This post is proudly sponsored by Allergan Canada. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.
No matter how young or old we are, we can agree that we all want to look and feel our best. Luckily with remarkable advances in science and medicine, people are living longer and looking younger in the process.
Thanks to some technological advances in skincare, women can unapologetically achieve a refreshing look on their own terms. Many women want to look and feel their best for their own age. Looking your age is less about trying to be someone younger, and more about being comfortable and confident in your own skin.
Last year, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Dr. Mauricio de Maio, an internationally renowned facial aesthetics expert, who has pioneered an innovative way to fight aging that focuses on feelings first. De Maio coined the term, MD CodesTM, which considers the full face and recognizes that individual areas of the face are inherently linked to specific emotional attributes.
Now, many dermatologists are using Dr. de Maio’s MD CodesTM in determining the course of treatments with fillers like Juvéderm. The MD CodesTM consider the emotions women would like to achieve:
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to offer one of my readers a visit with Dr. Julia Carroll of Compass Dermatology, who utilizes Dr. de Maio’s approach. We visited Dr. Carroll’s office for a consultation to discuss the possibility of treatment with fillers like Juvéderm. The goal of fillers is to plump and lift for natural-looking results; you can still look like yourself, but a slightly refreshed version.
Consultation
Lindsay is a mom of two and in her early 40s. She doesn’t like her frown lines and says she doesn’t look happy even when she smiles. She doesn’t want to look angry or unapproachable. Also, she doesn’t like the lines around her eyes, and wears glasses to hide them and how she looks tired.
Dr. Carroll asked Lindsay some questions about her medical history, and lifestyle choices – including whether she ever smoked, if she wears sunscreen or spends a lot of time in the sun, and how her own mom aged. As studies have shown, smoking, sunscreen use, and genetics all play a factor in aging.
Then, Dr. Carroll presented the MD CodesTM to Lindsay, and asked her to choose her top three goals; her reply:
• Less sad
• Look more feminine
• Look less saggy and slimmer
After the consultation, Dr. Carroll proposed a course of treatment that would help achieve Lindsay’s goals. Dr. Carroll suggested using some wrinkle reducing injections to release some of the tension to relax the muscles in between the eyes and muscles. She also suggested using Juvéderm to fill part of the face by Lindsay’s cheeks, temple and jawline to help make her face look slimmer.
Dr. Carroll explained what the treatment would entail, how to prepare for the treatment, and disclosed the potential side effects of using fillers. Once Lindsay’s questions were answered, Dr. Carroll’s assistant took her “before” photo, and we booked the treatment visit date!
Treatment
Dr. Carroll first drew out where she would apply treatment. Then, her assistant applied numbing cream to Lindsay’s face to help reduce any discomfort. Dr. Carroll then proceeded with the treatment, which lasted about 30 minutes. Right after the treatment, we could both see some results immediately. We noticed that Lindsay appeared refreshed, and eyes brighter.
Lindsay felt minimal bruising on one cheek, which went away within a couple of days. Lindsay felt the shape of her face appeared slimmer, and her eyes more widened. Her husband noticed her youthful appearance, saying she looked 10 years younger. Other friends complimented Lindsay on looking great but couldn’t quite pinpoint why! Lindsay’s results were quite subtle and natural-looking; she still looked like herself, but a slightly refreshed version.
We followed up with Dr. Carroll after two weeks when the facial fillers had settled. Dr. Carroll’s assistant also took Lindsay’s “after” photo as a comparison.
Juvéderm is a family of facial fillers used by your cosmetic doctor to refresh your appearance by smoothing away unwanted lines and wrinkles bringing back the natural contours of your face. Each product serves its own unique purpose, whether it’s to restore volume for a gentle lifting effect or to reshape and redefine the lips, ultimately hoping for a subtle younger look.1
There is a misconception about this treatment because some people have overdone the use of fillers and end up looking different; but when expertly injected, filler should look natural. The ultimate goal when considering a treatment is not only to look your best but feel your best – at any age.
To learn more about the Juvéderm family of facial fillers, and to find a qualified doctor in your area, visit http://www.juvederm.ca.
[1] JUVÉDERM.ca. What is JUVÉDERM? https://www.juvederm.ca/en/faqs. Last accessed on January 23, 2019.
