Do you feel like you look more tired than you are due to moderate or severe volume loss in your upper face? Do you feel self-conscious when smiling due to crow’s feet or smile lines? Do you have lip lines, volume loss under your eyes, or thin lips? If so, Restylane lips injections at the office of Mimi Lee, MD in Little Rock, AR may be appropriate for you.
How Quickly Does Restylane Lips Work?
Restylane lips starts working immediately, and you will be able to see an improvement in your appearance as soon as your injection session is complete. However, you may not see your optimal results for roughly one month after treatment. Individual experiences vary, but it may take anywhere from four to six weeks for your final results to become apparent.
How Long Will My Treatment Session Take?
You can generally expect your treatment session to take between 30 and 45 minutes to complete. Before your treatment begins, we will apply a topical numbing cream to the skin in your treatment areas. It may take between 10 and 15 minutes for the medication to take full effect. Once your skin is numbed, we will administer small doses of hyaluronic acid into strategic points in your areas of concern.
How Does This Treatment Work?
During the first couple of weeks following your injection session, the hyaluronic acid administered settles into the treatment area. After that, it is broken down by your body, and the fibroblasts in the foundational layer of your skin produce collagen. The collagen production process typically takes around two to four weeks once the filler has settled.
What Can I Do to See My Desired Results Faster?
To see your final Restylane lips results as quickly as possible, you need to ensure that your skin has everything it needs to produce collagen. There are several things your skin needs for this, including water, three essential amino acids, zinc, and vitamin C. To ensure that you get enough essential amino acids in your diet, you should try to incorporate protein into every meal. It is also a very good idea to eat fruits and vegetables with each meal.
Besides eating nutritiously, you can help your skin produce collagen quickly by drinking six to eight cups of water and tea or coffee daily. This helps to ensure that your skin is sufficiently hydrated. Furthermore, you should use an occlusive moisturizer once or twice daily to help lock moisture into your skin. Aerobic exercise can also help you see your optimal results faster because more oxygen will be circulated throughout your body, including your skin.
Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
Most adults who are concerned about moderate or severe volume loss will qualify for this treatment. However, your medical history must be reviewed thoroughly so Dr. Lee can ensure that there are no contraindications. Certain medical conditions, including diabetes and a history of keloid scarring may disqualify you from treatment. You also may not qualify for this treatment if you take certain medications or can’t follow the preparation and aftercare guidelines.
What Preparation Steps Will I Need to Take?
Prior to your injection session, you need to avoid taking any blood-thinning drugs or supplements, including MAOIs, NSAIDs, and vitamin E supplements. Similarly, you should avoid taking any anticoagulants. Another very important preparation step to take is to limit how much time you spend in the sun. If your skin is irritated when you arrive for your appointment, your session will need to be rescheduled. Therefore, you should try to avoid sunburns.
Additionally, you should use preventative topical medications if you have a history of acne outbreaks, oral herpes in the treatment areas, or other skin conditions. Furthermore, you must avoid using any topical products or receiving any cosmetic treatments that may irritate your skin. Moreover, you should arrive with a clean face that is free from cosmetics, including lotion and makeup. Any product applied will be removed before your injections are administered.
What Aftercare Guidelines Will I Need to Follow?
While it can take up to two weeks for the filler to settle into the treatment areas, you don’t need to go two weeks without touching the treatment areas. Rather, you just need to avoid touching the treatment areas for six to eight hours following your injection session. This means that you won’t be able to apply makeup or other cosmetics to your skin.
It is also important that you do not apply too much pressure to the treatment areas for a day or two, so you will need to sleep on your back after your treatment. Furthermore, you must avoid heat exposure and sweating for 48 hours.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
You can expect to see an improvement in your treated areas once your Restylane lips session is complete, but it may be four to six weeks before you can enjoy your desired results. If you have volume loss-related concerns and want to learn more about this safe, effective treatment, contact us now at the office of Mimi Lee, MD in Little Rock, AR to schedule your initial consultation.