Commercially purified, Botox is a protein produced by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum and in small quantities causes muscle relaxation. Wrinkles are grooves in the skin caused by the movement of the muscles beneath. Through the injection of small amounts of Botox, muscle relaxation leads to softening of wrinkles and their complete elimination in some cases.
Botox typically works for 3 months before the muscle adapts and begins to function again. Fortunately, repeat treatments with Botox leads to longer relaxation times. Small shallow wrinkles are completely eliminated with prolonged Botox use but deep seated wrinkles can persist even when the underlying muscle is completely relaxed. In these cases, a dermal filler can be used to further soften the wrinkles.
Peninsula MedSpas uses Juvederm Ultra and Juvederm Ultra Plus as their dermal fillers of choice. Also available are Restylane, Perlane and Radiesse. Extremely effective at filling in deep wrinkles, plumping lips, and elevating sunken eyes, dermal fillers are usually based on hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in the skin. Hyaluronic acid has a strong affinity for water and keeps the skin full and plump. Unfortunately, as we age, we lose our hyaluronic acid and our skin is further thinned through sun damage to the collagen. Indeed, our full plump cheeks we had as babies sag over time to become our unattractive jowls. This sagging is further enhanced by the loss of cheek bone from osteoporosis.
The collagen damage can be repaired through the use of the Affirm laser system and the hyaluronic acid replaced with fillers. Dermal fillers interact with the dermis to absorb water and produce a lifting effect. Fillers are used to create a “liquid face lift”, literally lifting the sagging cheeks off the jaw line while simultaneously creating the look of high cheek bones. Fillers are slowly absorbed by the body but can last up to a year.