Do you see fine lines, wrinkles, and creases on your face when you look in the mirror? Would you like to roll back the clock and achieve a fresher, more rested appearance? An injectable treatment called Xeomin could be just what you’re looking for. This easy, noninvasive treatment smooths away those signs of aging for three to four months, instantly rejuvenating your look. It’s one of the many cosmetic dermatology services offered at Vibrant Dermatology & Skinbar MD in Dedham, MA.
What Is Xeomin?
This injectable fights the signs of aging by preventing the facial muscles from contracting in ways that contribute to those unwanted lines and folds. It functions much like Botox and Dysport. All three treatments are neuromodulators that contain botulinum toxin type A, which blocks the nerve signals, preventing muscles from contracting. Because the treated muscles can’t fully contract, frown lines, crow’s feet, and other fine facial lines are less noticeable, giving patients a more youthful appearance.
What Distinguishes It From Botox?
Although Botox is better known, these two injectables are quite similar and offer patients results that are nearly identical. The primary difference between the two lies in their chemical formulation. Xeomin has just one ingredient: botulinum toxin A. This treatment is considered a “naked” neurotoxin because of its purity. Botox, on the other hand, contains botulinum toxin and several other proteins and additives. What does this difference mean for patients? Xeomin can be less likely to lead to an allergic reaction and patients can be less likely to build up resistance over time to the injectable.
Will This Treatment Give Me a Plastic Look?
Our doctor will ensure that your injections are placed correctly according to your facial anatomy and your cosmetic goals, giving you natural results that aren’t overdone. If you’re especially concerned about a plastic look, we can talk with you during your consultation about our approach to your treatment and how we’ll avoid that. Botulinum injections have been available for a number of years now, and there is now a greater understanding of how to perform them in a way that doesn’t create a face that appears frozen in place.
What Does This Injectable Treat?
This treatment is best known for its ability to smooth over lines, wrinkles, and creases. It works especially well on the frown lines between the eyebrows, but it also successfully treats furrowed brows, crow’s feet, bunny lines on the nose, and other facial creases and lines that have developed after years of repeating certain facial movements and expressions. This treatment is most successful on dynamic wrinkles, try instant wrinkle remover cream or the lines caused by repeated facial movements. Static wrinkles, which are often the result of sun exposure and aging, usually respond better to other types of treatment.
Other Cosmetic Concerns
In addition to being an anti-aging treatment, this injectable can also help resolve other cosmetic concerns. It can address dimples on the chin, for example, and has been used to perk up the corners of a drooping smile. It has been used in some patients to define and sculpt a soft jawline. This treatment has even been used to address a gummy smile, or a smile that reveals too much of the gums.
Medical Conditions
Botulinum injections, which are essentially powerful muscle relaxers, were originally developed for non-cosmetic uses. They are still used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including migraines, crossed eyes, abnormal muscle spasms in the face and neck, eyelid spasms, and uncontrolled blinking. This treatment can also be used to stop excessive underarm sweating and uncontrolled drooling.
Can It Be Used to Achieve a Lip Flip?
Botox is frequently used to achieve a lip flip, which is an enhancement that makes the lip appear fuller and pouty. But Xeomin can be used to create this effect as well. During this treatment, a carefully placed botulinum injection relaxes the upper lip to the point that it rolls gently upward, making the upper lip slightly more pronounced. Because botulinum injections wear off after a period of months, using one to achieve a flip lip can be a way of seeing if you like the look of this before having a filler placed.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
Our patients have been highly satisfied with their results from this treatment, and it has become one of our most requested cosmetic services. This injectable is ideal for a wide range of patients, but there are signs you may be a particularly good candidate:
You Want to Rejuvenate Your Appearance
Aging gracefully doesn’t mean you have to put up with crow’s feet, frown lines, and other frustrating creases. A botulinum injection is quick, easy, and resolves fine lines and wrinkles for months at a time. Most patients who have had this treatment say they feel more confident and more youthful. Some use the injectable as a one-time rejuvenation treatment before a big event like a wedding. Others incorporate treatments into their skin care routine long term, scheduling treatments every few months as a way of maintaining their new look.
You Want a Convenient Treatment
Many patients are drawn to the convenience of botulinum injections. Not everyone can afford the time and expensive associated with cosmetic surgery. A botulinum injection can be performed in one easy, noninvasive treatment that will last less than an hour. There is no down time, so you’ll be able to continue on with your day after your appointment. Many patients even schedule their injections for their lunch hour or during other breaks in their day.
Your Skin Is Healthy
This treatment is effective and safe for all skin types and tones. If you are experiencing swelling or an infection in the injection area, it’s a good idea to postpone treatment until that has healed.
You Are in Good Overall Health
Patients should be in good overall health and over the age of 18. People with certain neuromuscular diseases, such as myasthenia gravis or ALS, are not good candidates because the botulinum toxin type A in these injectables can cause issues with breathing and swallowing in these populations. Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not receive these treatments without a doctor’s approval out of an abundance of caution.
You’ve Developed a Resistance to Botox
If you’ve received regular Botox treatments for years but have noticed a decline in their effectiveness, switching to a different neuromodulator may help you get the results you’ve come to expect. We can work with you to determine whether a change in your treatment is the best step. Occasionally, patients build up a resistance to Botox. One benefit associated with Xeomin is that it contains just a single ingredient: botulinum toxin A. The pure nature of this injectable means patients are less likely to develop a resistance to it. Botox, by comparison, includes botulinum as well as additives and proteins.
You Want to Be Proactive About Fighting Aging Skin
Patients with aging skin in need of treatment have long turned to botulinum injections, but increasingly, younger patients are also seeking the injections. These patients are noticing the first lines on their face. In many patients, crow’s feet are the first to appear. By starting early and making botulinum injections a regular part of their skin care maintenance, these patients are working to keep the fine lines at bay.
You’re Realistic About Treatment Outcomes
A botulinum injection won’t completely make over your appearance and make you look 21 again, but it will revitalize and refresh your look, making it possible to put your best face forward. The ideal patient is realistic about the outcome and also emotionally stable enough to handle the change and improvements that treatment will bring.
What Is the Treatment Like?
The first step is to schedule a consultation where we’ll review your medical history and the medications you’re taking. We’ll also talk with you about your cosmetic goals and determine whether this treatment is a good option for you. The consultation is a good time to get all of your questions and concerns answered. After your consultation, you’ll be ready to schedule your treatment.
During Your Appointment
On the day of your treatment, we’ll begin by cleansing the injection site, and we may even mark the area being treated. We’ll use a very fine needle for the injection, which will target the muscles contributing to your facial lines. Depending on the area being addressed, two or three quick injections may be needed. Many patients are surprised at just how comfortable and quick the treatment is. The needles are small enough that the treatment is virtually painless. Those who feel anything describe it as a series of quick pinpricks. For most patients, the entire appointment lasts 10 to 25 minutes.
Who Will Perform My Treatment?
All of our treatments are overseen by Dr. Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip. A native of Boston, Dr. Imahiyerobo-Ip has a bachelor’s degree in health policy from Harvard University and a master’s degree in international development from Cambridge University. She earned her medical degree from Cornell University’s Weill Medical College and completed specialized training in dermatology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Dr. Imahiyerobo-Ip’s areas of expertise include injectable fillers, laser treatments, chemical peels, acne, hair loss, scalp disorders, skin cancer detection, and pediatric dermatology.
After Treatment
Immediately after treatment, you’ll be able to resume your schedule with only a few limitations. We suggest that patients avoid lying down for four hours, rubbing their face for 12 hours, and hot showers for 24 hours. Some patients find that icing the injection site and sleeping on their back can help speed the recovery process. We ask that patients avoid blood-thinning medications for two weeks before their treatment and 24 hours after treatment.
When Will the Results Appear?
Most patients start to see their first results in three to five days. The final results should be apparent within 10 days. The smooth, line-free skin patients enjoy after treatment usually lasts for three to four months. A repeat injection around the four-month mark can extend treatment results.
Is This a Safe and Effective Treatment?
This FDA-approved treatment is safe and effective, and it has helped many of our patients roll back the clock on their appearance. This injectable can also be combined with other treatments, including dermal fillers, light peels, or facials. By combining treatments, we can often achieve enhanced results and better meet a patient’s cosmetic goals. During your consultation, we’ll work to develop a comprehensive understanding of your cosmetic goals and develop a treatment plan that best meets your individual needs.
Why Choose Our Practice?
There’s a lot to like about this injectable treatment. It’s fast, comfortable, and noninvasive, and it requires little of the patient in the way of preparation or downtime. Best of all, it effectively boosts and rejuvenates your appearance by easing those frustrating fine lines, wrinkles, and creases. Call Vibrant Dermatology & Skinbar MD in Dedham, MA today and ask about Xeomin.
