Injectables by a Plastic Surgeon
Q: Is it worth paying a facial plastic surgeon for injections when I can get a cheap daily deal?
A: Yes it is… and here’s why.
There is a fine art and complexity to doing injectable procedures well. Tiny blood vessels and nerves all share the same space as the muscles which receive BOTOX® or Dysport™ injections.
Inexperience or lack of skill in your injector may result in:
- Pain, bruising, nerve sensitivities and even strange numbness
- An overdone (flat, unnatural expression) or underdone appearance
- Inconsistent results that often require additional touch-ups
- Results that don’t last as long and need to be repeated sooner
At Aesthetic Surgery Center, Dr. Macdonald personally performs your injectable treatment. This ensures you receive expert treatment every time.
Optimal Age for Injectables
Q: At what age should I start injectable treatments to best preserve the youthful look of my face?
A: The answer is different for everyone. Only you know what’s right for you in deciding when to intervene in the natural aging process of your face.
Some patients feel that early intervention is advantageous. It enables periodic smoothing of fine lines before they become deep lines and wrinkles. There may be wisdom in this since BOTOX® and Dysport™ neurotoxins relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles to appear.
Some patients choose to start with BOTOX® or Dysport™ injections as soon as any trace of lasting fine lines appear between the eyebrows or around the eyes (crow’s feet). For some, this is in the late 20’s to early 30’s.
As for tissue fillers, the timing also varies for each patient. We find that most patients become interested in offsetting facial volume loss in the midface and lips sometime in their early-to-mid 30’s to early 40’s.
When Your Results Are Not Optimal
Q: Should I say something to my injector if I feel my treatment is slightly off?
A: Yes! You should have an honest relationship with your facial plastic surgeon. Injectable treatments, fine-tuned to each patient can take some time to optimize for each individual’s face.
Your face has 43 muscles all working together uniquely to create up to 7,000 facial expressions. Optimal results incorporate precise knowledge of this underlying musculature as well as familiarity with your unique face.
Communication between you and Dr. Macdonald is important to developing a trusted, consistent physician-patient relationship. An intimate familiarity with the unique aspects of your face improves the reliability of achieving optimal and long-lasting results every time. Medicine is both an art and a science, so tweaking your individual treatments may be necessary from time to time.
Dr. Macdonald stands behind each of his treatments, of course. He invites you to return for a quick touch-up—at no charge—if you ever feel that your treatment results are slightly off.
Blueish Tindle Effect When Treating Fine Lines
Q: What is the Tindel Effect that can temporarily occur using Restylane® or JUVEDERM®?
A: The Tindel Effect occurs when a hyaluronic acid (HA) produces an apparent blueish tint in the treated skin. This unusual phenomenon is surprising since the HA filler products themselves are clear, without any color.
It occurs most commonly in patients with very thin skin, and in fine wrinkles that are very close to the surface of the skin. Fortunately, the Tindel Effect is only a temporary side effect and occurs rarely.