Aging Gracefully

What Are the Differences in Facelifts?

Wellness — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:02:10 +0000

If you are considering a facelift and you still have questions and concerns about the difference between them, here are some of the procedures to consider. First one on the list;

A deeper-plane facelift that achieves natural-looking results. A deeper facelift lifts and relocates the underllying muscle layer. It is a more extensive and more expensive surgery, but you get a very natural result.

The procedure takes four hours and patients can expect to be back to their normal activities in about a week. This procedure can be a very expensive one. Please consult with your surgeon about his fees and what it includes. The fee should include the initial consultation and evaluation, the surgery, and all post-operative visits.

The risks and complications from having facelifts are infrequent, but you should understand the possible complications and talk to your surgeon during the first consultation.

some of the most common complications are: reaction to the anesthesia, infection and hematoma; an accumulation of blood under the skin.

later on, another procedure to consider.

Be Healthy, Be informed, Be Happy

More about Skin Treatment

Wellness — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:55:01 +0000

The dressing is called Flexan and the patient must let the new dressing, which is applied in pieces, fall off which takes about a week. Of course, if the dressing is pulled off, it can damage the new skin that is forming.

When the doctor sees you a week later, he carefully removes any Flexan that might still be on and cleans the face. Your skin is very red (like a bad sunburn) and you must stay out of the sun, especially direct sunlight, from then on. It’s also necessary to wear sun block of 30 or more and it is recommended that you wear a hat outdoors at all times.

By the way, you generally feel fine during this time so can do things at home — and go out if you don’t mind people staring at you.

Facial Resurfacing

Wellness — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:48:03 +0000

The procedure for facial resurfacing (and sometimes the neck too) takes only about an hour to 1-1/2 hours. While under anesthesia, the surgeon applies a special dressing on the skin, then bandages the whole head, except eyes, lower nostrils and mouth. After two days, the entire dressing is removed, the face is checked, hair washed and new dressing applied only to the facial skin.

Facial resurfacing is still a procedure that has its complications. It is a very personal procedure, and the expectations are not always match with the results. Before you undergo this procedure remember that there are some complications involved with it, from infection to skin surface irregularities and burns and scarring. Choosing the right plastic surgeon therefore is vital to the success of the procedure.

Make sure he is board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery
His facilities are accredited medical facilities
He has extensive training and is knowledgeable in the procedure you are seeking and have explained the risks involved with it
Have a competent and knowledgeable staff

As always to be informed goes a long way.

Be healthy, Be informed, Be happy

Wrinkles and Beauty Creams

Wellness — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:47:03 +0000

Here’s more of what Consumer Reports had to say about their testing of wrinkle cream products on the market: “The luxury-priced skin-care offerings didn’t work any better than the drugstore brands. La Prairie Cellular, the most costly product we tested ($335 for an ounce of day cream and 1.7 ounce of night cream) was among the least effective. Our top-rated product line, available at a drugstore near you, is Olay Regenerist – as it happens, the nation’s best-selling brand of wrinkle cream.”

Many studies have shown, that diet and exercise can do wonders to your skin’s health. Hydrate your body; liquids (Non alcoholic and not full of sugars) can affect how healthy your skin looks. Beauty products can help, but remember a good diet is your best bet!

Nose

Wellness — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:49:18 +0000

We’ve all seen people with big noses, bumps on noses, wide noses and flat noses. There are also people who snore badly and others who have difficulty breathing, particularly at night. And, I shouldn’t forget those who have had their nose broken from an accident or a fight.

Most of these conditions can be corrected through a surgical procedure called a rhinoplasty. It is the reshaping of the bone and cartilage of the nose. Dr. Evans says the procedure involves various changes to the underlying hard tissues which will result in better breathing as well as an improved appearance. The procedure takes about two hours and typically costs $4,500 to $5,500. This is the only “cosmetic” procedure that might be partially covered by insurance, usually the portion that involves correction of breathing problems. Most cosmetic and aesthetic surgeons do not accept insurance, but patients may submit claims themselves and obtain documentation of the procedure from the surgeon.

More Structure Changes

Wellness — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:31:31 +0000

Skeletal augmentation surgery involves the placement of solid silicone implants, which have been safely in use for more than 50 years. “The implants typically are used to build up the cheeks and chin” Dr. Evans says.

The procedure is performed through the mouth to minimize visible scars. To add two cheek implants and a chin implant would take about an hour and cost $4,500.

Remember, the fees quoted by Dr. Evans include the initial consultation, surgery and operating room fees, anesthesia and all post surgery visits.

Ears

Wellness — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:47:38 +0000

Many of you may not remember the boy in “Our Gang” who was teased because his ears REALLY stuck out. There is a procedure to correct this called an otoplasty.

An otoplasty involves the reshaping or removal of cartilage behind the ears to minimize protrusion. A small incision is made behind the ear, and the ear is moved closed to the head. To reshape both ears takes about 90 minutes and costs about $3,000. Sometimes the surgery is only required on one ear.

Dr. Evans told me he had a 10 year old patient last year and HE wanted the otoplasty because he was being teased by kids at school and it was affecting him both emotionally and scholastically.

The Best Treatment for your Skin

Wellness — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:18:31 +0000

Of course, the best treatment for your face is prevention. By age 40, most people’s skin shows some wear and tear. As skin becomes thinner and less resilient, people develop wrinkly eyes, frowny foreheard, and puppetlike crease lines from the sides of the nose to the corners of the lips.

This process is exacerbated by sunlight. For the protection of your skin and that of your loved ones, here are simple ways to slow down the clock and protect your skin:

1. Wear Sunscreen – The higher the SPF the better, and not just when you’re at the beach. This advice applies even if you are able to tan easily or have naturally dark skin. Best is to put it on each day.

2. Shade Your Face – West a hat that sunglasses.

3. Avoid Tanning Parlors – Visit them only if you want to get a spray-on tan (which doesn’t stop sunburn).

4. STOP SMOKING – tobacco ranks second only to sunlight in its dire effects on skin.

Skin treatments

Wellness — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:56:28 +0000

There are some other procedures to improve the look of the skin of the face.

One is a glycolic acid peel. It involves cleaning the face, then applying a 70% glycolic acid solution and neutralizing it after a short period of time. During the first peel, a patient might have the solution on for a minute or less, but the time generally increases as more treatments are done.

This is recommended on a quarterly basis for patients who have had full face laser skin resurfacing. It can also be done on patients who need only the peel to improve their skin. In this case, weekly peels are recommended for the first six weeks and then done on a monthly basis until the skin has improved when the patient goes to a quarterly treatment plan. Cost for each peel is $100.

There are salons and spas who offer glycolic acid peels, but they are restricted to a 35% solution rather than 70%. The latter is available only to physicians and obviously works better and faster.

There is a treatment with trychloricidic acid for dark areas under the eyes, or the “racoon look”. This makes patients look older and tired. The acid does not always remove all the darkness but does lighten the area considerably. Treatment is done much like the glycolic acid peels.

Many people have veins in their face that show, usually around the nose and on the cheeks. This can be treated with the use of a radiotechnology unit with a needle that, when inserted in the veins causes them to gradually disappear. This can be uncomfortable so use of conscious sedation is recommended. There is little if any post procedure pain, but pinpoint scabs do form where the unit needle was inserted. They disappear withing a few days.

Treatments from Your Doctor

Wellness — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:59:18 +0000

There are products, available only through a doctor, that can provide dramatic and visible changes to your skin. Of course, don’t expect miracles.

Retinoids (Renova, Avage), or Vitamin A derivatives are the only proven topical prescription remedy for wrinkles. According to the definition in wikipedia ” Retinoids have many important and diverse functions throughout the body including roles in vision, regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, growth of bone tissue, immune function, and activation of tumor supressor genes.

With the wrinkle improvement come some side effects though. They can be inherently irritating. New users can expect their skin to be red, itchy, and peeling for a few weeks. Eventually the irritation clears up but some people experience persistent dry skin. Retinoid-treated skin also gets red more quickly in the sun.