Liquid facelift is a relatively new non-surgical cosmetic procedure used to lift or contour specific facial tissues or the entire face, to remove or reduce the appearance of wrinkles and creases. The end result is to have a youthful rejuvenated look without having to undergo any invasive surgery. The procedure involves injecting advanced derma-fillers below the dermis to achieve specific results.
Transient Side Effects
Since liquid facelift is still in the nascent stages, there are a few reported serious side effects. The reported side effects are usually mild and include swelling, tenderness, bruising and redness. Some patients have observed lumps around the area where the injection has been administered. These lumps are generally not visible to the naked eye and disappear after some time.
Side Effects of BOTOX
BOTOX, which is the most popular derma-filler, is known to cause usual mild side-effects and headaches at times. Less than 5 percent of the patients have experienced eyebrow drooping that is temporary and can be easily corrected by injecting the opposite muscles with a smaller quantity of BOTOX. In extremely rare cases, you may be temporarily unable to lift the eyelids. This too can be corrected by use of prescription eye drops. The use of BOTOX in very rare cases can cause spatial disorientation, focal facial paralysis, dyspena and anaphylaxis.
Needle Infections
In liquid facelifts, needles are used to inject the chosen derma-fillers into the dermis or skin. The use of injections in liquid facelifts, as in other procedures, involves a certain level of risk with reference to infection from needle. This, however, is extremely rare.
Allergic Reactions
The importance of a thorough preliminary debrief with the doctor about existing and previous medical conditions, as well as ongoing medications (including anticoagulants or blood thinners), should not be overlooked. Each patient is unique not only in facial features, skin type and expectations from the facelift, but also with respect to allergies and medical conditions. If you have any pre-existing infections around the injection sites, any type of neuromuscular disorder such Lambert-Eaton, are pregnant or are breast feeding, use of BOTOX is not recommended. If you have active sores, acne, rash or any infection near the proposed injection site, you are advised to wait until these have been treated before undergoing the procedure in order to prevent any complications.
It is best to undergo skin tests to check for allergic reactions to specific derma-fills. In a rare occasion, the injected area may react to the filler and become inflamed forming a granuloma, or nodule. If these cannot be relieved by steroids and antibiotics, surgical excision is required.
Blood Vessel Ruptures
In an extremely rare case, a blood vessel can be accidentally ruptured leading to necrosis (tissue death), embolism or infraction. If the derma fillers are not injected at the precise depth and whist withdrawing the needle, several complications can arise. When AretFill is incorrectly injected superficially, it causes a ridge or elevation along the injection line. In such a situation, the ArteFill is immediately extracted, if not then excision is mandatory. Serious long term side effects of Liquid facelifts are still to be recorded.
