Far away from Mississauga, our favorite plastic surgeon Dr. Weinberg was treated to live injection sessions at the recent international meeting they attended, and they noticed something new. Whereas in the past, sample patients may have been treated with 10 to 12 syringes of filler, this time around they were typically treated with 3 or 4, with the occasional patient aged over 40 receiving up to 6 syringes.
Why the difference? The injection sessions were finally geared to real life. Most of our patients look at celebrity cosmetic results in horror and specifically ask NOT to be over-injected when they arrive at the clinic. Huge lips and pneumatic cheeks are not attractive. Modern injection techniques and teaching are geared more toward real women, who want to look natural. That’s the approach to BOTOX® and fillers we take with our Oakville, Brampton, Mississauga, and greater Toronto-area patients.
However, there is a downside to being too conservative. While “less is more” is generally a good motto, we do see that mindset causing some women (and men) to shy away from properly addressing the signs of aging. Many people are still of the view that 1 syringe is all they need. This tends to result in a very inadequate result. It’s important to bear in mind that a syringe of filler contains only 1 cc of product. It takes 15 syringes to fill a tablespoon!
How do you know if you’re under-treating your problem areas?
After all, many people look in the mirror after 1 syringe and are delighted at the subtle change they see. But remember, we see our faces differently than others see us. The extremely minimal changes that 1 syringe can make in the cheeks, for example, may have the virtue of not looking “overdone,” but unfortunately, they often don’t have any effect that others looking at us can appreciate.
As a rule of thumb, if you are over 40, chances are that you will need a minimum of 2 syringes to treat almost any area of the face, with the exception of lips, and the exception of touch up procedures after prior treatment.
Here’s where injectable fillers matter most.
The two areas that have the greatest impact on making us look younger are cheeks and marionette lines, followed closely by the under eye area. The goal of therapy should be to restore the youthful “egg” or triangle shape to the face. We want to be a little wider in the upper face and smaller at the chin. With age, our faces tend to get square, as we get heavier in the jowls and thinner at the temples and cheeks.
To re-volumize cheeks almost always requires 2 syringes in anyone over 40. Done properly, this will not look unnatural, will never make for overly large cheeks, and will go a long way to making you look more rested and younger. While many people tell us they don’t want people to know they had anything “done,” we should want people to say we look good, rested, like we’ve been away vacationing. That’s what addressing the needs of our faces well, with the needed amount of filler, should achieve.
If you have questions about fillers, or would like a facial assessment of your needs, contact us at (905) 273-3045 to book your free consultation.
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