Injectable Soft Tissue Fillers Help Patients Say Good Riddance to Wrinkles
In a 20-to-30-minute office visit with a Cleveland Clinic plastic surgeon, you can rid yourself of certain wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid injections, ( Juvederm www.juvedermusa.com, and Restylane www.restylaneusa.com ) have been proven very effective in smoothing out and filling in bothersome wrinkles and lines, particularly in the lower part of the face. Hyaluronic Acid appears to have several advantages over other filler-type materials.
“We have found that it lasts longer than collagen, Zyderm, Zyplast or other collagen-like materials, and causes very little adverse reaction,” reports James E. Zins, M.D., chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery. “It is quite easy to administer, and once its effectiveness has diminished six months to a year later, it is safely absorbed by the body."
Plastic surgeons favor temporary wrinkle fillers because with aging, the body changes and soft tissues become more lax. A permanent filler may wind up in the wrong place years down the road.
The most common sites for injections are the nasolabial folds that run from the nose to the corner of the mouth, the corners of the mouth that turn down with age and around the lips.
Juvederm and Restylane, are a crystal-clear gel made from hyaluronic acid, a substance that occurs naturally in the body. It acts as a shock absorber and lubricant in the joints and keeps skin plump. The biotechnologically produced version has been used safely and effectively to treat more than a million people in 60 countries since 1996, and has been the subject of several clinical trials. Restylane and Juvederm come prepackaged in a syringe holding less than one cc with an extremely fine needle. (One cc is about 1/5 of a teaspoon.) Generally two syringes are used during an office visit.
Juvederm and Restylane often are used in a complementary fashion with Botox (botulinum toxin). While Juvederm and Restylane are best for the lower face, Botox is great for wrinkles that occur in the upper face -- crows feet or the vertical frown lines between the eyebrows, Dr. Zins notes.
Dr. Zins commonly sees four to six men and women a day for injectable fillers. While results of Juvederm and Restylane are almost immediate, do not schedule a treatment the day before a big social event, he advises. Some mild bruising and swelling may occur in certain areas of the face, but patients can return to work the day after treatment.
For an appointment with Dr. Zins or another Cleveland Clinic plastic surgeon, call 216.444.6900.
