Archive for the ‘Injectable Fillers’ Category

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More Couples Getting Plastic Surgery Together

Monday, June 27th, 2011

With the increasing acceptance of cosmetic procedures among men, a new phenomenon among the plastic surgery clientele has been on the rise: more couples are appearing together in surgeons’ offices across the country.

According to in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, America’s recovery from the recession has seen a resurgence of plastic surgery procedures. Women account for roughly 80 percent of plastic surgery patients, but the number of men has skyrocketed 88 percent from 1997 to 2010. The most popular procedures among men include Botox, liposuction, and rhinoplasty.

The article tells the story of Marsha and Mike Gavula, a couple from Evans City, PA, who do just about everything together. Recently, the 50-year-olds both stepped into a plastic surgeon’s office. Marsha has undergone chemical peels, dermabrasion, and other minimally invasive procedures, while Mike opted for Botox and wrinkle-filling injections for the first time on his fiftieth birthday.

One medical spa with three offices in the Pittsburgh area reports that it offers cosmetic procedures for nearly 30 couples annually, compared with a half-dozen couples in the mid-2000s.

What are some of the factors driving this increase in couples’ procedures?

  • Plastic surgery no longer carries a stigma among men, particularly as the baby boomer generation ages.
  • More options are available for those who don’t want a surgical procedure, as products like Botox can produce results comparable to facelifts.
  • Many men wish to have a more youthful appearance in order to compete in a younger workplace. Injectable fillers such as Restylane and Artefill are fast, effective ways to rejuvenate your appearance.
  • Recovery times for many procedures have lessened, thanks to cutting-edge techniques like VASER LipoSelection that reduce tissue trauma.
  • Couples who have surgeries around the same time can “leapfrog” their procedures, alternating care and recovery.

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Dysport Superior for Crow’s Feet Correction

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

woman with eye wrinkles, crows feet, she may be candidate for dysportWhen targeted crow’s feet, Dysport achieves better results than Botox, according to a plastic surgeon who just published a study comparing the two botulinum toxin medications.

“Lateral orbital rhytids,” commonly called crow’s feet, are lines that travel horizontally from the eyes. Like other wrinkles, they develop gradually as a result of several factors including muscle contraction (especially squinting the eyes and moving the brow) and age-related loss of skin elasticity.

Botulinum toxin, as found in Dysport, is a product that temporarily stops facial muscle contractions to reduce or erase the appearance of wrinkles.

The comparative study was based on photographic evaluations of 90 adult patients who received Botox or Dysport injections in the crow’s feet wrinkles. As a “split-face” study, the drugs were injected on opposite sides of each patient’s face. Before and after photographs (during muscle contraction and at rest) were taken of each subject, grading their crow’s feet correction on a 5-point scale.

When patients evaluated the photos taken during muscle contraction, about two-thirds of them indicated a preference for the Dysport results. The difference was a full point higher on the wrinkle scale.

However, the authors mention several caveats about the Botox vs Dysport comparison for crow’s feet:

  • When subjects had relaxed faces (no significant muscle contraction), there was no visible difference between each product’s results.
  • Although they claim that Dysport treats crow’s feet more effectively, they can’t make any similar claims about treating wrinkles on the forehead or neck.
  • Allergan, maker of Botox, did not approve of the study methods, challenging their dosing ratio, study length and statistical analysis.
  • Medicis, maker of Dysport, provided funding for the study while Allergan declined to do so.

Although Dysport and Botox are similar in the way they correct wrinkles, the dosage is different. Both manufacturers caution that Botulinum toxin medications are “not interchangeable.” Therefore, if you’ve been treated with either product in the past, it is wise to notify your cosmetic surgeon before you decide to switch.

You can read about Dysport for crow’s feet in the latest online edition of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. A summary is also available from Healthday News.

Coastal Empire Plastic Surgery provides Dysport on Demand – No Appointment Necessary

Call to learn more!

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FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Restylane for Lip Enhancement

Monday, May 9th, 2011

While an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) injectable filler Restylane for lip enhancement, it seems unlikely to make much difference even if the FDA does move to approval. Many doctors in the United States already find Restylane very effective in filling out their patients’ lips.

Restylane, like other hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm and Elevess, temporarily smooths wrinkles by adding volume under the skin, and was approved for this use by the FDA in 2003. The effects of hyaluronic acid fillers typically last about six months.

Restylane is frequently used for off-label purposes, such as lip augmentation, since hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body and there are very few risks associated with the procedure. According to Dr. Farhad Rafizadeh, a New Jersey plastic surgeon who spoke with MyHealthNewsDaily, Restylane is the best filler for the lips because it remains in place. Other facial fillers, he says, tend to seep into other areas of the face.

This practice is not as unusual as one might think, since off-label use for a product is quite different from using a substance that has not been approved by the FDA. Experienced, conscientious doctors can legally and ethically use drugs and other products for alternative purposes, as long as these products have already been shown to be safe for human use, and the patient fully understands the nature of the use.

A move by the FDA to approve hyaluronic acid fillers for lip enhancement would most likely only impact doctors that are unaccustomed to using the products and hesitate to go off the beaten path. In the hands of an expert plastic surgeon, however, hyaluronic acid fillers can work wonders for smile lines, wrinkles, creases, lips, and hollow cheeks.

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Botox or Facial Filler? How to Reduce Wrinkles Without Surgery

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

While Botox is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the world, with 5.4 million procedures performed last year in the United States alone, facial fillers have become very trendy in recent years. Products like Juvederm, Sculptra, and Artefill are continuing to redefine how we think about wrinkles. Each product has unique benefits that are worth considering.

All of these products work by being injected into the face over the course of about 15 minutes. The benefit of injectable treatments is that there is no downtime, as patients can usually return to their routine immediately after the procedure. Typically, the only side effects are what you might expect for an injection, such as redness, bruising, or stinging, which pass soon afterwards.

Botox is best suited to treating forehead lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, crow’s feet, lines between the upper lip and nose (perioral wrinkles), and wrinkles on the neck. All of these areas can be treated through targeted injections that relax certain muscles and allow others to pull the skin tighter than before.

Facial fillers are best used on smile lines and wrinkles below the mouth. However, they can often be used for other wrinkles and creases on the face, as well as for augmenting lips and filling out hollow cheeks.

Some fillers, such as Restylane, Elevess, Perlane, and Juvederm, use hyaluronic acid for striking results that last up to 6 months. All are highly effective on smile lines and other facial wrinkles, although each is formulated differently and suited to unique purposes. For example, Juvederm is especially well-suited to filling out lips, while Perlane contains no animal proteins whatsoever.

Other fillers last much longer than Botox and hyaluronic acid-based fillers. Sculptra lasts for up to two years and works by replacing lost collagen. Artefill, however, lasts longer than most (if not all) other facial fillers. It provides permanent support thanks to special microspheres that are injected along with the collagen and provide a framework for new collagen deposits. The microspheres are not absorbed into the skin, so that they may provide lasting support for a number of years.

Each product has unique benefits that are best suited to different patient needs, desires, and timeframes, so it’s always important to discuss your needs with a qualified plastic surgeon to find the injectable treatment that’s right for you.

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Facial Plastic Surgery Stats Show Increase in Non Invasive Treatments

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

Statistics about facial cosmetic treatments show that in 2010, about 75 percent of the procedures performed were non-surgical, which may confirm an often discussed trend toward non-surgical cosmetic treatments.

The stats come straight from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), and they show a 45 percent increase in the number of facial procedures performed over the last two years, representing a 16 percent annual increase in non-surgical facial procedures.

“Non-surgical procedures are an excellent option for some people, with the added benefits of lower costs and shorter recovery time; two things that are consistently important to those considering facial plastic surgery,” said Dr. Jonathan M. Sykes. “We have been seeing a trend over the past few years that people who want to look and feel younger and rejuvenated are turning to non-surgical, less invasive procedures to obtain the refreshed look they want.”

Based on the AAFPRS survey, the hot procedures of 2010 were non-surgical procedures like Botox and Restylane injections. Among surgical procedures, the most popular were rhinoplasty, facelift and eyelid surgery.

Females received the majority of facial procedures in 2010 (83 percent), but the most popular procedures varied by age. For women 35 to 60, the top surgical procedures were brow lift, facelift and eyelid surgery, while a nose job was the top surgical procedure performed on women under 35. Botox, injectable fillers nose jobs, and hair transplants were the most common facial procedures performed on men in 2010.

The AAFPRS survey also reported an increase in ethnic patients: two out of five surgeons said they had an increase in their Asian American and Hispanic patients last year.

You can read more of these survey results at www.aafprs.org.

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Swiss Pharmaceutical Seeks to Acquire Restylane Manufacturer

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

The latest news from Bloomberg.com say that Q-Med, the Swedish manufacturer of Restylane wrinkle filler, is likely to be acquired by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Galderma.

Galderma is known for making the popular Cetaphil products. The dermatology-focused pharmaceutical company was founded over 25 years ago, and is currently owned by L’Oreal and Nestle.

Q-Med makes the popular Restylane dermal filler, which was introduced in the mid 90s. Earlier this year, the company announced a new line of skincare products made with their patented NASHA gel, which is not currently available in the U.S.

In the United States, Medicis Pharmaceutical is licensed to distribute Restylane, along with Perlane, Dysport and other cosmetic products. According to the most recent updates from Bloomberg, Galderma’s offer to acquire Q-Med is conditional on approval from Medicis. On their corporate website, you can read about the and their partnership with Q-Med.

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Measuring First Impressions After Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection

Friday, November 12th, 2010

restylane-savannah-gaDoes wrinkle correction change the image you project to others? Surgeons at the Chicago Center for Facial Plastic Surgery sought to answer that question in a recent paper published in Dermatologic Surgery.

Many studies have evaluated the physical results achieved with HA fillers like Restylane and Juvederm, but very few have documented the way other people perceive these cosmetic changes.

Using injections of hyaluronic acid filler, doctors fully corrected the nasolabial folds on 22 patients. To determine how treatment affected first impressions, they showed pictures of the patients to 304 people as blinded evaluators. They asked the evaluators about categories such as attractiveness, athletic ability, financial success, relationships and overall first impression.

“Significance was observed in all categories measured,” the authors conclude; “full correction of the NLFs with HA filler significantly and positively influences the first impression an individual projects.”

Funding and materials for the study were provided by Medicis, maker of Restylane. You can read the abstract or purchase access to this study on PubMed

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Latest Data on Dysport Show Quick Correction of Glabellar Lines

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Compared to Botox, Dysport may provide faster correction of glabellar lines, say doctors at the 2010 Meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

According to Medscape news, during a session of the meeting, Dr. Joel Schlessinger of Omaha presented results of a phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of Dysport.

Based on his findings, the doctor concluded that results of Dysport take effect about 2 days faster than Botox®. “That can be very helpful for a person who is looking for a faster onset,” he reportedly said.

Get the whole story from Medscape.com

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FDA Gives Clearance for Botox Headache Treatment

Saturday, October 16th, 2010

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that Botox, the popular anti wrinkle treatment, is now approved for the treatment of chronic migraine headaches. With this new application, therapeutic treatments with Botox may begin to surpass the number of cosmetic treatments performed.

People suffering from chronic migraines regularly experience an intense throbbing pain in one area of the head, a condition that’s often very debilitating. To help prevent migraines, Botox injections are administered every 12 weeks around the head and neck. The injections are only intended for treating severe headaches that occur more than 14 days in one month. Neurologists believe Botox migraine treatments may work by disrupting the transmission of pain signals to the nerve endings.

Some analysts believe that Botox sales will dramatically increase, while others remain unconvinced. According to an article in the New York Times, some argue that “minimal” effectiveness and high cost will prevent Botox from being embraced by most doctors and patients.

Read the FDA press release

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New Botulinum Toxin Granted FDA Approval This Week

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Merz Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday that FDA approval was granted for XEOMIN, a drug containing botulinum toxin.  The new drug is indicated for the treatment of cervical dystonia and blepharospasm.  Along with the relatively new Dysport and ubiquitous Botox®, Xeomin is the 3rd product of this kind to receive clearance in the U.S.

Two clinical trials were cited during the approval process, along with studies that compared XEOMIN to Botox®.  According to a study cited in the Journal of Neurological Sciences, [XEOMIN] showed “non-inferiority” to Botox® when used in equivalent doses for the treatment of blepharospasm.

The difference between XEOMIN and its competitors, according to the manufacturer Merz Pharmaceutical, is that “XEOMIN does not require refrigeration prior to reconstitution. “  The company says this could “simplify product distribution and storage, and help ensure product integrity at the time of injection.”

Merz is also acquiring Bioform Medical, a California company that manufactures Radiesse dermal filler.  The German company seems poised to create a significant presence in the U.S. aesthetics market.  When the acquisition of Bioform Medical is complete, the company will be rebranded “Merz Aesthetics.”

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