Dermal fillers and men
Are you a man who is thinking about getting a dermal filler? You know what I’m talking about, right? Injections to your face that help to fill out wrinkles and smooth fine lines.
If the answer is yes, you’ve come to the right place. That’s because several months ago, I went to the dermatologist to get some work done.
It’s not like I looked terrible or anything. I didn’t. In fact, all through my thirties, I did a really good job of taking care of my skin. But once I hit forty, I realized that scrubs and moisturizers would only get me so far. That’s when I decided to make an appointment at my local medical spa for a consultation.
In looking at my face, the dermatologist was pleased with what he saw. “For a guy who just turned forty, you’ve done an amazing job at keeping away the wrinkles,” he said while inspecting my skin through magnifying glasses. “But I do see some marionette lines around your mouth – something that will only get deeper as time goes on,” he added.
The truth is, I had been using a collagen filler for my smile lines for years to keep the crevices at bay. While products like RoC’s Retinol cream (see Amazon) do a great job at masking these wrinkles, the benefits are only temporary.
After the doctor completed his analysis and we talked for a bit, he suggested that I get Botox around my eyes and a small amount of Restylane for my smile lines.
In case you don’t know, Restylane is a hyaluronic acid that occurs naturally in the body that helps deliver volume. The more volume you have, the less pronounced the lines. Because I’ve had several girlfriends benefit from this product, I figured I’d give it a try.
Restylane injections
And so that’s what I did. Three days later, I was back at the dermatologist’s office for the injections. I won’t go into much detail about the Botox experience because all that one does is freeze your face.
But the Restylane – all I can say is wow!
Immediately, I noticed a big difference in the lines around my mouth. While I can’t say they disappeared, I can say they cervices we massively minimized.
I am embedding a video to this post so that you can see what treatments look like. Keep in mind the patient is not me.
You may be wondering how much I spent on these treatments? Well, it wasn’t cheap. The Botox cost me around $600.00 for shots around my eyes and forehead. The Restylane set me back another $800.00 (total was $1400.00 everything).
Now here is the thing – the dermal filler (Restylane) lasts nine months to a year. I’m mentioning this because if I were reading this article, I’d want to know.
Now I won’t lie to you – my cheeks were (somewhat) red and swollen for 24-hours. My doctor told me this was normal and that it would go away. Sure enough – that’s precisely what happened.
Was it worth it?
Since receiving the Restylane treatments, I can tell you the injections have made a dramatic difference in my appearance. Several friends of mine have said things to me like, “Did you start a new skincare regimen because you look younger.” Perhaps the best compliments are from people I’ve just met who, upon learning my age say, “There’s no way you are forty.”
I realize that all of us are different and have varying skin types. That said, I have to say that choosing dermal filler injections was a net positive for me. The deep lines that were forming around my mouth have been greatly minimized. The Botox helps to keep everything in place.
Would I do it again? The answer is yes. I look at it this way. If you are already working out, eating healthy, and doing things to maintain your appearance, why wouldn’t you get a dermal filler?
Have you been injected with a dermal filler before? If so, what parts of your face have been treated? What product did you use? Feel free to share your comments below.
