FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Injectable FAQ's
Who performs the injections at Grace Medical Aesthetics?
The lead injector at Grace Medical Aesthetics is owner/operator Charis Wipfler, APRN-FNP. She practices in all of our offices - located in Connecticut (Southbury, Westport, and Southington) and New York (Bedford Hills and New York City). Charis is proficient in Dysport, Botox, and dermal fillers. Charis was voted a RealSelf Top 25 Most Loved Injector in 2017 and has led Grace Medical to be one of the highest utilizers in the United States for Galderma products, specifically Dysport and the Restylane family of dermal fillers. Her claims to fame are her natural looking lip augmentations and what she has dubbed the “Grace Glow Up”, which is a customized full face rejuvenation combining cheek filler, jawline filler, chin filler, and lip filler.
Also on our injectable team is Heather Tomchik, PA-C, a skilled physician assistant with a background in plastic surgery who prides herself on natural looking rejuvenation. Heather practices mainly in our Bedford Hills, NY office and occasionally in our Southbury, CT office. You'll quickly love her attention to detail, eye for symmetry, and warm personality.
Another addition to our injectable team is Krista Stryjewski, APRN-DNP. Krista trained under the watchful eye of Charis to build and perfect her skills with wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers. She enjoys building a customized treatment plan to help clients achieve their aesthetic goals. Krista practices solely in our Southbury, CT office.
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Also on our injectable team is Alma Joseph, APRN-FNP. Alma has background in medical and cosmetic dermatology and joined the Grace team officially after shadowing Charis in our Injectable Shadowing Experience multiple times. She is now leading our Westport, CT office, with some occasional injectable availability in our Southbury, CT office. She is always hoping to empower her clients and their self confidence through their own natural beauty.
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Another member of our injectable team is Christina Pruchnicki, APRN-FNP. Christina's training under Charis helped her to develop an eye for detail and a thorough approach for her client's injectable journeys. Christina began her Grace career practicing for many years in our Southbury, CT office and is now extremely excited to be leading our newest location in Southington, CT!
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Our injectable team rounds out with Alice Varga, RN. Alice had the unique opportunity to assist Charis for almost 4 years, working side by side with her through nursing school. She was able to gain a vast amount of knowledge and experience and it shows in her injectable outcomes. Alice is now our lead injector in the brand new NYC office. She continues to practices in our Bedford Hills, NY and Westport, CT offices, with occasional appearances in the Southbury, CT office.
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Read more about our injectors and full team here.
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Botox vs. Dysport: What’s the difference? Which do you prefer?
Botox and Dysport are both neuromodulators meant to relax muscles, prevent dynamic facial movements, and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. While both are wonderful products, Grace Medical Aesthetics’ injectors prefer to use Dysport as our primary wrinkle relaxer. Dysport takes 3-5 days to show full results, vs. Botox which takes 7-10 days. The result of Dysport tends to be a more natural look, where as Botox can often be associated with a “frozen” look. Dysport is brought to us by Galderma, the company that ranks Grace Medical Aesthetics as the #1 injectable practice in Connecticut, New York, and New England and one of the top practices in the United States.
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What is the difference between Restylane and Juvederm? Which do you prefer?
Restylane and Juvederm are both hyaluronic acid (HA) based dermal fillers that come in a variety of products and can be used in various areas of the face. The Restylane family of products offered at Grace Medical Aesthetics include Restylane, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Refyne, Restylane Defyne, Restylane Kysse, Restylane Contour, and Restylane Silk. These products range in their softness/firmness, ability to hold structure, and ability to move with the face or stay in place. The combination of this family of products offers solutions to almost all concerns and areas of the face of someone seeking dermal filler. Restylane products are brought to us by Galderma, the company that ranks Grace Medical Aesthetics as the #1 injectable practice in Connecticut, New York, and New England and one of the top practices in the United States, and is typically our HA filler product of choice. The Juvederm family of products offered at Grace Medical Aesthetics includes Juvederm Ultra, Juvederm Ultra Plus XC, and Juvederm Voluma. These products are used in moderation at Grace Medical Aesthetics for those looking to achieve a specific goal or who simply prefer them.
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What are Botox and Dysport used for?
Botox and Dysport are neuromodulators meant to relax the dynamic movement of the facial muscles. Once the muscles are relaxed, wrinkles and fine lines begin to smooth and eventually may disappear. Botox and Dysport also prevent the onset of new wrinkles forming.
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What are dermal fillers?
Dermal injectable fillers are meant to restore volume or augment an area of the face. Dermal fillers can plump a lip, add contour to a cheek bone, define a jawline, and correct a hollowing under eye. Most commonly dermal fillers are made of various consistencies of hyaluronic acid (HA), which allow creases and folds to be softly filled to help smooth the skin and restore volume loss due to aging.
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Where are injectable dermal fillers used?
Dermal fillers can be used to correct volume loss in the cheeks, under eyes, nasolabial folds (smile lines), temples, and the mid/lower face. Fillers can be used to augment the size of the lip, cheeks, and chin. They can also be used to build structure to lift jowls or fallen cheeks and define the contour of a jawline and cheekbones. Dermal fillers can also be creatively used to correct necklace or “tech neck” lines that band across a neck, correct volume loss in an aging hand, or to fill a drooping, overstretched earlobe. Radiesse, a dermal filler, can be hyperdilluted and placed for skin quality improvement and collagen growth without added bulk or volume to an area like the décolleté.
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Injectables near me: How do I find the best injector in Connecticut, Westchester, or NYC for me?
Finding the best injector for you is an important decision. We encourage potential clients to do their research by looking at before & after photos, testimonials, and the credentials of both a practice and their injectors. Grace Medical Aesthetics has been named the #1 injectable practice in Connecticut, New York, and all of New England. Charis Wipfler, APRN owner/operator was voted a Top 25 Most Loved Injector by the general public in a nationwide competition held by RealSelf in 2017. The injectors (and full team) of Grace Medical Aesthetics value your goals, budget, and most importantly- your decision to trust us with your face! You can view a full portfolio of before and after injectable outcomes on our Instagram page, @gracemedicalaesthetics. Our Southbury, CT, Bedford Hills, NY, Westport, CT, Southington, CT, and New York City injectors strive to earn and keep your trust through your entire aesthetic journey.
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How much does it cost to get fillers?
At Grace Medical Aesthetics, dermal fillers range from $650-$850 per syringe depending on the product choice. Our injectable product prices remain the same in all of our Southbury, CT, Bedford Hills, NY, Westport, CT, Southington, CT, and New York City offices. The number of syringes greatly vary from person to person depending on your goals and starting point of the area or areas you’re looking to treat. Grace Medical Aesthetics offers free, no pressure consultations to customize an injectable treatment plan perfect for you.
Oh, did we mention?! Grace Medical Aesthetics offers an injectable membership that allows you to budget your injectable costs all while getting a discount of $75 off each full syringe. Learn more here!
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How much does it cost to get Botox or Dysport?
Grace Medical Aesthetics injectors prefer to use Dysport as our choice of wrinkle relaxer and it is $250 per area. Areas consist of the forehead (horizontal lines), glabella (11’s between the brow), crow’s feet (smile lines around both eyes), and the masseters (bulky jaw muscles). For those who do prefer Botox, we offer it at $15 per unit.
Grace Medical Aesthetics offers an injectable membership that allows you to budget your Dysport or Botox costs all while getting a discount of $230 per Dysport area or $13.75 per Botox unit. Learn more here!
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How long does Botox or Dysport last?
Dysport or Botox injections last about 4 months before full movement is back in the area injected. Dysport will take 3-5 days to kick in and reach the “peak” strength around the 2-3 week mark. From there, the muscles will remain relaxed over the next few months and begin to regain movement around the 3 or 3.5 month mark. Botox takes 7-10 days to kick in and will do the same.
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Bruising after injectables: What can I expect? Can I prevent bruising?
Bruising after dermal fillers or wrinkle relaxers is a common side effect that the injectors of Grace Medical Aesthetics try our best to avoid. The risk of bruising depends primarily on the area being injected and the number of vessels in the area. Grace Medical Aesthetics’ injectors utilize microcannulas whenever possible to limit the risk of bruising and increase safety. The risk of bruising can be lowered by avoiding alcohol, aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 24 hours before your appointment. If you do develop a bruise, oral or topical Arnica Montana will help diminish bruising. For more pre-care and post-care information, click here.
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Swelling after injectables: How long does swelling last after fillers?
Swelling after dermal fillers is normal and to be expected to begin within an hour of your appointment lasting up to 72 hours. The severity of post procedure swelling will depend on the area treated and the product used. Lips and under eyes will swell significantly and can be improved by sleeping on extra pillows, drinking a moderate amount of water, and avoiding salty foods. Lips can swell up to 3 times their normal size and is not an indicator of an allergy. Cheeks treated with Radiesse will swell more significantly and more sharply than other products. Grace Medical Aesthetics will send you home with an icepack for your comfort and convenience to minimize the onset swelling. For more post-care information, click here.
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How long do lip injections last? How much do lip injections cost?
Lip injections typically last from 4-6 months when receiving a full syringe of Restylane or Juvederm. Lip injections are priced per syringe, which range from $575-$700 depending on product choice and if you're a member of our injectable membership. Typically one syringe is used per appointment and will result in a moderate increase in volume or improved shape. For those looking to build a lot of volume in the lip, follow up visits for additional syringes may be necessary. At Grace Medical Aesthetics, we suggest adding dermal filler slowly and over the course of a few appointments to reach your goal lip size and shape. If you are looking to build a lot of volume in a small lip, you may layer syringes closer together and the length of time they last may extend. These syringes can be placed 4-6 weeks apart to capitalize on your volume increase. Once you have reached your goal lip, upkeep with one syringe every 6 months or so will typically keep your lips where you’d like without needing to start from scratch.
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How long do fillers last in the cheeks? How much do cheek fillers cost?
Cheek fillers can last from 9-18 months depending on product choice. There are a variety of options depending on your budget and goals that can be discussed in a free consultation with one of our injectors. The differences between Restylane Lyft, Restylane Contour, Radiesse, and Juvederm Voluma can be discussed in detail to decide which dermal filler is best for your cheek augmentation. Cheek filler pricing depends on both the product choice and the amount of product necessary to reach your goals. Syringes range from $650-$850 each and anywhere from one to multiple syringes can be used in an appointment.
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Can you use fillers for under eye bags, hollowing, or for dark circles?
Yes, most of the time dermal fillers can be placed in the under eye area to correct the appearance of under eye bags, hollowing, and dark circles. Hollowing under the eye is common with age or genetics and can be improved with the use of dermal filler. The under eye bags that can develop overtime as we age may be corrected with the use of dermal filler, however may need to be treated with a different approach. A consultation can determine what treatment plan would be best for you. Dark circles under the eyes can be moderately improved with the use of dermal filler, although may need to be treated in conjunction with a 1064 Eye Brightening laser treatment series. At Grace Medical Aesthetics, our injectors exclusively utilize a microcannula when treating the under eyes for safety purposes and to significantly decrease the risk of pain and bruising.
How long does under eye filler last? How much does under eye filler cost?
Under eye filler can last anywhere from 4-12 months depending on the product that is used. Syringes are $650 each and typically only one syringe is used per appointment. Under eye filler must be placed carefully and slowly, so a follow up visit may be necessary depending on the severity of hollowing in the under eye.
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What are the side effects and risks of Botox or Dysport? Are Botox and Dysport safe?
When injected by an aesthetically trained, licensed medical professional, both Botox and Dysport are safe. Both products are FDA approved and at Grace Medical Aesthetics are injected by either an APRN, PA, or RN with extensive aesthetic training. Common side effects of Botox and Dysport may include bruising, redness, or soreness at the injection site. There is the possibility of the brow either “spocking” or dropping once the wrinkle relaxer has set in, however both are adjustable. Risk of a common side effect or an adverse event may depend on the area being treated and your medical history and will be discussed as part of your consultation with your injector prior to being injected.
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What are the side effects and risks of fillers? Are dermal fillers safe?
When injected by an aesthetically trained, licensed medical professional, dermal fillers are indeed safe. All dermal fillers utilized at Grace Medical Aesthetics are FDA approved and injected by either an APRN or PA with extensive aesthetic training. Common side effects of injectable dermal fillers include swelling, bruising, redness, pain or soreness, and tenderness. These side effects should subside within 24-72 hours post procedure. Risk of a common side effect or adverse event may depend on the area being treated and your medical history and will be discussed as part of your consultation with your injector prior to being injected.
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Are fillers permanent? Can dermal fillers be removed?
The dermal fillers offered at Grace Medical Aesthetics are not permanent. Depending on the area of the face and product injected, fillers will last anywhere from 4-18 months. Dermal fillers made from hyaluronic acid (HA), such as Restylane or Juvederm, can be dissolved if desired or necessary. Products like Radiesse or Sculptra are not removable, but are not permanent. Results from these products can last from 1-5 years. Consultation with one of the Grace Medical Aesthetics’ staff is necessary to determine which dermal filler is right for you.
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What does Botox or Dysport feel like? Do injectables hurt?
Your comfort is one of our injector’s top priorities! Because everyone’s pain tolerance is different, it is hard to say whether or not injectables are going to hurt you. Dysport or Botox injections are typically the least painful due to the small needle size and may feel like quick, tiny pinches. To ease your discomfort, ice or vibratory distraction devices can be used.
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What do lip injections feel like? Do you use a numbing cream or dental block?
The lips are typically the most sensitive area when it comes to injectables. Grace Medical Aesthetics’ injectors always use a strong lidocaine based numbing cream before injecting. The first few pokes will feel like tiny pinches, but there is lidocaine in the product itself which provides additional numbing as the treatment goes on. Although extremely rare, we can provide dental blocks per your request. Additionally to ease discomfort you may feel, ice or vibratory distraction devices can be used. Grace Medical Aesthetics also offers self administered nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for pain tolerance if desired.
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Injectables before & after: How long until I see results? Are results immediate?
Results using dermal fillers are immediately seen (instant gratification is so satisfying, right?), however some areas of the face may require more than one session to safely reach your final goal outcome. Once the dermal filler is injected into the specific area, the area may swell for 24-72 hours and take up to 2 weeks to fully “settle”. Although you will see the presence of the dermal filler immediately, the final and lasting result is shown about 2 weeks post procedure. Generally speaking, we will tell you that the lips you see in the mirror immediately following your lip filler will go down about 20% due to the swelling.
Results of Dysport or Botox are not immediate. Dysport will take 3-5 days to fully relax the muscle and prevent dynamic movements. Botox will take 7-10 days. Once the muscles are relaxed, the fine lines and wrinkles that have set in over time may take weeks to months to fully smooth, however will improve little by little daily.
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What is a Sculptra Butt Lift? Does Grace Medical Aesthetics offer them?
Sculptra is an injectable product that stimulates collagen growth to increase volume in an area of the body. A Sculptra Butt Lift is a procedure performed with many vials of Sculptra being placed in the buttocks with the goal being to increase the size and roundness of the buttocks and to smooth cellulite dimpling. While we do have the ability to offer this procedure at Grace Medical Aesthetics, and have performed them in the past, we encourage our clients to fully research the procedure and discuss with our injectors about a realistic outcome. Many Sculptra Butt Lift seekers may expect the result to appear similar to a surgical Brazilian Butt Lift, and this is simply not the case. Ideally, the right candidate for a Sculptra Butt Lift at Grace Medical Aesthetics is someone who is looking to moderately improve the appearance of dimpling in the buttocks and round out any areas of indentation.