The new spectrum of facial rejuvenation

• Injectable fillers. Juvederm and similar products are able to add volume to the face, remedying sunken features and deep folds.
• Botox. This classic alternative to surgery works by relaxing certain muscles while allowing others to stretch, reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
• Laser therapies. From tightening sagging skin and destroying fatty deposits to removing hair and unwanted blemishes, lasers have become increasingly important tools for plastic surgeons across the country.

Other procedures that are starting to make waves include injections of stem cells or fat into the face. These injections, which can target the lips, nasolabial folds, hollows of the eyes, or the jaw line, can create a more youthful appearance in many patients. However, further research is needed to determine the longer-term effects of stem cell injections, which aren’t harmful but are scientifically unproven, according to a spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgery.

In the coming decade, cosmetic patients can look forward to further developments in youth-enhancing technologies, as dozens of devices are currently in development, testing, or awaiting approval from the FDA. According to Dr. Leslie Baumann, a cosmetic dermatologist, it’s important for patients to do some research and find qualified practitioners with extensive experience in facial rejuvenation techniques. “It’s an art, so you have to find a doctor that is an artist,” Baumann told the Herald. “When you see someone with big lips or big cheeks, ask who their doctor is — and then don’t go to that doctor.”

Two sisters, who note that they usually give clothing or personal items for presents, may be exchanging different items this year. Sister Tina’s #1 wish for a gift? Botox.

Though her sister feels she may not need the injectable, Tina is sure about her request for a plastic surgery gift. She says she began getting Botox treatments after a recent break-up and continues to see improvement in the appearance of crow’s feet.

While the 2011 Christmas season may see an uptick in the number of plastic surgery gifts, it’s nothing new for many consumers. In 2010 alone, patients spent more than $10 billion on cosmetic surgeries and treatments.

With the continued acceptance of injection treatments like Botox and Juvederm it may be increasingly common for people to give plastic surgery gifts, which one woman called “injectable youth.”

Though non-surgical options are the most cost-effective way of giving plastic surgery gifts this year, some gift givers may choose to help out with cosmetic surgeries, too. Popular procedures include facial rejuvenation, body contouring and breast surgeries.

To learn more about plastic surgery gifts and specials on Botox in Munster, please email plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson.

The new hyaluronic acid dermal filler, which is called Belotero Balance, has been approved to treat moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. This includes nasolabial folds, the lines that run from your nose to the edges of your mouth.

Belotero Balance joins Merz Aesthetics family of non-surgical injectables, including Radiesse. Radiesse is a popular filler comprised of calcium-based microspheres in a water gel that works to restore lost volume in the face. Though its uses are similar to Belotero Balance, the new hyaluronic acid dermal filler works differently.

Like similar hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, Restylane and Juvederm, Belotero Balance works to restore lost volume to your skin by increasing its hydration. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring hydrating component in your skin and these dermal fillers work to mimic it. When injected into the skin beneath the site of a wrinkle, a hyaluronic acid dermal filler provides a sort of scaffolding for depressed areas of skin, supporting them and improving the appearance of youth on the face.

To test the effectiveness of Belotero Balance, it was compared in a split-face study with a collagen-based filler. Using a scale that rates wrinkle severity, Belotero Balance was shown to provide a greater reduction in the appearance of nasolabial folds over 24 weeks. In fact, at the six-month mark, Belotero Balance still showed a greater correction of the wrinkles than its counterpart.

To learn more about your hyaluronic acid dermal filler options in Munster, please email plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson.

While plastic surgeons in the past had largely used Restylane for its previous FDA approved treatment of lines and wrinkles, this new approval opens up the doors for Restylane lip augmentation. Previously, though it was not FDA approved, plastic surgeons could use the injectable for Restylane lip augmentation, as an off-label treatment.

This announcement comes after the release of findings from a recent study of Restylane lip augmentation treatments. In the study conducted by 12 doctors, it was found that Restylane was “well tolerated and highly effective for lip augmentation for up to six months.”

When measured on several points, researchers found Restylane lip augmentation to be effective and long lasting. The effects of the treatment are said to least up to six months for many patients. Those patients who participated in the study were so pleased with the results of their Restylane lip augmentation, in fact, that 80% of them chose to undergo another treatment after six months.

Restylane is an injectable gel comprised of hyaluronic acid, a key hydrating component of your skin. When injected beneath the surface of your skin at the site of a wrinkle, Restylane provides immediate correction. During a treatment for thin lips, your plastic surgeon will inject a specific amount of the product into your upper and sometimes lower lip. This form of Restylane lip augmentation will provide immediate volume to your lips, creating a larger kissable area.

If you struggle with thin lips, we encourage you to learn more about Restylane lip augmentation in Munster. Please join the mailing list of plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson to find out about specials on Restylane and other non-surgical treatments.

Why Are Couples Choosing Non-Invasive Plastic Surgery?

The trend is likely because people are not only living longer than before, but also because they are working harder, which puts added stress on the skin, according to Dr. Leo R. McCafferty, vice president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The uptick in non-invasive plastic surgery may also be attributed to improvements in the economy, which has seen consumers with more spending money.

One plastic surgery practice near Pittsburgh saw about six couples for non-invasive plastic surgery five years ago and now sees almost 30 couples per year.

Not only are couples undergoing similar non-invasive plastic surgery treatments to maintain a youthful look for their spouses, but they may also be doing so to stay competitive in the workplace.

What Non-Invasive Plastic Surgery Options Are Couples Choosing?

Though surgical procedures are still popular among a range of patients, young and mature, non-invasive plastic surgery is only gaining traction. Most popular among women and men looking to shave a few years off is Botox, an injectable that smooths out many types of facial wrinkles.

Though one woman had undergone non-invasive plastic surgery treatments like chemical peels, she had not pressured her aging husband to do so. However, when he began to notice wrinkles creeping across his cheeks, he chose to have injectable fillers, like Juvederm or Restylane, to fill in the deep lines.

When you visit board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Robinson’s office for a consultation, make sure to inquire about non-invasive plastic surgery as well as traditional plastic surgeries to reduce the signs of aging and refresh your skin, at any age.

When it comes to brow or facelifts, incisions cannot always be easily hidden in the hairline as they usually can on women, if the man is balding. Additionally, men who have facial hair or sideburns must receive special attention from their plastic surgeon to ensure the location of the facial hair remains natural, Genter said. Finally, as most men do not wear makeup, any surgical scars or post-surgery swelling may be somewhat more difficult to conceal.

Even with these added hurdles, men are increasingly turning to Dr. Genter and his contemporaries for treatments like Botox and dermal fillers, as well as procedures like eyelid surgery, to stay competitive in the job market.

Other popular procedures for men include male breast reduction, the range of facial rejuvenation procedures, as well as non-surgical options like chemical peels and skin resurfacing treatments.

The number of operations performed in China doubles every year and in 2009, China was ranked third in the number of procedures performed with more than two million. Ranked numbers one and two were the US and Brazil, respectively.

While plastic surgeries may often be thought of as an age-fighting measure, in China, the most popular procedure is actually eyelid surgery to increase the apparent size of the patient’s eyes. This surgery involves adding a crease in the eyelid to create what is called a double eyelid.

One such patient, 25-year-old Chen Xiaomeng, pictured, underwent the procedure and was pleased with the result and is now considering nose surgery. It may have been easier for her to undergo plastic surgery than it may have been in generations past since, “Cosmetic surgery is now accepted in practically every household,” Xiaomeng said.

Other popular procedures in China include rhinoplasty to build up the bridge of the nose, jaw surgery to lengthen and narrow its appearance, as well as facelifts and non-surgical wrinkle treatments like Botox.

While the approval numbers vary somewhat between income levels—56% with an income above $75,000 approve while just 45% with an income between $50,000 to $75,000 approve—there is an overall 3% increase in approval from 2009.

ASAPS President Felmont F. Eaves III, MD credits society’s growing dedication to maintaining a good physical appearance and adds that, “As both traditional surgical procedures have been improved and refined, and new nonsurgical options have become available, aesthetic plastic surgeons have more to offer our patients.”

These popular surgical procedures include breast augmentations for women, eyelid surgery to reduce wrinkles around the eyes and rhinoplasty. Non-surgical treatments like Botox, injectable fillers and chemical peels, which all work to reduce fine lines and wrinkles on the face, are also highly sought after.

The survey also found that 67% of Americans would not be embarrassed if their friends learned they had undergone a cosmetic surgery, while men and women 18 to 24 were the most likely to consider a cosmetic procedure for themselves.

Though both Botox and Dysport are hugely popular non-surgical options for diminishing many facial lines and wrinkles, new alternatives are often being researched. This treatment, which is called cryoneuromodulation, “appears to have the same clinical efficacy and safety comparable to the existing techniques,” according to Francis Palmer, director of facial plastic surgery at the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles, who co-authored the study.

Rather than paralyzing the underlying muscle to smooth out the wrinkle as Botox and Dysport do, this new method freezes specific nerves in the forehead using small needles. This stops the nerve from communicating with the muscle, which causes it to relax. The smoothing effect is almost immediate and lasts about as long as botulinum toxin-based methods—three to four months.

The procedure takes about 15 minutes to complete while the patient is under a local anesthetic. Patients said the level of discomfort was similar to that experienced with Botox.

Though you may want to jump at the chance to try this new wrinkle-fighting treatment, it is still in the early stages of trails and has only been tested on forehead wrinkles. In the meantime, Botox is known to beautifully treat forehead lines, frown lines and crow’s feet.

Of the more than one million cosmetic procedures men chose in 2010, a majority of the top 10 were surgical, a change in the previous trend toward non-invasive options.

Plastic surgeon and ASPS President Dr. Phillip Haeck said this is largely because “as you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin are necessary in order to show significant improvement.”

The procedure that saw the greatest spike between 2009 and 2010 was the facelift, which saw a 14% increase. This procedure tones the sagging skin of the lower face to remove jowls and deep wrinkles.

Two body procedures that saw the greatest boost were liposuction and male breast reduction. Both of these body slimming procedures aim to create a more masculine form through the removal of excess fat and tissue.

On the non-surgical side, injectable fillers and Botox, which treat many moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds saw increases of 10% and 9% respectively. This indicates that even with a greater spike in surgical procedures, some men still choose the non-invasive route, at least at first.