Cosmetic surgery & aesthetic medicine : how durable are the results ?

Cosmetic surgery & aesthetic medicine : how durable are the results ?

How long do injectables last ?

Botox : 6 months on average

Type A Botulinum toxin prevents muscle contraction and its duration of effect is 4 to 6 months. Increasing the amount of Botox could make it last longer, but it would completely freeze the muscle as well as facial expressions, which is not the goal of the procedure. During the first year, two injection sessions are required, but patients can wait a year between each treatment after that.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) : 12 months and more

There are many HA based fillers with different densities which are chosen depending on the treatment area. These products are intended to fill in wrinkles and plump up the skin. Several studies have shown that HA fillers can last 12 months when injected in the lips and 18 months in the cheekbones and nasolabial folds.

Sun exposure, smoking and pollution decrease HA’s duration which is affected by environmental damage, just like HA that is naturally occurring in our body. Smokers will have to repeat their HA injections more often than non-smokers, especially if they want to improve the shape and volume of their lips.

Durable results with fat grafting

Fat grafting techniques offer permanent results, because they transfer living fat cells from one area to another. The transferred cells live in the treatment area just like they would have in the area where they are harvested. On average, thirty percent of the transferred fat cells do not survive after a period of 6 months, which is normal and expected. Further fat grafting procedures can be performed after the first one to gain more volume in chosen areas. Note that aging as well as significant weight loss tend to decrease fat cells volume.