“Injectables” refer to any treatment that requires needles to inject a product into the skin. All injectables are considered minimally-invasive procedures, and many of them can yield dramatic results. At VIDA, we are much more than a medical day spa. Led by Medical Director Dr. Kim Thompson, injectors are exclusively MDs (including Dr. Glen) and RNs including Kseniya Trofimchik and Ashley Stinger. Although injectables are very common, you deserve to have only the best taking care of you and your skin goals. The skill of the injector matters just as much as the product itself. Many injectables are temporary, but you still want to make sure you get results you love—and that is going to come from highly trained medical professionals.
Three of the most common injectables include Botox, dermal fillers, and Kybella. Together, they tackle the three earliest and most common signs of aging. Alternatively, you can also use Botox as a preventative measure to “train” the muscles to not create unwanted furrows, lines, and wrinkles in the first place. Let’s take a look at these three options to see if they might be right for you.
Botox
Botox is a well-known household name. It is a type of neuromodulator injection that “freezes” muscles, preventing them from making the lines and wrinkles associated with aging. Botox can be injected just about anywhere, although common areas are the forehead, between the brows (the “angry elevens”), around the eyes, and around the mouth. Botox is measured by “units,” and the number of units you need typically increases with age. However, Botox has many uses beyond preventing and stopping wrinkles.
You can use Botox to stop excessive sweating, to prevent and treat migraines, and even as a lip flip. The lip flip calls for very small amounts of Botox to be applied along the upper lip, which “flips” it out to create a fuller appearance. Lip flips are ideal for those who want to treat a gummy smile, but should only be administered by medical experts. However, lip flips only last about three months on average since the lips are a very mobile area. The better option for most who want a better pout is dermal fillers.
Fillers
Dermal fillers are usually made of a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid (HA), offering immediate results (though some minor swelling is common, so it’s a good idea to get dermal fillers two weeks prior to any big event to allow for temporary side effects to subside). You can inject fillers just about anywhere on the face and even the tops of the hands. Popular sites are of course the lips, the cheeks, under the eyes, temples, and along the jawline.
Fillers address the second most obvious signs of aging: loss of volume. As we get older, we lose “good fat” in our face and tops of our hands, but dermal fillers can restore it. They can also give us the volume we never had, such as in the lips, or help to define jawlines and chins to look slimmer and more youthful. However, if you’re struggling with a double chin, which can happen at any age and to a person of any size, you may be a good candidate for Kybella.
Kybella
Kybella is a series of injections that uses a “stamp” method to administer several injections at once. It is made with a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, an acid we produce that actually dissolves fat. Kybella is strictly for use in the submental area, or beneath the chin. Results are permanent, and a series of injections is required so that the ideal amount of fat is dissolved—you don’t want to dissolve too much because once Kybella removes fat, these cells are incapable of coming back.
Results from Kybella are stunning (just take a look at our photo gallery). You can also combine Kybella with fillers, Botox, or other services. Bear in mind that if you have both excess fat in this area and skin laxity, your regimen may include skin tightening as well as Kybella.
To find out more about injectables or other services available, connect with VIDA today. Give us a call to schedule your complimentary consultation or complete the online form right now.
