Category: Radiesse
Finding the Filler That Fits Your Face
Though we’ve been using dermal fillers for some time now, how we used them is always changing. For me, nothing is routine, because you are not routine. Each of you comes in to see me with not only a unique face, but also your own personal needs, desires and goals.
With all of these factors as a guide, I select the proper fillers to use in the proper places. In the end, your results will be optimal for you, not for the patient who walked in before you. This is why your treatments will help you to look naturally refreshed, youthful and more like you. A better version of yourself, we like to say.
To address your specific concerns, we use injectable fillers at different levels of the skin. Some fillers target fine lines. Some provide volume, and others add structure. Here is a basic guide to the best fillers currently available and some of the ways that we use them.
Belotero Balance addresses both deep wrinkles and superficial lines. Made from all-natural hyaluronic acid (HA), Belotero Balance can plump up your lips and discreetly smooth out laugh lines, upper lip lines, crow’s feet and marionette lines.
Juvederm is a gel filler that helps reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles in the nasolabial folds, the deep grooves or lines that extend from the corners of the nose down along the mouth. It is available in two forms – Ultra and Ultra Plus. Juvederm is the most advanced HA formula available today.
Juvederm Voluma XC is the first and only FDA-approved filler that instantly adds natural-looking volume to the cheeks. Derived from a naturally occurring complex sugar, It also works well to minimize crow’s feet, frown lines, worry lines, deep furrows and folds that appear around the eyes, nose, upper lip and mouth. Studies have shown that results may last as long as two years after treatment. Voluma XC has been available in Europe since 2005 and is used in 72 countries nationwide.
Radiesse is a safe, effective long-lasting treatment for unwanted defects in the face and hands. On the face, Radiesse helps to minimize smile lines, augment cheeks and restore lost volume. In the hands, it can diminish the appearance of veins and tendons and also plump up sagging skin.
Restylane is successful in minimizing severe wrinkles and folds, including nasolabial and lip wrinkles. It is available in two additional formulations: Restylane Lyft is a nonsurgical age eraser for deep lines, wrinkles and folds, and restores volume to deflated areas of the face. Restylane Silk consists of extra small and smooth particles that help restore contour, fullness and smoothness to your lip and mouth area, giving your face a younger and fresher appearance.
So, whatever your goal is, we can tailor a treatment plan just for you. Please call our office and schedule a complimentary consultation today.
See you soon.
Men Worry About How They Look, Too
When people talk about body image, we assume that they are referring to women. But lately, men seem to be more concerned about being muscular and thin than they have been in the past.
A study earlier this year by Chapman University researchers revealed that men agonize about their bodies nearly as much as women do. The report, which was published in March in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity, surveyed about 116,000 men between age 18 and 65 and about as many women. The findings showed that:
- About 25 percent of the men were dissatisfied with their appearance, compared to about 28.5 percent of women.
- More than half of the men had gone on diets in the past year, and nearly 42 percent were unhappy with their weight.
- About 37 percent did not like the condition of their muscle tone.
- About 69 percent felt judged on their looks and felt pressure from magazines and television to have a slimmer and more muscular body.
If you are male and concerned about your body shape, you have most likely dieted and spent many hours in the gym. Sometimes, these tactics are not enough for certain trouble spots or for men of certain ages. In our offices, one of the most popular procedures for men is SmartLipo Triplex, particularly for the neck, abdomen and breast area. SmartLipo Triplex is a minimally invasive method for removing unwanted fat and sculpting areas of the body that you’d like to change. An FDA-approved laser treatment that virtually melts fat cells and suctions them away, SmartLipo provided dramatic high-definition results after only one treatment.
We also find that Kybella is effective for reducing the double chin, a common male problem that often resists diet and exercise. This new procedure slims and contours the area below and around your chin and neck, without surgery.
We know that your self-image is not derived solely from your weight and muscle mass. You may also be concerned about the effects on your face of aging, sun damage and stress, all of which can negatively impact how you feel about yourself at home and at work. Many male patients come see us for Botox, particularly for their foreheads and crow’s feet, and for dermal fillers that minimize the folds around their noses and corners of their mouths. Some of these fillers include Belotero, Juvederm, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Silk and Radiesse. Also, to decrease wrinkles and sagging on the face and around the eyes, many men come to us for Fraxel DUAL and Fraxel Repair Laser Treatments.
So, if you are not entirely happy with how you look, you are not alone; there are plenty of men just like you. Don’t hesitate to call our office for a complimentary consultation. We’ll try to help you look and feel your best.
See you soon.
I Never Thought I Would Do This
Thank you all for attending our Spring Beauty Seminar this past weekend. I was happy to see so many of you there and am hoping that you learned all that you could about the latest cosmetic treatments that we offer. I look forward to seeing you in our offices in the coming weeks, particularly as the temperatures climb. I like to call spring “The Beauty Season,” since so many of you want to look your best as you spend more time outdoors.
For those of you who are considering our nonsurgical cosmetic procedures for the first time, I understand that the idea of it may get in your way. Mainly, you may not want anyone to know that you’ve been in for treatment.
So, here are a few first-time procedures that no one will know that you’ve had (and that you will forget that you’ve had by the time you’ve left our office). With no incisions, anesthesia or downtime, your treatment will be our little secret, if you want it to be. All that will be obvious is your rested and youthful look.
Botox: Worry lines, frown lines, laugh or smile lines, crow’s feet …these are all “dynamic” wrinkles caused from years of living and using facial muscles to show expression. The more emotion we show, the deeper the wrinkles and lines can be. Botox injections can safely and effectively soften lines and reduce wrinkles. Botox is also known as “cosmetic denervation” – a nonsurgical cosmetic procedure that many patients have come to depend on to show results in a few days. The procedure takes under ten minutes, too.
Dermal fillers: Juvederm, Radiesse, Restylane (Silk and Lyft) and Voluma are a few of the FDA-approved treatments that restore fullness and contour that has diminished with age. These treatments are quick and easy, and show immediate results in all areas of the face, including cheeks, mouth, chin, nose and lips, as well as the hands.
Microdermabrasion: Microdermabrasion is simple, convenient and popular among patients showing early signs of aging, sun exposure and other facial imperfections. It not only exfoliates the skin’s surface, but also promotes new cell growth in the basal, or deepest layer of the skin. It also cleans the pores and stimulates collagen networking to further improve the skin’s texture. After the treatment, your skin will have a new fresh-looking glow.
Intense Pulsed Light : If your facial skin has lost its youthful glow, Intense Pulsed Light Rejuvenation can help to restore a vibrant appearance. The procedure delivers broadband light through the skin, helping to decrease redness, pigmentation, lines and pore size, and improve the overall texture and tone of your skin. IPL can be used on the face, neck, chest, hands and legs. Also known as a “photofacial,” the noninvasive treatment treats imperfections including birthmarks, spider veins, rosacea, fine wrinkles, sun and age spots, vascular lesions and acne and acne scarring.
For new and return patients, please call our office to schedule a complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
Give Yourself a Pre-Holiday Lift
We know that you want to look your best this time of year, with holiday festivities just getting under way. The good news….there is still time for a few quick in-and-out treatments that will make all the difference in your appearance. Instantly, you’ll look fresh and rested, and you’ll feel invigorated, too…just the right recipe for the holiday season.
Here are a few suggestions for the upcoming weeks…
Try a nonsurgical mini facelift that will tighten skin and boost collagen production. With Thermage CPT, we can treat the skin on the eyelids, under-eye areas, abdomen, arms, legs and even your sagging buttocks. It’s the most effective lift treatment for a multitude of concerns, and the results are dramatic. Or, you can try an Exilis laser treatment, which tightens, firms and tones loose and sagging skin and reshapes and melts stubborn fatty deposits anywhere on your face and body. Popular areas treated with Exilis include the face, jowls, neck, chest, back, “love handles,” “bra fat,” abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks and knees.
Restore facial volume with dermal fillers such as Voluma, Radiesse and Restylane Lyft. These will minimize hollowness or lines that have formed with age.
Plump your lips with hyaluronic acid fillers, including Juvederm and Restylane.
Smooth out forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet with Botox or Dysport.
Fill in smile lines, marionette lines or nasolabial folds (lines that stretch from the outer edge of the nostrils to the outer tip of the lips) with Juvederm, Restylane or Radiesse.
All of these quick treatments are nonsurgical, requiring no anesthesia or downtime. You can be back in full swing immediately, looking younger and feeling that way, too.
Call our offices this week to schedule a pre-holiday appointment.
See you soon.
Love Your Body with Speedy Summer Fixes
It may not yet be hot enough for the beach, and if you don’t love how you look in a bathing suit, that is good news. But why not love how you look? Why not embrace the season, the suit and your shape?
It’s time to stop hiding. Body sculpting is minimally invasive, safe and quick. With SmartLipo TriPlex laser treatments, we can remove fat from targeted areas of your body. You’ll see a reduction in inches, smoother and tighter skin and a highly defined new shape.
The treatment is done with local anesthesia in our state-of-the-art office, and is particularly effective for abdomens and waistlines–and for both men and women. You’ll see changes in your body that diet and exercise have failed to produce.
We can also reduce the cellulite that ruins any good bathing suit. With the Cellulaze laser, we smooth skin on the thighs buttocks, stomach, upper arms–anywhere where bumps and ripples appear. Despite your rigorous exercise, weight training and high-intensity workouts, cellulite sometimes sticks around. The Cellulaze laser attacks it where it begins, under the skin.
Finally, here’s a run-down of some of our other fast treatments for minimizing lines, wrinkles and folds:
- For crow’s feet and droopy brows: Botox and Dysport
- For tear troughs and hollows below the lower eyelid: Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero
- For sagging and shallow cheeks, temples and jawlines: Voluma XC, Radiesse, Perlane, Restylane and Juvederm
- For nasolabial folds: Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse and Belotero
- For thin and flat lips: Juvederm, Restylane, Restylane Silk and Perlane
Please call our office to schedule a consultation, and see you at the beach.
Last Dash to Summer: The Perfect Time for a Liquid Facelift
Many of you have beaten the calendar and been in to see me these past few weeks. But there is still time for a quick Liquid Facelift before summer officially begins this coming weekend. Among the top nonsurgical anti-aging treatments, the Liquid Facelift can offer instant results, plumping up your sagging spots and restoring a youthful contour to your face.
We use injectable fillers to take years off your temples, brows, upper eyelids, under eye areas, cheeks, mouth corners and jowls. No one is happy to see lines, wrinkles, sagging skin or just a tired appearance in the mirror. With expert precision and careful attention to your facial anatomy, we can erase your flaws, naturally and easily. Your recovery time will be minimal, too.
Here is how we do it:
- Define, lift, shape the cheeks…with Juvederm Voluma
- Erase forehead lines…with Botox or Dysport
- Balance the chin…augment with Radiesse
- Lift the mouth…reduce nasolabial folds and downturned lips to restore a youthful smile
- Open up the eyes…to perk up your entire face
- Elevate the brows…to create a rested appearance
- Reduce eye puffiness…to give structure to under eye area and compensate for bone loss, fat loss and thinning skin
Call our office this week for a consultation, before summer is in high gear. We’ll devise a special plan just for you.
No More Hollow Cheeks
This week is Halloween and many people will be dressing in costumes of all kinds. Some of the most popular are witches and skeletons. You know what I’ve noticed in the face makeup? That they put dark circles around the eyes and under the cheek bones to hollow them out. Unfortunately, this is already naturally occurring for many people, though much more subtly, and without the need for costume makeup; it’s called volume loss. Over time, the face loses its fullness, and instead appears sunken, hollow, and sagging. Let’s learn how to say goodbye to hollow cheeks on Halloween, and say hello to a full, youthful glow.
Why does “hollow” happen?
- One of the main causes of volume loss is the damage that ultraviolet rays do to the cells that create the collagen, which is a protein that is crucial to keeping skin full, firm, and youthful.
- Also, as we age, we lose fat in the face. Fat usually isn’t thought of as our friend, but actually it is necessary for keeping the “cushion” in your face. Fat is important for youthful contouring around eyes, cheeks, and chin/jawline.
- Up and down weight loss stretches the ligaments that hold up the facial tissue and can result in loss of elasticity and volume.
- Hormonal changes in women also affect the facial volume. As estrogen levels decline, so does the amount and quality of the fat in the face.
Fixing Volume Loss With Fillers
A great way to restore the fullness to your face is with Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers. HA is a naturally occurring substance in the body that binds with water in the injected site to plump up the area. It is great for filling in sunken facial areas experiencing volume loss, as well as wrinkles. Realize though, that all fillers aren’t the same in their viscosity and smoothness, and therefore some work better when injected in different areas of the face.
Here are the 4 main “problem areas” of facial volume loss and what fillers could be the solution.
- Eye area problem: Drooping eyebrows, sagging under eyes and hollow temples all cause a worn down, aged eye area. Solution: RESTYLANE, PERLANE, JUVEDERM, and BELOTERO can all help fill in sunken tear troughs, crow’s feet, and hollowed temples.
- Midface problem: This is one of the first areas where volume loss is noticed. This shows up as flattened, hollow cheeks, or smile lines. Solution: JUVEDERM VOLUMA XC is the thickest hyaluronic acid filler available today, which makes it the most effective for the deeper injections required to effectively contour the midface. By restoring fullness to the midface the surrounding skin is tightened, giving a slight mini facelift.
- Mouth area & lip problem: Marionette lines, lip creases, and overall thinning of lips resulting from volume loss. Solution: JUVEDERM, RESTYLANE, PERLANE, and BELOTERO can smooth out lines and give you the perfect pout.
- Chin & jawline problem: When volume drops from the middle of the face and moves downward, the jowls become more prominent. This could create a more square shaped face rather than inverted triangle. Solution: RADIESSE, though not a Hyaluronic Acid filler, can help reshape and restore volume to the chin and jawline.
So say goodbye to sunken hollow faces with the witches and skeletons of Halloween, and say hello to your new contoured face with Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers. Visit www.DrCovey.com to find out how I can help you.
Sincerely,
Dr Covey
LOOK YOUNGER INSTANTLY…with INJECTABLES
When injectable fillers first made their debut they were used exclusively to fill in facial folds. Today fillers are used for much more. They replace volume and reposition the skin to add volume, actually lift folds, smooth out lines and wrinkles and take years off an aging face…instantly and with longer lasting results from advanced formulas.
TODAY’S INJECTABLES DO PREVENT LINES and WRINKLES and they LIFT SAGGING SKIN! 
They are truly amazing and they do achieve either instant or gradual and subtle results.
PRIMER on INJECTABLES: It’s important to understand how aging affects certain areas of your face and what options are best suited to correct the aging such as:
- CROW’S FEET are fine lines that start at the outer corner of the eyes and extend out. These are caused by muscle activity. We correct them using BOTOX or DYSPORT (neurotoxins).
- DROOPY BROWS are caused by excessive brow movement and can cause loss of the natural eyebrow arch resulting in a heavy appearance. BOTOX or DYSPORT can lift the eyebrows to their natural, youthful position.
- TEAR TROUGHS and HOLLOWS start below the bridge of the nose and lower eyelid, extending downward toward the cheek. RESTYLANE, JUVEDERM or BELOTERO safely treats these areas.
- CHEEKS, TEMPLES and JAWLINES … As fat diminishes with aging, these areas commonly sag and appear shallow. I use NEW VOLUMA XC, RADIESSE, PERLANE, RESTYLANE or JUVEDERM ULTRA PLUS to restore natural youthfulness.
- NASOLABIAL FOLDS are lines extending downward from the bottom of the nose to the outer corners of the lips and are caused by fat that has shifted due to normal aging. RESTYLANE, JUVEDERM, PERLANE, RADIESSE or BELOTERO corrects these unwelcome folds!
- LIPS...Over time your lips can become thin, flat and lose their youthful shape and fullness. Great lip plumpers include: JUVEDERM, RESTYLANE, PERLANE or BELOTERO.
FILLERS and INJECTABLES are one of our most requested anti aging, age defying treatments today…for men and women, because they offer quick results with minimal downtime. However, there is some misleading information out there about what they can and cannot do. This false information causes much confusion, and I plan to address this in my next few blogs. Look for that next time.
My Best to You and Yours,
Dr. Covey
Quick Treatments for a Healthy Holiday Glow
It’s December again . . .our radios are playing holiday music, our offices are decorated with sparkling tinsel and jingle bells, our Toys For Tots box is filling up (thank you once again for helping us with this very worthy cause) and our patients are rushing in for their pre-holiday touch-ups.
Today was no exception. At least 7 people asked me this morning which treatment can give them the best result in the shortest amount of time. Since so many are asking I thought I’d share my thoughts here.
While almost all of our treatments fit this description, the most popular treatments this time of year are usually Botox/Dysport, Dermal Fillers, Microdermabrasions, chemical peels and facials. Each of these treatments immediately combats the signs of aging leaving you with naturally younger and healthy looking skin.
Botox and Dysport are simple and safe non-surgical injectable treatments that smooth the dynamic wrinkles and erase that “angry” look some have due to forehead wrinkles and creases. Using very tiny micro-needles, Botox or Dysport is injected right into the muscle causing the wrinkle action. Within 3-10 days your skin smooths out and the wrinkles are diminished – just in time for all those holiday get-togethers.
Dermal fillers, including Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm and Radiesse, work a little differently. They actually replace volume lost under the skin and are perfect for plumping up your lips, filling in smile lines and giving you back the youthful contours of your face.
Microdermabrasions, chemical peels and other facials are quick refreshing non-surgical treatments that rejuvenate and revitalize your skin. Designed specifically for your skin type, these treatments exfoliate your skin, promote new cell growth, clean your pores, stimulate collagen networking and improve your skin’s texture giving you a healthy glow. And they’re relaxing too – something many of our patients look forward to this time of year!
Yes, you CAN look ten years younger instantly!
Do you stand in front of the mirror tugging and pushing at your face trying to pull it back into place? Are sagging jowls, hollow cheeks and furrows between your eyes and around your mouth making you look tired and old? Well, you’re not alone!
As we age we lose important areas of facial fat (collagen) and fibers (elastin) that support the contours of your face. First you notice crow’s feet and smile lines. Then your brow line begins to fall, your jaw line sags and your cheeks, lips and nose areas lose their fullness and your eyes begin to look hollow. You actually deflate and descend as you age!
Joan R. Age 54 Liquid Face Lift (Alexander J. Covey, M.D.)
A Liquid Face Lift instantly replaces the volume and fullness that you lost as you aged. A Liquid Face Lift, also known as RestyLift, VolumaLift and the Instant Injectable Face Lift, is a non-surgical treatment that gently lifts and contours your face helping you look 10 years younger instantly! Using a combination of safe and effective injectables including wrinkle relaxers such as Botox or Dysport and fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane and/or Radiesse, I strategically restore the natural curves and contours of your face. One of the greatest benefits to this treatment is that we are not stretching and pulling your skin into place. Instead, a Liquid Face Lift fills in the hollows of your cheeks and under eyes, plumps up your lips,and lifts your sagging jaw line giving you a natural, well-rested, energized and youthful appearance without resorting to surgery.
Click here to see video of Dr. Covey discussing Liquid Face Lift
This amazing treatment for non-surgical volumetric restoration is safe and effective and has quickly become one of our most popular treatments. Looking your best this summer couldn’t be easier! To find out how a Liquid Face Lift can help you, call us at (631) 878-9200 to schedule a FREE consultation.
“Help! I want to look my best. . .”
I frequently get questions from my patients through my newsletter. The following question appeared in the May newsletter and since it is a common question that I get this time of year I thought I’d share it with you. . .
“Help! I’m 48 years old and my daughter is graduating from high school in June. We’ll be seeing friends and family who we haven’t seen in years and I want to look my best! I have wrinkles around my eyes and mouth and dark spots on my face and hands. Which treatment will help me?” Joanne M., Hauppauge, NY
Joanne, this is a common question and your treatment options depend on your skin and the type and severity of your wrinkles and brown spots. You may benefit from Thermage CPT, a non-surgical treatment which tightens loose and sagging skin anywhere on your body (including those delicate eyelids). You may also be a good candidate for one of our Fraxel laser treatments which remove brown spots and wrinkles as well as improve the tone and texture of your skin. It is possible that you may benefit most from injectables, such as Botox, Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane or Radiesse which help smooth your wrinkles (including your crow’s feet, the number “11” lines on your forehead and your smile lines) and restore volume to your face. Plus we offer other laser, light and skin treatments including a combination of treatments that can help you.
Joanne, as you can see there are many options to choose from and coming to our office to be evaluated is the first step in designing a treatment plan that will be best for you.
