When most of us think about injectables like dermal fillers and neuromodulators like BOTOX® and Dysport®, we think about their cosmetic uses, to plump lips or smooth foreheads. But these treatments have a myriad of uses, from the cosmetic to the therapeutic. I spent some time with the experts at Toronto-based plastic surgery and advanced aesthetics clinic FORM Face + Body where they taught me there was more to injectables than meets the eye.
Located in Toronto’s midtown, FORM Face + Body opened in 2020 under the leadership of board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Ron Somogyi or Dr. Waqqas Jalil. The clinic offers various cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgeries, as well as Rhinoplasty, Breast Augmentation, Abdominoplasty, Body Contouring, and non-surgical treatments like Dermal Fillers, skin rejuvenation and Microneedling. I met with Dr. Jalil as well as nurse injector Megan, who taught me about some interesting and lesser-known uses of injectables and gave me the chance to experience 2 of them as well.
BOTOX® and fillers for tech neck
Tech neck is not a term I had on my radar until this experience, but it’s probably the most 2022 aging issue I’ve ever heard of. With all the time we spend on our smartphones and other devices we’re constantly looking down at, it’s starting to show right on our necks. That repetition deepens the horizontal lines between our chins and collarbones. For those of us concerned about premature aging, or fighting the ravages of time, we all know our necks need the same care that we lavish on our faces. Small amounts of Botox or filler can be injected into this area to help tighten the skin and smooth the lines, erasing the effects of our tech addictions and keeping our necks in line with our faces when it comes to aging.
BOTOX® in Masseter for TMJ
I’ve been grinding my teeth while I sleep for as long as I can remember, and probably longer. I’ve had braces and bite guards, but they never gave me relief from waking up with a sore jaw and wearing my teeth down. Then I learned this very issue could be treated with a simple set of Botox injections. Scientifically knows as Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders, excessive tooth grinding can displace and overwork the jaw joints and surrounding muscles and ligaments. Symptoms of TMJ disorders can include jaw tenderness, tension headaches, earaches, and facial pain. By injecting a neuromodulator like Botox into the temporalis, frontal, and masseter muscles (the muscles around the jaw), the nerve signals that cause those repetitive, grind inducing muscle movements are blocked.
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Before injecting me, Megan took the time to look at the muscles of my face, asking me to clench, flex and relax as she mapped out where she would be placing her needle. Once she had her plans in place, Megan injected both sides of my face, in the muscle groups I listed above. She advised that it would take about 2 weeks to feel the full results of the injection. It has now been just over a month and the muscles around my jaw, once swole like little facial body builders, have softened immensely, and I feel so much better every morning when I wake up.
BOTOX® for Axillary hyperhidrosis treatments for underarms
Many people struggle with excessive sweating that can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. As it turns out, neuromodulators like Botox can be used as a treatment, because they can block the nerve signals responsible for sweating and stop the sweat glands from producing excessive sweat. For the underarm area, the treatment would involve 15-20 small injections administered directly into that part of the body. After treatment, patients may notice results after just a few days, and on the high end, the results can be highly effective and long-lasting Results can include a noticeable reduction in sweat in the treated areas, as well as the reduction of any noticeable body odours caused by axillary hyperhidrosis.
FILLER for– Mid-Face volume loss injected in the pyriform aperture
Around the time I turned 40 I started to notice a loss of volume in my cheek area, resulting in the dreaded “marionette lines”, or enhanced nasolabial folds. One option to reduce these lines is to inject filler directly into them, but there are other ways, as I learned at FORM Face + Body.
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The pyriform aperture is a pear-shaped opening in the skull behind the nose, including the hollows next to the nostrils. Megan cites this as one of her favourite “secret weapon” placements for filler, for how a very small amount of filler in a very quick and easy treatment can have such an impact on the overall look of the patient’s face. This filler placement helps soften the appearance of the nasolabial fold and to address volume loss in the mid face. Megan injected the filler directly into the area, which was a bit tender, but was over very quickly. The amount she used was minimal but the impact was visible to me. The lines that I’d found myself noticing, were no longer noticeable. But most of all, I still looked like myself, and that was the best part.
FILLER FOR – Recreating nipples after breast reconstruction
Breast reconstruction surgery, for post breast cancer treatment or other reasons, is an important resource to potentially help improve the psychological well-being of patients who have undergone mastectomies. While nipple flattening can be a common side effect of the surgery, the doctors at FORM Face + Body can use filler in order to help patients achieve the results that help them feel like themselves again. Hyaluronic Acid fillers like Juvéderm® can be utilized a non-invasive way to restore the 3-dimensional contour of the nipple following a nipple-areola complex (NAC) reconstruction. Doctors can inject the filler at the base of the nipple until the desired projection is obtained. With a proven track record of safe and effective results in other areas of the body and of course the face, HA filler are a useful and even ideal tool for reconstruction in this area of the body to achieve natural and comfortable results.
If you’re in search of relief for excessive sweating, tooth grinding, or are looking for some minimally invasive reconstruction options, reach out to Form Face + Body (or your nearest, reputable clinic if you’re not from the GTA) to learn more.