August 1, 2013
Hollywood celebs love to look young! Many forever young stars claim good genes and healthy living is the key to their wrinkle-free faces.
While that could be the case, many celebs shave off the years with fillers and Botox.
Courteney Cox, Kelly Ripa and Jenny McCarthy have all admitted to using Botox. Even daddy-to-be Simon Cowell has said that Botox is no more unusual than toothpaste.
Yet, it's not just the rich and famous who are seeking out age-defying treatments
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Americans spent almost $11 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2012 with 83 percent of those procedures being nonsurgical. Injectables and fillers are of the most requested anti-aging treatments today because of the quick results and minimal downtime that they offer. Even with all the educational resources available, there is still a handful of misleading information regarding what fillers and injectables can and cannot do.
So, if you're curious about these non-invasive treatments, in the Summer/Fall Issue of NewBeauty magazine, Elise Minton, Executive Beauty Editor, separates fact from fiction.
"You can use leftover filler for touch-ups."
FACT: If your doctor doesn't use all of the product in the vial, it can be used to touch up a small area. Remember, once a vial has been opened, it can't be used on anyone else.
Injectable neurotoxins "freeze" your muscles to erase fine line and wrinkles
FALSE: Neurotoxins do not physically freeze muscles but rather weaken or relax them. For example, Botox is a purified protein that is used to relax wrinkles. The most common reason is from frowning because people squeeze their eyebrows together (also known as the 11's) and that creases the skin. It relaxes the skin and once the muscles are relaxed the skin will smooth out so people look rested and not overdone.
"Fillers can be reversed"
FACT: If you have a reaction or just don't like the results of your filler, your doctor can inject the treated area with hyaluronidase, which works to counteract the effect or the filling agent.
"Botox is a filler."
FALSE: Some patients use Botox as a generic term for every injectable and filler, but it is not a filler nor does it work like them. Neurotoxins like Botox smooth out wrinkles, whereas fillers like Juvederm fill in lines and wrinkles and add volume. Botox works by blocking nerve impulses to the injected muscles. This reduces muscle activity that causes the persistent lines to form between the brows. It will not add volume or stimulate collagen like a filler would.
"Anyone is qualified to inject someone"
FALSE: Visit a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon and have a cosmetic consultation. In order to treat or even prevent the signs of aging, it's important to go to someone who understands how aging affects certain areas of the face and how best to correct it. New products are constantly being developed, tested and brought to the market so it is vital to go to a doctor who is trained and has the experience and knowledge to know what will work best on you!
For more information on injectables and fact + fiction visit, www.newbeauty.com.
-- Terri MacLeod
(Glam Slam's Ryan Patterson is on maternity leave. Terri MacLeod is filling in.)
