You’d be forgiven if, despite being well informed of treatments in the aesthetic industry, you didn’t exactly know what the following aesthetic injection trends mean:
- Lip Flip
- Cat eye Lift
- Fox Eye Lift
- Cheek Filler
- Temple Filling
- Sculptra Youth Revival
These terms, and more, are flooding social media. In some instances, it’s a case of rebranding. In others, it’s a signal of treatment expansion. Neverthless, if you’re like most of us, you might be asking yourself what exactlythese terms mean! Luckily, Dr. Bonnie Marting, DNP, APRN of the Anushka Cosmedical Centre is here to break it all down for you and provide valuable caution to help prevent any unwanted outcomes.
Lip Flip
This means injecting a small amount of neurotoxin (think Dysport or Botox) given around the lips to relax the “down-pull” muscles in order to allow the competing muscles to pick the lips “up”.
The other technique is to insert a bit of dermal filler in the vermillion border of the lips in order to lift and define the border. Utilized together, this can be a great strategy.
The result is a lip that relaxes and allows more of the under lip to reveal itself, giving the appearance of a fuller lip without actually supplementing anything, like filler, to do so. It’s an excellent option for a subtle enhancement and a great alternative if you’re averse to fillers.
Cat Eye & Fox Eye Lift
I’m covering these two treatments together because they are basically the same thing! The safe way to provide a bit of a lift in the corner of the eye is to use a neuromodulator and PDO or PLLA threads. The neuromodulator relaxes the down-pull muscles, while the small threads increase the growth of collagen around the area that is new and tightly wound, creating more lift.
The result is a natural looking eye lift that has the ability to enhance the brow, crow’s feet and undereye.
CAUTION: I have seen providers advertising this procedure using dermal filler. Filling this area with a dermal filler is extremely dangerous and could cause blindness or skin necrosis. Please DO NOT agree to this, no matter how many successful treatments your provider says they have done.
Cheek Filler
In the right hands, putting cheek filler in the correct places can make anyone look more youthful. The fillers I choose to use at The Anushka Cosmedical Centre are Juvéderm Voluma, Restylane Contour, and RH4. The most important goal of cheek filler is to restore the balance and positivity of the entire appearance, which changes greatly as we “move along” in life. These changes occur subtly, and one day, you might get up and think. “Whoa! What happened?”
I must caution that there is a difference between maintaining a positive appearance and requesting an obvious enhancement. Within my practice, we like to help clients maintain exquisite youth without ever looking overdone. Balance is beauty, and going overboard is a potential risk to yourself and to a practice. You would be surprised at how subtle changes make a huge difference on one’s appearance. Our goal is always to provide subtle enhancements to maintain youth that radiates.
Temple Filling
Temple hollowing can be very aging, at times represents a “gaunt” appearance. Filling this area back up can take years off your appearance. There are several schools of thought amongst the experts in this area. Some feel that superficially filling this area with a cannula is best. Others say delivering more product to the bone will delicately, and perhaps more safely, restore that youthful contour.
CAUTION: This is also a dangerous area. At the Anushka Cosmedical Centre, I only use Sculptra, placed deeply on the bone. It will take a bit of time to see the result (you’ll start to see results in about 4 weeks) but it is safer than other methods. Sculptra suspension is the consistency of water, so it may be less likely to occlude any vessel. The good news: the results last so much longer than putting in any filler!
Sculptra Youth Revival
Speaking of Sculptra, this is the ONE product that produces more of you, and therefore can return much of the face to a more youthful state. Sculptra, or Poly-L-Lactic acid, is a collagen stimulant, making your body want to cover the particles, as it is absorbing them, with your own collagen. This new collagen is tightly wound, resulting in the firming of your skin while replacing the lost foundation of your face, and other areas. It can even lift and tighten the booty! And since collagen is the hallowed fruit of youth, Sculptra is the considered the gold-standard in anti-aging.
In Conclusion . . .
As injectables become more diversified and featured online and in social media, it can feel more accessible and acceptable to opt for an aesthetic injection trend. But you should always consult with your injector about the best approach to reach your youth-restoring goals. All injectable treatments pose an inherent risk, but a highly skilled and experienced provider will minimize any possibility of an unwanted outcome and keep your best interest at heart.
