HOUSTON – Saggy cheeks, jowls and deep laugh lines can be the telltale signs of aging, but the US Food and Drug Administration has now approved a product that instantly taps into the fountain of youth.
Like many women of a certain age, Houstonian Paige Church hopes to regain a more youthful appearance.
Church told Channel 2, "When I look in the mirror, I feel like I look older than I feel."
So for her birthday, she paid a visit to Dr. Sherry Ingraham at Advanced Dermatology.
Restylane Lyft is the first and only FDA approved filler to lift the cheeks and add volume to correct and smooth smile lines.
Ingraham explained, "Instant gratification. This is really a five-minute facelift product. We lose bone as we age. We lose subcutaneous tissue and fat and we're replacing it with this firm substance. So the cheeks can be re-lifted, kind of like if you drape a dress on a frame. As we age, that frame becomes smaller. That skin or the dress hangs differently. So we want to get it back on that original frame, so that it's nice and lifted and taut."
The face is numbed before the in-office injections, which cost about $600.
Results last at least a year. Church said it was a much better alternative to an invasive facelift.
Church laughed, "That scares the heck out of me and if I can do little things like this that help my confidence and make me feel better, that's what I'm going to do! It was five minutes and it was the best birthday gift ever!"
Dr. Ingraham said because there is some minor bruising and swelling immediately after the injections, patients are advised not to exercise the day of the procedure. Other than that, they can return to normal activities.