging benefits but also are highly convenient for patients because they have such little recovery time. Even just by temporarily reducing facial wrinkles, patients notice a much younger, more awake, and more attractive appearance, which is why these treatments are so popular. Most of the time, patients want to make changes to their appearance but are unsure which treatment or combination of injections they will need to achieve their goals. See below for some of the advantages of having combined BOTOX® treatments at our practice.
One of the reasons why it’s good to combine neuromodulators like BOTOX® and fillers is because the two options treat different types of wrinkles. In other words, they work differently, but complement each other.
BOTOX® blocks messages between muscles and nerves to temporarily relax facial muscles so that expression wrinkles like crow’s feet and frown lines can’t form on the surface. Facial fillers are soft gels that add volume beneath the skin to diminish static wrinkles, which are lines caused by collagen loss rather than muscle activity.
Since BOTOX® is primarily used on the upper third of the face and facial fillers are designed for the center and lower areas, these treatments can be combined to address multiple areas for comprehensive facial rejuvenation.
As much as they are thrilled about seeing the results from facial fillers, most patients are not keen on having to rush back for repeat treatments too quickly and want to get the most out of their fillers. Fillers tend to dissolve faster in high-movement areas of the face. BOTOX® may help to prolong the results from facial fillers by freezing the muscles to prevent them from contracting.
Both types of treatments are quick, well-tolerated, and minimally invasive with minimal downtime.
If you’re seeking more answers to others questions, our Palm Desert-based Cosmetic Surgery Institute team is here to provide guidance on these minimally invasive procedures. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon if you want to know more about these treatments.
BOTOX® Aftercare: Tips for Looking After Your Skin
Even if you have a great skincare routine, it’s difficult to completely prevent the effects of aging and skin damage from giving you a worn-down look over time. And it’s not just normal aging and reduced levels of collagen in the skin that we need to worry about. The repeated facial expressions we make each day cause wrinkles to become entrenched in the skin in the areas where it creases together each time we frown, smile, squint, raise our eyebrows or purse our lips. Once the wrinkles have become set into our skin, it’s difficult to minimize them just by using topical products. Fortunately there are other options. Botulinum toxin injectables like BOTOX® are sometimes called wrinkle relaxers. They address the underlying cause of the wrinkles by preventing the movements of facial muscles that cause lines and furrows to develop.While no recovery time is necessary and side effects are minor, what you do during the days after a treatment session will have an impact on the results. Here’s a simple guide to what you should and shouldn’t do after having wrinkle injections. Los Angeles-area folks used to the heat and an active lifestyle might find a couple of these challenging, but the results are worth it!
Avoid Exposure to High Temperatures
Avoid saunas, steam rooms, Jacuzzis, hot weather, sun beds, and other heat-related environments right after getting BOTOX®. Excessive heat can cause the product to diffuse and have a shorter lifespan while also increasing the risk of swelling, redness, and irritation.
Don’t Put Too Much Pressure on Your Skin
Your skin may feel tight after an injection session. Try to avoid massaging, rubbing, or applying too much pressure to the areas of your face that were injected for at least the first 24 hours. Pressure on the skin could cause the active ingredient in BOTOX® to not reach the necessary cells, and it might move into areas where diminished muscle action results in a less-than-ideal look.
Don’t Engage in Heavy Exercise
It’s best to avoid significant physical activity at first, as such exercise could cause the BOTOX® to be dispersed. Many experienced medical professionals recommend waiting at least 24 hours before resuming exercise, though some injectors may recommend waiting for a longer time.
Ready to learn more about wrinkle injections? Our team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute is available to answer any of your questions. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.
What’s the Perfect Age to Try Facial Fillers?
Having ample collagen is one of the main reasons young people enjoy healthy, full-looking skin—but since our bodies gradually produce less of the stuff as we age, many people seek out ways to restore volume to the skin through cosmetic products and treatments. Fine lines and wrinkles that remain on the face even when it’s at rest—such as marionette lines and parenthesis lines—are clear signs that the skin has lost a lot of its natural proteins and moisture. Injectable fillers from our Palm Desert-based team are minimally invasive treatments that provide a more youthful, balanced, and attractive appearance right away by adding volume to areas of the face where collagen and fat are lacking.
Given that everyone ages, and considering how effective fillers are at addressing those signs of aging, one question we hear frequently at Cosmetic Surgery Institute is, “What’s the best age to start having dermal fillers?”
That’s not an easy question to answer. Actually, it is easy to answer, but the answer itself is not a specific one. In short? It all depends on your skin type, the signs of aging you want to address, and your goals. In other words, it’s up to you to decide when you want to have fillers.
Anyone over the age of 21 can have fillers. Some people choose to get them as soon as they can, while others prefer to focus on preventative skincare and wait until their 40s or older before having injectables. Why then? The 40s are when most people begin to see more pronounced wrinkles along with a loss of elasticity in the skin.
Some patients in their 20s do notice pronounced wrinkles or acne scars and want to use fillers to minimize them, but a large number of people only have dynamic wrinkles at this age (these are lines that appear while making facial expressions, but they are not visible—or as visible—when the face is at rest). With that in mind, patients who are younger and don’t have much volume loss should be wary about having too much filler injected, as adding too much volume where it isn’t needed can create an “obviously filled” look. Our team can help you to determine whether filler injections would be good for you, as well as educate you on what to expect from the treatment in terms of results.
Fillers are a great option for facial contouring and reducing static wrinkles in the right patient. If you are wondering whether dermal fillers are the best option for you, contact our team at Cosmetic Surgery Institute to learn all about the treatments. Call us at (760) 837-0364, or submit a contact form to request a consultation.
BOTOX®, Dysport®, and Xeomin®: How Do They Compare?
When it comes to getting
rid of pesky wrinkles and lines, patients know that BOTOX®
in Palm Desert is an
especially effective way to achieve a more alert, rejuvenated, and youthful
facial appearance. However, some patients may be unaware that BOTOX®
isn’t the only injectable neurotoxin available; there are other products, such
as Dysport® and Xeomin®, that are comparable to the most
famous wrinkle-fighting brand. Statistics from the American Society of Plastic
Surgeons show that botulinum toxin type A injections were the most frequently
performed minimally invasive procedure in 2019.
Wondering which of the botulinum
toxin-derived injectables is best suited for your needs? Our Cosmetic Surgery
Institute team provides a basic explanation of the subtle similarities and
differences between BOTOX®, Dysport®, and Xeomin®.
BOTOX®
BOTOX® is FDA-approved
for frown lines (glabellar lines), crow’s feet, and forehead lines. It’s the
most popular wrinkle injection of its kind in the United States and was the
first of this type to be approved for cosmetic use.
All neurotoxin injectables contain
a purified form of a protein called botulinum toxin type A as their active
ingredient. The chemical temporarily stops wrinkles caused by excessive muscle
activity by preventing signals from the nerves from reaching the muscles.
Injections are administered
in-office via a micro-needle, introduced into specific facial muscles. No
recovery time is required, and any side effects that the patient
experiences—such as bruising or swelling—are typically very mild and temporary.
Effects last between three to four months.
Dysport®
Dysport® is FDA-approved
for moderate to severe glabellar lines. It is less potent than BOTOX®
and diffuses more easily, so it works well on larger areas. The onset is faster,
as it starts working within 24 hours, but it tends to wear off more quickly
than BOTOX®.
Xeomin®
In some cases, other
muscle-relaxing injectables grow less effective over time on patients who use
them regularly, because their bodies essentially develop a resistance to them. Xeomin®
is a unique neuromodulator in that it contains only botulinum toxin, without
any additives, so patients are less likely to build up a resistance. Also, fewer
units may be needed to get the same results.
No one injectable is
“better” than another. Instead, certain options may be betters suited for
specific patients. Our team can help to determine which is best for you.
Learn more about BOTOX®,
Dysport®, and Xeomin® from Palm Desert’s Cosmetic Surgery Institute. For further details, give us a call at (760)
837-0364 or submit
a contact form to request a
consultation.
Which Lip Filler is Best for Me?
Lip injections can significantly change the shape and size
of your lips for months at a time. There are many choices of lip filler
for Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert patients to choose from, each
with a unique purposes—so patients may be confused by their options and unsure
about whether they’re making the right decision for their lips. Our Cosmetic
Surgery Institute team can assess your features and advise you on what to
expect from the various fillers available. The most suitable option for you
depends on your individual goals, anatomy, and the concerns you’re hoping to
address. The following are some of the most popular lip enhancement treatments:
Juvederm®
Ultra
All fillers in the Juvederm® line are soft gels
containing hyaluronic acid, a moisture-bonding molecule that exists naturally
in the skin and maintains hydration levels. Ultra, one of the thicker filler
options, is a good choice if you want to increase the size of your lips (but
not in a cartoonishly exaggerated way) to give them a much more supple, pouty fullness.
Patients who have lost a significant amount of volume as they have aged can
especially benefit from this filler.
Juvederm
Volbella®
Tiny amounts of filler injected
in strategic locations can make a big difference to the overall look of your
lips. To smooth out fine lip lines, fill in small grooves, and redefine the
borders of the lips, Volbella® is typically the preferred choice. This
filler adds a small amount of volume to the lips—but not as much as Ultra—and
its thin, light texture makes it great for precise, subtle work. Volbella®
is usually injected into the superficial layers of skin. It also works on
vertical expression lines above the mouth, often called smoker’s lines, which
appear due to repeated lip pursing.
Restylane®
Silk
Restylane® Silk
is another colorless, hyaluronic acid-based filler gel used for lip
augmentation and minimizing wrinkles. Because it contains small, smooth
hyaluronic acid particles, it creates soft, natural-looking results and is
typically used for fine lines on or around the lips, the edges of the lips, and
downturned corners of the mouth.
Restyane® Kysse™
The latest filler in the
Restylane® line, Kysse™ was designed with proprietary processes to
be especially flexible while still allowing for a natural look. Injections can
enhance both lip texture and color, with results lasting for up to a year.
Learn more about the lip filler options available from Cosmetic Surgery Institute, serving
Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert. Call us at (760) 837-0364 or fill out a contact form to request
a consultation.
4 Tell-Tale Signs You’ve Had BOTOX® (and How to Avoid Them)
Cosmetic treatments weren’t always things that people openly discussed. Although times are changing and “having work done” is no longer a taboo topic for conversation, it’s understandable that not everyone is ready to announce to the world when they’ve had an injection somewhere on their face or body. Some people simply aren’t as comfortable when it comes to being open about this subject with friends, family, or strangers—for fear of judgment or something else—and that’s OK. If you want to keep things under wraps when having BOTOX® near Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert, here are some things our physicians at Cosmetic Surgery Institute recommend considering:
1. Overarched Eyebrows
Brows that resemble Mr. Spock from Star Trek and give you a perpetually surprised or angry expression will be a dead giveaway to others. Minimize the risk of this and other unwanted side effects by choosing a qualified provider who uses proper techniques from proper training. Women and men who may have found themselves with this unfortunate result from a visit to a less-than-stellar injector can come to Cosmetic Surgery Institute, where we can help by strategically adding small amounts of BOTOX® to relax the muscles that are pulling the brows up.
2. Immobile Forehead
The secret to keeping your face looking as natural and refreshed as possible is using just the right amount of BOTOX®. You want to continue to have movement in the face. Too much injected into forehead area just causes it to be awkwardly stiff and gives you a robotic expression that makes your neuromodulator use very obvious.
3. Bunny Nose
Some people already have fine, diagonal lines at the sides of their nose from aging, but it’s a little-known reality that BOTOX® injected nearby for other reasons occasionally causes them to be more apparent. You can see these “bunny lines” when you squint or laugh and your nose crinkles. The muscles in this area that work harder to make expressions after you’ve injected other areas, such as the forehead, can be softened with a few extra units around the nose.
4. Bruising
Reddish or purple bruises
after any needle injection are common. Avoid scheduling a treatment just before
a major social event—and give yourself time to heal, just in case. Ice your
face after a treatment, and apply a neutralizing concealer to hide bruises if necessary.
You can also ask our team for more advice.
Learn more about BOTOX®
from our experienced team at Cosmetic
Surgery Institute. For further
details, call us at (760) 837-0364 or fill out a contact form to submit your info.