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Frequently Asked Questions About Botox® and Dysport®

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According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, cosmetic botulinum toxin injections (such as Botox® and Dysport®) are the most popular procedures performed by plastic surgeons in the US year after year. As common and minimally invasive as they are, these injections are still medical procedures that have risks and side effects, so as a patient, it’s a good idea to educate yourself about your procedure. To help your research process, I’m answering some of the most common questions I’ve been asked throughout my more than 20 years as a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in facial rejuvenation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Botox® and Dysport®

What wrinkles can I treat with Botox® and Dysport®?

While some patients think all wrinkles can be treated with Botox® or Dysport®, this isn’t accurate. Because they work by relaxing (and therefore smoothing) facial muscles, these injections are most effective for wrinkles that are caused by tensed muscles due to repeated facial expressions. These include crow’s feet, frown lines between the eyebrows, and forehead creases.

How long will my Botox®/Dysport® treatment take and how much recovery time will I need?

One of my patients’ favorite aspects of Botox® and Dysport® injections is how convenient they are for facial rejuvenation. The treatment only takes 10-15 minutes to perform, and it doesn’t require any downtime. Many patients find it easy to have their procedure during one of their lunch breaks.

When and for how long will I see my Botox® or Dysport® results?

Because the injections are working with your body’s natural processes, it takes about 24-48 hours for the results to begin appearing, and they should reach their full effect within a week of your treatment. The results will generally last 3-4 months, though this will vary from patient to patient.

What’s the difference between Botox® and Dysport®?

Botox® and Dysport® are two companies’ versions of the same product. However, Dysport® is more highly purified, and in my own experience, it tends to have a longer-lasting effect and to be more effective in preventing the muscle contractions that cause future wrinkles to develop.

Are Botox® and Dysport® injections safe?

While there is a risk of potential side effects like temporary muscle weakness, bruising, or a headache from Botox® and Dysport®, the risk is very low. It’s important to note, though, that this risk increases dramatically when your injections are performed by someone who is less experienced and poorly trained. To ensure that your injections are as safe as possible, only get your treatment from a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience and, ideally, with a specialty in facial rejuvenation.

I’ve heard Botox® and Dysport® are cheaper in other countries. Can I buy it elsewhere and then bring it to a plastic surgeon to inject?

This is very unsafe, and I do not administer injections with any product that has not come through the proper channels: to my office directly from the product’s manufacturer. Botox® and Dysport® are prescription-only products that are only sold to select medical professionals, so if you buy the products from any other source, there is a high likelihood that they are counterfeit and there is no way to know if it contains extremely dangerous ingredients.

There is a reason why Botox® and Dysport® are so enormously popular – because they treat such a common cosmetic issue and because they work very well. But as a patient, you still want to understand the procedure you’re receiving and ensure that it’s the best way to get the results you want.  To find out if you’re a candidate, schedule an appointment with me, Dr. John LeRoy.  For more helpful tips about cosmetic treatments, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Ask Dr. LeRoy How Safe are Facial Cosmetic Injectables

Ask Dr. LeRoy: How Safe are Facial Cosmetic Injectables?

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These days, it seems as if everyone is getting a little something injected for the purpose of looking younger. According to both the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the #1 most popular cosmetic procedure in the US is botulinum toxin injections (like Botox® and Dysport®), and #2 is dermal fillers (like Restylane®, Juvéderm®, Radiesse®, and more). Both of these treatments offer minimally invasive ways to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and their immense popularity comes from their convenience (typically a 15- or 30-minute treatment with no downtime), consistently successful results, and suitability for nearly anyone. But, at the same time, the idea of facial injections sounds understandably scary to many patients. So, in truth, how safe are botulinum toxin and filler injections?

Ask Dr. LeRoy How Safe are Facial Cosmetic Injectables

The safety of cosmetic injectables ultimately comes down to your provider. Cosmetic injections are true medical procedures, so it’s important to recognize the seriousness of feeling confident in the person performing them. If you’re receiving your botulinum toxin or facial filler injections from a qualified medical professional, such as a board-certified plastic surgeon, the side effects are expected to be very mild and temporary, and the risk of serious side effects is extremely low. For most patients, the side effects are limited to mild swelling and bruising, and they generally fade within a week.

However, your risk factors change dramatically when your injections are being performed by someone who is not properly qualified and educated. Serious side effects are often caused by the product being injected incorrectly or injected into an area where it shouldn’t be, such as into a blood vessel. While a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation has extensive knowledge of your complex facial anatomy, so that they can inject the products into the precise areas for maximum safety and effectiveness, there are many people who deliver these injections without having the knowledge they need to do it correctly.

Another important factor in keeping your cosmetic facial injections safe and effective is ensuring that you are receiving the true product. Sadly, there are companies who produce counterfeit versions of popular products like Botox® and Restylane®. There are also versions of these products that are produced abroad and are not FDA-approved for safety and effectiveness. Reputable board-certified plastic surgeons will allow you to see the bottle before they perform your injections so that you know you’re getting the right product, and they have the experience to know not to use inauthentic products. However, when you go to a provider who is not qualified, you also increase the likelihood of getting an inferior or potentially dangerous product injected, as these people often do not have the authorization to purchase the genuine products.

While this article has focused on a single type of treatment, the same principle holds true for any cosmetic procedure—seeing a true board-certified plastic surgeon can provide you with excellent results and an extremely low risk factor, while getting treated by an unqualified provider is never worth the risk. If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you’re ready to take the next step toward a safe and effective treatment with cosmetic injectables, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery tips, join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

What You Need to Know About Dysport® and Botox®

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There’s nothing quite like looking in the mirror one day and seeing your first wrinkles, especially because it often happens earlier than you expect. In many cases, the first signs of aging appear around the eyes as crow’s feet, frown lines, or forehead creases, and fortunately, there is a highly successful and convenient treatment available: Dysport® and Botox®, both of which have been FDA-approved as safe and effective. These wrinkle reduction injections are so popular among men and women in their 20s through 70s that Botox® has become a household name, and more and more people are finding out about Dysport®, which is a highly similar formula with a different brand name. We’ve compiled some helpful facts to give you a crash course in these terrific injections you may want to add to your cosmetic roster.

best botox dysport atlanta

As popular and minimally invasive as Botox® and Dysport® are, it’s important to remember that they require a true medical procedure which can have serious complications if done incorrectly, so you should only trust your health to a qualified medical professional—in this case, a board-certified plastic surgeon. To learn whether you’re a candidate for Dysport® or Botox® injections, schedule a consultation with me. Or, for more helpful plastic surgery tips, follow me, Dr. John L. LeRoy, on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Atlanta Eyelid Surgery

All About the Eyes

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Your eyes are the major focal point of your face, so it can be particularly frustrating that they are also more vulnerable to aging than most other areas, thanks to the many movements they make throughout the day and the naturally thin skin around them. The good news is that there are ways to turn back the clock and give your eyes a more youthful and energized look. Everyone ages in their own way, but as a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I offer a variety of methods to address the unique ways each patient ages around their eyes.

Atlanta Eyelid SurgeryFor “hooded” eyelids:

The upper eyelids develop a “hooded” appearance when the skin above the upper eyelid sags over the eyelid itself. This can be impacted by genetics, but it also tends to occur or worsen as the skin ages and becomes less firm, ultimately making one or both eyes look less open, less awake, and even less friendly. Upper eyelid surgery (or upper blepharoplasty) is a surgery which removes a small amount of the sagging skin, restoring a more youthful look. For some patients, this can be done with my minimally invasive Band Aid Blepharoplasty, which is performed in-office with gentle numbing for reduced recovery time.

For “bags under the eyes”:

We all have small deposits of fat beneath our eyes, but heredity and aging can cause these deposits to extend forward, “puffing up” below the eyes. Especially when combined with the natural thinning and sagging of the skin with age, these deposits create the appearance of “bags under the eyes.” Band Aid Lower Eyelid Surgery, traditional lower blepharoplasty, or transconjunctival lower eyelid surgery (using an incision inside the lower eyelid to leave no visible scarring) can address these concerns by removing the unneeded fat deposits and restoring firmness to the lax skin if needed.

For dark circles under the eyes:

While they make you look sleep-deprived, dark circles under the eyes are a persistent problem for some patients regardless of how well-rested they are. Depending on your specific needs, this may be improved by using facial filler injections into the hollow below the eye. Whether it’s performed with Restylane®, Juvéderm®, or another specific formula, this restores a natural-looking and youthful plumpness to the area in order to reduce the “sunken” look and the shadows it creates. However, because of the complex anatomy in this area, these injections should only be performed by someone who is highly qualified and experienced in the procedure, such as a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial procedure. For some patients, the best option may be Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing. Using a precise “dot” pattern of laser columns, this treatment eases a number of surface skin imperfections while restoring skin-firming collagen.

For wrinkles around the eyes:

Most wrinkles around the eyes (like crow’s feet and frown lines) are caused by a combination of two major factors: repeated facial expressions leading to tense muscles, and a loss of firmness and elasticity in the skin. Fortunately, there are remedies for both of these issues. Botox® and Dysport® injections temporarily relax the underlying facial muscles, causing fine lines and creases to even out. To restore the firmness of the skin, Band Aid Skin Tightening uses controlled warmth to rebuild skin-firming collagen in a non-surgical and non-invasive way which is gentle enough to be used around the eyes.

While any one of these aesthetic concerns can put a dent in a person’s self-confidence, many of my patients suffer from several of them at once. In these cases, most eye rejuvenation methods can be combined and performed either at the same time or as part of a multi-step process. To discuss how I may be able to help you be your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more cosmetic tips and information about aesthetic treatments, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Fighting Back Against Forehead Creases

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No one likes getting wrinkles, but at least we can look at some wrinkles (like smile lines) as fond memories. Unfortunately, those all-too-common horizontal lines that appear across the forehead don’t give us that luxury. These forehead wrinkles or creases are largely caused by repeated facial expressions that contract these muscles—especially frowns and other stress-induced expressions. As our skin becomes naturally thinner and weaker with age, it shows these muscle contractions more and more, and the combination of aging skin and repeated facial movements can lead to noticeable forehead wrinkles. Luckily, there are several ways to restore a more youthful and relaxed look to your brow.

Fighting Back Against Forehead CreasesBand Aid Brow Lift

A traditional brow lift uses an incision across the scalp to remove sagging skin and reposition the underlying tissue to give the forehead a smoother, younger appearance. However, throughout over 20 years as a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I have found that nearly all forehead rejuvenation patients can receive the results they want with a minimally invasive procedure that I developed called the Band Aid Brow Lift. Like my other Band Aid plastic surgery procedures, the Band Aid Brow Lift is performed in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia, and it uses smaller incisions and specially-designed techniques to minimize scarring, recovery time, and cost.

Non-Surgical Treatments for Forehead Wrinkles

If your brow creases haven’t yet progressed far enough to call for cosmetic surgery (or if you’ve already had a Band Aid Brow Lift and want to maintain your results for longer), there are a variety of non-surgical procedures that can be effective for minimizing wrinkles as well:

  • Botox® and Dysport® are both cosmetic facial injections that improve forehead creases by relaxing the underlying muscles that have become tense after years of those repeated facial expressions. Relaxing the muscle smooths a perpetually furrowed brow and helps you look happier and younger. While the results are temporary, these treatments are ideal for patients with tight schedules because they require no downtime and the procedure can typically be completed in 10-15 minutes.
  • Band Aid Skin Tightening and Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing are both non-surgical ways to build collagen, the protein that gives your skin its youthful firmness and elasticity. While they operate differently (Band Aid Skin Tightening uses targeted heat while Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing uses tiny beams of laser light), both procedures are effective for facial rejuvenation, and we can discuss your individual needs to determine which treatment is the best choice for you.

For patients hoping to improve the appearance of forehead wrinkles, there are many treatment options available because every patient is unique, both in their individual anatomy and in how aging has affected them. To start discussing whether a cosmetic procedure can help you be your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a plastic surgery consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, to stay up-to-date on the latest news in cosmetic surgery, join me on Facebook Twitter, and Google+.

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