Cosmetic fillers are non -surgical treatments designed to reduce lines and wrinkles, restore symmetry and volume to recreate a smooth skin surface.  Aesthetic consumers have been inundated by multiple marketing campaigns touting the latest and greatest FDA approved filler. The question always arising is of course “which one is the BEST?!”

With many truly wonderful and unique fillers to choose from, even we as injectors find ourselves needing to take a step back and take a little extra time in our consults to analyze what would truly be best to meet the goals of our patients and then to educate accordingly.

We attempt to thoroughly address questions such as what filler produces the most success in various areas, cost, how long it will last, side effects, etc). All this while keeping the consult as simple as possible to avoid adding to the confusion and prevent everyone from feeling overwhelmed!

It used to be so easy!!

The Experts here felt it would be of great benefit to “briefly” introduce all the FDA approved fillers available at Dallas Medical Skin Solutions at EpiCentre Parklane.   All the fillers assist with wrinkle correction and add volume to the aging face. Some are better utilized to restore or enhance features such as lips while others are better for adding volume to cheeks, ocular areas and temples.

Let’s begin with Restylane and Perlane by Medicis Aesthetics.  Both products are made of hyaluronic acid, a product which mirrors naturally found substances in our bodies. Water is attracted to the molecule which increases in size and thus, we have volume. Both products have lidocaine mixed in to help decrease any discomfort. Perlane is built just like Restylane but a bigger more robust molecule. www.restylaneUSA.com

Allergan Inc. are the makers of Juvederm XC and Juvederm Ultra Plus XC.(www.juvederm.com).  They too are hyaluronic acids but their recipe is just a little different than Restylane and Perlane.  Juvederm Ultra Plus is similar to Perlane as Juvederm XC is to Restylane. Juvederm XC tends to be a little softer and offers less swelling.

Next we introduce Radiesse by Mertz, Inc. Radiesse is a Calcium Hydroxyappetite which also has the ability to stimulate collagen. It is mixed with Lidocaine to reduce discomfort during the treatment and lasts anywhere from 8 to 12 months. It can be used in many areas of the face but it is not used in the lips. Radiesse is excellent for adding volume to the cheeks and deeper nasolabial folds.  (www.radiesse.com)

During the last 5 years, a new category of volumizers has reached the US market creating a category known as Collagen Stimulators. Where the products previously discussed last anywhere from 8 to 12 months, collagen stimulators have the ability to stick around for 2 to 5 years!

The first to be discussed is Sculptra. Once only approved for AIDS facial wasting patients, it is now approved for cosmetic use for anyone in need of more volume in large areas of the face. Sculptra is a Poly L-Lactic Acid that stimulates the body’s natural ability to produce collagen giving the patient subtle volumizing over time. Patients typically need 3 to 4 treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart.  It is very successful for restoring long lasting volume around temples, cheeks, jawline and oral commissures. Sculptra comes in vials that are mixed with sterile water and lidocaine and injected deeper than traditional dermal fillers resulting in less chance of bruising. (www.sculptra.com)

The second collagen stimulator proving high patient satisfaction is Artefill. Artefill is composed of polymethylemethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres transported in a bovine collagen vehicle mixed with lidocaine to help with possible discomfort. Less than 0.5% of the population is allergic to bovine collagen but because of this the FDA requires a small skin test to be done prior to this procedure. PMMA has been used safely and successfully for decades in a variety of medical applications.  The microspheres provide a supportive foundation for collagen for long lasting wrinkle correction. Patients appreciate the beautiful, natural results produced around the nasolabial folds, mouth and under eye malar bags. (www.artefill.com)

Call today to set up a consultation with one of Dr. Burns’ nurse injectors, Laurie Grizzard R.N. or Stephanie Holden R.N.   They will listen to your concerns and help you decide what is best to meet your needs.  Injections are done thru Dr. Burns’ Dallas Medical Skin Solutions at EpiCentre Parklane.

214-887-1577

DALLAS – On Dickey’s Barbecue Pit commercials, Joanna Winham is known as “Edna,” the older, pesky customer. In real life, Winham would rather not look that part.

“I want the chins, as they say, gone,” she said with a laugh.

That’s why the 62-year-old baby boomer has tried a new and non-invasive procedure some call the “60-minute facelift.”

The lunchtime treatment called Ultherapy uses ultrasound sound waves like those used to view a baby in utero. It was recently featured on The Dr. Oz Show.

While other treatments blanket the face with heat, the ultrasound waves are highly focused to create heat at precise points beneath the skin. That heat prompts new collagen to form at deeper levels than most other non-surgical facial rejuvenation therapies. Also, the ultrasound imaging allows technicians to see exactly where the heat is being placed.

“I can put all of the energy in a very specific place,” said Dr. Jay Burns, a Dallas plastic surgeon. “Here I can actually target with the ultrasound, see where I want to put it and lay the energy right there. It’s more of a precise instrument.”

Dr. Burns will be highlighted on multiple days to speak to his peers at The Cutting Edge: Facial Rejuvenation Symposium on Dec. 2-4, in New York City. His topics will include:

• Laser for Facial Rejuvenation – State of the Art and the Future: Thermage, Titan, Ablative, Non-Ablative, Fractionated and Non-Fractionated Patient Selection, Results, Longevity and Complications
• Laser Liposuction: Does Wavelength Make a Difference? Facts and Fiction
• The Zeltig Procedure: (Cryolipolysis) Indications, Expectations and Morbidity
• Non-Invasive Skin Tightening Options: Is There a Role? Indications, Results and Longevity

• : Dr. Burns
• Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010
• City: Dr. Burns in New York
• Venue: The Cutting Edge: Facial Rejuvenation Symposium – Speaker and Presenter
• Country: US
• Notes: Laser for Facial Rejuvenation – State of the Art and the Future: Thermage, Titan, Ablative, Non-Ablative, Fractionated and Non-Fractionated Patient Selection, Results, Longevity and Complications
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

From the October 1, 2010 article, “Wavelength differences in laser-assisted lipolysis”:

Results from a series of ex vivo and in vivo studies provide evidence that wavelength matters in laser-assisted lipolysis (LAL). Use of a fat-selective wavelength may offer efficacy and safety benefits over a wavelength that is preferentially absorbed by water, according to A. Jay Burns, M.D., who spoke at LASER 2010, the 30th annual conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Burns reported findings from an ex vivo study conducted in porcine skin that evaluated laser tunnel dimensions and the safety margin against end-hits causing skin burns associated with the use of a hot tip that had no light transmission, and three optical tips emitting lipid-selective (924 nm) or water-selective (975 nm and 1,470 nm) light. The relative tissue effects of the 924 nm and 975 nm wavelengths were also investigated in an in vivo study involving patients undergoing abdominoplasty. In both studies, the methods were designed to mimic clinical use of LAL in which the treatment tips were inserted into the subcutaneous fat and through the skin.

Read more at: Cosmetic Surgery Times

Our new website is up and running!  Take a look around, view videos on our procedures, and shoot us an email using our contact form to let us know what you think.

I had the privilege of attending the 1st Skin Medica Advocate Advisory Board meeting in Carlsbad, CA the weekend of October 15th. This was an exciting time for top Skin Medica accounts to come together to hear about this amazing skin care line and share information. Read More »

We are pleased to let you know that Ulthera, a treatment which uses ultrasound to gradually tighten and lift skin was recently highlighted on the Rachael Ray show. Dr. Burns is the only plastic surgeon on the Ulthera advisory board, and EpiCentre Park Lane, our skincare center, was the first in Texas to provide Ulthera to it clients. Dr. Burns is continuing his joint research with Ulthera to learn how to expand its uses and improve the outcomes of this fantastic treatment.

Take a look at the video below, and call us at the EpiCentre Park Lane office to see if Ulthera is right for you.