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3 Ways to Avoid a Filler Nightmare

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Facial fillers are a common cosmetic treatment for wrinkles with low risk of ill-effects–in the hands of a skilled physician. Fillers such as Restylane, Perlane, Juvéderm, Voluma, or Boletera have become a great way to rejuvenate your face without surgery or downtime.

However, when used incorrectly or in excess, clients are left looking over-volumized, like they’ve had their face unnaturally inflated in an attempt to remove all wrinkles. Bad experiences with facial fillers can leave clients with both physical discomfort and embarrassing side effects, including an over-inflated, unnatural look. Here are 3 ways to avoid a filler nightmare.

First: Always Make Educated Decisions with Fillers

Facial fillers have become increasingly popular, since they are non-surgical, yield immediate benefits and require virtually no down-time. Their rapid popularity has even led to injections being offered by many hair salons and spas. But while the convenience of getting fillers done at your local salon or spa may seem tempting, you should always consult with and have this procedure done by a well trained medical professional.

Most filler gone wrong stories occur when fillers are used by someone without the skill, experience or credentials to use them.

So, what do you look for in a filler? There are many different types of fillers, some create volume, some create lift, some are immediate and some stimulate collagen production over time. Most fillers are made from hyaluronic acid, the natural substance in your skin that keeps is smooth and youthful.

We all begin to lose hyaluronic acid after the age of 30 making replacement of volume with hyaluronic fillers a natural solution to prevent the aging process. Be sure the professional doing your filler is knowledgeable about all types of filler and is picking the right one for you.

Second: Look Younger, Not Plumper

When exploring hyaluronic fillers, beware of excess! Personalized beauty expert, Dr. Ruthie Harper explains “while filler can be used to replace volume deficits, more importantly filler should be used for structural support to recreate the youthfulness that has been lost from sinking and sagging of the face that occurs with time and aging.”

An experienced injector will strategically place filler to lift areas that are drooping and will restore the skin to an original, more youthful position without over-volumizing. Even celebrities are not immune to filler nightmares, the photos below show what poor filler injections can do to your appearance.

An over-inflated face can never duplicate the face one had in youth. Plump does not equal youthful, and it looks just plain odd! Overly-plumped faces are so obvious that even a child can recognize that something doesn’t look quite right if filler has been used incorrectly. So, when it comes to fillers, more is definitely not better. You should always have a strategic plan designed by your doctor to get the perfect results.

Third: Find a More Youthful You, Not a Different Face

If you’ve followed the first two points, you’re well on your way to a professional and great experience with fillers. The last and most important step is the consultation with your doctor. It’s only by explaining to your doctor both what you do and don’t want that you’ll get the best results.

Dr. Ruthie Harper asks that you bring pictures of yourself in your 20’s to your initial consultation so she can discuss with you how and where filler can be used to recreate your own natural, youthful look. In most spas or in the hands of an unskilled injector, this level of care is rarely taken. With an experienced medical professional, fillers can be use to create natural beauty and a more rejuvenated version of you.

If you’ve had a bad experience or outcome with fillers at another place, we welcome you to call our office for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Ruthie Harper. She will explain how fillers, when done correctly, can take years off your appearance.

In the right hands, fillers are an important part of the anti-aging tool kit. Ruthie Harper MD has trained with the world’s experts to learn exactly how to do this and is an expert on how to use filler to recreate a youthful, natural look. Her clientele comes to her from all over the United States for her skill and art when using fillers.

Ruthie Harper MD has the experience and skill to use filler in a way that creates a younger, more beautiful you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar show_bg=”false” sidebar_id=”sidebar_1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”2″ gap=”10″ margin_top=”50″ margin_bottom=”50″ padding_top=”25″ padding_bottom=”25″ css=”.vc_custom_1513015230624{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Ready to Book a Consultation?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]

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Know The Lifespan of Your Face Care Products

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This week, I was interviewed by the New York Times to weigh in on preservative systems and the shelf life of cosmetic products. Here’s what’s important to know: There is a difference between the shelf life and the use life of skin care products and it is important to recognize this difference when you buy them.

The shelf life of a product is how long it is fully safe and effective for use after it is manufactured. The use life of a product is how long a product is safe and effective to use after you have purchased and opened it. Shelf life for all products should never exceed 1 year. Use life for products will vary.

For lip and eye products, the use life is 3 months. For face products such as cleansers, toners, moisturizers, sunscreen, etc, the use life is 1 year. As a general rule, the more ingredients there are in a product, the shorter the shelf life and the use life of the product.

For safety, products must have effective preservative systems to prevent them from growing bacteria, mold, fungus and pathogens after being opened. The major risk associated with the use of skin care products is not allergic reactions, it is using products that have been contaminated with mold, fungus, or bacteria after opening and with use, can cause serious eye, lip or skin infections.

There has been a trend in the last several years toward using new, “organic” preservative systems in products because the word organic holds marketing appeal for people. And while this may capture the consumer, I recommend using only safe preservative systems that have been on the market for 5 plus years to guarantee a record of safety and effectiveness.

Having said this, parabens and other preservatives, which are not good for the skin and not good for the body, should never be used. The fact that parabens cause hormonal disruption when used in skin care products has now been well established. At SKINSHIFT, We choose to use preservatives with a long track record for safety and effectiveness that are good for the skin as well as the body.

The entire SKINSHIFT line of skin care products was created by Dr. Ruthie Harper to provide a personalized skin care program specifically designed for your genetic profile. A simple cheek swab allows us to look into your DNA to determine your skin’s genetic strengths and weaknesses. The results from your SKINSHIFT DNA Test Kit determine which SKINSHIFT products are right for you. All of our products are genetically designed, physician-created, organic cosmeceuticals and most importantly use only safe and effective preservative systems for health and for beauty![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar show_bg=”false” sidebar_id=”sidebar_1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”2″ gap=”10″ margin_top=”50″ margin_bottom=”50″ padding_top=”25″ padding_bottom=”25″ css=”.vc_custom_1513015230624{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Ready to Book a Consultation?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]