A Little Lip Service || A Before and After and Q&A with The Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Center

Visually, the difference is subtle, but I can absolutely tell a change, especially on days when I wear makeup and put on a little lipstick/gloss. My cupid’s bow is now much more pronounced and it definitely makes my lips look more plump, but still natural. I know we’ve all seen the crazy people that end up on Botched and I told Maegan that I wanted full, but still natural looking lips… and to me, she NAILED it. 

Want to check out the process? You can watch this video we made during our appointment… I was nervous, but it was WAY less painful than I was expecting: 

There are various fillers on the market, but Maegan chose to go with Restylane on me because it’s firmer, a more viscous gel, and helps to create more life and volume for thinner lips… AND these results should last from 9-12 months so it’s a beauty regimen that’s easy to maintain. 
Want a little more detailed info? Both types of lip injection filler Maegan uses, Restylane and Juvederm, are made of Hyaluronic Acid, a molecule naturally found in the body, and absorb over time. Each of these brands have different fillers within the family and these differ in particle size, concentration and extent of cross linking. [a little scientific I know, but I wanted to provide as many details as possible for anyone with interest]

One || Tell us a little bit about yourself… personal, professional, and why you wanted to become a Nurse Practitioner with a focus on aesthetics. 

Two || Let’s talk about you… what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Three || What is your favorite procedure to perform on your clients?

That’s a hard one! I guess I would have to go with injectable filler [AKA what I had done]. I love spending time with acne and laser patients as well, but the potential for a patient to leave the office with visible results is pretty neat. Injecting is an art and allows me to use my creativity while applying scientific knowledge. As an injector, my job is to create and maintain balance and harmony. Whether I’m adding a small amount of volume to lips or restructuring the face to add shape and contour, the process is fun!

Four || For someone on a budget, what’s a great, inexpensive drugstore find that is something everyone should have in their beauty stash?

Five || What is the most popular service you perform?

I’d have to say botulunim toxin (Botox, Dysport) is still the most popular service patients request. It’s quick, easy, and there is no prepping or downtime involved. There are a few restrictions after the injection session, but “social downtime”, such as swelling or bruising, is rare. First time patients almost always comment on how little the injections hurt and I love reviewing before and after photos with patients to show improvement.  

Six || How do you and Dr. Garza work together?

Seven || We’re here to talk all things Botox and fillers… give me the top 3-5 reasons that people should use them! 
a) Some facial lines are caused by muscle movement such as smiling or frowning. Botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport) is very effective in improving the appearance of these lines and wrinkles. 
b) Injectable filler is useful in restoring lost volume to the face. I use filler to improve pitted scars, plump thin lips, enhance cheek contour and soften facial hallowing. 
c) Botulinum toxin can be used as a preventative measure [remember this friends!]. Injections temporarily paralyze the muscles and prohibit expressions, which stops the lines from forming. If these wrinkles do not become deep lines, more invasive procedures will not be needed down the road.
d) Everyone has a degree of facial asymmetry, and some might have more pronounced asymmetry than others. Filler can be used to make facial asymmetry less noticeable.
e) Botulinum toxin can help migraines. I have a patient who comes to me and receives Botox in her face, head, neck and shoulders and she swears by this. I don’t think she minds the cosmetic results from the injections either.

Eight || Since summer is right around the corner and we’ll all be outside as much as possible, what’s your favorite sunscreen line??
Protecting the skin from photo aging is one of the most important steps to great skin health. I recommend applying a broad spectrum SPF 30 or more daily to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. To get the most bang for your buck, I recommend a sun care product by EltaMD. I prefer EltaMD UV Clear for patients prone to acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation. It comes in tinted and untainted formulations and costs $32. And of course, reapply often! 

Nine || Any new promotions to note that us local ladies should look at for summer?? 
+Spend $200 on ZO Skin Health and ZO Skin Medical products and you’ll receive a free gift
+ Purchase a 60 minute Signature Facial for $85 and receive a FREE glycolic peel ($100 value) 
+ Filler special: 10% off one syringe, 15% off two syringes, 20% off three syringes
+ Purchase 6 sessions of Laser Genesis for neck tightening and firming for $1,200 and receive a FREE Neucutis Micro Firm neck cream ($135 value) 

Last week, I tested out this machine, the Laser Genesis treatment, which is non-invasive laser technology to safely, naturally and effectively treat fine lines and wrinkles, diffuse redness, rosacea, enlarged pores and scars [ummm yes, because I was horrible with my skincare until about 5 years ago so I definitely need this]. It helps to stimulate collagen regrowth while additional heat is generated to reduce redness and is most commonly used on the face and neck. 
You can choose to do one treatment as a  “Laser Facial” to get a healthy glow or a series of treatments to improve fine lines, wrinkles, pores, scarring, diffuse redness and uneven skin tone. A little warm on my face at times, but nothing painful or irritating to the skin. 

Finally, I wanted to share a new beauty product I bought at my follow-up visit last week called Intellishade. It’s affordable, yet effective, and it’s their #1 seller as a tinted sunscreen as well as an  anti-aging moisturizer = two for one is my kind of deal! I have already been using it daily and love the coverage, the matte shade so I don’t look oily, and now I feel good about protecting my skin. 

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