Plastic Surgery Reource Articles
April 2007 - Injectables Forestall Facelifts and Deliver Immediate Results
Dr. Ben Lee uses a combination of injectables for optimum cosmetic results
ENGLEWOOD, CO - Advancements in facial cosmetic surgery using injectables are filling the gap between the time it takes for treatment to evidence itself and the length of time the treatments last-two important factors to patients. The injectables predominately used by Dr. Ben Lee and his staff include Radiesse®, Juvederm, and Restylane.
"The science of rejuvenation gives us a lot more options today," says Dr. Lee who is double board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery. Besides laser treatments, he performs state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery, both invasive and non-invasive. Silicone and saline implants, reconstructive and breast augmentation and reduction, breast lifts, liposelection, face, forehead and neck lifts, blepheroplasty (eyelid surgery), tummy tucks, Botox, fillers, Sciton laser skin resurfacing, facials, and retails cosmaceutical products.
Dr. Lee recently introduced Radiesse into the mix of injectable treatments being performed in his Englewood, Colorado office. "Radiesse," he says, "has the advantage of lasting up to two years." That's significantly longer than previous injectables like Restylane and Juvederm which are reported to last approximately six months.
The one area of the face that Dr. Lee does not use Radiesse is on the lips. The reason, he explains, is that the active ingredient in Radiesse is the same mineral as is in bone and a lot of people are uncomfortable with the idea of using bone in the lips to give them back the young, luscious lips they had in their youth.
Not that that matters, given the fact that both Juvederm and Restylane have historically (albeit a short history) been used to enhance the lips, and succeeded at it. Of the two injectables, Restylane was the first to be injected along the lip line with the resulting effect of plumper, younger lips. Then along came Juvederm, a product that is slightly more malleable than Restylane, and because of that, is considered to be less painful when injected under the skin than Restylane. Additionally, it tends to go in smoother.
As one of the well-known injectors in the Denver, Colorado plastic surgery market, Dr. Lee is often tapped to try the newer products out before lesser known surgeons. It's a role he takes very seriously - the introduction of any new service or product into his practice - and he's not one to rush to judgment.
The process of introducing a product to market is as complex as it is marked with caution. When Inamed (the manufactures of breast implants) brought Juvederm to market, company reps were very careful about releasing their product to just any surgeon. "They wanted to be sure that everything was right before releasing a competitive product [the competition being Restylane]," says Dr. Lee.
Training is the keystone to a proper introduction, he continues. In part that means the reps must single out reputable surgeons with reputable medical spas to test drive the product on the market once its received FDA approval. "Product reps basically emphasize, 'This is our brand and we must protect the brand.' Testing and market research are essential."
In the last few years, Dr. Lee has witnessed the non-surgical cosmetic market nearly triple in is product offerings. "Since the early part of this decade, we've watched a steady introduction of new products - injectables being one of them - to the marketplace," he notes.
And yet the audience of would-be patients is largely untapped, if statistics are proof. Only 3 percent of the people thinking about getting Botox injections have had them, Dr. Lee quotes medical research of the product that at least in beauty magazines seems to have captured the attention of most of the population.
Botox, used to weaken the underlying muscles that create frowns on the forehead, wrinkles in between the brow line and crow's feet around the eyes. Manufactured by Allergan Cosmetic, Botox is possibly the most commonly used cosmetic treatment out of all injectables on the market today.
For many plastic surgeons like Dr. Lee, the advancements in injectables allow the doctor to continue to grow a prospering practice. With only so many hours in the day, surgeons in demand can't continue to increase the number of patients they treat surgically beyond the clock. Injectables, patients are finding, are an optimum way to postpone major surgery, or remediate the issues they have with their face even if a surgical facelift isn't on their personal radar.
"We're using injectables today to correct facial changes where in the past surgeons might have recommended waiting on a facelift," adds Dr. Lee citing the use of injectables to correct early jowl formation. "And we're finding that gives patients more options down the line."
Dr. Ben Lee can be reached at 303.783.9997 or by email at info@drbenlee.com.
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