Biostimulators

Anything But Mid is hosted by Amy Edwards and Whitney Stropp. Neither host is a doctor and nothing here is medical advice. Lightly cleaned for readability.

Amy: I'm Amy.

Whitney: And I'm Whitney, and this may be midlife, but you're anything but mid.

Amy: All right, professionals now.

Whitney: Mhm. All right. Hi, Amy.

Amy: Hello.

Whitney: How are you?

Amy: I'm great.

Whitney: Except for the cookie dough incident.

Amy: Well, I did throw up from eating raw cookie dough last night, and that's

Whitney: Sorry, I outed you.

Amy: never happened. Oh, I hate it, too, cuz today I have, like, broken little tiny red dots around my eyes.

Whitney: I mean, it was more than just one vomit. It was like food poisoning.

Amy: No, it was one. It, it felt like food poisoning though. There was something out, like, I had to run to the bathroom to use the bathroom before I threw up, and then I was just like Then, I got super nauseous, and I was like, fuck this. I'm getting it out. And, like,

Whitney: Oh, my god. Oh, yeah.

Amy: so, I went and stuck my finger down my throat until, and, It wanted to come out. Like,

Whitney: It It really, really wanted to come out.

Amy: I hate It did. I hate throwing up. I could never be bulimic. And, it was awful, but But then I felt better. So, but I'm pretty sure I bought some Snickers cookie dough that they had, and it looked so good, and now, I'm feeling nauseous just talking about it, but Good.

Whitney: Well, it's interesting, anyway, because I would think because you're so good about what you put in your body, like, I would think that after a while, if you did that randomly, your body would be like, "What the hell?" But you do it often.

Amy: It's not that random. I mean, I would say I eat raw cookie dough every other week.

Whitney: It's one of her youthful secrets, guys. Raw cookie dough. Raw cookie dough for a face like this.

Amy: Oh, it was No. I shouldn't do it, but I just It's so good.

Whitney: Whatever. I'm so sick of shoulding. We've got to stop shoulding ourselves.

Amy: So good. Me, too. Actually, I'm right there with you. I'm sick of feeling bad about anything.

Whitney: No, we're not doing it. Yeah, we've said that. And that's fine. And we're not doing that anymore. You deserve it, and then if your body rejects it, then that's the consequence.

Amy: I told you that. I told you that. Yeah. Sick of it. Uh-uh. Well, it does say a warning on there that it may cause food poisoning, and I just thought that was bullshit. I've done it

Whitney: It does. Well,

Amy: literally my entire life.

Whitney: My mom does that as well, and she's never gotten sick.

Amy: You don't eat raw cookie dough ever?

Whitney: I don't like that. No.

Amy: Gosh.

Whitney: I over the years, I'm not a salt uh a sweet person. I'm a salty person.

Amy: Oh, not really a I'm a salty person, too.

Whitney: And I it really bugs Ryan, because he'll be like, "Let's get a dessert." And I'm like, "Eh." "You want to eat some pickles?" Like

Amy: I know. I oh, my god, the pickle Mauna Loa or whatever, that makes the macadamia nuts.

Whitney: Oh, yeah?

Amy: They have a dill pickle flavor macadamia nut. It's very hard to find, but they just stocked it at Randalls. I bought like three packs. I'll have to give you one.

Whitney: Ooh, yeah.

Amy: They're so good. Oh, they're so good.

Whitney: In the nut aisle at Randalls?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: Cuz I'll just swing by there, and pick up some.

Amy: Yeah. Well, I bought three, but so I can spare one. They're just so good. But anyway, I'm really a salty person, too, but I do There's something about cookie dough.

Whitney: Yeah. No, I and I think just over time, now, I don't even you know, cuz there there was a time when you would crave it, because I was eating sugar all the time, just not paying attention, and so I had more of a craving, but I don't really I don't really eat sweets. There is one thing that I love.

Amy: Well, I love cookies. That's my sweet.

Whitney: Trader Joe's has this chocolate sheet cake. It's like It's little, and it's this chocolate sheet cake, and it is so good.

Amy: Really?

Whitney: That's one thing that I would eat.

Amy: That's a random thing to even discover.

Whitney: I know. Well, I went over to a friend's house years ago for a playdate, and she had it. And I was like, "This is delicious."

Amy: And they had it. You're like, "What is this?"

Whitney: Yeah, now, every time I happen to eat it, I send her a picture. I'm like, "This is all because of you." But that's one thing that Because I do mm yeah, that chocolate cake is good.

Amy: Yeah, yeah.

Whitney: It's good. Anyway,

Amy: do you have a mid moment to share?

Whitney: my mid moment is really I went to the dermatologist.

Amy: Congratulations.

Whitney: Thank you. I go Sometimes, I'm going every 3 months, depending on what's happening with my skin, cuz it's very freckly. But this time I went, and I was it was all vanity. And I was like, "Just" I had gotten a ballpin ballpoint pen, and I had gone all over my body, and circled the things that I wanted frozen off. And so she froze off, like, probably 12 things.

Amy: How'd you do your back?

Whitney: Like this.

Amy: No way. No way. What? You did it?

Whitney: And then I did it. I did it on the things that were close to, you know, that I could reach. But she also did a whole body scan for me, so. And I was like, wow, who would have thought? Just random little things are growing on me.

Amy: Yeah. Cool. I remember seeing my dad, you know? Like, did you see it on, you know?

Whitney: I don't see it on my mom.

Amy: No?

Whitney: But maybe it's being covered by makeup.

Amy: Oh, good. Maybe.

Whitney: But, yeah, it's just it's so ugh, I don't like it. And and I've put it off, because I didn't want to seem vain. Plus, it was $300. It's like $300.

Amy: That's not much. I don't think that's bad at all.

Whitney: It used to be 150, and then they bumped it to 300, and I was like, "What?"

Amy: For a whole body?

Whitney: No. Well, it's supposed to be up to 10, but she's like, "I don't count."

Amy: Oh. Oh, okay.

Whitney: And so she was finding things I've got some on my face. I've got some It was really on my torso and stuff. She was like, "But nobody sees that." And I'm like, "People feel it." Okay?

Amy: Mhm. Oh, so it's like a little raised.

Whitney: Oh, yeah. That's what That's all the things that I Yeah.

Amy: Raised. Okay. Oh, wow. Yeah.

Whitney: If it wasn't raised, I don't see how you could freeze them.

Amy: I want those seen. Dude, I had one that popped up, like sort of skin taggish, but sort of whatever, on my, like, pussy lip. Is that too much information? And I made her remove it.

Whitney: What?

Amy: Yeah. I know.

Whitney: I just assumed it was due to sun.

Amy: It's not.

Whitney: Apparently not, unless you're just right up there.

Amy: It's age. I couldn't believe it. And I was like, okay. And I just went in, and I was like, this is got to go. And she's like, oh, yeah. She didn't She She didn't bat an eye.

Whitney: They The things they must see. But, yeah, it's always raised. And it's just like It's like raised dry skin almost. They call it like keratosis, something or another.

Amy: Something like that. Yeah.

Whitney: Anyway, I did not know that you could Did I just get too much?

Amy: Was that too much information for the show?

Whitney: No, we do what we want.

Amy: I mean, I want people to feel comfortable.

Whitney: Well, if they don't, that's on them.

Amy: I mean, that, that if If they got something going on, I do, too. You know what I mean? Like,

Whitney: Right. Well, that's the whole thing. We're trying to, you know,

Amy: Yeah. Yeah.

Whitney: just be open and honest about midlife. So, there you go.

Amy: Well, that's good. That makes me inspired. I probably need to make a trip, and maybe I'll just start circling stuff on my body.

Whitney: That's what I did, cuz it never fails. When I go in, I can't find what I was Yeah.

Amy: You forget one. Yes.

Whitney: When lots of times because I am trying to make myself look younger even for the dermatologist, I will lotion up before I go. And then you can't see all the dry spots, and, you know, so, to this time I was like, "I'm just getting a pen and circling those motherfuckers." And that's what I did.

Amy: I had this Back in college, I had this really, really dark freckle, like super dark, on my arm. And this is going to sound insane. And I hated it.

Whitney: Like that dark?

Amy: And one day I was like It wasn't that big. It was just more small, but it was just dark. And I was like, "I'm sick of this thing. I want it to go away." And I And, it, and, and it scabbed up, and it fell off.

Whitney: You're You have so many stories like that.

Amy: It's so weird.

Whitney: That is very odd. I I don't know that I would want to say that.

Amy: I, I kind of couldn't believe it.

Whitney: Yeah, that's pretty You just hated it right off.

Amy: I hated it off.

Whitney: But I don't want to do that, because I don't I don't know, I'm afraid.

Amy: No, you don't. You don't.

Whitney: I'm very afraid of that, but, man, you're pretty powerful.

Amy: You want to stay It's pretty weird, right? I have to be real careful with my body. Speaking of bodies, my mid moment is kind of just about hormone. So, I'm back on my excuse me, back on my HRT, happily. And last Let's see. So, I had, like, you know, some days without progesterone, and I just want to say I got, like, kind of down in the dumps.

Whitney: Mhm. Oh. Aw.

Amy: And it's it can be hormonal. And so, I want people to know, I feel like there's a lot of misinformation out there. And I do understand that there are probably ways to get off of hormone replacement. I interviewed somebody, I'm not sure when this is coming out, when they're coming out, and she was fabulous. Her name's Zuzoo Arms, and she was amazing holistic healer. But she talks about, like, getting off of hormones, and how, you know, you don't want to be on that for the rest of your life, and I get that. And I also see other things from like, sorry, Kim Anami and stuff, like she talks about how you don't need them, just have more orgasms, and I'm like, I just think that's real misinformation.

Whitney: Okay. I agree. I'm sorry, but part of the reason I'm not having orgasms or don't want to have an orgasm is because I don't have the hormone.

Amy: Mhm. Exactly.

Whitney: So, that can be very frustrating.

Amy: So, I I just think there's a lot of misinformation, and if and and it's okay to be on hormones, like, I am really grateful for it right now, because I was having so much going on, including just noticing 5 days without progesterone, and I took a dip. And, like, I'm living healthy. I'm doing the things. So, you know, I understand all these other things, and getting to the root cause, but also it's okay to be on hormones, and, like, just don't think you're doing something wrong, because you aren't.

Whitney: And and I I kind of disagree. Now, I'm no doctor, but I have also interviewed doctors. And now, they're saying you can be on them. It Your It's The root cause is old age. That's the root. That is the root cause. We don't need to go finding a root cause. It's that we're aging, and our body is no longer producing those things. So, if I want to put that in my body so that I feel good, then F off, everybody. Like, it kind of As you can see, it's kind of getting me worked up that I I don't I don't

Amy: I I actually unfollowed her, cuz she's

Whitney: I don't believe it. Yeah.

Amy: It It was I just felt really bad information.

Whitney: And and judged.

Amy: I felt like it was very judgy.

Whitney: But I'm sorry. It's old age. It's aging. That's the root cause of our hormone at our age. Now, if I was 25, then maybe we need to get to the root cause. But I know what the root cause is at 55.

Amy: Yeah. Right. Right.

Whitney: That's just Yeah. And I don't want to be made to feel guilty. That's part of the issue, is that for so long, we were terrified. They ripped HRT out of our hands 20 years ago or however long, when those cancer studies came out, and come to find out, we didn't have all the information

Amy: Yeah. Imagine that. Yeah.

Whitney: when they gave that when they put out those studies, and it was just fear-based. So,

Amy: It was. It was.

Whitney: we're going to talk more about that. I've I've got I've got an episode that that is coming up later where we kind of talk about that a little bit with the hormones,

Amy: Oh, good. Okay.

Whitney: and

Amy: Great. Great.

Whitney: and then longevity.

Amy: Good. Well, I'm glad we we got that out of our system.

Whitney: Yeah. But today,

Amy: Today.

Whitney: today, we're going to talk about biostimulators. I

Amy: Stimulate me.

Whitney: Biostimulate, which is exactly what it says. It's stimulating your biology, right?

Amy: Yeah. Cool.

Whitney: So, Sculptra is what I do I do, I guess I can say I do it. I've done it twice. I've had two um sessi- like, you know, it's like three sessions per like plan. I've done it twice, whatever. So, six sessions.

Amy: Oh. So, each time I have not done Sculptra, and I know a lot of people that have. So, tell me everything, cuz I really don't know. And so, you do three sessions.

Whitney: You do, yeah, and and the first time I did it, and we're going to get into the the science behind it and everything, but just just to let you know, the first time I did it was a couple of years ago, and you do like

Amy: So, you were 50? You were in your 50s?

Whitney: Yeah, I was in my 50s. Yeah, it was like 2 years ago, so 53, 52, something like that. And I went in, and you buy a package of like three, and the first time

Amy: For how much? How much was it?

Whitney: Oh, gosh. Um I tried to wait for the sales. I think it was I think I've got three sessions for like $800.

Amy: Oh, that's cheap.

Whitney: It wasn't bad. Um, and then

Amy: Wow. I was expecting you to say like $3,000 or something.

Whitney: Oh, no. But now, you know, I'm terrible with numbers.

Amy: Me, too.

Whitney: But I'm pretty sure it was less than a $1,000 the first time. And then this next time, I think it was 1,200 or something, yeah. But always wait for the deals.

Amy: Okay. For all three. Cool. Okay. Wow, that's cheap. Okay, great.

Whitney: So, anyway, the first time I did it, they had me do three sessions. I came three separate times. And they it built on each other. The The last time I did it, more recently, she did two of them right then, like in different areas of my face. And then I'm going to talk about it in here. Show me all the areas.

Amy: Show me all the I have to know everything.

Whitney: Okay, well, before we get into the specific brands like Sculptra, we want I want you guys to understand the philosophy behind this this modern face, okay? We've all we all understand fillers, the traditional fillers, which is what we just talked about, Botox and whatever.

Amy: No, we talked about neurotoxins. We did not talk about fillers.

Whitney: Oh, well. Oh, all right, Botox is different. But, but anyway, you're right. My

Amy: Filler is like actually putting something in your face, which I've done that, too. Which We can do an episode on filler. I'm I'm kind of over filler, but

Whitney: Yes. Okay. Okay, well, anyway, the the deal with filler is that's exactly what it's doing. It's filling. It's hyaluronic I always have a hard time saying that.

Amy: Hyaluronic.

Whitney: Hyaluronic acid, and they take up physical space. So, if you have a pothole, a wrinkle, all right, or you want bigger lips, you put that gel in, and the hole is gone. It's an immediate accessory, and then slowly your body absorbs it over time. But it's it's like stuffing a pillow.

Amy: Right. Yep.

Whitney: All right. So, and I didn't really know what hi I hear about hyaluronic acid all the time, but I always forget what it is. It's a natur- it's naturally occurring in your skin, your eyes, your joints. It's got the ability to hold onto water, and that's what makes it so great. It can hold up to a thousand times its own weight in water. So, that's why it's plumping everything.

Amy: I'm pretty sure you can take it as a supplement, like a oral supplement.

Whitney: Probably, it's a sugar molecule. Maybe you're getting it in your

Amy: In my what?

Whitney: cookie dough.

Amy: Oh, god. Don't remind me. It makes me nauseous.

Whitney: Anyway, that that the job of that acid is to lubricate and moist and keeps the skin looking dewy, and all of that. But as we get older, obviously, our own production of it drops off, and that's why we need the fillers.

Amy: Once again.

Whitney: And that's when we

Amy: Aging ruins the party.

Whitney: start to look like a dried raisin, and we want to be a plump grape. Right? So, that's that's what fillers do. This is something different. Biostimulators are like farming your skin, okay? They're made of something called PLLA. It's a synthetic biocompatible polymer, and if that sounds scary, it's the exact same thing that dissolvable

Amy: Polymer Polymer sounds scary.

Whitney: Right, but it's the same thing that dissolvable sutures are made from. So, it's been around for a very long time.

Amy: Huh.

Whitney: Surgeons have used it for decades. So, that's one one type of biostimulator, the PLLA, but then there's also something called calcium hydro I practiced this. Hydroxylapatite. Hydroxylapatite.

Amy: Let me see. Where is it?

Whitney: Calcium

Amy: Calcium hydroxylapatite.

Whitney: Yeah, whatever. It's got calcium in it, all right? And that's what makes it so unique, is that it's got these microscopic, mineral-like particles. They're like a substance that you have in your bones and your teeth, calcium.

Amy: And that's in Sculptra?

Whitney: That's in No, it's in something else. These are just types of bio stimulators. Now, I'm going to tell you about Sculptra, okay?

Amy: Stimulators.

Whitney: Sculptra

Amy: Is that the main one of biostimulators?

Whitney: Sculptra, yes.

Amy: What are the other ones?

Whitney: Radiesse. Have you heard of Radiesse?

Amy: Radiesse. S-S-E?

Whitney: Radiesse. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Radiesse.

Amy: Radiesse. Okay, and then?

Whitney: Yeah. Those are the two main ones.

Amy: Those are the two main ones. Okay, cool.

Whitney: Yeah, but they do different things. The Radiesse has the calcium in it. Sculptra does not. So, Sculptra is the PLLA, all right? And it seeds your tissue, and you grow collagen from it. So, and then like 3 to 6 months. So, the bottom line is it doesn't fill a wrinkle. Like, when I get Sculptra, I don't come out of there with my wrinkles gone. It's happening underneath, and she she mixes up this powder, which is the PLLA, with probably saline, I think. And then she's squishing it into, like, long into different areas of my face.

Amy: Oh, wow.

Whitney: Depending Well, she does it I'm going to tell you more, but around your temple, anywhere where you're going to be sal- yeah, sagging.

Amy: Okay. I've heard your temples. Face. Yeah.

Whitney: Yes, it's a it's one of the first places where things start to sag in and, like, crater kind of. So, you put it in your temples. She did it around my cheekbone and nose.

Amy: Yes. Does it go down to the bone?

Whitney: Radiesse go It You You can do different things. So,

Amy: I'm sorry, am I jumping ahead?

Whitney: Radiesse, yes. It's okay. Okay. Radiesse is where you do Cuz it's calcium, so you're going to do it close to the bone.

Amy: Let's finish where you get it. You get it Okay.

Whitney: All right, so, Sculptra

Amy: Wait, let's finish where you get it. You get it in your cheeks.

Whitney: You can get it in your temples, which they call keep it from being a peanut head. I don't know. I guess you know Mr. Peanut, how he goes?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: The shape of a peanut. No, everybody talks about your temples. Yeah, so temples, it goes there. It can go in sunken cheeks. They also can put it in your hip, like hip dips. I don't know. Anywhere where you're, your creating a hollow effect that you want to get rid of.

Amy: Where else do you get it?

Whitney: I just get it in my face.

Amy: Just cheeks, but where in your face?

Whitney: I get my I get it my temples. She does something like here around I think it probably is for these laugh lines.

Amy: Temples. Mhm.

Whitney: She'll do it around around my, yes, exactly. And then my jaw, like around here.

Amy: Nasolabial folds. Nasolabial folds. Oh.

Whitney: And the thing about Sculptra is, after you get it, you have to, for 5 days, do the 5-5-5. So, for 5 minutes, five times a day, and I don't remember what the

Amy: 5 minutes, five times a day,

Whitney: other five is.

Amy: and then there's a third five that I can't remember what it means.

Whitney: But you have to massage that area

Amy: It's probably 5 days, five times a day for 5 minutes, or something like that.

Whitney: Yes, there you go.

Amy: And you do what?

Whitney: You have to massage that area, or it can clump up. So, you want to make

Amy: Each area? 5 time 5 minutes, five times a day?

Whitney: Yes. Yes.

Amy: Damn, that's a lot. So, you have to spend a lot of time

Whitney: Well, I mean, it's just, you know, throughout the day. And if you think about it, you I don't know about you, but I'll rub my face, like, I'm putting on my lotion, or I'm washing it, or, you know, whatever. So, But you have to You have to make sure that you do that, or, otherwise, it can clump up.

Amy: Oh, it'll clump up. Uh-huh.

Whitney: But basically, the way that Sculptra works is you you don't see the Think of it as like your garden. Your face is your garden. You're not seeing You seed your garden, and you're not seeing it grow right away. It's all happening underneath the soil, and creating good soil for seeds to grow. So, that's what it's doing.

Amy: What What made you do it twice?

Whitney: I had read about it as a natural way I don't like fillers. They don't I I didn't have any big areas that needed filler. But I have, naturally, good apple cheeks, I always have. And and I felt like those were disappearing a little bit. And I think I just went in, and at Saving Face, Victoria was like, "You know, have you ever considered Sculptra?" And I did some research on it, and I liked it. It looks natural, and it's actually helping your body create its own collagen, which is what you want. You know, it's it's the way that we've heard it, you know, it's signaling to your body, "Oh, something's going on here. We need to go check it out." And then they go send the the little busy workers out that

Amy: Yeah. Yeah, sure. Sure.

Whitney: put collagen in there. And it lasts It can last, you know, up to 2 or 3 years, but they do suggest getting like a little maintenance once a year, so. I didn't do that the first time, and it took me a couple years, and then I was like, "Oh,

Amy: Mhm. Okay.

Whitney: I bet I need to do this." And I was feeling old. But every time I go, like, to the dermatologist, or even to an aesthetician that I haven't seen before, they always say that my face is has volume, or, you know, looks Doesn't look its age, and I do think that that's the Sculptra.

Amy: It does. No. Okay.

Whitney: Now, the Radiesse is a different type of biostimulator, and it has the calcium in it. Now, I've never used this, and and I'm not sure I would, because I don't need it. You're going to use Radiesse for a like, if you want a sharper jawline, or something with your chin. This is one thing that I thought was cool, and my friend Angelique does this with fillers. I don't think she's doing it with Sculptra or Radiesse, but she does it with fillers. You can put it in your hands.

Amy: I've heard that.

Whitney: And so, she would she would fill her mother's hands

Amy: God, that sounds like it hurts.

Whitney: with filler, and it would pat it. But you use Sculptra or Radiesse, and and it literally thickens your skin, because it's creating a layer of collagen underneath.

Amy: That's nice. Mhm.

Whitney: So, I think I'm going to do that next. But the Radiesse is a firm paste made of the calcium hydroxylapatite. How do you say it?

Amy: Hydroxylapatite.

Whitney: Exactly. It provides an immediate lift, but it also is stimulating the collagen long-term. It's exactly that you have to put it exactly where it's placed is where it's going to stay. And because it has the calcium in it, it's almost like you're giving a little bone definition.

Amy: Mhm. Oh.

Whitney: That's why you use it if you want to do the chin, cheeks, jawline. That's where you're going to use this Radiesse. And then with with your hands, they will actually make it a thin layer. They'll They'll mix it with more saline to create a thinner layer, and they'll put it in your hands, and it thickens up your hands.

Amy: Okay. Uh-huh. Wow.

Whitney: You actually can put this anywhere you have crepey skin. Not the Radiesse. I'm saying that right or wrong?

Amy: Read Yeah.

Whitney: Radiesse, yeah. Sculptra, you can put anywhere you have crepey skin.

Amy: Radiesse. Wow.

Whitney: I know. I was like, just sign me up for an entire body. That's what you That's the BBL, you know, the the butt lift,

Amy: Wow. So, people People are using it in every

Whitney: that that they use Sculptra for that.

Amy: Huh.

Whitney: Yeah. Anyway.

Amy: Oh. Interesting.

Whitney: Now, I'm sure they also have the actual butt plant implants.

Amy: There are implants. But If you just If you ever want to go down a little rabbit hole and look at before and afters,

Whitney: I don't. I do not.

Amy: it'll make you want one. Like, you're like, holy shit. Well, your butt's really good.

Whitney: I like my butt, but it's getting, you know,

Amy: I mean, you see those before and afters, and you're like, "Uh."

Whitney: I just imagine Kim Kardashian or one of the Kardashians, and I'm like, "I don't want that."

Amy: They have pretty big ones, I think.

Whitney: But some of them look natural?

Amy: Oh, yeah, they look awesome.

Whitney: Hmm.

Amy: I know. I went down a rabbit hole.

Whitney: No, I don't want a butt lift. What am I Why am I even thinking about it? Now, I'm like, "Hmm." But the truth is, everything's going to start to sag at some point.

Amy: No, I know. Yeah.

Whitney: So, then you're just looking at, you know, look, a long time ago, I had exosomes put in my knees

Amy: Nice.

Whitney: to make them look I was a They asked me to do it. I thought I was getting like a compliment. They My friend called me, and she's like, "Can you be a model for us for my doctor's office?"

Amy: You're like, "A model?"

Whitney: And I was like, "Yes, I can. What do you need?" And she goes, "Oh, well, we need somebody who has saggy hands and knees

Amy: To

Whitney: to come and try this product." And I was like, "Ooh, that hurts." But, yes, I want to do it.

Amy: Oh, yeah.

Whitney: Anyway, so apparently my knees now are younger, just because I got those exosomes in them a couple years ago.

Amy: Really? Cool.

Whitney: And it keeps them from sagging. But anyway, back to the Radiesse. That's another biostimulator, but it has the calcium. You use it if you want more of a bone type definition, but it's not super hard, cuz I was like, I wouldn't want to put that in my hands, and then just have like skeletal hands.

Amy: Okay. Mhm. No.

Whitney: But it doesn't do that. They mix it with saline, and get it really thin, and it evens out, yeah.

Amy: And it evens out. Oh, cuz your hands are a giveaway.

Whitney: They are. They are a giveaway. There is a new hybrid

Amy: Got to do those hands.

Whitney: biostimulator that is not available here in the US just yet. It's still in the FDA approval, but it's in Europe. It's been around for a couple of years, and it's called HarmonyCA, or Harmonica, I don't know. Anyway, and it's the first true hybrid. It's the ingredients, it's got the hyaluronic acid, the HA,

Amy: Okay. Mhm.

Whitney: and that gives the glow and the dewy look. And then it's got the calcium for strength. So, it's actually mixing Sculptra and Radiesse together.

Amy: Interesting.

Whitney: So, you get both of the benefits. It's roughly like a 70/30 split. You get a high concentration for the glow and the volume, and then the calcium beads come in to help you create your own collagen for the next 18 months.

Amy: Oh, cool. Cool.

Whitney: So, and this this type of biostimulator, they say, usually goes in the side face. So, where you're getting hollow over here, you can stick it in there, and it shrink wraps the skin.

Amy: That's where I just need a lift.

Whitney: Where you Like, I have them, these accordion lines. It's because of where I how I sleep. I sleep on this side. So, this side of my face is way more wrinkled. See?

Amy: I see it.

Whitney: It's bad.

Amy: I know. I'm sorry to say I saw it without you smiling.

Whitney: I know. No, I know. It's there. So, I I need to do like more Sculptra right there. But I also try not to sleep on that side, but

Amy: Can you overdo it on Sculptra?

Whitney: I did not read anything about overdoing it.

Amy: I just I look at someone like Nicole Kidman. Now,

Whitney: But we don't know what she's done.

Amy: No, we don't. I'm not dogging on Nicole, okay? Cuz she's getting work. I mean, she is out there doing, making stuff all the time, right?

Whitney: Yeah. Yeah.

Amy: She's in everything. But when I see her face, I feel like she's done something like Sculptra, like around the edges, to to build collagen and stuff. And I feel like it's changed the shape of her face to a degree, and her eyes look a little closer together. Like,

Whitney: Yeah. The way that face is, mhm.

Amy: it just looks something looks different to me. And so, I'm And I mean, she's a beautiful woman, but her face has changed a bit.

Whitney: Well, that's the

Amy: And it's I I wonder about some things like this, like if if there is a way to do too much.

Whitney: Well, I don't know that it's about doing too much. I think it's about putting it in the wrong places.

Amy: Oh, maybe. I would think she'd have the best of the best though, you know? But

Whitney: You would think.

Amy: You'd think.

Whitney: But everybody has an off day.

Amy: Yes, they do.

Whitney: Sad if it's Nicole Kidman's day.

Amy: Yeah, you don't want to fuck up that face.

Whitney: No, you do not.

Amy: Well, you don't want to fuck up any face, really. Like, yours is just as important.

Whitney: But the the truth is, this is the this is the balance, because we are aging, and the more we do to try to keep ourselves from aging, we're going to start to look different. It's just I think that's just going to be the the way it is. We're We're not going to be able to replicate what we look like in our 20s.

Amy: Honestly, I don't really want to. I think I look better now.

Whitney: Yeah, I did and I did, too, until you told me that you could see these wrinkles on the side of my face. That's okay. I know that they're there, and I'm going to work on it. And I'm diligent with my Korean skincare.

Amy: I think they're cute. They don't look bad. They look completely normal.

Whitney: They're old.

Amy: No, they're not. Dude,

Whitney: they don't don't say my wrinkles look cute.

Amy: They do. Your face looks great. This looks natural.

Whitney: No. I have a cute face, but this is not cute. All right, well, what I I wanted to share one other thing with you, and I've gotten this done before as well, and my good friend, Angelique Campen, Dr. Angelique Campen, shout out, she listens, she's an ER doctor, but she also does aesthetician work on the side. And she does these threads,

Amy: Okay. Yes.

Whitney: these PDO threads. And I've had them. It's wherever you need a lift. Yeah, I've had she's done them for me in in my neck.

Amy: Mhm. Oh, you have? Yeah.

Whitney: And I don't know if I've ever gotten them I can't remember if I've ever gotten them here, but I'm thinking, I'm going to LA in a couple weeks. I'm going to tell her to bring her threads, because maybe she can help with this. You don't like the threads?

Amy: Nope.

Whitney: Let me tell you about them. They're dissolvable sutures.

Amy: Do they they qualify as a biostimulator?

Whitney: No, this is just a This is just a Well, yes, actually, yes, because they do create your your body creates collagen around it. So, yes, it is. It is a biostimulator, in a different way.

Amy: Oh. Oh, okay. Okay, good. Okay.

Whitney: So, there's these sutures with tiny barbs that act like velcro for your face, and you get an immediate result. The doctor puts it I know. As I'm talking about it, I want to uncross my legs.

Amy: Barbs.

Whitney: It didn't hurt that that bad. It was more a mental thing of like, "Ooh, she's putting a thread."

Amy: No, I know plenty of people that have done it. It's very expensive for what it is.

Whitney: Yeah. Well, see, well, I don't even know how much it cost, because she's my friend, and I get a discount.

Amy: I mean, I consulted once, and it was $7,000,

Whitney: What?

Amy: and it was only going to last like a year. And I was like, "What? This makes zero sense."

Whitney: $7,000? No, no, no, no. Was that for like a million threads?

Amy: No.

Whitney: Well, that's insanity. I mean, I'm a good friend of Angelique, but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't eat $7,000 for me.

Amy: Maybe they're just overcharging? I don't know. They're really What I've And and the people I've talked to have paid a lot.

Whitney: We need to look that up. I wish we could call her. That is not That's That's That's not correct. I don't see how that's correct. Anyway, back to the threads. You get an immediate result. It zips your jowls upward. You put it in your jowls, you put it in your sagging brows, the turkey gobbler neck, which is where I've done it a couple of times.

Amy: Okay. Okay. Yeah, let's look up threads on Mhm. Uh-huh.

Whitney: There is a little side effect. You get a little crunchy. Like, you can You can hear

Amy: God. I don't want that. I don't like it. I don't think you should do it.

Whitney: What? I've done it. Why? What are you scared of?

Amy: I just don't I don't know. I I don't think

Whitney: This is where you draw the line?

Amy: This is where I draw the line. Yeah, actually, I've got a few lines. I've heard that when you have surgery, like when they go in there, it kind of fucks things up.

Whitney: Okay, well, that's also true with with any of these bio uh

Amy: Oh, really?

Whitney: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bi- biostimulators, because you're creating scar tissue basically. You're going in, and you're telling your body, you know, you're making these little minor injuries inside, and your body's going to it, and trying to fix it. And it's creating The lines start to blur. I I found this out when somebody was talking about getting a facelift, or something. I don't know, I did some research. I can't remember how I figured it out, but if you wanted to get a facelift, a lot of doctors are a little wary of people who've had Sculptra, because it just makes it harder to find the the the breaks, and the cuts, and figuring out, I don't know, it's all kind of like a spider web in there, instead of just

Amy: Wow. Yeah.

Whitney: planes.

Amy: Yeah. And I think threads make it harder, too. Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah, it's just a matter of what you're willing to do. But I've I've done the threads several times. I didn't have a problem.

Amy: Just in your neck?

Whitney: I did it in my neck, and I think she did it

Amy: Like here?

Whitney: I think she did it around here, or something. I can't remember.

Amy: You've done a lot.

Whitney: Well, especially because of Angelique, like, if she's got something, and she'll be like, "Well, let me just Let me just give you a little bit." I mean, you know, and I pay her just for cost. So,

Amy: Yes. Nice.

Whitney: and she's my friend, so it's easy. I'm not going to the doctor for threads. I didn't even know about threads. She's the one that told me about them.

Amy: I know. That's good. Right. Right. Uh-huh.

Whitney: But I liked them, and it's just like a suspension bridge. It's you like you're using cables to But then afterwards, all those little barbs are creating little areas inside that your body goes in and builds collagen around. So, it's not just the thread.

Amy: Do you feel like it lasted, or it wore off, or is it just too hard to say with Sculptra and everything?

Whitney: It's hard It's hard to say, because like you've said, it's like, I don't know what's working.

Amy: Mhm. I know.

Whitney: And I don't really like my neck necessarily. I feel like I need to do something more with my neck. But when I talk to other people, they will say, "You're look Your neck is fine." And I have done that in my neck before. So, I don't know. I don't know.

Amy: Hmm.

Whitney: Did you look up how much it cost, or you couldn't find it?

Amy: I couldn't find it. It gave me actual thread.

Whitney: Oh. Hilarious. Biostimulator. It's be It's uh P- PDO threads.

Amy: And I was like, I don't want to be stitched. This says PDO thread lifts can be from $700 to $4,500.

Whitney: Yeah, 7,000 is She's on crack.

Amy: So, I I feel like Dude, I was sticker shocked out the that hour. I was like, uh,

Whitney: No, that's insane. That's insane. All right, I did want to tell you one thing, one more thing that I found out about this that I did not know.

Amy: goodbye.

Whitney: UV rays eat up your collagen.

Amy: Oh, shit.

Whitney: So, if you're getting stuff done like this, you have to put sunblock on. You have to put sunblock on.

Amy: Just wear hats, too. I mean, my god.

Whitney: I didn't realize I didn't I I didn't know, but the those UV rays go into your underneath your skin, and in there, and it's basically destroying your collagen.

Amy: Collagen?

Whitney: So, all the stuff that we're doing, if we're not putting on that Korean sunscreen, you're you're doing it for nothing.

Amy: You're good with sunscreen, cuz you're a redhead.

Whitney: Yeah, I've had to my whole life. But I'm not as good as I should be. I should be putting it on my hands.

Amy: You don't?

Whitney: No, I forget.

Amy: Whitney, carry it with you. I put it on my hands every time I get in the car.

Whitney: I used to carry it in my

Amy: But Look at my hands.

Whitney: Yeah, your hands are good. I used to put them I used to put sunscreen in my car, but it would get spoiled, cuz it's so freaking hot here.

Amy: It's pretty good. That's true.

Whitney: Anyway, I just thought that was interesting. I did not realize they used

Amy: In your purse. You carry a bag. Put it in your bag.

Whitney: Yeah, I have a bag. Okay, Mom.

Amy: Good lord. Get some good one, too. Get the Play or Supergoop!

Whitney: Remember I bought those like driving gloves? I was going to wear those all the time, and then I never gloves, I never wore them.

Amy: Yes! Wear driving gloves. Oh, my god.

Whitney: Anyway, the takeaway is, you know, I really liked Sculptra. I also think that I'm I'm happy with the threads that I've had. And I'm sure after Angelique hears this episode, she'll have some comments to make.

Amy: Good, I would love to know.

Whitney: Yeah, write

Amy: I'd love to know.

Whitney: Comment on the episode, Angelique, when you're listening to this. Like, go to wherever you're listening and make a comment.

Amy: Yeah. Yeah, tell us.

Whitney: Anyway, I I'm excited about it. It's a way to get things done more naturally. You're not putting things in your body that it doesn't know what to do with.

Amy: No, I get that. I I really like that part of it.

Whitney: And And the the the good thing about the threads is that it's instant, and then it still does work afterwards. I mean, as soon as she pulls that thread, it's tight.

Amy: Ooh. Which I like that idea, but does it all hurt? Did I ask you if it hurt?

Whitney: They put lidocaine in the Sculptra, but it's uncomfortable. I mean, I have to close my eyes and kind of check out mentally, cuz I'm imagining. And she's like,

Amy: Mhm. Mhm.

Whitney: you know, really squeezing and pushing and getting things up there. So, I'm always kind of like trying to pretend like I'm somewhere else.

Amy: I stab my own hand. I dig my fingernail into my finger, like really hard. And then, that's where my focus goes.

Whitney: Yeah, she gives me I'm the one that's like holding a vibrator in one hand, ice packs in another. Like, she's got all the things that are supposed to keep me awake.

Amy: They have They do that to me, too. This is my trick. This gets me out of my head with whatever pain I'm feeling. That's my trick.

Whitney: Yeah. Uh-huh. Let me see how that feels. Do you do it?

Amy: Yep. I just I I push pretty hard.

Whitney: Oh, yeah, sheesh.

Amy: I'm sorry. I push really hard, and that just

Whitney: Yeah. And, man, your nail is so

Amy: takes me out of my out of whatever I'm feeling, and I focus on that.

Whitney: Well, just to leave you with the final cheat sheet, okay? Sculptra is is like inflating a flat tire, and it's gradual, 3 to 6 months, you start to see real results. Radiesse is like sculpting with clay. It's instant. You get an instant thing, and then it also is helping long-term.

Amy: Mhm. Mhm. That's weird how that's not like filler. You know what I mean? Like, that

Whitney: It's the calcium.

Amy: That's weird. Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah, I don't know.

Amy: Huh.

Whitney: Threads is a mechanical lift, and it's like tucking in a shirt, and it's instant. It says 1-week recovery, but I didn't really I didn't have any bruising or anything. But that's because Dr. Angelique Campen is that good.

Amy: She's that good. Cool.

Whitney: Anyway, I'm excited. I I'm especially excited about the new stuff that's coming out, that's coming down the pipe. But this is These are the things that I would rather do than a facelift.

Amy: Yeah, for sure. I get it. I've done Ultherapy twice, you know, and so I should do an episode on that.

Whitney: What's that? What is it?

Amy: So, It's It stimulates your own growth, and it goes down to your bone. I think it hurts so bad.

Whitney: Ultherapy? Ooh.

Amy: But I've I did it at 39 and 49. And it's But it takes like It It works over the next year and a half, and it lasts. And so, there's some controversy around it. People say it can fuck up your skin, but really I I hear it doesn't. And I've had good experience. So,

Whitney: You've done it. Yeah.

Amy: so anyway, I'll cover that sometime.

Whitney: Yeah, I would like to know. Anything I'm trying the The goal for me is to look like I'm a- aging look like I'm aging

Amy: Mhm. How do you say that?

Whitney: I know. Aging gracefully, and that's why, even though these little wrinkles over here, they bother me, but you're right. I mean, it's not that big of a deal. No one's going to be like, "Good lord, you've aged 15 years with those wrinkles," you know?

Amy: Somebody said this to me the other day that like she heard heard someone say this, instead of saying, "Oh, you look good for 53," right? That doesn't sound great. But saying, "You're wearing it well. Like, you're wearing 55 really well, or 54, however old you are. And you're wearing it really well." And I was like, I like that, right? That's what we want. We want to be wearing this age to the best we can.

Whitney: No. I like that. Right.

Amy: I want to be wearing it well.

Whitney: Well, how about just say, "Wow, you're beautiful."

Amy: Yeah! How about that?

Whitney: I mean, why do I have to talk about wearing it well? I mean, just you're beautiful. You look great.

Amy: Yes. Yes. Don't bring age into it at all.

Whitney: And you do, though.

Amy: And you do, though. And like Like you said, we are aging, and there's a certain level of acceptance where it's like, yeah, I've got some wrinkles, and cool, okay. You know, like, I'm

Whitney: Yeah. Well, how did I get those wrinkles? By living an amazing life, and laughing, and talking with friends. So, it is a balance, absolutely.

Amy: Yes. It's a gift. It's a gift. It's a gift. Yep, so.

Whitney: All right, well, when I come back from LA, I'm sure I'll have a few threads. You can tell me if I look any different.

Amy: Okay, I will. I will. I'll remember.

Whitney: Take a picture of this side.

Amy: I did. I took a mental picture. So.

Whitney: All right, well, as usual, you take this, and you do what you want with it. We're not doctors. We just do some research, and you tell We tell you what we think.

Amy: Yes. Absolutely. And so, please follow us on the socials, Anything But Mid. Email us if you have some feedback, anythingbutmidpodcast@gmail. And tell your friends! Share with a friend. Have a conversation. That's how we grow, and we're so happy you're here. But ultimately,

Whitney: Bye.