Finally! A new video blog to help navigate the types of hyaluronic acids for lip injections!
Xoxo, LK
(I have like 15 half finished videos 🙊 I’m going to be posting more regularly-I swear!) check out my before and afters on instagram @EstheticsCenterNE
Although not a new technique, this skin care treatment is certainly the hottest trend right now. This procedure, also known as Micro-Needling, is clinically-proven for treating aging, pigmentation, and scar tissue, and recently, stretch marks.
This minimally invasive procedure uses a sterile, automated, micro-sized needle device system to build up the connective tissue in the lower skin layers (dermal layers) while keeping intact the protective layers of the skin (epidermal layers). In fact, CIT is the only skin rejuvenation treatment to target and regulate all 3 skin cells (keratinocyte, melanocyte and fibroblast) without compromising the integrity of the epidermis.
Controlling the depth, angle, pressure, and speed of the needle is imperative to the safety and outcome of the treatment, and cannot be done effectively with manual rollers (dermal rollers).
How Does It Work?
Collagen Induction Therapy works by creating a controlled “injury” to the skin, resulting in a systematic interaction of complex cellular events. In order to work effectively, the mechanical stimulation of the dermis must activate a wound healing response, but the wound must close quickly or scar tissue will form.
CIT can penetrate the skin anywhere from 0.5 mm to 2mm depending on the depth of the skin condition needing remediation. The skin bleeds slightly but for only a short period (seconds). When the dermis is penetrated by the needle, the skin activates the complex cascade of growth factors that eventually result in collagen production.
By inducing the healing response system in a controlled manor, scarless healing and normalized collagen structures result. The growth factors released stimulate regenerative healing (collagen forms from the base upwards) resulting in type III collagen or healthy collagen as opposed to the growth factors released when the epidermis is damaged by ablative or heat methods, which result in cicatricial healing (collagen forms from the top down) and is type I collagen or scar collagen.
As the collagen matures and remodels, it tightens the skin. A thickening of the epidermis by as much as 40% has been observed.
Because there is no heat involved in the process, there is a low risk of post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, making it safe for all skin types.
Enhanced Product Penetration
The “wounds” created by the needles also act as channels through the skin layers, and therefore a product will penetrate deeper into the skin when applied topically. Large molecules that cannot typically pass through the epidermis alone, such as hyaluronic acid, will penetrate very effectively through the channels.
Although channels should close 15-20 minutes post-treatment, it is imperative post-care involves using ONLY the topical products instructed by the provider to avoid any reactions.
This makes a great treatment with Platelet Rich Plasma…. Blog coming soon!
Micro-Needling VS. Alternative Treatments
This system has many benefits compared to other more invasive and painful treatment options.
Basically, it was so impressive that after reading about it and seeing it done on a surgical scar, I tried to buy it an hour later. It’s been the longest three weeks of my life. 😒. But my new employee HAS a micro-needling system. So for your viewing pleasure…. I had it done (and I skipped out on Pure Barre I wanted to do it so bad!). (Also… I was planning on going to the Container Store… As I mention in the video–totally worth it!).
Although I am very red in the video, by the time I left the office it only looked like a slight sunburn.
A few hours later my face peeled like crazy. I was sloughing off layers of skin while I applied hyaluronic acid. I thought I eould continue to peel, and didn’t immediately take a picture. By the time I woke up the peeling had subsided.
Not everyone will experience peeling, but if you do, don’t pick at it!
Post-procedure care
It is imperative patients follow post-care instructions after professional Collagen Induction Therapy.
For more information…. Stay tuned!
Post Treatment Day 1
Patients have been thrilled with this treatment. For more information, A Girlfriends Guide to Vampire Facelifts a first hand account from Kim as she describes her treatment with me.
or at least look like your Facebook photos!
Ok, so I haven’t yet gone to any of my reunions… I run into people from my High School every now and again (you know… While I’m Botoxing them in my office….). It is always great to catch up with the people who knew you when… Unless you don’t like them. Then it’s great to look better then they do.
As as for the ex-boyfriend factor… Personally, I ran into one of my high school ex’s recently… Ehhhh what was I thinking?!?!?!!!!!! (Dad, you were right about all my boyfriends!). Even so, it can’t hurt to look uber attractive at a big reunion. I just picture Romy and Michelle… Inventing post-it notes. Ugh… And that AWEFUL football player. Insert theme music: time after time. Love that song. Sorry… I digress!
A reunion is as good a reason as any to want to look good. Feeling good about yourself physically boosts your positive self-image and brings out an all-around better you! And what could be more attractive then that?
So get pumped, start that diet, buy some AMahZing shoes, check out my video, and make them jealous. Or just have fun… 🙂
The line that forms between the eyes as we age is called the glabellar crease. Because of the way it looks, it is sometimes referred to as a “1” or an “11.”
I look like my mother.
People always ask me why I’m angry, I’m not.
This line bothers many women as they age, and these two statements are common complaints in my office. Deep lines between the eyes make you look angry, less approachable, and let’s face it: like your mother!
Botox and other neurotoxins will relax the lines between the eyes to give a fresh, less angry look. I consider Botox in this area to be the gate-way drug to injectables.
When should you inject your Glabella?
Actually, it is better to start treatments earlier. If you have a line in this area, you are a good candidate for Botox, no matter how old you are (as long as you’re 18! Or a Kardashian I suppose!). Botox is preventative; it will keep lines from getting worse, and you will actually need less product and fewer treatments.
A Botox treatment between the eyes ranges from 20-35 units typically. The stronger the muscle, the more Botox required to relax it. When using higher doses, the possibility of side-effects also increases. It is more likely to get a drooping eye at larger doses. Large doses also result in a “waxy” or “embalmed” look, a tell-tale sign of Botox that most Bostonians find undesirable.
Will Botox Get Rid of Your Line?
Not always.
If you do not get the correct dose of Botox, your line may not completely go away. If a small dose was injected, you can return additional units 1-2 weeks post-injection, but again this increases the chances of side-effects.
Fillers in the Glabellar Crease
If you stretch the skin between the eyebrows, and you still have a line, Botox injections will not completely get rid of it. In which case, you would require a filler.
If you are told you need a filler, be sure to have Botox injections at least two weeks prior. This freezes the muscle and gives the injector an easier medium to work with. Patients who do not have Botox first often complain the filler looks and feel like a big lump.
Fillers will last a very long time in this area if you keep up with regular Botox treatments.
What Filler?
It depends on what the crease looks like after Botox. I’ve used every type of Hyaluronic acid in the glabellar crease. My preference is usually for Restylane or Belotero, but I have recently tried Restylane Silk, and I think it is a great product for this area as well.
So… If you are feeling happy on the inside, but looking angry on the outside, Botox and fillers may be a good idea!
A New Addition to the Restylane Family
Restylane Silk is now FDA approved for submucosal implantation for lip augmentation and dermal implantation for correction of perioral rhytids (smoker’s lines) and it is currently available on the US market. This product provides a subtle solution to aging signs around the lip and mouth area. It’s greatest quality is subtle enhancement; your lips will not look “done” or “artificial.”
Hyaluronic Acid for Lip Augmentation
Although Restylane Silk is the first product to be FDA approved for lips, we have been using other products for years. Juvederm and Restylane are commonly used to augment the lips in an “off-label” treatment (FDA approval costs millions of dollars and takes many years. These products are all very safe to inject in the lips by a trained professional).
These products, along with Belotero, are all in the hyaluronic acid family. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a sugar your body naturally produces; these products are synthetic gels. Because your body naturally makes this sugar, the chances of being allergic are almost zero. This family of products IS reversible, if for any reason, you are unhappy with the results.
The molecular structure of Silk is smaller, and the product flows to where it is needed. It doesn’t over bulk, and is a perfect finishing agent for fine lines.
Which product is best is really dependent on who the client is, and what result they want. If you are looking for subtle and natural lip augmentation, Restylane Silk is the product for you!
My Experience
At the beginning of March, I was told this product would be available and I was so excited to try it. Lip augmentation has always been a specialty of mine, and I was told “I would love this product for the vermillion border” (where the color changes from pink to skin-toned).
I was excited to try it, but my idea of an “ideal” client for this product was way off! I first tried it on a 24 year-old patient. She (and I for that matter) were not impressed, it looked like nothing was done. Then I realized I was supposed to be using it for a whole different population of client. The older patient who didn’t want to look like anything was done! Oops… Probably should have read the email about the product FIRST.
So then I tried it on an employee in her 50’s. The results blew me away! Like always, the pictures do the results no justice. 
The final result is very natural looking. It is hard to see from the picture, but the before has a defined ridge above the lip, which is SO much improved with the Silk injections. (The spray tan and make-up can throw you off in the after pictures.)
The technique used to inject this product is VERY different than previous products used to treat lips. If incorrectly injected, the product will not give you the best results, cause swelling, and has been reported as painful by patients. This product requires the knowledge and expertise of a skilled injector.
I had a few clients trial the product (including my awesome mom!). They sent me their after pictures via text. Again, not the greatest quality pictures, but every client was extremely happy with the results and gave great feedback. (Thank you ladies!).
Final Thoughts
Because the typical Silk client is older, make sure you consider timing in booking an appointment for this procedure. Like any injectable product, swelling and bruising are always a possibility. You want to avoid icing post-procedure to allow the product to smoothly integrate into the tissue. If you have a big meeting at work the next day, you probably should reschedule (…the meeting OBVIOUSLY! Who wants to wait for such amazing results! Plus, then the meeting will go better with your new confidence!).
How long will a bruise last? Remember everyone is different. Some people don’t bruise at all. Check out my blog on bruising info.
Other Uses
I read Silk was also a fabulous filler to use in the glabellar crease… Blog post coming soon!
For questions or to book an appointment with me, call my office at 781-235-4957. You can also book online at http://www.LauraKimberleyRN.com.
Check out my video blog on YouTube:
One of my favorite procedures to do since the introduction of Belotero Balance in the United States last October.
The tear trough is a grooved demarcation where the cheek skin meets the much thinner and highly vascular eye skin. Because of the anatomy of this area, a thinner hyaluronic acid like Belotero is the perfect product (Belotero: The Buzz.). It does not last as long as the more viscous hyaluronic acids, but it also has fewer complications.
Treatments in the middle third of the face, which contains the eyes, nose, and cheeks, require an aesthetic eye and advanced knowledge of facial anatomy. Filling the tear trough area often requires cheek augmentation as well in order to look natural. The cheeks can require a large amount of product depending on the degree of volume depletion. Make sure you discuss this with your injector prior to injections!
This is a very advanced procedure, make sure you check out before and after pictures before being injected! Many practioners do not offer this procedure because of the advanced training and skill it requires. When done correctly, it looks AMAZING. I’m not even a very good iPhone photographer, and I have some great before and after’s on my Pinterest and in other blog posts:
I hope you enjoyed my video. They are really hard to make!
I have heard some interesting things from patients over the years about Botox and Fillers and information they gathered from the internet or from friends who have read stories online. The internet is a wonderfully useful place of information… So long as you are reading it on a reputable site (.org) or from a reputable person (for example, I am an expert in Botox and Fillers, please refer to my credentials page!).
When looking at internet sites, you need to take into account the validity and reliability of the information that is being given to you.
Yes, Wikipedia is great… But it is not a reliable source of information. (Although I still use it!).
Consider who is giving you the information when it comes to product safety. When looking at prices it should be unit based. Like when you go into CVS and you compare how much shampoo is by the unit cost because the bottle size is different. Fillers are charged in number of syringes.
Use your judgement, and remember you can’t believe everything you read! If you have a question, ask someone with expertise in the area. If you aren’t sure their answer is true, or you want a second opinion, get one! But please take the stories you read online with a grain of salt.
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