Thirty seven? That seems kind of specific. Why did we decide to make this post for patients over thirty seven? There is a good reason: research shows that we all start to lose volume in our faces at around that age. When this happens, the changes are subtle and often hard to describe. Our patients often say… “I don’t look dramatically different, just not as good as before”, “I need to put more effort into makeup and hair to look “alive” and “I am happy, but I don’t look happy”.
I first started to notice my face didn’t look quite the same when I was 37 and had just lost weight from my second baby. At first I thought the weight loss was the culprit, but I realize now that my face was bound to change, simply because of my age. Drat! Thank goodness facial volume loss can be so effectively treated with dermal fillers.
The changes were subtle at first. Mostly I found I could not get a decent picture of myself no matter how hard I tried. Selfie or not, I didn’t look as “pretty” anymore. No manner of attempt at facial gymnastics improved the situation…pursing my lips slightly made me look like a fish, and lifting my cheeks made me look surprised. Upon looking in the mirror, things were no better. Don’t get me wrong, nothing had changed dramatically, but I just looked like a less appealing and youthful version of myself. Less plump, less pretty.
I’ve had lip injections for years and love the results, but I started to wonder if I might need a little help elsewhere. I decided I needed to get the opinion of a specialist and explore some other options.
A review of my photos and concerns with Nurse Injector Jillian of Fiore Skin Clinic in Vancouver helped reveal the changes in my face that were bothering me:
In addition, I have some dynamic wrinkles around my eyes when I smile (crow’s feet) and in between my eyebrows when I squint (glabellar or 11s). I’ve had these areas treated with Botox many times before so this part will be a walk in the park. As she has done this for me before, she begins with the Botox injections which take less than a minute.
I have to be honest, seeing the photos of myself with obvious shadows and folds was a little depressing. The good news, however, is that dermal fillers are quick, easy and just what I need. I like the idea of a non surgical treatment that has a short recovery time. Jillian warns me of the possibility of some bruising and reviews her recommendations. She explains that adding volume to one area always changes the way areas nearby look, so we will go step-by-step and assess as we go.
I am so happy with my slightly lifted and contoured face. I look happier, perkier, friendlier and more like I used to. My cheeks look just beautiful and seem to create a pedestal for my eyes. I snap a couple of selfies of myself (which I do not post to facebook ha ha) and I definitely look better. The shadows are gone and I am photogenic once again.
This treatment was completed in less than 30 minutes including the consultation. My friends know I do injections so I will proceed with social life as usual (my face will be tender and a little swollen for about 3 days) but I will avoid planning any important work meetings just in case I bruise.
For this treatment we used 3 syringes of Galderma products (a combination of Emervel Deep and Emervel Lips) which for me will last about 6 months. Jillian used 40 units of Botox. The total cost is about $2500 and worth every penny.
I leave the Fiore Skin Clinic office with a smile on my face and a skip in my step and feel like I can conquer the world with my new cheeks and lips. It seems crazy, I know, but that is how I feel after my treatment. I will be back.
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