As we age, so does our skin. This means an increase in lines and wrinkles around the face, in addition to skin damage caused by years of tanning or just spending time outdoors.
Both men and women see their once-youthful appearance slowly change as the skin naturally loses its firmness and elasticity. Fortunately, we now have a variety of nonsurgical methods, including dermal fillers, to slow the visual signs of aging and turn back the hands of time.
About Dermal Fillers
Versatile, effective, and convenient, injectable dermal fillers can fill, rejuvenate and plump the skin from beneath the surface. Fillers lift the skin, restoring volume and lost collagen that occurs with age. Although dermal fillers do not provide permanent results, they have the potential to restore skin to a more youthful appearance for several months or even up to a year or more at a time and can be repeated as needed.
Dermal fillers have been found to be highly beneficial in several ways:
- Smooth static creases in the face – deep, moderate, and superficial
- Plump up and eliminate the appearance of fine lines
- Restore areas of volume loss due to aging
- Lift and plump tissues for youthful volume
- Sculpt and rejuvenate facial features
- Define lip borders, add volume, and erase lines in the lip area
Benefits of dermal fillers over traditional invasive surgical lifting procedures include:
- No need for general anesthesia or sleep sedation during the procedure
- Procedures do not require incisions or sutures, meaning there is no scarring
- Short or immediate recovery period instead of lengthy healing times
- Little to no time lost from family, work or important commitments
- Patients report little to no discomfort from dermal filler injections
- Few associated risks
Dermal Filler Safety and Candidacy
Most fillers are created from (HA) Hyaluronic Acid or (CaH) Calcium Hydroxylapatite, which are biocompatible substances designed to treat wrinkles and aging skin. Each of the soft tissue fillers offered at Mirror Mirror is FDA-approved to help ensure patient safety. The Food and Drug Administration has approved dermal fillers as a means of rejuvenation that does not require invasive surgical procedures or lengthy periods of healing.
Excellent candidates for dermal fillers are generally healthy and do not have active infections or diseases of the skin. During their consultation, patients are educated as to how dermal fillers can improve their appearance, along with individual recommendations designed for their skin type. A good candidate understands that while the use of dermal fillers may transform their physical appearance and self-esteem, the results are not permanent.
Types of Injectable Fillers
Juvederm is a popular filler that is perfect for plumping facial tissues and smoothing out wrinkles. It is also used to add volume around the jawline and cheeks. Juvederm can last from six months up to an entire year before injections need to be re-administered.
Juvederm Ultra was developed for facial lines that occur around the mouth and nose. It is used to plump deep creases, create symmetry, and fill out moderate depressions in the cheeks. Lasting between four and six months, Juvederm Ultra is especially effective in rejuvenating mouth-to-chin and nose-to-mouth lines.
Juvederm Ultra Plus XC is a thicker version of the popular Juvederm filler, approved by the FDA for creases and wrinkles that are more severe in nature. Working just as quickly as other Juvederm products, the injections are deeper and need to be administered along with lidocaine to ensure patient comfort. Lasting for six months to a year, the lifting and smoothing effect can be quite dramatic for aging skin.
Juvederm Volbella is designed especially for the lips. It uses an advanced HA formula to augment the lips and smooth out lip lines for completely natural results. This form of Juvederm lasts for up to six months.
Juvederm Voluma was specifically developed to restore volume in the cheeks and lower regions of the face. Utilizing a thicker gel for facial contouring, this dermal filler adds definition and is premixed with lidocaine, making the treatment virtually painless. Due to the thickness of the filler, results can last for as long as two years.
Juvederm Vollure was developed for moderate to deep facial folds like the nasolabial area. The FDA has approved this dermal filler for use in the face, with results lasting 18 months and often longer. Because of its thicker consistency, Juvederm Vollure is premixed with lidocaine so that it is generally tolerated well and produces minimal complications.
Restylane was one of the first dermal fillers to appear on the market and it is still widely used to plump up wrinkled skin. Premixed with lidocaine to make the injections pain-free, Restylane can be used to plump what are referred to as “marionette lines” and the “nasolabial folds.” Additionally used to fill facial scars, the results are usually seen for up to nine months.
Dr. Paul Vitenas and the Mirror Mirror Spa Concept
Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique of Houston is overseen by Paul Vitenas, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. As one of the city’s most reputable board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Vitenas has designed a boutique medical spa that combines both relaxation and top quality aesthetic procedures. Together with his knowledgeable staff, Dr. Vitenas works to provide the most natural-looking results to all of his patients using his unique medical skills and innovative methods.
Learn More and Schedule an Appointment at Mirror Mirror
You can connect with Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique to schedule a complimentary consultation in a variety of ways. Patient coordinators are available by phone at (281) 810-9083 to answer all of your questions. Appointments for consultations and office procedures can be scheduled six days a week, from Monday through Saturday.
Complimentary consultations may also be scheduled through the website. Simply fill out our contact form and a staff member will contact you back at your convenience. For immediate questions, a chat option on the Mirror Mirror Houston website is available 24/7 to answer questions in both English and Spanish. We look forward to hearing from you!