What Can You Do to Increase the Lifespan of Injectables?

Even though it can often seem like wrinkles develop overnight, they actually tend to start as faint lines in your skin that gradually become deeper as time goes on. This is because aging causes changes to the structure of your skin, such as reduced production of collagen and elastin, which are two of the proteins your skin needs to maintain its strength and elasticity. It also produces less hyaluronic acid, which is a molecule that keeps your skin hydrated by pulling in moisture from the air and the deeper skin layers. However, biological aging isn’t the only cause of skin damage. Your skin forms a barrier to protect your body and is continually affected by damaging factors from the environment, such as pollutants, ultraviolet radiation, cigarette smoke, other toxins, and harsh weather changes. Facial fillers and neuromodulators can restore more youthful-looking skin, and both come in the form of injectables. The Rockland, Maine-based Skin Klinic & Day Spa team explains how these treatments work—as well as what can be done to extend the lifespan of their results.

Dermal fillers add volume beneath the skin’s surface to reduce the depth of wrinkles or depressions and lift the skin. Neuromodulators like BOTOX® relax facial muscles in specific areas to prevent the contractions that cause wrinkles. Both are quite effective at restoring a youthful look to a person’s face, but one of the few drawbacks of these treatments is that the results are temporary and usually only last for a few months. That mean patients must eventually have repeat injections to maintain their results.

The speed at which the effects of these injectables wear off varies depending on the dosage, the part of the face where the injections were made, and the individual processes of the patient’s body. Smaller dosages tend to wear off faster, and injectables don’t last as long in areas where the skin is thinner or where there is heavy muscle activity, such as around the mouth or the region surrounding the eyes.

Your skin care routine at home can help you maximize the results from these treatments. See below for some simple techniques for extending the lifespan of fillers and neuromodulators between appointments.

Avoid Exaggerated Expressions

Experts believe that injectables wear off faster on patients who exercise frequently—and there’s no way of fully preventing that. However, you can try to avoid exaggerated facial expressions such as squinting and scowling when you work out, which can help.

Take a Zinc Supplement

Zinc is a nutrient that has numerous benefits for your body and metabolism. It supports a strong immune system to help you fight off infections, decreases inflammation, and reduces the risk of age-related diseases. Taking a zinc supplement may also prolong the skin-smoothing results of BOTOX®.

Keep Out of the Sun

Aside from aging itself, sun damage can have the most harmful effect on your skin, so you need to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen each day to preserve strong, elastic skin. Limit the amount of time you spend in the sun and wear other protective gear such as hats, sunglasses, and long-sleeved clothes.

Maintain Skin Hydration

Using ultra-hydrating skin care products will be particularly important after you’ve had fillers or neuromodulators. Don’t forget to continue drinking plenty of water as well. Look for moisturizing products containing hyaluronic acid, as this ingredient reduces inflammation in the skin and improves the longevity of injectables. You can also use products packed with glycerin, which will amplify the volumizing effects of fillers.

Reduce Your Stress Levels

Stress is not only bad for inflammatory skin conditions such as acne but can also trigger premature aging because of the high levels of cortisol and other hormones in the body. It’s also thought that being stressed could reduce the longevity of injectables. If you want to preserve youthful looking, healthy skin, do what you can to manage stress levels by using techniques like meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises—or simply getting more sleep.

Contact Skin Klinic & Day Spa for more advice about minimally invasive injectables for reducing facial wrinkles and adding volume to counteract collagen loss. Call them at (207) 594-7003 or fill out a contact form online to request a consultation if you’re interested in learning more.