Cosmetic Dermatology Procedures: Restylane, Juvaderm, Botox, Dysport

Rittenhouse Eye Associates has the pleasure of introducing you to the newest member of our team, Dr. Susan C. Taylor, who is an internationally renowned, board-certified Dermatologist. Dr. Taylor will provide the newest and most advanced cosmetic dermatology procedures at Rittenhouse Eye Associates to allow you to look your very best, boost your confidence and make a beautiful first impression.

Dr. Taylor holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Medical School, and residencies from Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and Pennsylvania Hospital. She has practiced at Society Hill Dermatology in Philadelphia, PA for 22 years, where she diagnoses and treats a wide range of skin disorders and skin cancers. With a strong interest in women’s health, she is a leading cosmetic dermatologist.

A highly sought-after lecturer, Dr. Taylor has delivered over 250 lectures by invitation across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and the United States. She has co-authored two major dermatology textbooks, two books for the lay-public including Reader’s Digest Complete Skin Care, and numerous textbook chapters, journal articles, magazine articles and the website, www.brownskin.net.  Dr. Taylor has extensive media experience, serving as a medical resource and expert on both national as well as local television and radio programs including Fox and previously on the Today Show, Weekend Today, Good Morning America, MSNBC and the Dr. Oz Show.

Doctor Taylor will perform the following procedures.

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers (Restylane, Juvaderm). As we mature, our faces change. There is a loss of volume of the face which results in hollowness of the area around the eyes and upper cheeks, deepening of the fold between the nose and mouth, as well as the formation of frown lines in the forehead. These changes occur because the collagen and elastic tissue in the dermal portion of your skin, which normally keeps it taut and youthful, begins to breakdown. A new and innovative way to compensate for the breakdown and restore youth and fullness is to inject filler substances into the skin. These fillers are used to plump up wrinkled, creased and sunken areas of the face, and to add fullness to the cheeks and lip areas.

Hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane and Juvaderm provide structural support for the collagen that is diminishing in your skin. Since the hyaluronic acid fillers are not derived from animal extracts, there is minimal risk of developing an allergic reaction. Therefore, unlike collagen, which requires allergy testing, this treatment can be performed at the same time as your consultation.

Hyaluronic fillers are injected into the dermal layer of your skin with a small needle. A series of small injections are made along the areas being treated and the area is then vigorously massaged to evenly distribute the substance and prevent lumps or nodules. Some women find the injection to be uncomfortable, but a topical anesthetic, applied 30 minutes before the injection, will minimize discomfort. The injection procedure itself takes about 15 minutes and the results can be seen immediately. With fillers substances, there is no real downtime, and you can return to your work and normal activities immediately afterwards.

Like other fillers, treatment with hyaluronic acid fillers is not permanent and it will over time degrade and be absorbed by the body. Although everyone’s body resorbs fillers at different rates, in general, visible results last 6-12 months. Most women return to their doctors for touch ups as they begin to notice the effects of the injections fading, and re-injections are usually performed every 9-months.

Botulinum Toxins (Botox, Dysport). After years of making the same facial expressions, coupled with the effects of gravity, lines and folds begin to form. With repeated facial expressions, the muscles under our skin contract and pleat the skin creating “frown” lines that appear between the eyebrows (also called glabellar lines), on the bridge of the nose, across the forehead, and at the corners of the eyes. These lines become much more pronounced as we age and are often more noticeable in women, whose faces are naturally more animated than men’s. Often co-workers, spouses and children think that we are angry when in actuality it is only our frown lines. In recent years, the use of different muscle relaxants has become popular as a way to reduce some of these prominent folds, and help us look more youthful.

Botulium toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and the cosmetic form of this toxin is injected directly into muscles to reduce the visibility of “frown” lines. The toxin actually blocks the nerve impulses to your muscle. It does this by blocking the release of a chemical called acetylcholine. When a small amount of Botulium toxin is injected, for example, into the muscle that causes the glabellar frown line, relaxation and weakness of the muscle occurs and it therefore gives the skin a smoother, less wrinkled appearance. The injection may also slow the formation of deeper or new wrinkles. Studies have also suggested that it can be used to relieve migraine headaches, excessive sweating and muscle spasms in the neck and eyes.

Injections of botulium toxin take about 15 minutes.
You will notice a marked improvement within the first week of treatment, and this improvement often continues into the first month. As time goes on, you will notice that the effects of Botox will gradually wear off. Treatment effects can last anywhere from 3-5 months, but most people consider re-injection after 3-4 months.