Nipntucks Sooner or Later?
Today is injection day at my office. Botox ® and Restylane ® fillers will be injected to help reduce the effects of aging. Generally Botox ® is injected around the eyes and forehead to reduce wrinkles. The filler materials are injected into the lower face and lips to counter the aging changes. These do wonders with little or no down time, but they are temporary fixes. Eventually, surgical measures will need to be considered, to maintain a youthful appearance to the face.
Facial rejuvenation surgery will improve many of the same conditions which injections improve, but provide the patient with a more long-lasting change. Forehead lift surgery reduces the need for botox ® and face lift surgery acts to reduce the need for Restylane ®. So when is the time to consider these surgeries?
As a general guideline, patients often consider surgery when the annual expense for injections reaches 10% of what surgery would cost. Most rejuvenation surgery lasts at least 10 years before the aging process catches up. However, most surgery lasts significantly longer, before signs of aging return. If you are spending more than 10% on these quick fixes, you most like likely would benefit from the surgery.
There are certain conditions where surgery is not an adequately remedy. In fact, crows feet are very difficult to treat with surgery. Botox is best for these fine lines around the eyes. Similarly, injections are well-suited as a remedy for thin lips. It is my opinion that the surgical option for thin lips looks too artificial or “done.” Finally, the fine lines on the lips respond well to injections without the skin bleaching that is often cased by deep chemical peels or laser resurfacing. As with any cosmetic procedure, I encourage my patients to understand their choices.
