Breast Cancer Awareness, New Fillers & More
Greetings! With the current temperatures, it's hard to believe it's October and that Halloween and the Holidays are around the corner. I am proud to announce that we are adding two new products to the practice! The first is a new line of fillers. As many are aware, over the last few years I have pretty much exclusively been using Allergan fillers, including Juvederm, Voluma, and Vobella. That is not to say that I do not occasionally use Sculptra or Radiesse on patients when the need arises, but when it comes to hyaluronic fillers (HA), I have been comfortable with and pleased with the results of the Allergan line. However, the FDA has recently approved the use of the Versa filler, which has been used
abroad for many years. The filler is most comparable to Juvederm, as opposed to the Vobella or Voluma. I just had the opportunity to use it, and was impressed by the fact that I witnessed slightly less swelling with the product compared to Juvederm.
The longevity of the product is supposed to be similar to the Juvederm, but the best news is that it is significantly cheaper! I placed my first order for the product on Friday, and am excited to be able to offer it to my patients. The other exciting news is that there is a new competitor to Botox. It is called Juveau. I tried it on myself approximately a week ago, and found the results to be similar to that of Botox, but it worked significantly quicker. This product is also less expensive than Botox, except maybe for those of you with tons of Brilliant Distinctions points! The manufacturers of the Versa and Juveau are offering rewards to compete with Brilliant Distinctions, and the staff is working diligently to learn the ins and outs of the various loyalty programs.
For the month of October, to celebrate the introduction of Versa and Juveau, we are offering $50.00 off of any purchase of a $300 or more purchase of Juveau. For those interested in filler, we are offering $50.00 off of a syringe of Versa, which is also being matched by the manufacturer, for a combined $100 savings on a product (which is already less expensive than Juverderm). Please call the office for details. Unfortunately, we cannot combine this offer with other specials or promotions. Now is a great time to freshen your look with the holidays fast approaching.
We are also offering two other specials for the month of October: $50 off of a Botox treatment with the purchase of a SkinPen Microneedling treatment & Free cosmetic breast surgery consultations in support of Breast cancer awareness month. Once again, offers cannot be combined and expire withing a year of purchase. Speaking of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought I'd reach out again to the many women out there who are concerned about the announcements over the last few months on the recall of textured Allergan implants.
As many are aware, implants are frequently used for breast reconstruction after lumpectomies or mastectomies. I have seen a lot of confusion about the different types of breast implants on the market and I hope the following information helps clarify things, and puts people's minds at ease.For starters, the 3 major breast implant manufacturers in the US marketplace are Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra.
Only the Allergan textured implants have been recalled, and not those made by Mentor or Sientra. The reason for the recall is that there have been a limited number of reported cases of a type of lymphoma that has developed in women with textured breast implants, and the majority of those women had textured implants made by Allergan. The lymphoma has been termed BIALCL, which stands for Breast Implant Associated Large Cell Lymphoma. Since the majority of the cases of lymphoma have been linked to Allergan implants, the thought is that there may be a link to the special texturing process used by Allergan, which is different from that of Mentor and Sientra. It is worth noting that textured implants may be filled with saline or silicone gel.
Additionally, if the implants are filled with silicone gel, the shape may be round or contoured. The shaped, contoured implants made by Allergan are the ones that got nicknamed "Gummie Bear" implants. The recall applies not only to these Allergan "Gummie Bear" implants, but also the round saline and silicone gel filled textured implants.The women who have presented with the BIALCL were found to have a new onset of swelling with fluid around the implant(s) over a year after the implant(s) were placed. There are theories being developed as to what is the etiology or cause of the lymphoma, including even a bacterial cause.
I think the most important take home point is that neither the FDA nor the American Society of Plastic Surgery are recommending removal of asymptomatic implants. Again, the incidence of this lymphoma remains low and there is a lot that remains unknown with BIACL. However, if you or someone you know has developed a new onset of swelling or fluid around their implant, particularly if the implant is textured, it is imperative that medical attention is sought.I hope that the above information affords some comfort, but a always, do not hesitate to contact me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns.
We are happy to see and evaluate you!
I hope you have a great day!