 Chicago
Collagen: Refine Medical Spa Collagen Treatments
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Collagen treatments at Refine Medical Spa:
An Introduction to Collagen
What is Collagen and How Does It Work?
How Long Does a Collagen Treatment Take?
How is Treatment Performed Exactly?
Are There Any Side Effects?
Is Collagen Right For Me?
When Will I See the Effects of My Collagen Injection?
Is the Effect of Collagen Permanent?
Before and After Photos
Collagen Treatment Review
An Introduction to Collagen
Face it: lines and wrinkles happen. However, with collagen skin
treatments you can just fill in those little annoyances. Collagen
treatments last from 3 to 6 months and take less than an hour
in a doctor's office. Results are immediate and recovery time
is so short, you can sneak in a treatment at lunchtime. Telling
anyone or not is delightfully up to you.
Collagen is actually part of the natural support structure of
your skin. Wrinkles form when this natural collagen thins. This
loss is mostly a factor of aging, but exposure, pollution, health,
heredity and lifestyle also play roles. Without enough collagen,
wrinkles and lines start to form wherever the skin moves. Collagen
Replacement Therapy replenishes the skin's collagen layer, smoothing
lines and wrinkles, and adding definition to lip borders from
the inside out. And results are immediate.
Collagen Replacement Therapy has been proven safe and effective
for well over 15 years. You and your Refine professional will
tailor a treatment program to meet your individual needs. No matter
which options you choose, be sure you receive enough collagen
to achieve the look you want.
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What is Collagen and How Does It Work?
Collagen injections are a fast and safe non-surgical method of
reducing facial lines and wrinkles.
Collagen is a natural protein that gives support and structure
to bone, cartilage, skin, and tendons. It is essential for skin
strength and elasticity. As one ages, the collagen breaks down,
causing skin to lose its elasticity and to wrinkle and droop.
To combat the signs of aging, many people receive collagen injections
to replace their lost natural collagen.
Collagen injections are derived from purified bovine (cow) collagen
(which is very similar to human collagen) or human collagen. The
collagen is manufactured in different thicknesses to meet the
needs of different patients.
Collagen injections are used to fill in facial wrinkles and depressions,
such as laugh lines, smile lines, facial wrinkles, lip creases,
crow’s feet, and acne scars. Many also receive collagen treatments
to create plumper cheeks or lips. Some additionally receive treatment
in areas of the neck, back and chest. Oftentimes, collagen injections
are used in conjunction with another cosmetic procedure such as
laser skin resurfacing or BOTOX® injections. Some patients decide
to use BOTOX® to treat frown lines and collagen for lip augmentation.
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How Long Does a Collagen Treatment Take?
Often referred to as “lunchtime” cosmetic procedures, collagen
injections are performed in our offices and do not require local
anesthesia because the collagen injections contain lidocaine,
which has a numbing effect. Treatment usually takes less than
an hour, depending on the number of injections required. You will
be able to return to your daily activities immediately afterward.
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How is Treatment Performed Exactly?
The Refine Medical Spa professionals will administer a number
of tiny injections just under the skin into the dermis (the second
layer of skin) along the entire area to be treated. A local anesthetic
contained in the collagen mixture helps to reduce discomfort.
A topical anesthetic cream may also be used. The treatment area
will be slightly overfilled as the body will absorb the saltwater
in the collagen solution. During a series of treatment sessions,
a person receives the amount of collagen necessary to "fill out"
the lines and wrinkles or raise the scar depression up to the
level of the surrounding skin. The treatment is very quick and
relatively pain-free, temporarily restoring a smoother, more youthful-looking
appearance.
Several weeks following the collagen treatment, the injected
bovine or human collagen will break down and be replaced with
newly formed human collagen. In order to maintain the effects,
collagen injections will have to be repeated every three to 12
months.
Collagen injections are a quick and easy way to reduce the appearance
of wrinkles.
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Are There Any Side Effects?
Collagen therapy is considered safe for the treatment of facial
wrinkles, scars and contour irregularities. Patients may however
notice a slight throbbing or stinging in the treatment area for
a few hours after the injection. Redness at the injection site
should dissipate after 24 hours. Temporary swelling or bruising
may occur in some patients. Patients will be able to resume normal
activity immediately following treatment.
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Is Collagen Right For Me?
Collagen injections are the right treatment for you if you have
early smile lines, desire fuller lips, you have deeper smile lines
but still have reasonably good skin tone, or if you have had a
facelift or brow lift and desire to touch up the smile lines or
frown lines without further surgery. The professionals at Refine
Medical Spa will review your medical history and administer some
allergy tests to ensure that the treatments will be safe and effective
for you.
The primary risks of collagen injection include an allergic reaction
to the collagen, infection, abscess formation, and lumpiness in
the treated area. While most patients do not experience these
complications, it is important to understand them prior to undergoing
collagen injections.
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When Will I See the Effects of the Collagen
Injection?
You will notice an improvement in the contour of your face immediately
following the injection. Most likely, however, you will have a
very mild temporary swelling.
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Is the Effect of Collagen Permanent?
The length of time the collagen effects last depends on many
factors. Typically, 3 to 6 months may go by before touchup or
maintenance treatments are required. Occasionally, treatments
may need to be done sooner or more often depending on the individual's
skin type. In some people the collagen injections seem to stimulate
the body's own production of collagen, and improvement can last
more than a year. Some patients do maintain the injected volume
permanently (although rare), but in other patients the results
may fade after only a few months, as injected material is eventually
metabolized by the body. Longevity of a treatment may also be
related to the muscle activity in the area. Areas with intense,
repetitive muscle activity seem to metabolize the collagen more
rapidly than areas with less muscle activity. Because of this,
collagen injections are sometimes combined with BOTOX® injections
to paralyze the regional muscles and prolong the effects of the
injected collagen.
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Before and After Photos
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Before
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Partial Correction, 1.5cc
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After Correction, 3cc
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Reviews
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review on Refine Medical Spa's Collagen Treatment
Contact us for further information or to book a consultation.
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Collagen
injections can enhance lip fullness adding definition to the border
around your mouth while filling in annoying vertical lip lines.
Treatment can also minimize or eliminate deeper creases between
your nose and mouth when you smile. 
Refine
Medical Spa can provide collagen treatments during your lunch hour
for your convenience.
Chicago Smartlipo™
