Face Lift or Soft Tissue Fillers?
The effects of aging occur gradually and many who suffer from the effects of age on the face find themselves in the position where they are not quite ready for a facelift but desire some improvement. Modern medicine has responded with several non-surgical answers to this dilemma. For over 20 years women and men alike have relied on BOTOX to reduce facial wrinkles, one of the most common signs of age. Today there are a range of what are called soft tissue fillers that are injected into wrinkles and/or hollow areas of the face to give it back the fullness it once had.
As the years have passed, new and better fillers have hit the market. Some of the more popular ones today include:
Hyaluronic acid which included Restylane® and Juvéderm™. Collagen Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse®) Polyactate (Sculptra®) In addition to BOTOX® and the soft tissue fillers mentioned above fat grafting is another great way of restoring a smoother, more youthful-looking face. Fat grafting is the process of harvesting your own fat cells from one area of your body and transplanting those cells to another. Although this process is very safe and there is no risk of an allergic reaction, the number of fat cell that survives the transplant can be a bit unpredictable. However, for many the use of one’s own tissue is an appealing alternative to the fillers listed above.
When considering any of the procedures listed above remember that each product is different in its chemical make-up, longevity and cost. Your surgeon can educate you on their differences and help you make the best choice.
These fillers are the simplest and least expensive method of re-contouring the face but are not a replacement for a facelift. These fillers can be used for smoothing out wrinkles, giving you fuller lips, correcting hollowness around the eyes or cheeks, smoothing out the jaw line, and correcting a deep furrow.
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