Botox® and Fillers
Botox
Dr. Gonzalez personally performs all injections. No physician extenders or nurse injectors are used. This is because as a surgeon, we care for all aspects of your facial rejuvenating needs. This allows for combinations of treatments that optimize your results such as blepharoplasty with Botox and laser resurfacing. Consequently, we rejuvenate while preserving facial harmony.
Botox is one of the most commonly performed aesthetic procedures in the world because it provides a non-surgical alternative for reducing the effects of aging by reducing wrinkle lines and furrows around the eyes, mouth and forehead.
Botox is the trade name for botulinum toxin. When used correctly, this naturally occurring substance blocks nerve impulses to the muscles of the face. These are the same muscles that routinely repeatedly contract causing laugh lines, crow's feet and furrows as we age. Many liken Botox to getting a temporary brow lift or a mini face lift because it deactivates these muscles. The effects last between 3 and 4 months.
As an oculofacial plastic surgeon, Dr. Gonzalez has a unique understanding about how to apply Botox. Many of the nerves in the face that produce lines and wrinkles are located in proximity to nerves which keep our eyelids up or help us blink. When these nerves are inadvertently exposed to Botox, the results can become quite disquieting and socially awkward (such as a drooping eyelid). As an ophthalmologist, Dr. Gonzalez has intimate knowledge of where these nerves are located minimizing the chance of them being affected during the injection process.
Did You Know?
Botox was first used as a therapeutic agent by ophthalmologists. In 1980 San Francisco ophthalmologists officially used BTX-A for the first time in humans to treat "crossed eyes" (strabismus), a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other, and "uncontrollable blinking" (blepharospasm).
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers have been called "liquid facelifts" because they offer many of the benefits of a surgical facelift without the downtime. Although they can't help with excess sagging skin, these soft tissue fillers can add more volume and provide immediate results at a lower cost than surgery. These treatments aren't permanent, however, and they must be repeated and maintained. Areas Dr. Gonzalez addresses with dermal fillers include:
- Facial creases
- Deep wrinkles
- Facial hollows
- Lips
- Recessed scars
Some dermal fillers are used in conjunction with other skin rejuvenation treatments such as Botox. The most commonly used dermal filler is called haluronic acid, which is a substance that occurs naturally in the body and comes with many brand names. Dr. Gonzalez will assess your needs and recommend one or a combination of treatments to achieve your desired results.