While the “I’ve earned these wrinkles” battle cry is admirable, there’s no shame in wanting to look younger — and today, it’s easier than ever. Joseph Sozio, MD, who specializes in cosmetic medicine at SkinCenter in Hartsdale, says injectables can “help people age gracefully with minimal downtime, relatively low risk, and reasonable affordability.” Here’s what you need to know:
Injectables fall into two basic categories: Neuromodulators and Fillers.
Neuromodulators are botulinum toxins that reduce wrinkles and fine lines by temporarily paralyzing the underlying muscles, “allowing the tissue to become smoother,” says Sozio. Brand names include Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin.
Fillers are gel-like substances, most often made with hyaluronic acid, that are used “to restore volume, which we lose naturally as we age.” Fillers “are now being formulated to correct specific problems.” Brand names include Restyline, Juvederm, and Belotero.
Results: last for three to four months for neuromodulators, six months to two years for fillers.
Downtime: Minimal to none.
Cost: Sozio stresses that treatment is “not a one-shot deal,” but a process. Costs range from “several hundred to several thousand dollars.”
What to Expect: That depends on the practitioner, as well as your desired results. “Our goal is to give patients a natural look, a more youthful, rested version of themselves,” Sozio says. “If you look different, as opposed to a better version of yourself, we did not do a good job.”
