Parties, Parties, Parties
As we head into the holiday season, we will be inundated with gift giving, office parties, family reunions, basically seeing a lot of people. Also, it will be a time for winter breaks and vacation.
This may be the best time to discuss the facelift. Everyone wonders whether it is time for them to have a facelift, and especially in this day and age there seems to a plethora of techniques; all very confusing.
The neck and lower third of the face “sags” as we age. The effects of gravity, loss of skin tone, soft tissue tone, fat redistribution, contribute to aging. We lose the nice sharp transition of the chin to the neck and we start looking like the turkey we had for thanksgiving.
The good news is that we are no longer limited to just the traditional facelift. Dependent on the age of the individual, the degree of sag, and the tone of the tissues, newer, less invasive techniques are available.These include liposuction, neck muscle lift, short lift and even the traditional facelift is less invasive than before. Some patients even benefit more by earlier intervention so that they may prevent larger surgeries in the future.
To learn more about the benefits of rhytidectomy, i.e. the face lift, you may visit www.advfacialplastics.com. You may also schedule a consultation with one of our facial plastic surgeons. When it comes to your face, trust it to a facial plastic surgeon.
Strong Jawlines
Strong jawlines are a universal sign of strength. Most leaders (e.g., presidents and CEOs) have them. Unfortunately, some people are not born with a strong jawline. Worse yet, some people develop grooves in front of the jowl area as they age. Fortunately, there are things that can be done to improve one’s jawline.
If a person has a weak jawline, it may be due to a problem with one’s bite. An “underbite” can make one’s chin appear “weak.” A weak jawline may also be due to an underdeveloped chin. A weak chin may be due to a combination of these factors.
As one ages, a portion of the jawbone loses bulk. This area, which is located in front of the area where jowls form, can cause an indentation which disrupts the appearance of a straight jawline. Various options are available to help treat these problems.
To learn more about how to strengthen one’s jawline, please schedule a consultation with one of our facial plastic surgeons. When it comes to your face, trust it to a facial plastic surgeon.
Injectable Fillers
As a person ages, he/she may develop fine lines, deep lines, or even deep grooves. Proper diagnosis of the causes of these signs of aging is critical to being able to treat them in a manner that makes them look less noticeable while still looking natural.
Some lines are causes by repeated movements by the facial muscles. Other lines are due to sun damage or smoking. Deep grooves may be due to laxity of not only skin, but of the deep tissue that overlies the facial musculature. Some people may benefit from filling the lines and grooves.
There are many different filler materials available, including CosmoDerm™, CosmoPlast™, Restylane®, Hylaform®, Hylaform Plus®, Captique™, Radiesse™, and Sculptra™. One’s own fat can sometimes be used as a filler material as well.
Sometimes, BOTOX®, skin resurfacing, and/or lifting procedures are used with filler materials to achieve an optimal result.
To learn more about the benefits of filler materials, please schedule a consultation with one of our facial plastic surgeons. When it comes to your face, trust it to a facial plastic surgeon.
The Eyes Have It
It has been said that the eyes are the “window to the soul.” While this may be true, that window often begins to close with age. Upper eyelid skin begins to loosen and blunt the refreshed look of youth. The lower eyelids can have “bags” that appear which are less than ideal. These signs of aging may cause a person to appear tired even when he/she is well rested.
To help improve the appearance of the upper and lower eyelids as one ages, a patient may consider having a blepharoplasty performed. This procedure involves removing excess tissue and sometimes repositioning fat to restore a more youthful, rested appearance.
Eyebrows which have become “droopy” with age may also contribute to the appearance of excess skin of the upper eyelids. Sometimes, a brow lift may partially or completely help solve the problem of the aging upper eyelids.
To learn more about the benefits of blepharoplasty and brow lifts, you may visit www.advfacialplastics.com. You may also schedule a consultation with one of our facial plastic surgeons. When it comes to your face, trust it to a facial plastic surgeon.
Use Sunblock...It May Save Your Life!
The number of people in the United States with skin cancer has more than doubled in the last 30 years. One person dies every hour from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
It is critical to protect your skin from the sun to minimize the risk of getting skin cancer as you get older. This is especially true in children, since, on average, 80% of the sundamage a person suffers in a lifetime will be done by his/her 18th birthday. Protecting one's skin will also minimize the signs of aging (e.g., wrinkles).
Use a sunblock that is free of perfumes, dyes, PABA, or Parasol® 1789. Use a sunblock that contains micronized zinc oxide to get the maximum mechanical block. Use a sunblock with an SPF of 45 or higher. Use a non-waterproof sunblock every day of the year, even when it is cloudy outside, since the ultraviolet rays still get through the clouds. Make sure the non-waterproof sunblock is non-comedogenic so it will not clog your pores and cause comedones (blackheads or whiteheads). When swimming or engaging in activities that cause you to sweat a lot, use waterproof sunblock. Cover all exposed skin.
Our practice has sunblocks made by Elta®, a trusted name in skincare, available for our patients. They are formulated especially for people with sensitive skin and may be used by patients six months of age and older.
For more information, please contact our offices in New Rochelle, Purchase, or White Plains. You may also visit our website’s section on “Skincare/Sunblock” at www.advfacialplastics.com.
Amazing Lasers
Hair, hair everywhere. What to do? I really care.
Red spots. Brown spots. Blue spots. Green spots. I really hate spots. Some I was given. Some I got.
We hear these concerns from so many of our patients. They have unwanted hair in many places, some visible to the public, some not. It is a highly personal and often distressing topic for many people to discuss. Waxing, shaving, depilatories, and electrolysis are some ways by which to address this problem. Unfortunately, they either hurt or are not as effective as the latest technology which involves the use of lasers to permanently reduce the amount of hair on one’s body.
Pigmented lesions, such as unwanted red spots or brown spots, are things that you may be born with or develop with age. These may be treated with different types of lasers. The appearance of other pigmented lesions, such as tattoos, may be minimized using lasers, though complete removal may be extremely challenging to achieve.
Veins are the bane of some people’s existence when they appear in places they are least desired. This may be on the cheeks, the corners around the nostrils, or the legs, especially in women who have had children. With advances in modern technology, we may now treat these blemishes in a non-invasive manner. Lasers allow patients to reduce or eliminate the presence of these unwanted veins, though multiple treatments may be indicated.
If you or someone you know suffers from these conditions, an appointment with a facial plastic surgeon may be the first step to an improved quality of life. When it comes to you, your family and friends, or your patients, trust your face to a facial plastic surgeon.
The Nose Knows
Many patients complain of nasal obstruction. This may be due to allergies, infection, or physical obstruction. Your physician may perform tests to determine if you have allergies. You may also be evaluated for the presence of an infection which may be contribute to nasal obstruction.
Many patients who do not have any allergies or infection still note difficulty breathing through their nose. This may be due to mechanical obstruction that results from a lack of support of the internal and/or external nasal valves. These are the areas which keep the nasal cavity open even during inspiration.
To evaluate the internal nasal valves, the cheeks may be pulled upward and outward. Alternatively, the firm end of a cotton swab may be inserted into the nose to lift the cartilage upward and outward. If these maneuvers significantly improve nasal respiration, it may be evidence of nasal obstruction due to a lack of support of the internal nasal valves. If the nostril collapses during a rapid, deep breath through the nose, it may be evidence of external nasal value weakness.
Other tests, such as rhinometry and endoscopy, may be performed to further evaluate the nasal cavity to look for structural abnormalities such as a deviated nasal septum or enlarge turbinates.
After a thorough evaluation, abnormalities found will be discussed and possible ways in which to improve nasal breathing will be reviewed. Any desired changes to the shape of the nose may also be discussed at this time.
If you or someone you know suffers from nasal obstruction, an appointment with a facial plastic surgeon may be the first step to an improved quality of life. When it comes to your patients and loved ones, trust your face to a facial plastic surgeon.
Facial Reconstruction
A patient who has a facial defect may have the face reconstructed to look as natural as possible. We use advanced techniques to provide the most natural and aesthetically pleasing result possible. Defects can be caused by the removal of skin cancer, burns, car accidents, dog bites, or other forms of facial trauma.
At the time of the facial reconstruction, you may also have skin tags removed with minimal discomfort. You may also discuss how to improve the appearance of scars you may have obtained from prior surgeries or accidents.
When it comes to the face of you and your loved ones, trust it to a facial plastic surgeon.
The Truth About The Recent BOTOX® Scare
Botox®On November 23, 2004, Advanced Integrated Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ordered a vial of raw bulk toxin from a supplier in Northern California. This was a raw toxin and not a medical product. The facility 
estimated the vial contained 20,000 units of botulinum toxin. Calculations by Allergan, who manufactures BOTOX®, indicate that the vial may have contained as much as 10 million units of botulinum toxin. For comparison purposes, a vial of BOTOX® contains only 100 units of botulinum toxin, an amount so small that it is weighed in billionths of a gram. Bach McComb, an osteopathic physician (whose medical license was suspended by the State of Florida in April 2003 after being arrested by the Sarasota County sheriff's office on felony charges of trafficking in addictive pain medications) attempted to reconstitute the raw toxin and inject it into himself and three other patients as though it were an actual medical product at this center in Florida. As a result of being treated with massive quantities of an unlicensed, unapproved raw toxin, all four patients were admitted to medical centers with symptoms of botulism.
BOTOX® is a medical product containing tiny amounts (only a few billionths of a gram) of the highly purified botulinum toxin protein refined from the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. BOTOX® has been approved by regulatory authorities in more than 70 countries for 20 different indications. Over the last 15 years, BOTOX® has been used to treat millions of patients worldwide who suffer from a variety of medical conditions. The same product was approved as BOTOX® Cosmetic in 2002 in the United States. “The FDA report confirms Allergan’s findings regarding this matter – that BOTOX® played no role in this unfortunate incident and that the worldwide manufacturing and supply of BOTOX® is safe,” said Douglas S. Ingram, Allergan’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel. “BOTOX® is Allergan’s unique brand of botulinum toxin type A and is the only product of its kind approved by the FDA for medical and aesthetic uses in the United States.”
