As fall gets underway, you might already be thinking about the holiday season and ways you can get ready for it. Or, you might be heading back to the classroom as a teacher and are a bit concerned about the lines or wrinkles that have appeared on your face over the summer. Whether you’re preparing well in advance for holiday parties or are looking to present a more youthful look to your students, a injection, such as Botox or a filler, might be on your list of things to consider.
Although fillers, such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Radiesse, are often marketed as quick and easy ways to take years off of your appearance, the process of administering them is still a delicate and somewhat complicated medical procedure. That means you want to find an injector who is very familiar with the structure of the face and who has plenty of experience performing injections. There are a few other things to be aware of when picking the person to perform your injections.
Look at Qualifications
If a person is a medical doctor, even if he or she is a doctor in a specialty that has nothing to do with aging or the face, it’s not that difficult for him or her to legitimately obtain an injectable, from Dysport to Botox and from Radiesse to Restylane. But, just because a doctor can legally get his or her hands on the product doesn’t mean he or she should perform the injection. Ideally, the person who performs the injection will understand facial anatomy very well, such as a board certified facial plastic surgeon.
Along with confirming that the injector you’ve chosen is a facial plastic surgeon, you want to get a sense of how long he or she has been performing the treatments and how often he or she performs them. Ideally, you’ll find a doctor with years of experience, who has performed thousands of injections and who still administers the injectable several times a week, if not on a weekly basis.
Before any type of injection, you want to confirm that the substance being given to you is the real deal. You can ask to see the vial or packaging of the product, such as Botox, before it is injected into your face. Usually, the packaging will have a small holographic label on it with the name of the manufacturer. It will also have a lot number on it and an expiration date, as well as the product’s logo printed on the label.
Pay Attention to Red Flags
There are a number of red flags that can tell you to run and choose a different person to perform the injection. One major red flag is if the injector wants to administer the injectable anywhere other than a medical practice or hospital. Although when performed a by a qualified injector, the risk of complications is low, you still want to be a in a sterile, safe setting, not in someone’s home or otel room, when you’re injected.
Another major red flag is if the injector doesn’t fully explain to you the risk for side effects or let you know that you can come back for a follow-up, whether you have issues or not. A qualified and trustworthy injector will not only give you the full details on all side effects or potential risks or complications, he or she will let you know how many of his or her patients have side effects, usually, what those side effects are, and what he or she does to minimize them.
Finally, one last red flag is if your injector doesn’t seem particularly interested in reviewing your health or medical history. Although the list of complications associated with an injection is usually much shorter than the list connected to surgery, having certain medical conditions or habits can increase your risk for side effects or other issues. A qualified injector will want to be able to do anything possible to minimize those risks, and might advise waiting to have the injector until an issue is under control.
Look at Past Patients
One way to get a good sense of whether an injectable is right for you and whether or not an injector is qualified is to take a look at the results of previous patients. If you don’t like what you see, it might be in your best interests to find someone else. But, if you do like the results enjoyed by past patients, that might be all the convincing you need to go forward with treatment.
Practicing at the Naderi Center in Virginia and Maryland, Dr. Jessica Kulak is an aging face specialist. She’s a board certified facial plastic surgeon with several years of experience administering Botox, Juvederm and other injectables. To learn more about your options when it comes to fillers and other injections, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kulak today. Call (703) 481-0002 for an appointment in Virginia or (301) 222-2020 for an appointment in Maryland today.
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