Posted April 15, 2015

Would it surprise you to learn that women prefer a younger looking face over a more youthful looking body? Those were the findings of a small sample group in a study funded by the cosmetic injectables company Allergan, best known for BOTOX or botulinum toxin type A.

While we may ultimately want both, I can think of a few reasons that, if pressed to choose, women would opt for a fresher face. First – I think that women inherently know that diet and exercise are great ways to naturally produce a more youthful body – just glance around the room during yoga or at the green juice counter. Second, what’s the point of a youthful body if your face looks decades older?

Fortunately, there are now a number of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures that can help create or maintain a facially youthful aesthetic and a few surgical options for those of you who may want a longer lasting result.

NON-INVASIVE TREATMENTS:

Chemical peels – My personal favorite, peels can vary in intensity, and are used to diminish fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, scars and discoloration. More than one treatment is typically needed to accomplish most beauty goals, but working this into your annual or monthly beauty regimen will remove layers of dull, dead skin and allow for your youthful beauty to shine through.

Dermabrasion – More intense than chemical peels, dermabrasion removes the upper layers of skin with a rotating sloughing surface to eliminate acne scars, wrinkles and other skin blemishes.

Photorejuvenation – Using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), photorejuvenation treats brown spots, melasma, broken capillaries and sun spots using a tool that emits a light to heat up collagen beneath the skin, encouraging the body to produce more of this beneficial protein.

Injectables/Fillers – BOTOX, Juvederm, Voluma and Restylane are commonplace names by now, thanks to their accessibility, price point and quick results. They can help diminish and/or prevent wrinkles and help fill out parts of the face that hollow out or lose volume with age.

SURGICAL PROCEDURES:

Brow lift – If anyone has asked you if you’re upset for no good reason, the brows may be to blame. Low or sagging brows can convey a sad expression, yet when repositioned through a minimally invasive surgical procedure, it is possible to create a more youthful, alert – and even more welcoming expression.

Eyelid surgery (Blepharoplasty) – By removing lower eyelid puffiness/bags and/or upper lid fat deposits or droopiness, this procedure lets your eyes shine and can take years off of your face.

Neck lift – Removing fat below the face and pulling back lax skin eliminates a frustrating wattle which can turn back the clock rather dramatically.

Facelift – I think of this as the ‘Big Momma’ of facial procedures. A facelift produces a youthful appearance by pulling skin back at the incision point around the ears and hairline for the purpose of eliminating skin folds and wrinkles that have developed over time. The exact incision plan is customized to one’s individual needs. While it’s one of the more elaborate forms of facial rejuvenation, the results are likely to last for 10 years or more.

With the many options available along the spectrum from topical to surgical, there’s something for anyone looking for a facial refresher.

 

Posted March 30, 2015

There are always a lot of questions when it comes to cosmetic surgery, and doing your homework to make the best decision for yourself personally is essential.  Below are several answers to frequently asked questions about Tummy Tucks or Abdominoplasty surgery.

Who is a good candidate for a tummy tuck?

Good candidates for tummy tucks have some excess skin, loose muscle and may have some excess fat. This commonly occurs after pregnancy and good candidates will not want to get pregnant after the procedure so they do not ruin the result. Ideal patients will be within 20% of their ideal body weight. Other good candidates are patients who have had significant weight loss, either through diet and exercise, or from surgery.

Should you lose weight before the procedure?

Weight loss is useful, but not essential. In general, the closer you are to your ideal body weight, the better the result.

Is a tummy tuck only for females post-pregnancy or can anyone get it?

Patients who undergo weight loss surgery are often good candidates for tummy tuck when their weight is stable. Men are also candidates for a tummy tuck, especially if they have had weight loss from diet and exercise or from surgery.

Is liposuction involved?

Liposuction is used to remove excess fat if it is present.

What type of anesthesia is used?

Most surgeons perform tummy tuck surgery using general anesthesia. Some surgeons use local anesthesia and sedation.

How long is the procedure?

The length of surgery varies with the amount of surgery needed and the surgeon’s experience. Most cases take 2-3 hours.

Will a tummy tuck rid you of stretch marks?

A tummy tuck removes those stretch marks that are below the belly button in many cases. Stretch marks that are above the belly button are moved down, but not removed.

Are there scars after the procedure?

Scars after surgery are permanent. The length and appearance of the scar varies among patients. In general, scars fade with time.

Is a tummy tuck a permanent solution or will the skin lose its firmness over time?

Results from these procedures are permanent. However, if you gain weight, you can adversely affect the result.

How long can you wait after pregnancy before it is too late for the procedure to work?

You should not undergo a tummy tuck after pregnancy until your body changes have stabilized from your pregnancy. There is no limit on the time that you can wait before having the procedure after a pregnancy.

Are there any alternatives to a tummy tuck that are as effective without anesthesia?

Only a tummy tuck can remove excess skin, contour fat and tighten muscle. A tummy tuck will flatten the tummy and narrow the waist at the same time. Liposuction removes fat, but skin shrinkage after liposuction varies from patient to patient, even if ultrasound or laser is used to assist with the liposuction. There are some devices that can be used to heat and shrink skin, but they do not remove fat and do not affect the muscle in any way.

So the good news is that any of us can regain our pre-pregnancy or pre-weight loss abdominal tone after undergoing a tummy tuck along with some liposuction and even see some improvement in our stretch marks as well. It is just a matter of getting to our near ideal weight and then making the decision to have the procedure!

Posted March 2, 2015

From the silicone injections popularized in the 40’s and 50’s, to the animal collagen derivative fillers of the 70’s (Zyderm, Zyplast), to the modern hyaluronic acid fillers used today, dermal fillers have come a long way from the humble fat-injecting beginnings of Dr. Gustav Adolf Neuber, also a big proponent of complete cleanliness in surgical rooms. Thanks!

Dermal fillers are currently one of the most popular and effective ways to fight the signs of aging, due to their precise and near immediate results, and the minimal downtime associated with them. But what exactly are they?

According to the FDA’s handy website, injectable dermal fillers are fillers approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be injected into the skin to help fill out wrinkles and other soft tissues that have succumbed to the ravages of Father Time. They are the go-to for treating unwanted wrinkles and folds (dreaded laugh lines, crow’s feet, nasolabial folds), and augmenting the loss of volume in the cheeks and lips, and in the hands of your board-certified plastic surgeon, they can do wonders to freshen up your appearance.

While there are a whole slew of FDA-approved dermal fillers available on the market — temporary, semi-permanent and permanent — they’re all produced from a rather small gamut of substances: human or highly purified animal collagen, hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), with the latter two being the only ones not derived from naturally occurring substances.

You’ll likely notice immediate improvements after treatment with optimal results being apparent up to 2 weeks later — this gives the filler time to absorb moisture and “settle” and also allows time for any common side effects like bruising, swelling, redness and itching to subside.

FDA-approved dermal fillers vary in the length of their results. Collagen-based fillers typically last between 2 – 4 months, hyaluronic acid-based fillers last between 6 -12 months (although Juvederm Voluma has been shown in clinical trials to last up to 18 months), semi-permanent fillers last between 12 – 18 months, and permanent fillers can last from 5+ years.

Being the safety-first advocates that we are, before we go any further, let’s talk about a few things dermal fillers cannot and should not do:

1. There is no (No!) dermal filler that is approved by the FDA to increase the size of your breasts or butt. If anyone suggests otherwise, run to your nearest computer and read this warning

2. Fillers cannot “literally” turn back the hands of time. Cosmetic procedures big and small always need to be tempered with a little something called appropriate expectations. Your doctor can help you decide what an appropriate and healthy expectation is to any procedure prior to doing it.

3. Dermal fillers do not come from any magical place on the internet or the interior of some shady person’s trunk in the Whole Food’s parking lot. No they do not. The only place to safely receive any dermal filler is at the capable hands of your board certified plastic surgeon inside the comfort of his/her office.

A visit with your doctor is the best place to start if you’re interested in dermal fillers. Visit the Smart Beauty Guide website to do your research. Remember: knowledge is power — and we know you love power as much as we do.