Let the Real You Blossom This Spring

By Stephen R. Kay, MD, FACS

Kay Plastic Surgery

. http://kayplasticsurgery.com

More Beauty Skin Care & Gorgeous Smiles Articles

Let the Real You Blossom This Spring

As we get older, our faces start to show the effects of gravity, sun exposure and facial muscle movement. The underlying tissues that keep the skin youthful looking and plumped up diminish. The results are smile lines and facial creases. Excellent correction of these problems can now be achieved without surgery. Well discuss some of these techniques.
Injectable soft-tissue fillers can be used to correct lines in the skin and restore contour to the face giving a smoother, younger looking appearance. Fillers may be used alone or in combination with other cosmetic procedures. They offer quick and cost-effective facial improvement with no down time.
Restylane Restylane is made of the same natural hyaluronic acid that occurs in the skin. It is most
commonly used for the correction of frown lines, “marionette” lines between the nose and mouth, and lip enhancement. One injection adds volume to lift and smooth wrinkles. The results are natural and can last nine months or more.
Radiesse Radiesse is a cosmetic filler used for deep lines and skin folds and lip enhancement. Its made from calcium hydroxylapatite, which occurs naturally in human tissue. Radiesse lasts up to two years providing excellent improvement.
Radiance Radiance is a filler for deep tissue improvement. For example, Radiance is used to elevate and contour the bridge and upper portion of the nose eliminating the need for surgery. Correction lasts two years or longer.
Juvderm Recently approved by the FDA, Juvderm is the “next generation” dermal filler. Juvderm helps instantly restore your skins volume; gets rid of facial folds and wrinkles, like your nasolabial folds and smile lines; and enlarges your lips.
Lipostructure Lipostructure or fat graft transfer uses the patients own fat to recontour cheeks, lips, chin, hands and other areas. Fat may be removed from the abdomen, thighs, hips, and buttocks, and transferred to correct contour in the cheeks, lips, chin and hands. Fat transfer can be done with other facial or body contouring procedures. Though more than one treatment is usually required for complete correction, lipostructure is the only injection technique that can provide permanent improvement.
Botox Unlike fillers, Botox improves lines and wrinkles by relaxing excess pull of facial expression muscles that give the appearance of fatigue, sadness and aging. Deep forehead and brow frown lines and crows feet wrinkles around the eyes can be eliminated creating remarkably smooth and wrinkle-free skin. Botox treatment provides lasting improvement for up to six months. Periodic treatment can provide near permanent improvement without surgery. Botox treatment helps prevent wrinkles from developing in the future, and is often used with fillers at the same treatment.
Thermage Thermage is a non-surgical technique for tightening skin with no scars, no incisions and no downtime. It has also been used to improve acne. Thermage tightens wrinkles and loose skin with radio frequency waves, which causes collagen to tighten and smooth the skin. Thermage also stimulates the production of new collagen in the skin thereby improving skin quality. Thermage is an office procedure requiring no anesthetic. Patients may return to activity immediately. The benefits of Thermage treatment continue to develop for six months after treatment.