What are Injectables?

I am so lucky that I get to work in a wonderland where medicine meets art and the combination of the two can be so beautiful.

Just like all things beautiful, the art of medicine in the cosmetic sphere can be complex.

Cosmetic Injectable treatments can be confusing. When you are trying to decide what treatments to undertake, this is when the expertise of your injector comes into play. The injectors at Youth Lab are medically qualified, highly experienced, knowledgeable and ensure you understand the medical treatment that you are committing to.

Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Due to strict regulations within Australia we are not permitted to advertise the brand names of the anti-wrinkle products. We cannot even give you hints due to the strict guidelines. Rest assured, at Youth Lab we use the world’s most popular and trusted brand of anti-wrinkle product.

The names of anti-wrinkle product is known by many other names;

• Wrinkle relaxer

• Muscle relaxant

• Anti-wrinkle treatment

• The holy grail (that I can’t live without!)

• Liquid gold (Dr Kate’s favourite)

The use of anti-wrinkle product began in the 70’s where it was used in patients who were suffering with Blepharospasm, a condition which causes eye muscle spasms. Doctors began treating further conditions to prevent spasms throughout the facial muscles.

These ingenious doctors were able to recognise the cosmetic effects these patients were having as a result of treatment and in the 00’s this product was approved for cosmetic use. And our lives changed forever!

How it works

The anti-wrinkle or muscle relaxant treatment works by blocking the acetylcholine receptor; the messenger that tells your muscles when to move. By impeding the muscle from being told to move this prevents the formation of wrinkles.

Much like a piece of paper that has repeatedly been folded in one place, once the folding stops and the paper is left to rest, it will slowly flatten out on the fold line – the paper being your skin and the fold your wrinkles.

So, continuing with the paper analogy… if you didn’t fold the paper to begin with then the crease will not be formed. This is where early intervention is key and why many people are beginning this treatment in their 20’s.

Don’t worry, those patients who have been ‘folding the paper’ for a while are still able to let it lay flat a little later into the ageing process. I advise my mature clients that the fine lines may just take a little bit longer to smooth out.

Anti-wrinkle injections can work to soften fine lines in the face, and even slim the jawline and treat excess sweating. The results are not limited to treating frown lines!

Dosage

Many people get confused with the dosage of this anti-wrinkle injections.

I can’t stress this enough “you are different to your friends”. As such , your anatomy, your facial expressions and your skin integrity is completely individual, so you will require a different dosage. Remember, despite it being so mainstream, this is a medical procedure and tailored to your aesthetic, therefore not a one size fits all.

When consulting with a client, I like to get to know you – both personally and anatomically. While I am chatting with you about your weekend and the things you love in your life, I am also assessing the way your face moves, the way you smile, laugh, raise your eye brows – wow, this makes me sound a bit intense doesn’t it!

In watching you and your facial movements, I can tailor your treatment to keep your natural unique aesthetic instead of having you look like you are a wax dummy featuring at Madame Tussaud’s.

Longevity

I think it is important for you to be aware of the longevity of the product.

After your anti-wrinkle injection treatment I advise you to allow two weeks for this to take full effect (this feels like a lifetime). Although the product can last 3 – 4 months, you will generally begin to have subtle movement return at around 6-8 weeks as the product begins to metabolise – NOOOOOO!

You will then get to come back into The Lab at 12 weeks for your next treatment.

As I said before, everybody is different and may experience different time frames (remember, you are not your friends). A lower dose resulting in residual movement will NOT last the full 3-4 months where as a full dose to the muscle (usually what we recommend) will last longer.

Dermal Fillers

The wonderful invention of dermal fillers began way back in the 19th century where Doctors began treatment on patients with facial deformities in plastic surgery.

Just like the discovery of anti-wrinkle injections, these doctors began to recognise the ability to use this product for aesthetic and anti-ageing purposes.

Dermal filler is created with a naturally occurring sugar molecule within our body. With the molecules ability to retain this volume, it makes the perfect product to add to areas of volume deficit. Again, we cannot name these well known brands due to strict Australian advertising guidelines.

FUN FACT: Hyaluronic Acid holds 1000 times its own weight in water and this is the reason it is also used in so many cosmeceutical product ranges.

How it works

There are a range of different types of dermal filler which are more appropriate for particular areas of the face than than others. For example, you would use a different type of dermal filler to treat a patients lips than you would use to treat their cheeks.

When each product is created, it is manufactured all the way down to the size of the molecule chain and this is why lip filler is ‘softer’ than the filler used for the cheeks.

Dermal fillers work to replace lost volume, restore facial structures, add hydration and soften fine lines. They work by adding the volume through the size and shape of the gel particles and a trained practitioner will know the precise injection site locations to obtain your desired results.

Now, not all fillers are created equal, there are a lot of cheaper brands available which may not deliver the most optimal results, nor last as long.

At Youth Lab we pride ourselves on attaining a natural look for our patients.

When consulting with my clients I am a skin fanatic who is watching your every (facial) movement. This allows me to assess the accurate placement of the filler and what you require to enable you to look your fabulous self at both rest and animation, leaving you appearing more refreshed rather than looking overdone.

Please note: Every single person’s face is asymmetrical, although we can work our magic to assist with making the asymmetry less noticeable, you will never get a face perfectly asymmetrical (nor would you want too).

Dosage

We have a lot of clients who will attend their appointment and request only half a ml of filler. Although this is a great amount for some people, most people require at least 1 ml in the lips.

Next time you are eating your meat pie and sauce, take note of the sauce sachet that is 7ml. If 7ml doesn’t cover your pie then that shows how much effect 1ml will have.

Just like the anti-wrinkle treatment it is not one size fits all, every individual client’s facial structure is different.

To put it in perspective, at least 2ml will be needed to enhance or start to restore volume loss to the cheeks in a women in her 20s, up to 12ml or more syringes of filler is needed to restore facial structures in a women in her 50-60s.

Longevity

Longevity also varies between products and the indication for use. For example, softer more hydrating fillers used for the lips can last 6-9 months in some cases. Firmer more structural fillers for the cheeks and jawline can last up to 18 months.

Longevity depends on other factors as well as the product choice. Your metabolism, lifestyle, use of prescription or OTC medication, exercise levels to name a few all impact the breakdown of the product.

When you attend your appointment with your injector at Youth Lab, we will conduct a full facial analysis and advise on what treatments will be best for you. During this analysis you will be advised on what treatments will be most beneficial, how much product required to achieve the desired aesthetic and the cost of the treatments.

Summary

In summary, Anti-Wrinkle Injections prevent muscle movement, aid in reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can also decrease hypertrophic muscles.

With Dermal Filler, it adds volume to areas which have decreased with age or just need a little sprinkle of voluminous love.

The beauty of injectable treatments is our ability as injectors to work our magic and have you leaving the clinic with an extra spring in your step, gosh I love my job!