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Author Topic: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers  (Read 14325 times)

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Offline mcmaclean01

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  • Posts: 12
Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« on: October 16, 2007, 09:30:59 pm »
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
Three years ago I went to the DMV to renew my Drivers License; they took the picture and said that I would receive the DL in the mail.  Upon receiving the DL I looked at the picture and was horrified.  My face looked so skeletal with sunken cheeks; I never realized how badly the lipodystrophy had removed my facial fat.  My friend Steven was exposed to the same problem and he had gone to a doctor to have his face corrected with temporary filler that was of a natural source.

I mentioned my desire to get this done to another friend, that was quite amused at the idea, and he revealed to me that he had had his face done with silicone and it was permanent not temporary.  I couldn’t believe how normal his face looked without knowing that he had it done.  I even felt his cheeks and they felt quite normal.  I made an appointment immediately with his Doctor.

At the appointment I questioned his doctor on several topics in relation to silicone toxicity and bodily rejection and he assured me that the only problem would be bodily rejection as the silicone was implanted in multiple very small amounts unlike a large breast implant therefore their would only be a very small rejection as the small implants would not cause any toxicity.  He also informed me that the silicone was injected directly into your face, and after the first set of implants were undertaken after one month your answer to facial rejection would be well known as if rejected they would be visible through redness as the body would on it’s own reject the silicone and flush it out.

So I said let’s go for it.  He told me that if I so desired he would he would apply an anesthetic but his preference was no anesthetic because he would prefer to see the instant facial reactions, and because I am a diabetic I am quite use to small needles so I told him okay no problem.  He then told me it would take four to six monthly appointments with applications of 20 to 50 injections in each cheek per appointment and the cost was $350 per visit. I said “Let’s juice ‘em up”

After the fourth appointment he showed me picture of my face before we started and I was so overjoyed at my fuller looking face.  He told me that it was my call for either another session or to stay with this look.  Honestly I could have used a fuller look but I personally found I looked better with a slightly sunken look, much like a body builder’s face.  That was almost three years ago and my face has not changed at all with no rejection problems to date, but now at the top of my head the lipodystrophy is now starting to implement railroad tracks.  Therefore I will be going back to him, and I would highly recommend him to anyone. He is highly professional and answers all your questions up front. As stated below, be smart and be strong.  Therefore pick yourself up and dust yourself off and move on. It’s a virus that you can control, unlike a cold virus that you cannot control.
Regards,
Mark

Dr. Lance Brown
67 Perry St, Basement
New York, NY 10014
212-675-5847,
212-675-5896   
 

Offline allanq

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  • Posts: 713
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2007, 01:06:03 am »
The website www.facialwasting.org states that silicone injections are banned in most countries. Not just "not approved," but banned.

I'm glad this has worked out for you, but I would be very apprehensive about using "good old silicone" to fill my face.

Allan



Offline RAB

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,895
  • Joined March 2003
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2007, 09:30:01 am »
Hi McMac;

I'm glad you found a treatment for your facial wasting that you are pleased with.  There are so many of us who have seen that look when we view our reflection in the mirror and understand completely the toll it can take on a person.

Allanq:

I understand your apprehension, I think Silicone (just the word) can/is one that people naturally approach with caution.

Fortunately, there are several options available for treatment of facial wasting.  Each with it's own positives and negatives. 

To anyone else:

I think the most important thing for anyone considering treatment of facial wasting is to find a doctor who is experienced and knowledgeable. 

Personally, I've had a lot of silicone injected in my face.  7 cc on each side.  The work was done by a very well respected doctor who's reputation is known around the world.  (He and his wife were pioneers in Botox)  (I got lucky as it was a clinical study so the treatments didn't cost me anything.)

That was back in 2003.  I've had no problems what so ever.  No migration, no relapse, no rejections/infections.  I couldn't be happier.

I've also recently had treatment with Artefill (the only FDA approved filler that is permanent).  It takes about 6 weeks for the full affect to be achieved, so I'm not able to comment yet whether it's as good as silicone.

Either way, as I said earlier, I don't think the what is as important as the who.

Just my .02. 

RAB


Offline mcmaclean01

  • Member
  • Posts: 12
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2007, 02:17:26 pm »
Hey Allan,
Dr. Brown did offer me a few choices and that's why I questioned him quite intensly, and silicone was my choice because it was permanent and not a six month filler like Botox, Sculptra and most others.  If I had a choice again I'd do the same.
Kind Regards,
Mark
« Last Edit: October 17, 2007, 02:21:43 pm by mcmaclean01 »

Offline MitchMiller

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  • Posts: 672
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2007, 09:54:10 pm »
I'm curious why the doc would risk injection into the face before knowing if you're body might reject the silicone.  I've been told the body doesn't simply "flush it out."  It can require lots of anti-inflamatory drugs to control the rejection.  Sometimes it subsides and sometimes the treatments can go on for more than a year.

Shouldn't the doc has done a small test somewhere else on the body where it wouldn't be so noticable if rejection occurred?

I'm asking because I'm still thinking about getting silicone treatments.

Offline anniebc

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  • Posts: 6,185
  • AM member since 2003
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2007, 10:31:54 pm »
Hi Mitch

As far as I know most Doctors will do a small test to see if there are any allergic reactions to the filler, if there was this would show up in, I would think, a few days.

Not sure if Mark had this done or not, he didn't say.

Hugs
Jan :-*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Never knock on deaths door..ring the bell and run..he really hates that.

Offline Antinouus

  • Member
  • Posts: 20
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2008, 03:29:21 pm »
A question to Mc,
is the doc in USA?
Thanks

Offline Soolip

  • Member
  • Posts: 18
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2008, 02:03:58 pm »
The problems with rejection have been with unrefined, industrial-type silicone. So far, I don't know of any problems with medical-grade silicone injected using micro-droplet technique. This procedure has been done in Europe for 20+ years, and has more recently in the United States. I've had it done myself with no problems. The results are very natural-looking, and it feels like normal skin. I don't know how it will hold up over time. My doctor says that in his experience it ages very well.

Dr. Derek Jones in Beverly Hills specializes in this. Last I checked, it cost $900 for each treatment. Expect about 2-3 treatments for each stage of lipodystropy (there are 4 stages). It was worth the money, and much cheaper than a temporary filler in the long run.

Offline megasept

  • Member
  • Posts: 478
  • Steven here...
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2008, 11:49:46 pm »
Hi McMac;

I'm glad you found a treatment for your facial wasting that you are pleased with.  There are so many of us who have seen that look when we view our reflection in the mirror and understand completely the toll it can take on a person.

Allanq:

I understand your apprehension, I think Silicone (just the word) can/is one that people naturally approach with caution...

RAB

Caution? Absolutely! Sure, injected Silicone "beads" has high YUCK factor, which is one reason I looked into it. I figured something that sounded so wrong that was done thousands of times by experienced professionals might be getting a bad rap for other reasons like leaking tit jobs. Industrial Silicone, often used by prostitutes and others short on cash, was one culprit. As I posted many moons ago, I had the same treatment, called Silikone 2000 (or something dopey like that). I was happy with it. I still am. I don't recall any discussion of potential "rejection". No problems. An unpleasant 1/2 hour, couple days as a chipmunk, and then a few weeks to settle into my new "normal" face. Absolutely normal feeling. Cost under $2000 by the time we were finished. Dr. Harvey Abrams of Wilshire Aesthetics, LA, California. There are others offering the same treatment.
 8)  -megasept
 
« Last Edit: May 25, 2008, 11:55:20 pm by megasept »

Offline Soolip

  • Member
  • Posts: 18
Re: Good old Silicone Facial Fillers
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2008, 01:52:29 pm »
The product is "Silikon 1000". It is used for eye surgery, but has been used successfully for treating facial lipodystrophy.

The effect is not instantaneous. You have to wait for collegen to form around the beads of silicone -- usually about 1-2 months in-between treatments. If your doctor is good, he will inject less silicone as the desired correction is approached. This is a permanent filler, and you don't want to over-correct your face. My stage-2 lipodystrophy was treated over the course of 10 months. My face has held up, and my cheeks are just as full as they were after my last visit.

There have been more problems with PMMA, though most people seem to be happy with this treatment option. I have seen some over-correction with PMMA -- due to the fact that enormous amounts are injected in one sitting. I don't think this is the norm, and reliable and respected physicians should be able to treat you properly regardless of the treatment used.

 


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