The aesthetic push today for youth and beauty with little to no down time, appears to offer more convenience to patients, but it can be risky. Med spas can certainly offer aesthetic treatments; however, when it comes to your face, you may want to seek the input of a board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Nimtz, who can educate you about the risks of these treatments, as well as treat potential problems.
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a common procedure performed at your local Med Spa. Luckily, a BOTOX or Dysport® treatment is not permanent, but BOTOX does temporarily paralyze the facial muscles. This paralysis cannot be reversed but will wear off in 3-6 months. Patients run the risk of dropped brows or facial asymmetry when being treated by professionals who have not had proper training that’s necessary when working with the facial muscles and nerves. Cost is often the driving factor when moving treatments such as BOTOX and Dysport to med spas, but at Commonwealth Plastic Surgery, we offer competitive pricing so patients can still receive the same great results, but without the high cost. We also offer incentives to repeat patients who have regularly scheduled BOTOX/Dysport treatments throughout the year.
Facial fillers can also cause problems with asymmetry but may also cause wounds if not injected in the correct place with a proper dosage. Dr. Nimtz does a fair amount of filler correction on patients treated at med spas in the Lexington and London area. A board-certified plastic surgeon has a full range of treatment options, whereas a med spa may be limited in treatment offerings and are often more product driven. A med spa may be able to offer treatments at a lower price, but over time, the cost could be higher. Facial fillers, for example, may cost around $600 per syringe and last only 6-12 months. Facial fat grafting, which can be an in-office surgical procedure, may last 5-7 years and use the patient’s own tissue, lowering the risk of adverse reactions. When patients get significant amounts of filler, facial fat grafting may be the better option financially. Since med spas can’t perform these surgical procedures, patients often get into treatment plans with several rounds of filler, which may cost the patient more over time.
Kybella® is another product which can be easily injected at a med spa however, there are risks involved when injecting so close to major facial nerves that can be permanently damaged by a syringe. It’s safe when the injections are performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Furthermore, liposuction may be a cheaper and more comprehensive correction for a patient seeking to improve the contour of their chin and lower jaw. Often, the total procedure time and associated downtime is less than what patients typically think for procedures such as liposuction, when applied to the lower cheek and jaw.
When considering booking your treatments with your local med spa, you should consider seeking the input of a plastic surgeon who may broaden your treatment options, and who can offer treatments which may be better tailored to your needs.
If you’re looking further explore your Lexington cosmetic surgery options, request a consultation online or call our office at 859-277-9435.
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