How Often Will I Need Injectables to Keep My Face Looking Youthful?

Injectables like neurotoxins and dermal fillers can take years off of your face. However, these procedures aren’t permanent. Your body slowly breaks down the injected solutions, and you’ll need a touch-up.

At Sterling Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in Sarasota, Florida, Dr. Mark Mathieson provides a full range of injectable wrinkle reducers to keep you looking and feeling younger. You need to know about Botox® and dermal filler injection schedules.

Why injectables over a facelift?

You may not want or be ready for a facelift for many reasons. A facelift is a fairly involved surgery; your health or personal preferences may not support this path. Injectables can provide many of the same effects, but repeat injections must be done regularly to keep those effects visible.

Using Botox

As a neurotoxin, Botox acts as a local paralytic, targeting your face's fine lines and wrinkles. It keeps your smallest facial muscles from contracting. It prevents the dynamic wrinkles that form from repeated smiling and frowning, including crow's feet around your eyes, creases across your forehead and around your mouth, and lip lines.

The frequency of your Botox injection schedule will depend on many different factors.

Your age
The condition of your facial skin
Existing wrinkle patterns
How fast your body metabolizes the injectable

The average lifespan of a Botox injection is around four months. Then, you'll start seeing the effects diminish and will want to book a follow-up about every 12 weeks. Over time, you may be able to space follow-ups further apart as prevention of wrinkling reduces the appearance of aging.

Using dermal fillers

Dermal fillers typically contain hyaluronic acid, a substance your body makes naturally. These injectables fill in wrinkles and lines that can't be addressed with Botox. These static wrinkles include folds between your nose and mouth and sunkenness around your cheeks and mouth.

The fillers help replace some of the collagen and elastin your body loses as you age. These building blocks of your skin are what hold it up and out. Dermal fillers take over and provide the same youthful look but don't last forever.

There are many different filler formulations on the market, which can be injected right below the skin's surface or deeper into the dermis. The lifespan of fillers can range anywhere from five months to five years.

Discuss your aesthetic needs with Dr. Mathieson; he will develop an injectable treatment schedule just for you. You can make an appointment by calling 941-203-7931 or contact us through our online form today.