Question:
I recently heard of something called a Botox neck lift. What kind of results could I expect from this compared to a traditional surgical neck lift?

Answer:
A Botox neck lift involves placement of Botox in the platysma muscle to try to reduce dynamic platysmal bands, which are lines between the chin and the lower neck.  Though it can help slightly, the overall effect is rather minimal and compared to a surgical neck lift is essentially miniscule.  

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Question:
Is there a period of time after lip augmentation when the lips are swollen and doesn’t look like the final result? If so, how long does this last for?

Answer:
Anytime we do virtually any treatment to the face we are going to create some swelling whether that be from Botox, which the swelling may only last for an hour or so, to fillers where the swelling could last for at most a few days.  Fat transfer or more invasive approaches can obviously create swelling that could last for weeks but regarding your question of lip augmentation I would expect the lips to go back down to their normal state within a few days after the injections and slightly faster if you ice the lips immediately afterwards. 

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Question:
What’s the difference between Restylane and Juvederm? Is one better for facial wrinkles?

Answer:
Both Restylane and Juvederm are made of hyaluronic acid, which is a clear gel and is a naturally occurring substance found in our own bodies.  They differ in the way that it is manufactured and that Restylane goes through a process where the gel is essentially pushed through a screen creating very tiny particles of this gel, whereas Juvederm is processed in a way that creates a very smooth, non-granular gel.  There are differences in their chemical properties and viscosities and cohesiveness because of these different manufacturing processes, but overall they are relatively similar in their effect and longevity and I certainly use both of these products on a regular basis. 

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Question:
I’m in Milwaukee and I have a small but deep scar just above my eyebrow. Are fillers a good choice for improving scars like these and what filler is best for scar removal?

Answer:
Fillers can occasionally be used to fill depressed scars and occasionally will be quite successful at camouflaging a depression; however, for scars right above the brow these frequently are very difficult to lift with a filler and you may be better served by a scar revision and laser treatment such as the ProFractional Laser by Sciton, which draws small little holes into the skin creating a large amount of new deep collagen that remodels the surface texture.  Ultimately, I would recommend a consultation so that I can evaluate your particular scar and then we can discuss treatment options. 

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Question:
I’m interested in lip augmentation with injectable fillers. How often will I need to come in for treatments? Does the filler first wear off completely before injecting the lips again?

Answer:
Fillers in the lip typically last around six months and you do not have to wait for all the filler to disappear before you add some more filler.  Many patients prefer to have essentially two syringes in a certain area essentially leapfrogging one syringe over the next.  In other words, they will have one syringe and then several months later as some of the filler is starting to disappear they will have a second syringe injected and then again several months later go for a third syringe once the first syringe is completely gone.  That way they always have more than one syringe of filler providing volumetric enhancement to this area.

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