What are Botox ® & Dermal Fillers. . .

Botox®, fillers and other injectables are procedures refined to reduce the signs of aging that result from loss of elasticity and gravity as they leave their marks on our face. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation, smoking, laughing, frowning, squinting and other habitual facial expressions contribute to wrinkles as well.

Fillers such as Restylane® and Perlane®, are made from Hyaluronic Acid which is a natural building block of our skin. Ophthalmologists have been using injectable Hyaluronic Acid on patients for the past 30 years and have extensive experience with this product. Botox® was first used in ophthalmology some 25 years ago to treat conditions such as blephrospasm (uncontrolled blinking), strabismus (lazy eye) and facial muscle spasms. Many patients noticed that their facial lines and wrinkles were lessened in the injection areas. In 2002 the FDA formally approved Botox® for the use in cosmetic procedures and a much simpler solution to aging was born. Botox® holds at least 15 medical indications by the FDA and has been used safely to treat medical conditions, such as migrane headaches, neck and back problems.

How do they work. . .

Botox® relaxes the muscles that we contract when we smile, frown or make other facial movements. Tiny amounts of Botox® are injected into the facial muscles that cause these wrinkles. The chemicals that cause the muscles to contract are then blocked so the muscles relaxes and the wrinkles subsequently smooth out. Injections do not prevent the ability to smile or show expression, they only weaken the muscles we’ve built up over time.

Dr. Romanoff uses the most ultra fine needles available to minimize discomfort. He is an M.D. that specializes in Opthatlmology and has been performing oculofacial surgery (plastic and reconstructive) for the past 30 years in the Toledo area. At the request of some patients, Dr. Romanoff pursued extensive training with the most acclaimed specialists in California, the epicenter of cosmetic surgery in the U.S.A.. He has also completed several accredited courses through the American Academy of Ophthalmology in the past three years to better understand these products. You can be assured that your injections will be administered properly. Follow up visits are required and additional injections may be required for optimal results.

Botox® is most often used on the forehead, crow’s feet and frown lines. It can also be used to treat neck bands, and wrinkles around the mouth. Botox® can last 3 to 4 months and with repeat injections the effect may last longer over time. Dermal fillers such as Restylane and Perlane are different from Botox® , but achieve the same desired results of minimizing facial wrinkles. They are used on wrinkles not caused by the contracting facial muscles but are permanently present from gravity as well as expression, maybe even weight loss. Restylane and Perlane are cosmetic fillers injected into the skin to add volume and smooth out wrinkles such as the laugh lines (nasolabial folds) that stretch from the nose to the side of your mouth. Fillers are also used to increase volume of your lips, giving softer, fuller appearance.The results of fillers are instantaneous and typically last from 6 to 9 months or longer in some patients.

Other uses of fillers include:

• Correcting lip asymmetry
• Filling in acne scars
• Filling the hollows underneath lower eyelids caused by dark circles
• Enhancing cheek bones for a fuller, more defined look