Neuromodulators: Jeuveau, Daxxify and Dysport

Treatment with neuromodulators like Jeuveau, Daxxify and Dysport can be some of the best “preventive medicine” you invest in to minimize the appearance of unwanted expression lines and prevent the development of deeper wrinkles.  Since it was first discovered that patients with muscle spasms around the eyes being treated with Toxins looked younger than their untreated counterparts, the treatment of frown lines and adjustment of brow appearance using neuromodulators has been elevated to a bit of an art form.  Dr. Owens is a surgeon with advanced understanding of the anatomy of facial expression and how modifying some muscle movement can enhance your appearance by softening lines of expression or allowing for a gentle lift of the brow.  Some patients are worried about looking “frozen” or having unnatural expression but using these medicines strategically can result in beautiful natural improvements that are subtle.  It is important to recognize the impact treatment can have on neighboring muscle groups and Dr. Owens will spend the time needed to fully assess your baseline movement and discuss with you all the considerations of this type of treatment.  She will recommend follow up evaluation for all first-time patients to be sure you are completely satisfied with your result and make any needed adjustments so you will absolutely love how you look.  The most common risks from injection are mild headache and injection site reaction including possible bruising (which is very rare with neuromodulators but can happen with any injection).   While Dr. Owens will take the necessary time to fully determine the best treatment plan for you, the treatment itself takes only a few minutes and you may return to your normal routine immediately, although we recommend avoiding strenuous activity or exercise for 24 hours after treatment.  Results are fully appreciated between 4 and 10 days after treatment and will last 3-4 months. 

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Modern hyaluronic acid fillers are gels available in varying thickness or viscosity and used in many different ways to best address need for volume and support, whether to enhance lip fullness or restore losses seen with normal aging.  While respecting normal anatomy, these fillers can be effectively used to beautifully rejuvenate the cheeks, jawline, lips and tear trough areas.  Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in our own tissues and helps to hydrate and plump areas that have been injected.  Dr. Owens uses a variety of families of HA fillers and during your consultation she will discuss available products with you and how best to employ them to get beautiful results!  She will review important safety considerations and techniques.  Expect to arrive an hour before treatment to discuss the plan and apply topical numbing cream.  Treatment takes between 15 and 45 minutes depending on areas treated.  Any injection can cause bruising, but this is more common when treating the lips and area around the mouth. Dr. Owens recommends planning filler treatments at least 2 weeks prior to any special events and considering use of arnica and bromelain formulations to minimize bruising (available in commercial form as SinnEcch or in other homeopathic products).  Please refrain from use of blood thinning medications and supplements like aspirin, ibuprofen, CBD, gingko biloba, turmeric, and others for 10-14 days prior to treatment to reduce risk of bleeing and bruising. If you take prescription blood thinners please discuss management with Dr. Owens during your consultation. Hyaluronic fillers last anywhere from 6-18 months and longer depending on the specific product used and area treated, and they can be longer lasting in some areas if used in combination with toxins like Dysport and Jeuveau.

Liquid Rhinoplasty

One of the newest applications of the very versatile HA fillers is in correction of minor nasal contour issues.  Through precise placement of hyaluronic acid gel, bumps can be smoothed, and overall contour improved in an office visit.  This technique does not replace surgery but can make some dramatic improvements!  Downtime is almost none, and the procedure is comfortable to have performed in the office with topical numbing cream.

Radiesse

Radiesse is a filler made from calcium hydroxylapatite, a collagen stimulator that is biodegradable over time and has been used in surgical applications for many years.  It is most often used in the lower face for correction of smile lines at the nasolabial fold or for adding volume to cheeks or jawline.  It can also be used to rejuvenate the hands for a more youthful appearance.  Dr. Owens does not recommend using Radiesse in the lips or under eye area.  Results last over a year.

Sculptra Aesthetic

Sculptra is an injectable treatment unlike other fillers.  It is composed of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), which acts as a biostimulatory treatment to correct overall volume loss, helping the body to create more collagen and improving the quality of the skin in the areas treated and giving very natural results.  Because it requires more extensive injection sites, there can be more downtime related to bruising and swelling after treatment.  The results develop over time, and your appearance continues to improve over several months.  More than one treatment is usually recommended for best results and complete correction.  You will notice improvement for up to 2 years following completion of your treatment.  This is one of Dr. Owens’ favorite treatments for early signs of aging both because of the natural improvements that are achieved and the ability to treat some areas that other fillers may not be suited for, including body areas like the chest/décolletage, and the buttocks. 

Chemical Peels

One of the most economical ways to brighten and improve the skin is with a chemical peel.  Dr. Owens will advise you about important skin care routines to use in preparation for the peel to get the best results, typically to be done for at least 6 weeks prior to the peel.  Dr. Owens uses a trichloracetic acid (TCA)based mid level peel, Perfect Derma Peel, with a few days of downtime to address pigment irregularities, texture, and sun damage.  Deeper peels may be performed under anesthesia in combination with surgical procedures for more substantial improvement in deeper lines, and have a downtime of a week or more.  These treatments are best performed when you will be able to avoid sun exposure and at least a few weeks before any special event.  Results last several months to a year and can be maintained for many years with regular good skin care.

CO2 Laser Resurfacing

We offer laser resurfacing treatments with the Candela CO2RE Laser, which can be tailored using both fractional and fully ablative modalities to improve acne scars, deeper lines, and sun damage to freshen the skin and erase years of damage. Stem cell serum is used to further improve healing time and response to treatment. Typical treatments are offered with oral sedation and topical and local anesthetic blocks for comfort, although some lighter treatments may require only topical anesthetic cream. Expect about a week of downtime, with healing complete within 5-10 days depending on depth of treatment. One of our favorite uses is combining laser resurfacing with eyelid and modified facelift surgery for comprehensive facial rejuvenation!

Exceed Microneedling

Exceed microneedling treatments are performed with stem cell serum to further boost your skin’s response to treatment, increasing collagen and elastin content. This is an in-office procedure tailored to your needs which may range from maintenance of good skin quality in your 30’s and 40’s to stimulating and correcting skin quality in your 50’s and 60’s. Microneedling addresses fine lines, texture, acne scarring, pore size, pigmentation, and firmness. FDA approved and clinically proven to show results even after one treatment, typical treatment recomendationsfor best results are for a series of 4 treatments approximately one month apart, with maintenance treatments determined based on your skin needs and goals. Downtime ranges from mild redness for a day or two to more significant bruising and mottling of the skin for several days following the procedure. All skin types are candidates for treatment, but treatment cannot be performed if there are areas of active breakouts present.

Profound RF Microneedling

Profound combines microneedling with the power of radiofrequency to treat the skin, achieving improvement in texture and thickness, as well as stimulating elastin and collagen production to improve the jawline definition for subtle, natural results. For patients with fullness under the chin, the subcutaneous treatment can diminish fullness and improve contour.  The treatment is done with numbing medicine in the comfort of the office setting and there is virtually no downtime.  While most often sought for facial treatment, other areas of the body may benefit from the improved elasticity and skin quality and decreased subdermal fat achieved with Profound treatment.  Ask at your consult if this might be a good option to improve your trouble spots! Read More about the Profound treatment.