Naples Botox and Dermal Fillers

Facial rejuvenation treatments are here! At Naples General & Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer Restylane dermal fillers and Dysport (a Botox alternative), helping you to look years younger by addressing common aesthetic concerns caused by aging, like wrinkles.

What Causes Wrinkles?

Wrinkles show up gradually as we age. There are two types of wrinkles, dynamic and static. Dynamic wrinkles appear only when you make certain facial expressions—like frowning, laughing, or smiling. In fact, it’s these repetitive muscle movements we make that cause them to form, though most people don’t begin noticing them until their late 20s or early 30s. Static wrinkles, which tend to emerge in the late 30s, 40s, and 50s, are visible even when the face is at rest. They’re basically dynamic wrinkles that have become permanent over time.

The reason our skin develops wrinkles as we age is that it loses elasticity, its ability to bounce back after being stretched. This loss of elasticity is largely due to the body’s decrease in production of two key proteins, collagen and elastin. To treat wrinkles, we can either inhibit the muscular movements that cause them, boost the skin’s elasticity, or do both. Like Botox, Dysport is effective at treating dynamic wrinkles through muscle relaxation, while Restylane dermal fillers correct static wrinkles while promoting skin elasticity.

Dysport (a Botox Alternative)

Dysport, like Botox, is a brand of botulinum toxin. As a muscular inhibitor, it relaxes muscles in your face, effectively preventing them from causing dynamic wrinkles to form. Dysport is FDA-approved for the treatment of glabellar lines, the vertical lines that appear between the eyebrows when frowning. However, it is also often used off-label to treat forehead lines and lateral canthal lines, commonly known as crow’s feet.

While Dysport is very similar to Botox, it does have some differences. Unit for unit, Dysport is less concentrated—and therefore less expensive—than Botox. Also, results with Dysport are often evident more quickly than with Botox, becoming noticeable within a few days (as early as 24 hours) and achieving their fullness by 1-2 weeks. Botox results are visible within a few days, and full results may take 2 weeks or more. Results with either brand typically last around 5 months.

Prior to scheduling treatment, we’ll review your medical and prescription history to make sure you’re a good candidate for Dysport. As with Botox, treatment with Dysport is quick and simple. We’ll clean the injection areas and then administer the injections with a small needle. For glabellar lines, it’s just one injection in each of five sites, and the whole process lasts just 10-20 minutes.

Dysport: Before & After Care

Side effects with Dysport are similar to those with Botox and may include redness, bruising, and minor pain. To minimize bruising and other undesired effects, follow these guidelines.

Before treatment:

• 1 week before — avoid taking NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen
• 24 hours before — avoid alcohol and exercise

After treatment:

• First 4 hours — avoid lying down or bending over
• First 24 hours — avoid exercise, hot tubs/saunas, and rubbing or massaging your face

Restylane Dermal Fillers

Restylane was the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component in the skin that promotes skin volume, hydration, and elasticity. Along with collagen and elastin, hyaluronic acid decreases with age, contributing to an increase in facial wrinkles and a loss of skin volume.

With Restylane, you can reverse these effects of aging. Treatment with hyaluronic acid dermal fillers can:

• correct static wrinkles, such as:
  • melomental folds (marionette lines)
  • perioral rhytids (vertical lip lines)
  • nasolabial folds (laugh lines)
• restore volume to under-eye area, diminishing dark circles
• boost volume in lips or cheeks

Before moving forward with treatment, we’ll go over your medical and prescription history to make sure you’re a good candidate for dermal fillers. The treatment process usually lasts just 15-30 minutes and involves:

1. Cleansing and drying the treatment area,
2. Applying a numbing agent as needed
3. Marking the injection sites
4. Performing the injections in the desired area(s) with a small needle

After treatment, you’ll likely notice some results right away and the rest by 1-2 weeks later. Results with Restylane dermal fillers typically last between 6 and 18 months, depending on the type of treatment.

Dermal Fillers: Before & After Care

For best results and minimal side effects, follow these tips.

Before treatment:

• 1 week before — avoid taking NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen
• 24 hours before — avoid consuming alcohol

After treatment:

• First 6-12 hours — avoid rubbing the treatment area
• First 24-48 hours — avoid makeup, exercise, direct sunlight, and hot tubs/saunas

Swelling, redness, and bruising are possible side effects of dermal fillers treatment. Swelling can be treated with ice to the affected area, once any numbness from treatment has subsided.

Dysport for TMJ Disorder

Another off-label use for Dysport is the treatment of pain associated with TMJ disorder. For this treatment, we inject Dysport into the masseter muscle in your jaw. Because Dysport is a muscular inhibitor like Botox, these injections relax the jaw muscle, alleviating tension, clenching, and pain.

A Younger-Looking You

To experience the rejuvenating benefits of Dysport or dermal fillers, give us a call at (239) 262-1535 to schedule an appointment. Or simply request an appointment online, and we’ll contact you to set one up.