Facial Scar Revision

December 17th, 2010 Posted in Scar Revision
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If you have facial scarring that you would like to have treated, you should know that today’s facial plastic surgeons have a variety of facial scar revision tools and procedures available to help you. 

Perhaps you were injured in an accident, or you have scars from acne, disease, burns, or surgical intervention.  You may have been hesitant to make an appointment  or a scar revision because you think that having a scar revision is frivolous, but it has been shown that unsightly facial scars can substantially reduce a person’s self esteem and confidence level. 

An unsightly scar does not just affect how you look, it affects your mental health by negatively impacting how you believe others view you.  This affects how you interact with other people and can result in poor interpersonal and professional relationships. 

In addition, facial scars can interfere with the ability to form facial expressions and sometimes impair the functioning of facial features such as the lips, eyes, eyelids, nose and brows.

Scar tissue forms naturally as the skin heals from an injury or trauma.  Scars differ depending on the extent of the injury, the location, age of the patient, and the nature of the treatment of the wound.  The appropriate treatment differs depending on the nature and unique characteristics of the scar.  Treatments include dermabrasion, laser therapy, Z-Plasty, W-Plasty, excision, geometric broken line closure and skin grafts. 

Your facial plastic surgeon will be happy to discuss various procedures for reducing or minimizing the visibility of scar tissue.  While most patients are advised to wait 12 months from the date of an injury to seek a scar revision, you should schedule an initial consultation with your plastic surgeon as soon as possible after an injury.  In some cases, immediate intervention is needed to minimize future effects of scarring.

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Facial Fillers

December 16th, 2010 Posted in Facial Fillers
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Whether it’s from exposure to the sun, years of laughter, smiling and other facial expressions, or due to the natural effects of the aging process, our skin gradually starts to sag and wrinkle.  While there are many excellent surgical procedures that can reverse the aging process, these are highly invasive, expensive, and require a significant recovery period.

Fortunately, there are non-surgical cosmetic procedures available that will give your skin a smoother, more youthful appearance.  Facial fillers, also referred to as facial injectables or dermal fillers, are injectable natural substances that provide excellent cosmetic results without the disadvantages of invasive surgical procedures.  While the effectiveness of facial fillers is not permanent, they can last anywhere from six months to a few years depending on the type of facial filler and the area injected.

 Facial fillers and treatments include:

  • Restalyne
  • Juvederm
  • Lip Augmentation
  • Radiesse
  • Artefill
  • Belotero
  • Sculptra
  • Collagen
  • Non-surgical Rhinoplasty

Instead of a surgical procedure, facial fillers are applied through a series of small injections in the affected area.  The procedure is performed in your plastic surgeon’s office without sedation.  Each treatment takes less than 30 minutes.  In some cases, more than one treatment session will be needed to achieve the desired results. There are very few side effects and little or no recovery time for most facial filler procedures.  Most patients can return to their daily activities immediately after the procedure which is why facial fillers are sometimes referred to as a “lunchtime facelift”.

For skin with a softer, more youthful appearance, non surgical lip augmentation or rhinoplasty, or other cosmetic procedure, talk to your facial plastic surgeon.  They will be happy to help you choose a facial filler procedure that’s right for you.

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Types of Laser Skin Rejuvenation Treatment

December 16th, 2010 Posted in Laser Skin Rejuvenation
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Laser rejuvenation has become a very popular cosmetic procedure for improving the appearance of skin damaged by age or other causes. There are traditionally  two different types of lasers used for laser rejuvenation

Ablative lasers are used for resurfacing the skin. They treat the top layer of the skin (called the epidermis)  while non-ablative lasers treat deeper layers of the skin (the dermis) without affecting the epidermis.  Non-ablative lasers stimulate the growth of collagen in the dermis, resulting in smoother, more youthful skin.

Ablative laser treatments use high temperature lasers to remove unwanted tissue.  This type of laser skin resurfacing treatment is very effective for improving the appearance of sun damaged skin, and treating moderate to severe skin damage including acne scars, freckles, enlarge pores, and rosacea.

The downside of ablative laser treatments is that your skin will be swollen and red similar to a sunburn for several days after the treatment.  Full recovery time can be as long as two weeks.

Non ablative lasers have very few side effects.  Because they work by stimulating collagen growth rather than by removing tissue there is very little, if any, redness or swelling after the treatment.  They are effective for treating mild skin damage and reducing mild to moderate wrinkles.

Fractional lasers are a recent development that are similar to ablative lasers, but they only treat a percentage of the depth of the epidermis.  This procedure produces excellent results like an ablative laser with much reduced down time. 

Some fractional lasers also have a non ablative component for stimulation of collagen growth.  These combine the benefits of ablative and non ablative lasers while minimizing side effects and recovery time. 

Talk to your facial plastic surgeon about what types of laser rejuvenation treatments will be most beneficial to you.

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Juvederm XC

December 16th, 2010 Posted in Facial Fillers
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There is good news for those considering Juvederm treatments for facial lines and wrinkles, but were put off by reports of discomfort during the procedure.  Juvederm XC has been approved by the FDA and is now available.  Juvederm XC is just as effective as Juvederm, but it is specially formulated to minimize any discomfort.

As we age, fine lines and wrinkles start to form especially around our mouth, nose, and eyes.  Good skin care practices can delay the onset of fine lines and wrinkles, but eventually everyone gets them.  Traditional surgical techniques such as facelifts will eliminate those wrinkles, but there are nonsurgical alternatives to consider.

Facial fillers are a popular and effective non surgical procedure for smoothing facial wrinkles.  Facial fillers are natural, injectable  substances that reduce or eliminate wrinkles.  Juvederm is a very popular facial filler and for good reason. 

Small injections of Juvederm reverse the aging process by restoring hyaluronic acid to the epidermis or outer layer of the skin.  Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the epidermis and tends to decrease with age.  Hyaluronic acid absorbs water and holds it in the skin which makes the skin appear and feel smooth.  As the level of hyaluronic acid naturally decreases, small wrinkles and lines begin to form. 

Juvederm has been proven effective in restoring the youthful appearance of skin for up to a year.  The procedure is simple and is performed at your doctor’s officer.  The main drawback to Juvederm has been the discomfort associated with the procedure.  Fortunately, the FDA recently approved the use of Juvederm XC which uses lidocane, the same numbing agent used by your dentist, to minimize any discomfort. 

Talk to your plastic surgeon to see if Juvederm XC is right for you.

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