August Spotlight: Injectables in Baby Boomers
For this generation, a facelift is the number one treatment for facial rejuvenation. For various reasons, many women and most men may not want to undergo surgery. So, what else can be done to turn back a few years? There is much to be said for laser treatments and a good skincare routine, but that discussion is for another day. I want to talk about “injectables,” Botox, fillers, and bio stimulants here.
Even if you have a facelift, you may still have forehead lines, crows feet, a puckered chin and perhaps downturned corners of the mouth. Marketing for Botox shows elevated brows and smooth foreheads. Often boomers are afraid they will look strange with results like that, but this is not the case. Yes, it’s trickier to do Botox in a 60-year-old than in a 30-year-old, but the results are always an improvement if you have a good injector. And if you don’t like it, the changes will go away in 3-4 months.
Judicious use of hyaluronic acid fillers can also bring about subtle improvements. Cheek filler can bring up the tissue along the nose and mouth. As we age facial asymmetries become more noticeable and evening these out with filler is a big help in making one look younger and more balanced. And don’t write off lip filler, not to create voluminous lips but to stretch out lines on the lip border, bring back a shrinking upper lip and improve the downturned corners of the mouth. The common fear is that you will look puffy or doughy. This takes a lot of filler and if you have a good injector, you should know what you are getting before you are injected. Taking things slow should be the name of the game.
Lastly, there are bio stimulators, Sculptra and dilute Radiesse. When injected under the skin, these products lead to an increase in collagen production which in turn brings about a mild skin tightening, enough to improve the appearance of fine lines and sun damage. The good thing about these products is that they can be used on the face and neck, hands, chest, and arms. More than one treatment is usually required and results take 4-6 weeks to show but continue to improve for a few months and then last up to 2 years.