dronelmd

Hello Johanna, this is Daniel Ronel MD (a plastic surgeon who uses Artefill)-- it sounds like it was a pretty bad experience for you and it also sounds like you have found a novel way to deal with it. I wish I could tell every Artefill injector how to avoid what happened to you. The product really should be placed just above the periosteum (the bone) so that it does not migrate. The lower eyelid is tiger territory because the tissue behaves very differently from tissue anywhere else in the face. Injections there should only be performed by very experienced people who understand the 3 dimensional anatomy of the lower eyelid. I've been fortunate enough to have injected about 200 cheeks and knock-on-wood have not had that problem because I hug the bone. I really do not want to sound arrogant here, but I think there are too many people injecting Artefill. Unfortunately, I do not have a simple solution for the consumer who wants to find out if their doctor knows how to do it well. In the right hands, it is really great stuff.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your injection of Artefill. It seems related to the mannerisms of the person who injected you, and you certainly were not made to feel good when you went back. You must also feel anxious because the product lasts a long time! This is not typical of the product (I've seen it happen more often with Radiesse, since a good Artefill injector will be very careful). The success of treating that extra ridge depends on where it is, how big it is, and on the laxity of your skin. Injections on either side of the ridge can help, as can a cheek lift (a much bigger deal!). I would recommend you find a doctor who would be willing to do test injections of saline on either side of the ridge -- that way you can see if it will work, and if it doesn't the saline will go away in 20 minutes. It is really important to check on the experience of the doctor as an injector (he or she may be fabulous at facelifts, but not at aesthetic injectables). If you have any other questions, feel free to call or email. I feel very comfortable using Artefill and can tell you more about it. Sincerely, Dr. Ronel