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The Plastic Surgery Group

Friday, March 28, 2008

The Youthful Face in Three Easy Steps

The Youthful Face In Three Easy Steps
What is it about the youthful face that we find attractive? This is the principle question that plastic surgeons seek to answer. Consultation with most patients interested in improving their appearance boils down to one request - "Make me look younger!"
We all realize that a return to the appearance we had as a twenty-five year old is the stuff-of fantasy novels. However, we can begin to tease apart the basic elements of a youthful face and apply this information to the reproducible techniques that cosmetic plastic surgery has to offer.
I teach the plastic surgeons that I train that facial beauty is a combination of architecture, volume, and skin quality. So, what does that mean? Restoring a youthful appearance relies on our ability to reproduce youthful cues. The architectural features of youth relies on our ability to reproduce youthful cues. The architectural features of youth include for example, a strong jaw line, a firm neck, a naturally elevated eyebrow, and full, alert eyes. Many of these features can be restored effectively as we age wtih surgical interventions like the facelift. In facelift surgery, improving the jaw and neck line is a principle focus. Facelifits can, however,also improve the appearance of the middle face by repositioning facial structures which have become saggy with time. A brow lift is designed to return the eyebrows to their most aesthetically pleasing site slightly higher than the bony rim above the eyes in most women. In many cases a chemcial brow lift can be affected with the use of botulinum toxin (BOTOX). Exacting injections of BOTOX can temporarily weaken the muscles which naturally pull down the eye brow and lead to a brow lift without any incisions at all. Eyelift or blepharoplasty surgery corrects excess skin and protruding fat pads in both-the upper and lower eyelids. Modem blepharoplasty techniques afford reliable permanent changes wih minimal post operative time away from busy work schedules.
As many of us already know, youthful facial architecture with poor skin quality is only a work in progress. There are many modalities which can be used to improve the appearance of our skin. Many are non surgical and as simple as the use of vitamin A (retinol) and fruit acid regimens. Skin care is obviously enhanced by avoiding harmful ultraviolet light, and the frequent application of sunscreens. Skin care can be taken to the next level with a wide variety of LASER and non-LASER light treatments. Some of these treatments are offered in a medi-spa setting while the more intensive LASER treatmetns such as a carbon dioxide LASER facial resurfacing are performed as surgical interventions.
Finally, and most recently facial volume restoration has become recognized as a close ally to skin care and architectural restoration. Youthful faces are, in fact, full. As we age, we lose the natural fat that we all had in our faces as youths. The result is thin lips, loss of cheek height and fullness, and wrinkling around the mouth and eyes. In many, this leads to a generally hollow appearance. No amount of "lifting" is going to improve this. Hence, come the "fillers". Fillers are the most modem addition to the plastic surgeons' tool kit. Fillers range from hyaluronic acid products like RESTYLANE and JUVEDERM to injectable vicryl (SCULPTRA), and even one's own fat. In my opinion, each of the filler products has a particular "best" use. Most are temporary, but may be long lasting. All share the common goal of plumping up an area which, through the aging process, has lost volume.
So, remember the three easy steps to a youth face: Architecture, volume and skin quality. For more information on your cosmetic facial surgery visit the board certified surgeons of The Plastic Surgery Group at REFINEDLOOKS.com

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posted by lhumphrey at 6:17 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Whats new in Chattanooga, Tennessee - A Natural Way to Beauty

The Plastic Surgery Group, P.C., in Chattanooga, Tennessee offers the latest skin care procedures, including Juvederm. For more information on the plastic surgery procedures we offer, visit our plastic surgery procedures page or call our plastic surgery staff at (423) 756-7134 or (800) 634-3334. You can also e-mail us your questions and we will be in touch with you shortly.
JUVEDERM Injectable Gel - Optimal Control of Facial Wrinkling

"Injectables" are products that plastic surgeons have been using for years to treat facial wrinking. Over the last several years, the types of injectables available and their applications have gone through an explosive growth period. Fortunately, they have also been refined considerably. In 2007, the reliability and predictability of injection therapy, in trained hands, is at an all time high The history of "Injectables" has been somewhat checkered. Early bovine (cow) collagen products required pre-testing, had short lifetimes, and some significant side effects. Fat injections have had mixed reviews for years because of their complexity and unpredictability of result from patient to patient as well as practitioner to practitioner. The emergence of hyaluronic acid fillers has solved many of the problems of skin reactivity and lumpiness in results. Of these products, JUVEDERM has been especially effective.

Dermal fillers are compounds that can be used to elevate the central depression in a wrinkle. This effectively effaces the wrinkle and eliminates it. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occuring sugar molecule found in all mammals. It is part of the make up of our connective tissue. It has no cells and is minimally reactive to the surrounding living tissue. It is so effective because it works like a sponge and absorbs water at 1000x its weight. This is the means by which it can increase volume and density of the place in the skin into which it is injected.

JUVADERM has introduced two products. It is supplied in the "Ultra" and "Ultra Plus" types. Advances have been made in our ability to manipulate the hyaluronic acid molecule. By bonding the molecules together, JUVADERM has managed to produce products that can treat both superficial and deeper wrinkles. "Ultra Plus" is also more effective in treating the thicker skin of men. This bonding process has also made JUVADERM more resistant to breakdown by enzymes leading to a longer lasting result. The unique formulation of this new injectable also allows for a smoother consistency, permitting easier and more fluid injection into the treatment site.

So what are the indications for the use of JUVADERM? I think it is an excellent choice for the treatment of facial wrinkling in a wide variety of areas, and in a wide variety of patients. Wrinkling around the mouth including the lips, smoker's lines, nasolabial foldds, and marionette lines are especially responsive to treatment. Scientific studies have indicated that both products maintain at least 1 grade improvement in the appearance of these areas at six months. Although people absorb the product at different rates, over-all its staying power is quite good. Injections would not usually need to be repeated more frequently than every 6 months. JUVADERM can also be helpful with the correction of acne or traumatic scars and lower eyelid bagginess in selected patients.

This type of product expands aesthetic surgery to a population that has virtually no down time or cannot medically tolerate any anesthesia. JUVADERM is typically injected after application of topical anesthesia. If the product is being used to enhance lip fullness, I recommend an anesthetic block like the type your dentist commonly uses. After injection there may be some redness or bruising which is short lived. The results are immediate, but I think that they improve over the course of a week as the product diffuses and attracts water. JUVADERM is rapidly becoming one of our prime weapons in the battle against aging. For further information contact your American Board of Plastic Surgery Certified Certified physician or visit the JUVADERM website.

posted by Kelley at 7:58 AM 0 comments

 
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