Neuromodulators In The Limelight

Botox injectionIf you’ve been hearing a lot lately about “neuromodulators”, don’t be afraid that some new discovery in cosmetic surgery is passing you by. Actually, neuromodulators have been around for a while. The ever popular Botox is a neuromodulator. So is a newer formulation called Dysport.

“Neuromodulator” indicates a family of injectibles that relax the muscles by blocking nerve impulses that otherwise invigorate them. They work best with the parts of your face that put in the most effort expressing what you are thinking or feeling: for example, forehead furrows, crows feet, vertical lines above and below the lips. If, for instance, you have deep laugh/frown lines, a neuromodulator injection will work to weaken the muscles beneath those lines—in effect, paralyzing them—and voila, the lines retreat and you have a beautiful, smooth, youthful appearance again.

Procedures accomplished with neuromodulators constitute “facial shaping” rather than “wrinkle removal”. Fillers, on the other hand, do just what they say they;ll do: they don’t work on the muscles; they fill in wrinkles or folds, adding volume to the face. Wrinkles resulting from thinning skin react especially well to soft tissue fillers—though they are by no means the only filler successes.

Although neuromodulators and fillers have different jobs, there are many times when they can work together to achieve optimal results. Botox is frequently combined with Restylane or Juvederm, two of the most popular and effective fillers available on the market today. And neuromodulators can also be combined with injections of your very own autologous fat. This combination of neuromodulators and fillers is often referred to as a liquid lift, because it has the effect of totally rejuvenating the face just like a traditional facelift, but without the surgery.

The trade off with a traditional face lift is that neuromodulators (and fillers) are temporary. How long they last depends on each individual. However, products in both categories are being improved all the time, and thus lasting longer. And finer needles for the injections mean almost no pain and very quick recovery from any swelling or bruising. The bottom line is that a professional consultation with your favorite plastic surgery team can ensure that your beauty concerns are addressed by the best possible solutions for them—or combinations thereof.

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