Botox Cosmetic and other injectable treatments are a game-changer. They provide some of the very best noninvasive results through a quick and almost pain-free session. At a fraction of the cost you would pay for a facelift, injectables are a true bargain. With no incisions or sutures, no one will ever know you had anything done. The benefits of injectable treatments can last for months, and since the results are temporary, you have the freedom to choose maintaining your look or going a different route for facial rejuvenation. Add to this extensive scientific and medical testing, today’s injectables are safer than ever before. Even with all these perks, there are some people who still come away from their injectable treatment ‘botched’. Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique and the country’s best injectable providers are here to share their advice on how to make sure this never happens to you.
Tip #1 Beware of Bad Products
Injectable wrinkle reducers, like Botox Cosmetic and dermal fillers like Juvederm or Restylane, have been through rigorous laboratory testing and clinical trials. These products are extremely safe in the right hands. Unfortunately, shifty injectors and at-home injection parties can try to pass off non-regulated or counterfeit injectables. These unregulated products do not live up to the high standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bad products can cause adverse reactions, damaged tissues, scarring, severe pain and life-long deformities. Often, a too-good-to-be-true price tag reflects a fake injectable, so don’t fall for the scam.
Tip #2 Don’t Book an Out-of-the-Country Cosmetic Treatment Holiday
What could be better than a vacation plus discounted cosmetic surgery, right? Wrong. Plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments may be dramatically less expensive outside of the United States, but you get what you pay for. Other countries do not have the same safety regulations as the U.S. and often facilities may be dirty and unsanitary. Without the need for accreditation, the providers do not necessarily have the right credentials to do the procedure. If complications arise after you get home, there is no one to go to for a follow-up visit or assistance. While the procedure may be initially cheaper, the threat to your health is not worth the bargain price.
Dr. William H. Truswell, residing president of The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), sees long-lasting complications from vacation plastic surgery all too often. “I saw a (group of) women on a mission trip to southeast Asia whose faces were injected with large amounts of liquid silicone. Their faces were also misshapen. Unfortunately, the material was so thoroughly incorporated into the tissues that it was impossible to remove it.”
Tip #3 Don’t Go to Just Any Provider
You know not to go out of the US for your injectable treatment, but the same caution must be used at home as well. Not everyone who offers injectables has the skill or training needed to safely and successfully perform these treatments. Some reputable doctors now have Botox and fillers on their ‘treatment menu’, however these physicians are sometimes gynecologists, ER doctors and dentists. They may be trained in their own specialty, but they are not a good choice for cosmetic treatments.
Only put your trust in a board-certified plastic or cosmetic surgeon and their staff. Your provider should have years of experience and many happy patient testimonials for you to peruse. These doctors will be well-acquainted with the facial anatomy, musculature, and the contours of the features, knowing exactly where and how much product to administer. They should provide a consultation appointment at which time you can discuss their training and experience, as well as their recommendations for your injectable procedure.
“Theoretically, anyone with an MD can do anything in medicine. I am a facial plastic surgeon, but I wouldn’t attempt an appendectomy,” points out Dr. William Truswell.
Tip #4 Stay Away from Silicone Injectables
Simply put, never get silicone injections. The Food and Drug Administration has taken a strong stand on the use of silicone, warning patients not to choose the product for face or body enhancements. There are multiple reasons for this stern message; silicone can result in long-lasting deformities, asymmetrical and inconsistent results, and migrate to other parts of the body. Silicone can even prove to be deadly by traveling into a vein, the heart or the lungs. No reputable surgeon or provider will use silicone as an injectable treatment.
“(I) remember a lady who had silicone injections in her body. She ended up [disfigured] and was disabled because of the silicone injections,” Dr. Nassif recounted. “A growing number of people still go blind or die from silicone [injections].”
#5 Go to Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique
As one of Houston’s top provider of non-invasive cosmetic treatments, Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique is your best option for a safe, never overdone, injectable treatment. Call Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique at 281.810.9083 or fill out our Contact Us form.