Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Skin Restoration and Laser Institute

During the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Meeting in San Diego, it was stated that the AAFPRS had recently released a new study that found 39% of women were most worried about sagging cheeks or under eye bags, while 33% of women were most worried about lines and wrinkles.  28% of women were most worried about the “turkey neck” effect.

Being a women (and working with an incredible mentor and internationally-renown facial plastic surgeon for years; G.D. Castillo, M.D.) these stats come as no surprise to me.  Of course we women worry sagging cheeks, under eye bags, wrinkles, and the dreaded t-t-t-turkey neck.  It’s normal to want to be the best version of ourselves!  Stop for a minute and think about the women in your life who make a real effort to look their best, exercise, eat healthy.  Those people get things done!  They enjoy life! They are advancing in their careers, moving forward in their personal lives, involved in the community. They are movers and shakers. Looking good and feeling good about how you look is a true life motivator.

I cannot think of single women I know who is excited about the arrival of the next sign of aging. We are always scanning the mirror at home or in the car to make sure we look good – checking for lettuce in our teeth, smeared lip stick, dark circles that might need camouflaging… you know the drill.  For those  who say that’s simply being vain, well, maybe, but in my opinion a little vanity is a great thing. I think it means you care about how you represent yourself.  To me that is self respect.  Something we should all have because we all deserve it.  After all, if we don’t respect ourselves, who will?

I remember when my youngest daughter was about four years old.  She always had a way put a positive spin on things, always encouraging and complimenting others. We were on the floor playing a matching game when she looked at me and said “Wow mommie, the hair right here on the top of your head is shiny white.  Mommie, you are doing a great job at that!”  Cute as that was, you better believe my head was covered in chocolate expresso hair color with in the hour!

We all know aging is inevitable but that doesn’t mean we have to accept it gracefully with no attempt to slow the process.  This blog is called “Anti-Aging” with Grace after all.

Well not to worry (besides worrying just causes frown lines and then everyone thinks your angry all the time).  With the advances in technologies and the growing experience in plastic surgery and skin rejuvenation at your disposal, you have both surgical and non-surgical options available to wash your worries and your wrinkles away!  

SAGGING CHEEKS:

• Non-surgical options –

1. Dermal fillers can be used to restore volume loss in sagging cheeks.

• Surgical options –

• 1.  A facelift – Fortunately, today facelifts are really customized for the individual’s needs.  There are Mini-facelifts, which is a limited facelift generally indicated in someone with early signs of aging (late 30’s to late 50’s) and are most effective in people with facial aging rather than neck aging.  Mid-facelifts, which elevate of the mid portion of the face. This type of facelift is needed in patients that have either facial sagging or lacking facial volume in the second 1/3^rd of the face. Traditional facelifts are the treatment of choice for those who have of both the sagging of the cheek and the neck area.***Keep in mind that when sagging tissue is present, non-surgical results will not compare to the results of surgical removal of tissue, which is the hallmark of any kind of surgical facelift.

UNDER EYE BAGS:

• Non-surgical options –

1.  Try cutting out salt and preservatives from your diet for one month.  Observe over the month whether or not the bags disappear or reduce to a tolerable state. Salt / preservatives are found in prepared foods such as those you purchase from a deli or restaurant and in canned or boxed foods and can be responsible for puffy under-eye bags. If you see considerable improvement, you may be able to avoid partaking in the options below just by avoiding salt and preservatives.
2.  Dermal fillers – Hyaluronic acids (Restylane, Perlane, and Juvaderm) can be used fill in depressed curves that form between the cheek and the bag to provide a more natural, youthful contour.
3.  CO² Micro-fractional laser resurfacing can help to tighten the lower eyelid skin but it will not improve excess fat deposits.

• Surgical options –

       1.   Lower Eye Lid Surgery (Blepharoplasty) – This may include the removal of fat from the lower lid area or the transplant of fat to the area depending on the needs of the patient.

FINE LINES AND WRINKLES:

• Non-surgical options –

1. CO² Micro-fractional laser resurfacing is a minimally invasive treatment that typically produces the best non-surgical results for fine lines and wrinkles.  It will also remove brown spots and other pigment and texture changes that often present along with lines and wrinkles.
2. Botox® can be used to smooth out lines and wrinkles of the forehead, between the brows, and around the eyes.
3. Dermal fillers such as Juvederm®, Perlane®, Restylane®, orRadiesse® can be used to replace volume and fill in lines and wrinkles.

• Surgical options –

1. CO² full face laser resurfacing, (not to be confused with CO² Micro-Fractional Laser resurfacing) can smooth out lines, wrinkles, tighten the skin, increase collagen, improve poor texture and pigment issues, and unwanted spider veins. If you are experiencing structural sagging a facelift or cheek lift may be done simultaneously.
2. Facelift– As individuals age, they tend develop lines an wrinkles caused by loose skin and lax underlying muscle structure. A Rhytidectomy or facelift is designed to remove loose skin and tighten lax underlying structures which result in a lasting, more youthful appearance.
3. Fat Transplantation can sometimes be used to replace volume loss of the face, relieving the lines that have developed due to loss of facial fat that can happen during the aging process.

TURKEY NECK:

• Non-surgical options –

1. Beyond managing your weight and avoiding the yo-yo weight effect along with protecting your skin from UV radiation to preserve collagen and elastin, your best bet is a trip to the O.R.  Once you develop a turkey waddle, there is not much in line of non-surgical options that provide true improvement.

• Surgical options –

1. Neck lift – This procedure is often combined with a cheek lift. The typical neck lift or neck/cheek lift consists of a modified type of facelift in which the main emphasis is to tighten the muscle structure and remove as much excess neck skin and fatty tissue as possible, resulting in a smooth, youthful contour of the neck, jawline, and lower face.
2.  Chin implant surgery – also known as a mentoplasty is needed when a patient has a short mandible or recessed chin. The lack of adequate bone structure tends to accentuate jowls and loose, sagging skin around the neck.
3. Neck liposculpture – This may be all that is needed to correct a double chin or turkey neck.  During this procedure, fatty tissue is removed via liposuction and the musculature of the neck is tightened to create a defined jawline. In some instances, neck liposculpture may be combined with a chin implant to correct a recessed chin. Patients can return to work within 3 to 4 days.

Yours Truly,

Roxanne Grace Hammond

Skincare and Laser Specialist

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Roxanne Hammond, RMA
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY  

https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com

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