The Rosato Plastic Surgery Center
Friday, February 7, 2014
Plastic Surgery: What's new for your face in 2014?
While Hollywood stars seem to go to extremes when getting
plastic surgery, most of my patients request more conservative procedures.
Patients request a refreshed look, without the sigma of a "surgical"
appearance.
Some patients request injections prior to trying surgery.
Soft tissue replacement fillers are all the rage, Voluma by Allergan is the
latest filler approved by the FDA to add volume to the cheeks and face. Most
patients will need 4 to 6 cc's per cheek. This is the key to good results using
adequate amounts of the filler. Patients that use a dollar limit to decide how
to be treated will most of the time have inadequate results due to not fully
correcting their soft tissue deficit.
Fillers temporarily fill wrinkles and add volume to
deflated faces. They work best in patients who have experienced minimal changes
in their appearance. There are permanent fillers available; however these
agents cause a scar reaction. We all know scars are unpredictable and scars may
leave patients with deformities that are very difficult to treat and may not be
correctable.
Using your own fat is the most natural way to replace
lost volume. However, fat grafting requires removing donor fat from another
area of your body to be transferred to the face. This is usually done with the
patient sedated but can be done under local anesthesia with oral sedation.
Wrinkles can also be treated with muscle blockers. Botox
was the first muscle blocker and now we have two more; Dysport
and Xeomin. These medications temporarily block the function of
muscles to soften lines and delay wrinkle formation. Most patients that request
treatment already have established lines on their faces; it can also be used to
delay the formation or wrinkles in younger patients.
Fillers and muscle blockers are offered by physicians in
many different fields of medicine. However, plastic surgeons can offer you all
options to treat your face, injections and surgery.
Injections need to be properly done to avoid
complications. Is the beauty salon, spa, or your friend's house the proper
environment to minimize infection, and properly store medications? Would you
normally make a decision on medical care after a cocktail of two during the
next Botox party? Should your treating physician have residency training in
cosmetic procedures or is an on line course enough training? After all it is
your face.
Surgery has come full circle. The early procedures in
plastic surgery were limited in scope with short lived results. In the 90's
more extensive procedures were developed and dramatic results were obtained.
However, patients experienced long recoveries and prolonged down time. In the
last few years slick marketing companies have popularized smaller incisions for
a facelift. These techniques are practiced by all plastic surgeons. Don't be
fooled by Hollywood stars and infomercials. Pick your surgeon based on a solid
reputation and documented results, not an 800 number with a catchy jingle. With
the advent of new technologies we can again offer facial procedures with rapid
recovery and excellent results. There is no such thing as lunch time facelift!
A few patients can be back to work in a week or so but normally ten days to two
weeks are required for recovery.
The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons web
site is an excellent reference for patients to get more information, www.surgery.org. You can also visit my web
site www.rosatoplasticsurgery.com,
or call for more information, 772-562-5859, Ralph M. Rosato, MD, FACS.