Gone are the days of hiding our alterations, and arrived are the days of transparency and support!
Y’all don’t know how much I love that.
Let’s talk Botox and fillers.
Most have heard about them. Many are misinformed as well. Still some like to judge, casting the first judgement stone of being “fake”, heaven forbid you alter your appearance (haircuts, fake tans, makeup, piercings, hair dye, acrylic/gel/colored nails, weight loss, weight gain… are we seeing a pattern here?). These are meant to enhance your appearance, not deform you. Everyone has their own perception of beauty, but there is a way to achieve a very pretty, balanced and aesthetically pleasing result using these products. You don’t have to look like a float in the Macy’s Day Parade!
As a Registered Nurse with a pretty solid background in plastic surgery and cosmetic nursing as well as someone who has crossed over to the world of cosmetic injectables, I’m here to provide some real information based on my professional knowledge and experience.
BEFORE I PROCEED ANY FURTHER, PLEASE READ THIS NEXT STATEMENT:
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSULT WITH A LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WHO IS PROPERLY TRAINED AND CERTIFIED AND POSSESSES THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO RENDER BEAUTIFUL RESULTS WHILE KEEPING YOUR SAFETY A PRIORITY. INVEST IN YOURSELF: DO YOUR HOMEWORK, LOOK FOR BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS, AND UNDERSTAND THAT CHEAPER IS NOT BETTER!
Really, I’ve seen the ugly end of things. Take your time, do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If products are significantly cheaper there is a good chance they are “cut” and you’re not getting the concentration you think you are.
So, let’s get into the Q & A:
What injectables have I tried?
Botox and fillers- specific fillers being Restylane Silk, Juvederm Ultra, and Volbella.
Let’s break it down: Botox helps reduce wrinkles or helps prevent new ones from forming by temporarily paralyzing muscle fibers to reduce the movement in your face. Does this mean you no longer have movement of your face? No. You can still have plenty of expression and look like a normal person. I’ll give you an example: I have very strong forehead muscles, and my face shows a ton of expression naturally. Over time, due to my anatomy and strong muscles, I have developed somewhat deep lines in between my eyebrows (from furrowing my brows) and along my forehead. Queue: Botox. Game changer. I still have expression, my eyebrows and eyelids have not dropped halfway down my face and I definitely don’t resemble a lifeless statue; to put it simply, my face still shows enough expression to get me into trouble even when I’m trying to keep my mouth shut (anyone else suffer from that?!). Since my muscles are partially paralyzed in the injected areas, they don’t move enough to cause the skin of my forehead and between my eyebrows to crease and fold as before, thus helping to reduce the appearance of the lines.
For the best information on Botox, click here.
Fillers help to plump up or “fill in” a specific area. These areas can be larger and smaller and include facial anatomy such as the cheeks, nose, lips, under eyes, fine lines, etc. There are many different fillers by different companies. The majority are temporary, however the length of “temporary” depends on a few factors such as your metabolism, the specific product, movement of the area into which the filler in injected, whether you have previous filler in the treated area, etc. Many contain HA (hyaluronic acid), which can be dissolved by your provider by another special injectable. This is quite convenient if you happen to be unhappy with your results or just want a change and decide you’d rather not have fillers anymore.
For the best information on dermal fillers, click here.
Where do I get what products injected?
I have Botox injected into my forehead and glabellar area (between the eye brows). I also have filler injected into my lips- currently I have Juvederm Ultra but in the past have also had Volbella and Restylane Silk in my lips. I tested Volbella when it was first introduced to our office and had it injected into my under-eye region. It made a difference but because I don’t have a lot of issues with that area of my face, I just let them dissolve over time and haven’t really revisited them.
What are my favorite products and why?
I love Botox but there is something quite similar called Dysport. I have not tried this other option so I don’t have much of an opinion on it; I can say that plenty of our patients use it and are just as happy.
As for fillers, I’m between Restylane Silk and Juvederm Ultra for my lips. I have been pretty consistent with Restylane Silk but this last round, I had Juvederm Ultra injected instead. Restylane Silk definitely seems to have the most plumping effect for me, but also induced the most post-procedure swelling for the first 24-36 hours. Juvederm Ultra still gives me a great plump, a bit smoother and definitely a less swollen appearance within that post-procedural window. Volbella was my least favorite simply because I didn’t achieve the plump and more aggressive aesthetic difference with this product. Don’t get me wrong- it’s a great product- I loved it for under my eyes and think it was very smooth and conservative, I just don’t prefer it for my lips. The swelling was minimal with Volbella as well.
Remember with swelling- it all depends on YOU. You can absolutely expect to be swollen and/or bruised for the first day or few days after receiving injections, but some products just induce more or less swelling than others and it can differ from person to person.
Do they hurt?
They’re not completely pain-free. Certain areas of the face are more sensitive than others. Botox seems to be the least uncomfortable, and even the under-eye area wasn’t bad at all. Lips on the other hand: not crazy about ’em. Luckily I only have them done 2-3 times a year, and when I do get them done my practitioner also has a topical Lidocaine cream available to apply 5-10 minutes beforehand which drastically reduces the discomfort!
Afterward, I may have a slight headache from the Botox. As for my lip fillers, they just feel a little tight or swollen for about 24 hours, but they never hurt.
How long do they last?
Speaking only from my personal experience, my Botox has lasted about 2-3 months before I need a touchup and my lip fillers have lasted about 6 months before I start noticing I need a little extra fluff back in there. When I began getting lip fillers, I would have them done once every 3-4 months but as I’ve achieved my desired size and volume and I’m sure as product has built up over the years since I never let them fully dissolve, I don’t go that often anymore.
How much do they cost?
It’s not cheap. If you find a place advertising cheap injectables, RUN. Far away. You can expect to pay between $11-15+ per unit of Botox, and fillers such as Restylane Silk are charged by the syringe. Restylane Silk ran about $500 and I believe Juvederm Ultra was about the same. It will be slightly different wherever you go, but many places offer consultations where you will be provided a quote on all of your treatment areas and products planned for those areas!
Are they really worth it?
That’s a very subjective question. My answer? ABSOLUTELY. I am 100% happy with my results and was able to give fully informed consent for my procedures; I did my research, I understood the risks and I knew I was in very knowledgable and SAFE hands.
Do you feel “fake” or plastic since you alter your appearance?
Nope. No more than I feel “fake” when I get my roots touched up at the hair salon (thanks Sandra!), get my nails done, or paint on my war-face for the day. I am the same girl I’ve always been, with a bit more confidence. To me that’s worth a lot.
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Did I answer all of your questions? I sure hope so, and if you’ve been wanting more information about cosmetic injectables, I hope this helped! At the end of the day, as I said before, it is so important to do your homework, consult with a skilled, trained and properly credentialed medical professional who uses only FDA approved products, and develop your own opinions based off of your experiences.
If you are in the Florida area, an absolutely wonderful office to visit is Fiala Aesthetics, located in Orlando. Even if you are not in the immediate area, they are worth the trip, and I still remain a patient from more than 2 hours away! Click here to learn more about Fiala Aesthetics.
If you have any questions please feel free to comment below or message me- I’d love to help!
