If
your crow’s feet are suddenly turning into deep grooves or the
"11s" between your eyes are deepening, you can smooth things
out without undergoing surgery.
Injectables such
as Botox, Dysport and Xeomin are used to relax muscles, while derma
fillers such as Juvéderm, Radiesse, Restylane, Perlane and Pelotero
are used to help fill in lines.
"The key
thing to keep in mind is a good aesthetic specialist will be able to
soften the look without giving you that ‘frozen look,’" says
Dawn Sagrillo, aesthetic nurser specialist and clinical director at
Refresh Aesthetic Center. "It will brighten the brow and soften
crows feet around the eyes," she says.
Dr. Andrew
Campbell, plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Quintessa Medical Spa,
stresses the importance of going to a trained expert for any kind of
injectable procedure. He has seen patients who came to him after bad
experiences at other facilities involving injections not placed in the
muscle or given in the wrong muscle.
Correct
placement in the muscle is the key to a successful injection. "Botox
is highly customized," explains Campbell. "Everyone’s
muscles are different. I have the patient use the muscle so I can see
where they use it and then customize it (the injection).
"We have
our patients come back in two weeks to make sure they have what they
wanted," says Campbell, who points out the follow-up appointment
is key to patients understanding the overall process.
Patients return
every three to four months for Botox injections and nine to 12 months
for derma fillers.
It is also
common for patients to receive a combination of Botox and derma
fillers in the same procedure, often called a "liquid
face-lift." "The top half of the face is really Botox
domain, while the lower part is really the filler domain,"
Campbell says.
"Derma
fillers are different than Botox products because they fill in lines
or holes, enhance features or provide contour to the jaw line as we
age and provide support, structure and volume," says Sagrillo.
"As we age, we lose collagen and elasticity," says Sagrillo.
Most people are
candidates for Botox or derma fillers, unless they suffer from a
muscular disorder. Campbell says this is a good option for young
patients or people not interested in surgery.
But looking
younger can be costly. Most health insurance plans do not cover
injections; payment is expected at the time of service. Botox can run
from $300 to $750 for your first treatment depending how many regions
you have done on your face. Derma fillers can run from $550 to $3,000,
depending on how many syringes of filler are used.
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Eye
catching home remedies
Do you look in the mirror and feel like a raccoon is staring
back with your puffy eyes and dark circles to boot? There are
treatments you can do at home to help lesson, and possibly
alleviate, the problem. Nova Vandevoort, an aesthetician at The
Well Spa, shares expert tips. If you would rather be pampered
than do your own home remedy, The Well Spa offers a Lifting Eye
Contour Treatment that softens fine lines and alleviates
puffiness and dark circles.
PROBLEM: Red Eyes
Eyes can
become red or irritated from allergies or from a number of
medical conditions.
FIX:
Placing wet cold tea bags containing chamomile and lavender on
your eyes, will help. If it is a medical condition, Vandevoort
suggests you see your eye doctor.
PROBLEM:
Dark Circles
Food
allergies, tiredness and weak capillaries can all be culprits
when it comes to dark circles. "Blood will slightly seep
out of a weak capillary causing the dark circle. A lot of people
get that," says Vandevoort. "Tiredness can create the
weakness in the capillary."
For
others, it’s a hereditary issue and one they have to accept.
FIX: Do a
light tapping massage around the eye area, beginning at the
inner corner of the eye and moving outward to the edge of the
face and down the neck.
Make sure
to eat enough leafy greens. The vitamin K found in these foods
helps to strengthen the capillaries. Vandevoort recommends
eating the greens over taking a supplement.
You can
also use cool compresses around the eyes. Soak a raw potato in
ice water and place it on your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. The
enzymes in the potato help remove the darkness.
PROBLEM:
Puffy Eyes
Puffy eyes
can be caused from not getting enough sleep, eating too much
salt, drinking too much alcohol or from being dehydrated.
FIX:
Massage around the eye to move the liquid out.
Use a
moisturizing eye cream with lavender and chamomile or gel eye
cream with cucumber and aloe. Place the moisturizer and gel in
refrigerator — but not the freezer — to cool it. |
