Lip Fillers, Botox, Belotero and Questions with the Doctor

It’s been a little over a month since dipping my toes into the cosmetic procedure pool.
No ragrets! lol. But seriously, zero regrets, I’m in love with my results. My goal was to look well rested, natural and just a little poutier. Mission accomplished! I received so many DM’s from you guys after posting the Instagram live in collaboration with Saxon MD wanting to see side by side results and even a few questions for the doctor so today that’s exactly what I have for you!

Honestly, I didn’t think I needed any plastic surgery (yet) per se but I had always wondered about certain procedures, lip fillers being high on that list. I’ve always hated how my top lip disappeared when I laughed too hard or smiled too wide and don’t even get me started on wearing bright lipstick. I didn’t want anything drawing more attention to my tiny top lip and unbalanced shape.  Lately though, I had started to notice a really hard line under my eye that just wasn’t going away after being awake, using de puffing creams, cold spoons and every other trick I could think of. The lines were present under both of my eyes but especially on the side I typically sleep on, oops. They made me look so tired at all times. & I was starting to notice my concealer creasing inside of the little crease. That’s not the look I’m going for y’all. It was time to seek back up, bring in the big guns if you will. Enter Dr. Saxon, a leading Facial Feminization Surgeon and the woman who really drilled in the fact that everyone should be using a daily Retinol, Vitamin C and SPF for me which completely changed my skin (you can even see the difference in these pictures), I knew she’d know exactly how to fix me up without making me look too “fixed up” if you will. During the consultation with Dr. Saxon we were able to touch base on every concern I had and she helped me to decide on a number of procedures to achieve my desired results. Like, look at these before and afters you guys, the proof is in the pudding!

Read on for a little Q&A with Dr. Saxon…

ASK THE DOCTOR:

Q. I get migraines and have thought about getting Botox for that-would those injections combat wrinkles as well or would those be separate treatments?

Botox for migraines is a really good option for those that are unresponsive to migraine medication or who cannot tolerate the side effects. Insurance will sometime even cover the cost of the treatment if you have at least 15 migraine days per month. I typically will inject areas in the forehead that are normally injected for wrinkles plus a few other locations including the temporalis muscle on the side of your head, the muscles in the back of your neck, and sometimes the masseter muscle on the jaw. The injections have to be repeated every 3 months, but I have seen good results with it for migraines!

Q. I get a lot of dimpling around my mouth when I smile/talk is that something that Botox or fillers would counteract? Which would be preferred?

In general, I do not like to inject botox around the mouth since it can look very unnatural when you smile. The exception to that is if there is muscle spasm on the chin or close to the lips. I’ve seen this a lot in people who have had Bell’s palsy or other condition causing facial nerve weakness. Fillers are usually the best option to treat lines and wrinkles around the mouth. I used both Volbella (for fine lines) and Vollure (for deeper wrinkles).

Q. I’ve heard that Botox can make your muscles feel “tingly” could this cause more headaches if I’m prone to them?

Hmmm. I’ve never actually heard of anyone feeling tingly after botox. The product causes the nerve that moves the muscles in the face to stop firing resulting in that muscle being paralyzed. A tingly sensation is usually an issue with a nerve that gives sensation to the area and not muscle movement. The only way I could think of why this would happen is if someone placed the needle directly on the supraorbital nerve which gives sensation to the forehead.  If this were the case the needle was placed too low or too deep. To answer your question about headaches, botox usually helps with both tension headaches and migraines and does not make them worse.

Q. I’ve never heard of Belotero what other fillers are available for under the eye? How long do they last?

Any filler injected under the eye needs to be very thin so that no lumpiness occurs. Belotero is a hyaluronic acid filler from Merz – the same company who makes Radiesse. Others injected in the area include Restylane silk and Volbella. Because the material has to be thinner they last about 6-9 months.

Q. Why do some lip injections leave lips looking lumpy? Is this something common that happens and how can I prevent that from happening?

The lumpiness can be one of two things. Almost everyone has a little lumpiness the first few days after injection from swelling. This usually resolves on its own. If there is a lump after swelling goes down it usually means too much product was deposited in that area too fast. Luckily with hyaluronic acid fillers this can be resolved with hyaluronidase – an enzyme that dissolves hyaluronic acid.

Q. I get bags under my eyes but also a deep line, if I got filler under my eyes would it look as if my bags just got larger or camouflage that look?

The bags under your eyes are from fat around the eyeball itself protruding forward. This can be from aging or genetic. I see a lot of young patients with this problem! The line you are seeing is actually the edge of the bone of the eye socket. Fillers will camouflage this transition depending on how bad it is. Ultimately, a lower blepharoplasty will be needed to reposition the fat that is protruding onto the upper cheek and smooth everything out.

If you have any other questions drop me a comment below!
Xx Sylvia