Are You Ready for a Nip/Tuck?

When is it time to consider a face/necklift? Have you been thinking about it?? Do you look into the mirror and pull your face and neck taunt??... Oh the wonders of growing older and the price of maintaining our youthful appearance...As Nora Ephron says,"There's your neck. You know, our faces are lies, but our necks are the truth." UGH!!!

When you add up the costs and the time of liquid facelifts, (even if you are in the industry ;-) )........ is it cost effective? or is it time for a little nip- tuck. There are, of course,factors to consider. And the longer you wait- the more elasticity is lost, the greater the cost. OUCH!!

It can be a difficult decision. Unless of course, you are very opposed to going under the knife... which I am not.

The costs of Injections and fillers adds up very quickly and they are temporary. Let's face it, temporary has its pros and cons.
Pro- if you don't like the results there are quick remedies. You can actually dissolve fillers like Juvedem, Perlane, and Restylane. Or you can wait it out for a few months. Not true for Radiesse and Sculptra, which may last 1 or 2 years. On the flip side-IT IS HIGH maintenance. Once you start it's hard to stop. Very addictive. IF you choose to continue to use fillers, plan on budgeting for them, or go for it.. it will pay for itself and no more needles in your face. Except of course for a little Botox now and then :-)

One more point... please do your homework and choose a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. See his before and after photos, talk to his patients and please do not go for a quick fix. Don't go to a chain facility or think a non-surgical face-lift will really give you the result you are looking for.

Choices...at least we have them. :-)

More on Dysport

Seems as if one of the reasons that MD's may not be making the switch to Dysport has more to do with economics than anything else. Allergen, makers of Botox and Juvederm, bundle the products- thus bringing the cost down. Switching to Dysport will increase the cost of Juvederm. If Dysport is a 15-20% less than Botox and the cost of Juvederm goes up for those of us who use it... then.. it becomes a wash. I will have to cost it out next time I get injected. :-)

On the Hunt for Dysport

I finally found a local plastic surgeon who began using Dysport when it first became FDA approved this summer. It is too early to tell how long the effects last when compared to Botox. It does, however, kick in sooner than Botox. That is the good news. The other good news is that according to this doctor the price of Dysport is about $100.00 less than Botox. I believe that this means $100.00 less per injection site. At least that is what she is charging. Some docs charge per injection site while others charge per unit. Ask your doctor how they determine the price BEFORE you make an appointment.

The learning curve is very slight, and it really is not a big deal. The measurements are slightly difference than Botox- but other than that it is very simple.

So then, what is all the fuss... ???? Are some doctors just plain lazy?- Why change what is clearly working???

Give the patients the choice! If in the end Botox wins out... well then... we can all go back to it.. Perhaps Allergen will have lowered the price by then. :-) Having an option is good- and if it lasts longer, kicks in faster and cost less... WOW. That is a win -win for everyone.

I am not due just yet for my Botox shot- when i am .... I now know where to go....:-) Stay tuned....

Here's to Beautiful Skin!!

Looking for the best anti-aging skin care products?

Here is a list of the top ingredients for 2009.

Look for these when buying anti-aging skin care products.

You can find many of these ingredients on your dermatologist or plastic surgeon's shelf.

Many OTC products have some of these ingredients- however strengths differ.

Retinol- Vitamin A and Tretinoin (prescription)
Also available Retinol in none-prescription strength
Vitamin C ester- the most stable form of Vitamin C
L-ascorbic acid - also Vitamin C
Tacapherol and Tootrienol- Vitamin E
Alpha lipoic acid
Ferulic acid
Hyaluronic acid
Coenzyme -Q-10
Kinetin
Glycolic and other alpha and beta hydroxy acids
Argirelene, GHK, and cooper peptides
DMAE- this ingredient is banned in Canada
Idebenone, thiotaine and other anti-oxidants
Peptides
Squalone
Waglerin-1 a peptide found in Temple Viper
Growth Factors

To Beautiful Skin!!!

Botox or Dysport- What is your Poison?

I have been reading a lot of articles and talking to local doctors about Dysport vs Botox.

It is interesting to learn how many doctors are reluctant to use Dysport. Claiming that the price is not much less than Botox- so why bother. Are they so used to Botox that they just are not interested in the learning curve? Now, keep in mind my research is limited to the docs that I speak to on a local level.

Giving consumers a choice between the products is a good thing -especially since there are some consumers that love to be early adapters and will try anything. Myself included.

Botox has been such a monopoly for so long, it is nice to now have an alternative. As for myself, i have been using Botox for over 15 years. When I first started using it, my forehead lines were pretty deep- now I don't even get injections there. My frown lines between my brows, have improved as well- though I am finding that my botox injections do not last as long as they used to. This maybe because I am so critical of those little lines creeping back - It is like coloring your hair. At the first sign of gray.... time to color again!!!

Both Botox and Dysport are botulinum toxin type A- however the manufacturing process is slightly different.

Apparently some patients notice the effect within 24 - 48 hours and some think it lasts longer than Botox.

Since, I have not tried it yet. I can not comment On the hunt for a local doc to inject me the next time the little annoying lines come back.

RADIESSE GETS FDA APPROVAL TO MIX WITH LIDOCAINE

Radiesse, BioForm Medical Inc., received FDA approval to mix lidocaine in with the product. What this means to the patient is that by mixing lidocaine with the Radiesse, there will be no discomfort when injected.

Typically Radiesse, a dermal filler, is injected in the cheek area to fill the loss of volume that one gets as they age. It can also be used in the smiles line called Nasio-labial folds. Without lidocaine the physician typically administers a dental block and topical to ease the discomfort. Due to the lidocaine mixture, when Radiesse is injected you may get more swelling initially. This swelling will go down as the lidocaine wears off. Though there still may be slight swelling from the injection. This swelling may last for a couple of days. Once the swelling goes down you will be able to see the actual fullness from the filler. It is best to have less and go for a touch-up once the product has settled.

For more info on Radiesse, please visit the website www.radiesse.com or ask your MD

Topical anti-cancer drug could have anti-aging potential

Topical anti-cancer drug could have anti-aging potential

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