Lidocaine Mixed with Injectable Facial Fillers Can Make Treatments More Comfortable, Notes Houston Plastic Surgeon Norman Rappaport, MD

Patients treated with injectable facial fillers such as Juvéderm and Radiesse are experiencing greater comfort and faster recovery when the fillers are mixed with lidocaine, a local anesthetic. This innovative treatment technique is detailed in the October issue of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) November 6, 2009 -- A new injection technique that combines rejuvenating facial fillers with a local anesthetic is becoming popular among plastic surgeons--and their patients.

"Mixing lidocaine with facial fillers like Juvéderm and Radiesse has averted the need for regional anesthetic blocks, except when treating particularly sensitive areas like the lips," says board-certified Houston plastic surgeon Norman Rappaport, MD, FACS.

The October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, features an article outlining the technique of mixing lidocaine with injectable facial fillers.

Another advantage of the new technique: plastic surgeons can start the facial injectable treatment without having to wait for a traditional regional anesthetic block to take effect.

"Now a lunchtime injectable treatment is even more convenient for busy patients," Dr. Rappaport adds. "And there's less swelling afterward. Patients can go right back to their normal activities."

Dr. Rappaport notes that lidocaine is not mixed with Botox® Cosmetic. "But we use such a fine-gauge needle for Botox injections that the treatments are easily tolerated," he explains.

"The type of needle used for Juvéderm--a gel--is a little larger because of the flow of the material," says Dr. Rappaport. "And Radiesse is also a thicker material, but we now have thinner-gauge needles with larger bores. We use the smallest-gauge needles possible to deliver the injectables."

"It's not so much the needle that causes the discomfort; it's the sensation of pressure from the injectable material going in," he explains. "You need to do the injection slowly to decrease the pressure--and the lidocaine makes it much more comfortable."

Dr. Rappaport notes the importance of understanding the fine points of the new injection technique. "Mixing lidocaine with the facial filler may actually reduce swelling and bruising," he explains. "You will want to see the patient again in six to 12 weeks to 'top off' the area because a certain amount of the filler's carrier material will be reabsorbed by the body's tissues. The follow-up treatment helps the effects of the filler last longer."

"Patients who have had injectable treatments with a regional block and with the combined lidocaine and filler much prefer the new technique," Dr. Rappaport notes.

"Kelly," age 48, has experienced both the traditional regional block anesthetic and the new lidocaine-plus-filler technique for Radiesse injections to fill out the "tear trough" area under her eyes. "The regional anesthetic block was like having half of your face numbed," she says. "But I don't think it helped much under the eyes, because it didn't really reach up there."

"I like the new injection technique much better," says Kelly. "The needle is smaller and there's minimal pain. You feel the needle going in and you feel some pressure, but it's more comfortable than a regional block. The filler really makes your face look younger--it gets rid of that tired, 'sunken' look. And there is no downtime with facial fillers," she adds.

For more information on Botox and non-surgical facial fillers, visit http://www.normanrappaportmd.com/injectables.

Norman Rappaport, MD, FACS, is a Houston, Texas cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Rappaport has been named a Texas Super Doctor by Texas Monthly and one of Houston's Top Docs for Women by H Magazine. His office is located in Scurlock Tower in the heart of the Texas Medical Center. For more information, visit www.normanrappaportmd.com or call 713.790.4500.

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Houston Center for Plastic Surgery
Susan Raef
312.923.0100
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