Everyone wants to age gracefully—without wrinkles, loss of collagen and other physical changes to our faces. However, the reality is that wrinkles, lines and creases are part of the aging process and can start to show on one’s face as early as mid-late 20s or early 30s.
What’s the solution? Two words: Botox and fillers.
Oddly enough, Botulinum toxin A, better known as Botox ®, is a form of botulism, a type of food poisoning. In cosmetic procedures, doctors use Botox ® in small doses to paralyze small muscle areas and block nerves resulting in a halting of muscle contractions.
Botox ® is the most commonly used treatment to stop further wrinkling in areas like the forehead, in between the eyebrows and around the eyes and mouth, where crow’s feet and laugh lines breed. It can also be used around the neck.
Dermal fillers differ from Botox ®, but the two often work hand-in-hand. While Botox ® is used to paralyze the muscle from continuing to wrinkle, fillers are used to—you guessed it—fill the area of the face that is wrinkling. Fillers help plump and add volume to those areas, restoring a more youthful, vibrant look. Unlike Botox ®, fillers can be used to plump the lips and for minor facial reshaping—in areas like the chin and cheekbones.
Only experienced medical professionals are qualified to use Botox ® and fillers to stop time in its tracks—at least on the outside. At Artemis Oak Park, we use FDA-approved products Juvederm and Radiesse for the procedures.
The no-frills treatment consists of local anesthetic and injections. Slight swelling may occur for a short time at the injection site, but will subside in a matter of hours. Results are almost immediate, with the full results achieved after a few days. Treatments are typically done every four months, but some speculate that when done consistently for two years, muscles can no longer recover, lengthening the time between treatments.
Getting started is as easy as scheduling a free consultation at Artemis’s Oak Park office. Call us at 708-434-5778 to make an appointment or go online to
www.artemisoakpark.com/appt.php.
