Facial Fillers: Go for the Fill Skill
These days, you can choose to have treatment with dermal fillers by someone other than a board certified plastic surgeon. The question is: should you?
Regulations governing who can administer fillers vary from state to state. In some areas of the country, medical assistants and aestheticians can inject Juvederm, Restylane and other products legally. In others, such as here in New York, dermal fillers must be the given by a professional with a medical license of some sort, but not necessarily one with formal training in facial anatomy.
You can guess where we’re going with this. It’s our strong belief that patients benefit a great deal by working with a board certified plastic surgeon, even when electing non-invasive treatment with facial fillers. In New York at our practice, we are very happy to do our best work for every man and woman who comes through our doors, starting with their very first syringe.
Here’s why we encourage you to consider a qualified plastic surgeon for your filler treatment.
Facial Anatomy
To become a board certified plastic surgeon, doctors must be trained in facial anatomy and complete a residency program that enables them to put that learning to work on real patients. This means they have an intimate knowledge of the face from inside out—bones, muscles, fat tissue and other structures. It also means they are trained in the function of various features, typical measurements and angles that impact aesthetics and the mechanisms of growth and aging.
Why is this important? Here’s an example. You probably know that as we age, our faces lose foundational tissues such as collagen and elastin. Did you know that we tend to lose bone too? A board certified plastic surgeon will be able to evaluate what’s going on deep under the skin as well as what’s happening nearer the surface, and make a plan accordingly. He or she may decide to inject some areas near the bone to make up for lost mass, and may decide to use a thicker product in the region. Other, thinner products may be good choices for fine lines close to surface. A seasoned plastic surgeon will know which filler is best for a given area, and they’ll know why.
If that’s not enough, consider the fact that there are more than three dozen distinct muscles plus critical blood vessels in the face. Do you trust a person who has taken a few courses to know exactly where to place injections? On rare occasions, strokes and blindness have been reported courtesy of stray needles.
Your Safety
In the hands of a board certified plastic surgeon, you will know your safety is their utmost concern. As an MD and surgeon first and foremost, you can count on him or her to ask relevant questions about your medical history, allergies and so on. They will also have a full array of up to the minute technology on hand, including lifesaving equipment.
We’re sure there are aesthetic practices and medical spas that have a reasonable safety focus. But we also know some places don’t. A while back we wrote about the rise of “beauty bars” in New York, where dermal fillers, Botox and other treatments are offered in a trendy, fun setting. The medical aspects of procedures on the menu are downplayed in favor of strategies for getting deep into your wallet. Read what the New York Times had to say about the beauty bar boom here.
A Trusted Partner
When you choose a seasoned plastic surgeon for injectable treatment, you’ll have a partner with a wide range of tools at your disposal. If you think you need fillers for small “smoker’s lines” around your mouth, it’s possible you might benefit from microdermabrasion in that area instead or in addition. If you choose a medical practice or spa that offers just injectable treatment, that’s what you’ll get.
Another benefit of selecting a board certified plastic surgeon is that you can develop a lasting relationship. We have many patients who visited us in New York for dermal fillers, then came back later for other procedures. We love working with long-time patients like Moira, who laughs about her “thick folder” when she comes in.
It’s Up to You
If you read online reviews of practices, clinics and spas that offer dermal fillers, you’ll find that more patients seem to be satisfied with treatment than those who are unhappy. But unfortunately, we’ve read horror stories by patients whose results have not been good.
These outcomes are sometimes at the hands of nurses, physician assistants and others in the medical field with insufficient knowledge of how to treat the face. Sometimes these patients are in the care of licensed medical doctors whose training is in fields like nutrition, ophthalmology, dermatology and “performance medicine.” Other times patients have been to a salon or spa and have had treatment by someone with just weekend courses under their belt.
We welcome patients interested in facial fillers in New York at our practice. If you don’t live nearby, we suggest you consider another board certified plastic surgeon for treatment. Whatever you do, please do plenty of research and think about your choice!
Photo by Cottonbro from Pexels
