MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL
And “just like that,” as Carrie Bradshaw would say, after what seemed like forever, NYC opened its doors. Once again, life in the city was there to enjoy.
I must admit, masks did offer me a strange sense of freedom. Most days with no more than a touch of mascara and brow pencil I was out the door and ready for my Covid restricted day. Now with masks off, I found myself in a totally different situation. Getting ready for a night out, I began to apply my make-up with the help of my trusted magnifying mirror. Taking a good look, I was a bit surprised at what I actually saw. Starring back at me were new lines on my forehead, little lines above my lips, and a loss of volume that I didn’t even notice before. The next morning, I made an appointment with Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Bryan Forley in his New York City office.
In the examining room, Dr. Forley handed me a mirror and asked me my concerns. I told him that I was very leery of fillers that would make me look over done.
Dr Forley took his time to explain that today, beauty is no longer about age. Patients, men and women, just want to look their personal best. Looking closely at my face, he explained that the natural Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in our faces helps to provide moisture, volume and structure. Over time, he went on to say, the skin produces less and less HA and the integrity of the collagen deteriorates. And when that happens, wrinkles, etched lines, and skin laxity all begin to appear. In addition, he explained that our faces are in constant motion, making thousand of movements throughout the day and night.
Understanding my fear about looking over done, he told me there is a new and exciting FDA-approved filler, that if injected properly will eliminate my concerns.
The RHA* Collection is the latest advancement in a decade, and the only resilient HA filler that has a specific FDA indication to treat dynamic wrinkles and folds of the face.
Developed in Geneva, Switzerland by Teoxane laboratories, its founder Valerie Taupin, the co-creator of Juvederm over a decade ago, along with her R&D team, saw the limitations with the traditional HA fillers on the market. Madame Taupin, challenged her R&D team to develop a new series of fillers that moved in harmony with the dynamic areas of the face, to actually mimic the skin’s natural HA. This differs from the existing fillers on the market that were engineered with a high degree of chemical modification and did not meet the demands of facial movement.
And thus, the RHA* collection was developed.
RHA* Redensity is approved to correct moderate to severe lip lines.
RHA* 2 and RHA* 3 are indicated for injections into the mid to deep dermis, and used to treat nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
RHA* 4, is indicated for injections into the deep dermis and superficial subcutaneous tissues of the cheeks and jawline.
Dr. Forley told me that with the numbing cream he uses, there is little to no pain or discomfort. I asked him which of the RHA* fillers would work for me.
After examining the structure and skin quality, he suggested that we first address the lines on my upper lip. He recommend starting slow, his philosophy, we can always come back to the injected site and add more.
After numbing my upper lip, he began to inject RHA* Redensity. I must tell you that my fear and anxiety actually disappeared, because for me, it was pain free and over before I knew it. There was some slight bruising to the site, which Dr. Forley told me could happen, but that resolved in just a couple of days. Looking in the magnifying mirror once again, I was thrilled with the results.
The RHA* Collection of fillers are available in select practices in the US with a reputation for providing exceptional patient treatment outcomes.
If you live, or plan to visit NYC, be sure to check out Dr. Forley.
Bryan G. Forley, M.D., F. A. C. S.
5 East 82nd Street NYC, 10028
212-861-3757
www.drforley.com
