Taking care of our skin when we are young is one of the best ways we can prevent wrinkles. Once wrinkles have set in, there are many ways in which they can be improved.

Traditional methods of chemical peels, laser peels, browlift, facelift, Botox, and other methods are popular and achieve dramatic results, but often require a great deal of postoperative care, time off work, expense, etc.

In recent years, many new substances have been used to inject or "fill-in" these unsightly wrinkles. These substances include fat, collagen, dermis, and permanent artificial implants. One of the most promising substances used today is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a complex sugar that occurs naturally in the body and serves an important structural and functional role in the dermis. The cross-linking of many molecules of hyaluronic acid forms Hylans. These hylans are combined with Hypromellose to form Hylan-Ses or with Dextran beads to form Hylan-Dex. These products give greater hardiness and size to the hyaluronic acid molecules.

The advantages of these molecules are that they are easily injected, last longer than other products, do not have to be skin tested for allergic reactions, and have few if any side effects.

Hyaluronic acid is injected into the wrinkle line to enhance the dermis and "fill-in" the wrinkle. It is a relatively painless procedure that is performed in the office and results are seen immediately. The wrinkles are reinjected at 2 weeks to enhance the first injection. Results are longlasting with a significant effect still visible at 8 to 12 months for Hylan-Ses and about 18 months for Hylan-Dex. There is no post-procedure care involved and no serious adverse effects have been seen.

Essentially any wrinkle line in the face can be treated, but the deeper the line the more Hyaluronic acid needs to be injected. This substance can also be combined with Botox to achieve an even greater effect, especially around the eyes and between the eyebrows.

Please consult our esthetician or physicians for more information and find out if Hyaluronic acid would be right for you.