28Feb 2017

My Experience with Non-Invasive Cosmetic Procedures: Dermal Fillers & Botox

By 0 Beauty, LUXURY/HIGH END, review, SKIN , , , Permalink 1
There comes a point in your life when you say to yourself “I’m done”. I was done looking tired. Done looking older than I actually am. Despite getting a good amount of sleep every night, I always got comments from people like “rough night last night?” or “what were you up late doing?. Um no, I am not a party animal or an insomniac. That’s when I decided I needed to get something done about it. When I told my friend what I wanted to do, she recommended that I find someone similar to Luxurgery, and so my search went from there as I needed to find someone a bit closer to home. I wanted to get this done. As my eyes look sunken in and I have dark circles under my eyes because this is the genetic lottery that I inherited and because I had thyroid cancer a few years ago which affected me hormonally, metabolically and aesthetically. You all know that I have a pretty solid skincare routine that I change up often to meet my skin’s needs as it adjusts to different climates and stressors. What you may not realize is how much my dull, fatigued-looking skin (especially around the eyes) was affecting my inner confidence. I was talking to a friend about some options she tried herself, she tried Plastic Surgery Perth and she got some great results. I just don’t like the idea of surgery myself. While looking for a solution to my problem I started reading online about dermal fillers and found some interesting statistics online. Did you know that Australians spend $1 billion on cosmetic surgery? That includes breast augmentation, liposuction and other types of cosmetic surgeries. Of course the USA is number one for having the largest number of cosmetic surgeons, so thankfully I had a place to begin my search and narrow them down to someone who would be able to help me with my problem.
Because skin loses elasticity, volume and moisture as we age, I had heard that injectable fillers can help restore a more youthful look by adding volume and/or creating contours on the face. The temporary, non-surgical treatment often results in a younger, refreshed and revitalized appearance. After doing a lot of research on dermal fillers and speaking to a friend who had incredible results, I decided to call Dr. Pamela Taylor, cosmetic laser supplier and physician at The Clinic in Yorkville and book a consultation. Dr. Taylor performs injectables and other non-invasive procedures at Dr. Cory Torgerson’s (renowned facial surgeon) clinic in Toronto. She also holds a Diploma in Dermatology and specializes in medical aesthetics. I went to my consultation armed with questions but was specifically curious about dermal fillers composed of hyaluronic acid – a naturally occurring sugar in the body.
The consultation went smoothly. I’m not going to lie though. I was still terrified! I was scared about any side effects, the pain, the healing process but most of all I didn’t know what results I’d get and questioned whether I was making a mistake. “Be happy with how God made you”, I kept hearing my mother say. I only wanted to look like a better version of myself. I explained this to Dr. Taylor. It was important that I felt comfortable in my own skin and that I only wished to camouflage my imperfections and not change the way I looked. She was amazing and made me feel so incredibly comfortable. Her philosophy is “less is more” which suited my needs just fine. She said that we’d start with a small amount and go from there, and said that it was easy to add more if we needed to. The fact that Dermal Fillers (unlike Botox) are reversible, eased what little apprehension I had left after my consultation.
*In case of undesirable results, the product below can be dissolved with hyaluronidase.
We decided on Teosyal PureSense Redensity II – a long-lasting, natural treatment and the first dermal filler of its kind specifically developed for the tear trough area to address fine lines, dark circles and deep hollows under the eyes. Infused with hyaluronic acid, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, it continues to rejuvenate the skin over time for maximum long-term results. Dr. Taylor also recommended 15 units of Botox on the sides of both eyes to address the crows feet I had around the eyes.

Dr. Taylor started off with the Botox. She began by injecting 15 units of cosmetic Botox (DIN 02243721) into each side of my face – right near the sides of my eyes and where both of her fingertips meet in the picture below. All I felt was a small pinch on each side and instantly my crows feet were no longer visible. I couldn’t believe it! To see what they looked like before, scroll down to the “before picture” at the bottom of this post. Botox usually lasts anywhere from 3 to 6 months and is NOT nearly as scary as mainstream media makes it out to be!

Dr. Taylor then proceeded to apply a numbing cream and ice to my under eye area to prepare it for the dermal fillers. Even though Redensity II also includes Lidocaine hydrochloride (0.3%) to minimize any discomfort experienced during injections, Dr. Taylor wanted to ensure that I was comfortable as the area under the eyes can be ultra sensitive – especially if it has never been treated before.

Next, Dr. Taylor injected Redensity II under one eye at a time. She explained that while the filler was not going to make the fine lines that I have under my eyes disappear, that I’d see immediate improvement that would further improve over time. This type of filler works like magic to fill out any under eye hollows and eliminate the shadows that cause dark circles. The procedure from start to finish took approximately 30 minutes and required no down time whatsoever. I went to work the next day, although I did have to use concealer to mask the minor swelling and bruising that I experienced. Everyone is different and heals a little differently. I was told that some people don’t even bruise at all! Redensity ll results typically last anywhere from 6 to 12 months.

I decided to share my photo diary, journaling the stages of healing over a 2 week period as opposed to just posting before and after photos. The results in the before & after images is pretty apparent but often times, people don’t understand that getting to the finish line is a process that takes time. I only shared the first 2 weeks post treatment. The results will continue to improve over time but in some cases, individuals may require a top up for best results. In each of the photos below I am only wearing eye makeup (eyeliner & mascara) as well as either a moisturizer or sunscreen. For reference – I am also not wearing any foundation or concealer.
Day 1 – tiny needle marks are evident; some redness
Day 2 – red & dark blue bruising; minor swelling under the eyes
Day 6-8 – illuminating effect starting to take shape; greyish/green bruising
Day 10-12 – yellow bruising and reduced inflammation; area looks brighter
Day 14 – bruising and swelling is gone and the under eye area looks bright and fresh

To learn more about this incredible treatment and other non-surgical procedures including laser treatment for acne scars, skin tightening, microdermabrasion, skin peel facials, tattoo removal and cool sculpting – visit Dr. Torgerson’s office located at 70 Yorkville Avenue (Suite 31) in Toronto or call 647-343-0207 to book a free consultation with Dr. Cory Torgerson or Dr. Pamela Taylor.

What do you think of the results?

Have you ever experimented with dermal fillers or Botox before?

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