Injectables

In Phoenix and Glendale, Arizona

Injectables are the fastest growing segment of procedures in plastic surgery. Broadly speaking they are divided into two groups: 1) substances that act as fillers to correct contour deficiencies (areas that would benefit from more volume and shaping)  and wrinkles, such as Restylane® a hyaluronic acid (HA) filler; and 2) substances that act to temporarily paralyze muscles of facial expression causing resting and dynamic wrinkles with motion. The best known agent in this group, and the only one currently FDA approved in the USA is Botox®.  Injectables offer several important benefits including:

• Excellent results in the appropriately selected patient
• Immediate to near-immediate effect
• Minimal downtime or no downtime
• No need for surgery and major anesthesia
• Excellent safety profiles
• Combinable with other procedures and products
• Best solution for some applications
• Reversability for resorbable fillers
• Less costly than surgery alternatives

Most injectables are not permanent, although some are, and one has just been approved by the FDA, ArteFill®, which should be on the market soon. Once we have more information regarding ArteFill® we will share it with you here. The issue of whether permanent versus long lasting resorbable fillers are more desirable is debatable, but this market will continue to expand over time and represents an exciting new opportunity for patients and their plastic surgeons. Please review the information provided about injectables by clicking on your procedure(s) of interest.