What to do before a visit or a treatment

• How can I best prepare myself for an aesthetic medicine treatment?

  For the best results and the least risks, we recommend following a few simple instructions.
  Avoid long sun exposures before treatments and prepare your skin adequately as recommended by our dermatologist and beauty therapist.
  
  In the 5 days before treatments, do not take anticoagulant medications (acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin, Vivin C, etc.), which can greatly increase the risk of bruising, and if you take those medications regularly, contact us and we will explain what you should do.
  
  Avoid alcohol and reduce smoking as much as possible in the 3-4 days before a treatment, and drink plenty of water.

• What happens on the first visit? What should I do to prepare?

  The best approach is to be totally optimistic and open during your first visit.
  The whole team at Studio Borbon is open to listening to you in order to give you the best advice. Despite the many requests we get, we always take time for a thorough first visit. Tell us your expectations and ask questions, bring with you any past medical history that could be useful (fillers done in the past, breast prosthesis documents, etc.).

• Do you have a price list?

  No, we think that every patient’s treatments should be evaluated carefully to best meet their needs and expectations, and only in light of a conversation with a specialist can an exact quote be given.
  
  We don't agree with price lists for aesthetic medicine and surgery.
  There are starting prices (injectables, fillers and Botox at €500), but we don't give price quotes without a serious, thorough evaluation visit first.

• What should I do after an aesthetic medicine treatment?

  Avoid intense heat sources (saunas, Turkish baths, etc.). 
  Avoid intense physical efforts in the 2-4 days following your treatment (yes to jogging or speed walking, but no to two hours of CrossFit).
  Apply the creams and treatments, if prescribed, according to the instructions you receive.

Botulin

• What is botulin?

  Botulin is a neuromodulator medication that selectively relaxes muscle fibers, smoothing out the skin and any wrinkles.
  Studio Borbon uses a method that has been honed through years of experience to relax and keep your expressiveness intact while giving your face a fresh, rested look.

• What’s the difference between filler and botulin?

  The long discussion of fillers can be simplified by saying that they mechanically fill in wrinkles or tissue losses in the face by injecting a filler.
  
  Botulin, however, does not fill in wrinkles and does not add volume but is rather a muscle relaxant that stretches the facial muscles and thereby smooths out wrinkles in the overlying skin.

• Is botulin safe? Isn’t it toxic?

  Botulin is absolutely a safe medication; it is not toxic and never enters your circulatory system, as it is an active ingredient that acts locally. Millions of procedures have been documented in medical literature in widely varying fields of medicine, and it is a well-known and safe substance.
  
  Here at Studio Borbon, we only use materials that are doubly-certified by both the FDA and the EC.
  It is important to demand only high-quality materials that are single-use and sterile.
  Do not trust cut-rate medicine.

• Does it ‘freeze’ my facial expression?

  Absolutely not.
  
  Botulin is a neuromodulator medication that selectively relaxes the muscle fibers to smooth out wrinkles. We carefully follow the protocols Dr. Borbon has perfected, which guarantee everyone a natural and relaxed result, NOT a paralyzed one.

• Can you give me two little injections only between my eyes?

  No. This question gets asked a lot.
  
  Botulin relaxes a set of muscles that act together (agonists) to create facial expressions based on their coordinated contraction. This is why they should be treated all together to achieve a natural effect. The famous two little jabs between the eyes only weaken certain muscles, strengthening others and creating jarring effects and ‘strange’ facial expressions.

• Could I get arched eyebrows and a ‘sinister’ look?

  THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. That is the notorious bad Botulin.
  
  The eyebrows should remain mobile and at the same height. Dr. Borbon has refined a technique to lift the tail of the eyebrows with a natural effect that lightly opens the eyes. But the ‘sinister expression’ you have heard about is to be avoided and prevented.

• How many times a year should this be done?

  This depends on how much you want to maintain the effect, whether it should be more or less extensive. We say that, on average, our patients have them twice a year.

• What tips do I need after an injection to avoid risks and maximise the effect?

  Do not massage the treated area (no face washing, facial massages, etc.).
  Avoid compressing your forehead too much (no motorbike helmets or tight scarves, etc.). 
  Heat de-activates Botulin, so no UVA lamps (which should never be used anyway), saunas, direct sunlight, etc.: all of this for 3-4 days. Then, life as always.

• Is botulin used in ways other than filling in facial wrinkles?

  The most common indication for botulin is wrinkle easing, especially in the upper third of the face (forehead, frown lines, around the eyes), but there are lots more.
  
  At Studio Borbon we have a vast knowledge of the substance and its most varied uses. Botulin is used to decrease bruxism, to counteract hyperhidrosis of the palms of the hands, feet, forehead and armpits, or as a light lifter and biorevitaliser in the neck and face.

Fillers

• What is a filler?

  A filler is a substance that is injected under or into the skin to replace lost tissue, which might be due to aging or other causes (massive weight loss, diseases of the subcutis, etc.).
  The most widely used filler is hyaluronic acid, but there are others.

• What is hyaluronic acid?

  Hyaluronic acid is a compound that is naturally produced in our body (skin, cartilage and connective tissue).
  There are different kinds of hyaluronic acid on the market, each with different physical features that adapt better to different treatment areas.
  
  Here at Studio Borbon, we use a wide array of fillers depending on the needs and features of the individual patient, to redesign the different parts of the face and body in the most natural way possible.

• Can hyaluronic acid cause swelling?

  CAUTION! Hyaluronic acid can create a swollen look if improperly injected or put into the wrong areas.
  
  Hyaluronic acid is a compound with strong hygroscopic properties, meaning that it takes up and absorbs water from the tissues, protecting the treated area.
  
  If injected by inexperienced people or in the wrong areas, it can create disastrous results. It is an excellent filler, however, when injected wisely, expertly and with good aesthetic sense, and it is the most used filler in the world.
  
  Hyaluronic acid is not the only substance used as a filler, just one of the possible choices.
  It should be used in areas that should be projected, that need volumisation and projection, such as the lips or the static part of the cheekbones, but NEVER in the dynamic areas (anterior and vomeronasal parts of the face), that is, the areas that move when we change expressions, otherwise the result is the infamous ‘hamster expression’.

• What are some other kinds of fillers?

  There are now many valid alternatives: Radiesse (for which Studio Borbon is a center of excellence, and Dr. Borbon is an instructor as well as one of the greatest international experts), your own fat (lipofilling) and substances that stimulate the production of collagen and thus self-refilling.

• What’s the difference between hyaluronic acid and Radiesse®?

  Hyaluronic acid in its different variations is the most common element in fillers, and definitely the most commonly used.
  
  Radiesse® still acts as a filler, but with a different component acting as the active ingredient: calcium hydroxyapatite, which besides being a filler, is also a strong stimulant of auto-production of collagen. Radiesse® can be said to be an advanced filler.
  
  Hyaluronic acid, widely and often improperly used, is a filler that is used to volumise and project. It attracts a lot of water and tends to swell. It is good for areas that need projection (lips, a little on the cheekbones, etc.) but not everywhere!
  Radiesse®, however, does not draw water and does not swell but rather stretches, which is great for areas that don't need volumising (cheeks, jawline, temples, etc.).

Radiesse®

• What is Radiesse®?

  Radiesse® is a leading-edge filler.
  
  As it does not draw water, Radiesse® does not swell like other fillers but stretches out tissues.
  Radiesse® contains an active ingredient, calcium hydroxyapatite, a powerful collagen stimulant. The great success of Radiesse in the United States, and increasingly in Europe as well, is due to the innovative composition of the filler that gives it lifting, filling and biorevatilising properties that are superior to the other fillers on the market.
  
  There is a triple regenerative result from Radiesse®: filler, lift and biorevitalisation.

• Is Radiesse® safe?

  It absolutely is.
  Radiesse® is one of the few fillers that has double approval from the very strict American pharmacological department (FDA) and from the EC.
  
  It must be injected only by experienced people who have completed specific training courses.
  Dr. Borbon has been one of the pioneers in using Radiesse® and is an instructor of advanced Radiesse® injections.

• Where is Radiesse® injected?

  Radiesse® is an excellent filler for areas that need extension without too much filling or projection. It is well indicated in the vomeronasal area and cheekbones, where hyaluronic acid would cause exaggerated projection (these are dynamic areas and move with your expression, so they should not be puffed up!).
  
  Radiesse® is indicated in full-face treatment to restore facial volumes (from the temples to the chin), in the regeneration of the hands to hide veins and tendons standing out due to subcutaneous re-absorption.
  
  Radiesse® is the filler of choice for the technique of harmonising the jawline and chin that has been perfected and patented by Dr. Borbon.

• Are there areas where Radiesse® can’t be injected?

  Yes. They are all the areas that instead need three-dimensional projection instead of distension; for example, the lips, in which hyaluronic acid is always the best choice, provided it is the right product and injected with care and good taste.

• How long does Radiesse® last?

  Radiesse® is a long-lasting filler. Depending on the manufacturer, its filling and biorevitalising effect lasts from 12 to 16 months.
  We remind you that every case is unique.

Pro-Fill®

• What is Pro-fill®?

  Pro-fill® is an injection technique for the jawline and chin developed and patented by Dr. Borbon.
  
  The purpose of Pro-fill® is to discretely and effectively harmonise volumes in the face by acting on the angle ratio between the chin, lips and the tip of the nose. Pro-fill® also acts on the jawline to restore its continuity.

• What material is used to do Pro-fill?

  We inject the jawline with Pro-fill®, almost always preferring advanced fillers (Radiesse®) in women, to refine the face. In men, however, a mixture of hyaluronic acid and Radiesse® is used to provide greater projection and definition of the jawline.

• Which area is treated?

  We use Pro-fill® to treat the jawline, the chin and the perioral area to harmonise the proportions of the jaw angle and the relationship between nose tip, lips and chin.
  
  Using a single access point on the jawline for each side of the face, we can treat the entire area.
  A small atraumatic cannula can be used that allows us to operate on the treated area without causing trauma or hematomas.

• What are the advantages of Pro-fill®?

  One of the advantages most often encountered is a noticeable increase in photogenicity.
  The result is both extremely discreet and surprisingly effective in terms of harmonising the face and its volumes
  Restoring the volumes of the jawline we are able to alleviate the perception of a possible double chin.

• Is anaesthesia needed?

  With Pro-fill® a local anesthetic is sufficient in the area treated if administered in the access point.

• Is there swelling or a recovery period after the treatment?

  The swelling is minimal, as the jaw region and the middle third of the face are not a dynamic/expressive area and tend not to be very evident after treatment, allowing an almost immediate return to social life.

• How long does Pro-fill® last?

  We recommend re-checking the result 12-14 months after treatment.

• How many sessions until I get results?

  Usually one single session is needed, with a second one for check-up and retouching 2-3 weeks after treatment.
  In more complex cases of mandibular retraction, more sessions may be necessary.

Lipofilling

• What is Lipofilling?

  Lipofilling is an autologous transplant of adipose tissue, more simply described as taking variable amounts of fat and injecting it through small cannulas in areas that need volumising, trophism or improvement in tissue quality.
  This is a really natural filler, achieved by using only the tissues of your own body.

• What is it used for?

  In the past, fat was considered a tissue to be removed or disposed of. On the contrary, the modern conception of regenerative surgery sees fat as a precious tissue, an available source of stem cells and a valuable ally.
  
  Fat can be used in the face to restore volume lost due to aging or following a large weight loss. What we do in lipofilling of the face is nothing but restoring lost volume to your tissues, putting them back where they have been re-absorbed, leaving the tissues emptied and yielding.
  
  With the NanoFat technique, we can also segment the fat, making it superficially injectable with small needles to improve tissues ruined by sun damage and time, or to restore tone to delicate parts like temples or around the eyes.
  
  Lipofilling also has great applications for the body. By removing large amounts, we can get significant increases in the volume of the breast or glutei without obvious scarring and with an entirely natural effect. An important point is the fact that these operations, in addition to increasing volumes, also perform liposuctions, thereby improving your entire silhouette for some real remodelling.
  
  Fat transfers are widely used to treat retracting scars, to correct surgical procedures that left aesthetically displeasing consequences, and in mammary reconstruction.

• Where is the fat taken from?

  The fat is usually taken from the hips or abdomen, and in general it is taken from wherever there is some.
  
  For lipofilling of the face, just a few cc’s are enough for the majority of patients, These small quantities are aspirated through small cannulas designed especially for this purpose, and no change is noticed at the withdrawal site.
  
  Regarding lipofilling of the breast or glutei, the volume of fat to be aspirated is more important, and not all patients have enough of it.
  The feasibility of the operation must be evaluated case by case based on the individual’s bodily reserves, gender, age and various other parameters.

• How long does the transplanted fat last?

  It is hard to say that something lasts forever, but we can confidently state without fear of contradiction that our results last for a very long time.
  Our patients return for check-ups and are satisfied even years after the procedure.

• Would it help me to put on some weight before the operation?

  No.
  The pool of adipose cells we have is more or less stable after a certain age, and when we gain weight the fat cells (adipocytes) remain more or less numerically the same but increase in volume, filling themselves up with triglycerides and making the grafting of that fat more difficult in the transplant area.

• Do I have to go under anesthesia?

  Light sedation along with a targeted local anesthetic is the best combination for the patient’s comfort.
  For the face, just a local anesthetic may be enough.
  Lipofilling is almost always done on an out-patient basis or in day-hospital.

• Does it hurt?

  No. The transplant area, where the fat is placed, doesn’t hurt during or after the procedure. Very small holes are made that don't need stitches, and with our modern lipofilling kits, bruising and swelling are limited and last only a few days.
  
  Where the fat is taken from, especially if it is taken in large amounts, a little bruising may last 5-6 days and mild pain could last 1-2 days.
  While every case is unique, limits on daily activities are minor and don't continue for long.