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Botox & Injectibles

In this day and age, some of us don’t have the time or desire to undergo a major surgical procedure. Freshen up your look and rejuvenate your appearance with these simple, non-invasive treatments.  There are procedures than can help you achieve a healthy, more youthful appearance without undergoing a major surgical procedure, which means less recovery time, if any. In addition, all injectables (e.g. Botox, Juvederm, Restylane, Artefill) are performed by plastic surgeons, with years of extensive training and experience to ensure the absolute best results. Below is a list of non-surgical procedures which can help treat your area of concern without undergoing surgery:

Botox® Frown lines, crow’s feet, lines around the mouth, neck “bands”, excessive sweating, forehead wrinkles.

Dermal Fillers Fine skin lines, scars, depressions from acne, lip enhancement (Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, Artefill).

Thermage Measurable tightening of the skin gradually appears over 2 to 6 months after a single treatment.

Cellulite Treatment Velashape re-contours the skin’s surface to reduce the appearance of cellulite.


One of the ways to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines is to inject substances known as dermal fillers that plump up the skin. At Hankins Plastic Surgery Associates/Ariana Cosmetic Surgery Center in Las Vegas, NV we offer several such procedures, including collagen and hyaluronic acid. These are effective and popular, but their results gradually fade and the skin returns to its previous shape and look. Touch-up treatments are required to maintain your youthful freshness. Artefill® is a different type of dermal filler. It gives permanent results.

Artefill's ingredients
It's a gel made of purified collagen, along with some lidocaine to reduce any discomfort during the procedure, and millions of tiny synthetic microspheres, the key ingredient. The microspheres are almost identical in size (30 to 50 microns) and have two components: Purified bovine collagenPolymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)

How Artefill works
PMMA is not absorbed by the body, as happens with all other injectable fillers. No enzymes can degrade it and no scavenger cells can engulf it and carry it away. The presence of the microspheres stimulates the skin to make more of its own collagen around each microsphere. This ends up being about 80% natural collagen woven around 20% microspheres. Gradually the body absorbs the bovine collagen in the microspheres, but the freshly-produced natural collagen replaces it. The PMMA remains. Since the Artefill is injected directly beneath targeted wrinkles, the tissue beneath these wrinkles is thus supported and filled-out long-term. In October, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Artefill for treatment of nasolabial folds, more popularly known as smile lines. They run vertically each side of the nose and mouth and are the deepest wrinkles our faces tend to get over the years. Artefill is not used for fine lines such as crow's feet.

Sensitivity test required
Because Artefill contains bovine collagen (derived from specially-bred cows in San Diego, California, which are FDA-compliant), a skin test must be done before treatment to make sure you are not allergic to it. It's performed about a month before your treatment.

The procedure
Artefill is injected using its own proprietary syringe, which comes pre-filled. The technique is one that directs the syringe almost horizontally under the skin to make a tunnel, and as the syringe is slowly withdrawn, Artefill remains in the tiny tunnel. Since it contains lidocaine (a local anesthetic often used by dentists), discomfort is minimal. The treatment takes about 20 minutes. Many people need two treatments spaced three to six weeks apart to get best results. Recovery is simple, as the redness, slight swelling, and perhaps extra sensitivity at the treatment site will subside within days. Drs. Sohn and Hankins have received special training in the use of Artefill. It is an improved version of an injectable filler called Artecoll, which has been used in Canada and Europe for a decade or more. Artes Medical acquired the rights to Artecoll and did further research, so that now we can offer you this excellent, long-term wrinkle treatment. Please contact us for more information, or to arrange for your personal consultation.


It is important when considering Botox® comes from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Most of us recognize this toxin as botulism, which is a form of food poisoning. One of the most dangerous complications of botulism is paralysis. But scientists have discovered a way to use this to our advantage. By injecting diluted and minute amounts directly into certain muscles, they can cause controlled weakening of the muscle. The result is reducing the signs of aging and wrinkles.

What is it used for? This use of botulinum was FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved in the late 80's. Scientists realized that with this controlled injection they could: Reduce moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrowsReduce wrinkles around the eyes (crow's feet)Restore facial contourReduce bands of wrinkles on the neck They can also treat such ailments as: Blepharospasm (uncontrollable blinking)Strabismus (lazy eyes)Chronic back and other muscle spasmsHeadachesHyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

How does it work? Botox® blocks nerve signals from reaching the muscles. The muscle injected can no longer contract. This causes wrinkles to soften and relax. Most procedures are performed right in the doctor's office. Each procedure takes only a few minutes and no anesthesia is required. Some results are visible immediately. But, the full effect is seen after 3-7 days. Most Botox® treatments last for four to six months. Your plastic surgeon may recommend that you refrain from any alcohol consumption for one week prior to your treatment. You should also avoid anti-inflammatory medications and aspirin for two weeks prior to your treatment. These substances tend to contribute to more bruising after a Botox® treatment.

What are the side effects? The most common side effect from Botox® treatments is temporary bruising at the injection site. A headache is possible, but rare, and resolves itself within 24-48 hours of the treatment. Patients may experience a mild case of drooping at the eyelids, but this is rare and resolves within a couple of weeks. It is best to avoid rubbing the treatment area for about twelve hours. You may also consider lying down for three or four hours after a treatment. Botox® treatments can offer you a way to reduce the lines and wrinkles in your face with minimal discomfort and time spent in the doctor's office. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact us today!

Botox®,the cosmetic form of Botulinum Toxin A, temporarily reduces or eliminates wrinkles, fine/frown lines in the face and forehead creases, clears away crow’s feet, and banishes neck bands. Studies have also suggested that Botox® is effective in relieving migraine headaches, excessive sweating and muscle spasms in the neck and eyes. New uses for Botox®, currently being studied, include treatment of head and neck tremors, hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating), facial spasms, and writer’s cramp. Botox® is a neurotoxin produced by the bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Botox® is widely used as a cosmetic enhancement because it blocks the nerve impulses, temporarily paralyzing the muscles that cause wrinkles. These toxins bind to the nerve endings and prevent the muscles from contracting by blocking the release of the acetylcholine from the nerve. (The acetylcholine causes the muscle contractions.) Non-cosmetic Botox® is often used to cease involuntary muscle spasms. Once the resting tone of the treated muscle is weakened, the muscle relaxes and the overlying skin flattens. Consequently, this popular non-surgical injection gives the skin a smoother, more refreshed appearance. This approach is different from other injectable treatments for the aging face. Hylaform, Restylane, Collagen, autologous fat transfer, dermal grafting, Alloderm, Softform etc. all work by filling in wrinkles/tissue deficits. By physiologically weakening/paralyzing the muscles, Botox®, quickly removes wrinkles. Botox® is a fine dust in a small glass bottle which is mixed and diluted to its injectible form. Options for alternative treatment include: injection of a soft tissue filler or the surgical excision of the muscles, usually through a brow-lift incision. BOTOX® Is Approved by the FDA Approved by the FDA for cosmetic use in the spring of 2002, Botox® had already been approved for non-cosmetic use in 1989. More than 1 million patients have been treated worldwide. In the 1960’s, physicians investigated the use of the earliest form of Botox® for treating crossed eyes, a condition caused by uncontrollable muscle spasms behind the eye.


The way your skin looks is directly related to the way your skin is supported. Wrinkles form when the natural collagen and hyaluronic acid in your skin diminish during the course of aging. Other factors that cause wrinkles include exposure to the sun, disease, injury, heredity and lifestyle. Collagen provides structure to your skin while hyaluronic acid provides skin volume. Dermal fillers are substances that are injected just below the surface of the skin to fill lines, wrinkles and scars from the inside out. Dermal fillers can temporarily restore a smoother, more youthful appearance. Dermal fillers can also be used to add definition to the lip border. Collagen dermal fillers have been proven safe and affective for more than 20 years. Collagen Collagen is the most abundant natural protein found in the body and provides structural support to skin, muscle, tendons and bone. Fibers of collagen are woven together, like threads in fabric, to form a framework into which new cells can grow. In the skin, collagen provides texture, resiliency and shape. Hyaluronic Acid Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar. It is found in the human body in the skin, cartilage, joints and the eye. In skin tissue, hyaluronic acid fills the space between collagen and elastin fibers. The role of hyaluronic acid in skin is to deliver nutrients, hydrate the skin by holding in water, and to act as a cushioning agent.

How will my skin look and feel immediately after treatment?
Most people feel comfortable in resuming their normal activities following treatment. Temporary puffiness of the treated areas, however, should be expected. As with any injection, you may also notice temporary redness, slight bruising, and tenderness around the treatment sites. Like the puffiness, these are normal occurrences and all should clear up within a few days. Although the injected material is generally not visible through the skin, some people have reported that they were initially able to feel the outline of the injected material.


How often will I require treatment?
Everyone’s skin is different. That is why the timing of any additional treatment varies from person to person. Over time Hylaform gel and/or collagen will be absorbed by your body; this is why you may want on-going treatments. If you choose not to continue with your treatment, any remaining gel is simply absorbed by your body over time and your skin gradually returns to its natural shape.


Without touch-up injections, how will my skin look?
Correction will reduce gradually until your skin looks like it did before treatment with Hylaform gel/collagen. Touch-up injections will help maintain correction of the skin surface. that you seek a skilled and knowledgeable plastic surgeon to perform your procedure. The plastic surgeons at Hankins Plastic Surgery Associates know the benefits they can offer their patients through Botox® treatments.