Life Without Injections - What are our options during a quarantine?
4/15/2020
UH-OH I’M DUE FOR MY BOTOX!
Fortunately, neuromodulator injections (Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, Jeaveau) tend to wear off gradually over the course of 4-6 months. Even when you begin to regain some of your facial expressions as your injections do wear off, you’ll notice the wrinkles are softer and less defined than they were before having any injections at all.
This is because regular use of neuromodulators has retrained your facial expressions.
As your brain sees new patterns of expression it learns not to habitually make them - this is especially true for squinting and frowning of eyebrows which both lead to fine lines around the eyes and deep wrinkles (aka the 11’s) between your brows.
If you haven't been able to make a deep frown for six months this wrinkle has essentially aged backwards six months! Your frown looks better than it would if you had never had the injections in the first place. I usually notice my eyes look a little less open as my neuro injections wear off requiring more eyeliner and shadow to brighten them back up.
WHAT ABOUT MY FILLERS?
I’m right there with you in regards to being worried about my cheekbones and other areas deflating as my fillers wear off. And while many products claim to mimic the effect of injectable dermal fillers, the hard truth is nothing can replace volume in the same way. However, preventative skin care practiced at home does make a huge difference in the texture and future health of your skin.
If there ever was a time to be super consistent with your skincare regimen, this is it! A properly followed product routine that checks off all the letters in GRASSE (more about that below) is incredibly helpful to encourage anti-aging and minimize further damage.
And we can’t stress this enough - please continue to use your sunscreen on a daily basis. We know this is a step you may consider skipping if you’re planning on being home all day. But even inside, our skin receives damaging UV rays through the windows. And if you‘re considering a walk outside, it goes without saying SPF is a non-negotiable. Not only do we always want to protect ourselves against skin cancer, sun damage is one of the number one culprits responsible for volume loss!
To further increase your skin’s protection, we always recommend including an antioxidant in your daily routine. This is the ‘A’ in our GRASSE recommendations.
G = Growth Factors (see growth factors)
R = Retinoid (see retinoids)
A = Antioxidant (see antioxidants)
S = SPF (see sun protection)
S = Speciality Products for your unique concerns (see specialty products)
If you’re specifically worried about your lip fillers, we highly suggest SkinMedica’s HA5 Lip Smooth and Plump System.
E = Eye Treatment (see eye treatments)
Following a strong GRASSE routine will ensure your skin will be at its absolute best when you’re able to return for your next injection appointment.
Lastly, this is an ideal time NOT to worry about what we look like in the mirror.
You are beautiful! Let’s laugh and smile as much as we can without focusing on our collective fine lines and wrinkles. We are all truly in this together. If you’re feeling self-conscious, crank up that Zoom filter and we’ll see you on the other side of this!
If you have any questions about specific products or would like to update your skincare routine with myself, Dr. Austin, Dr. He or Cynthia Chaghouri, PA, I invite you to reach out to us to schedule a virtual consultation.