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Atlanta brow lift

Ask Dr. LeRoy: Do I need a Brow Lift, an Eyelid Lift, or Just Botox®?

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Many of my plastic surgery patients start out by going through a similar process. They notice something they dislike about their appearance, and as time goes by, it bothers them more and more. They may try a few home remedies or change their skincare routine, but they don’t see as much improvement as they were hoping for. Eventually, they arrive at a point when they decide to take control and have the issue professionally treated but now they need to figure out how. Patients who want to reduce signs of aging within the upper portion of their face, for instance, have several different options to choose from, so read on for an easy-to-use breakdown which can help you begin your research.

Ask Dr. LeRoy Do I need a Brow Lift, an Eyelid Lift, or Just Botox®You may want a brow lift or a Band Aid Brow Lift

  • you have excess sagging skin throughout your forehead. In some cases, this may even interfere with your vision.
  • your brow line is lower than it used to be, especially if it’s lower than your natural brow bone.
  • you have particularly deep creases across your forehead.
  • Special Note: For most patients, a minimally invasive Band Aid Brow Lift can achieve the results they want in-office with gentle numbing, as opposed to a more extensive brow lift.

You may want an eyelid lift (or blepharoplasty) or Band Aid Eyelid Surgery

  • your brow line hasn’t drooped, but you have draping skin above your upper eyelids, giving your eyes a “hooded” look.
  • you have bags under your eyes.
  • the area of skin below your eyes looks puffy, even after a good night’s sleep or later in the day.
  • your lower eyelids have deep creases or have sagged to expose the whites of your eyes below your iris.
  • Special Note: Band Aid Blepharoplasty produces similar results to a traditional eyelid surgery, but it’s a minimally invasive procedure which is performed in-office with gentle numbing. Your choice between these two will depend on the extent of your aging as well as your medical needs, priorities, and personal preferences.

You may want Botox® injections

  • you have fine lines or wrinkles across your forehead, in the corners of your eyes (“crow’s feet”), or in between your eyebrows (“frown lines” or “number elevens”).
  • your brow line hasn’t lowered and you don’t have excess skin on your forehead.
  • you aren’t ready for surgery, and are looking for an option with little or no recovery time instead.
  • you’ve already had a facial rejuvenation surgery, like a brow lift or a facelift, and want to keep your results looking youthful.
  • you are just starting to see forehead lines developing, and you want to limit them from becoming worse.

While this guide can be a helpful way to narrow your options, remember that ultimately, you should make your decision after consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon. After specializing in facial rejuvenation for over 20 years, I’m happy to listen to your concerns, evaluate your needs, and design a recommended course of action to give you the best possible results. To start your journey toward becoming your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy at (404) 843-0840. Or, for more helpful tips and that latest updates in the world of plastic surgery, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Fighting Back Against Forehead Creases

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No one likes getting wrinkles, but at least we can look at some wrinkles (like smile lines) as fond memories. Unfortunately, those all-too-common horizontal lines that appear across the forehead don’t give us that luxury. These forehead wrinkles or creases are largely caused by repeated facial expressions that contract these muscles—especially frowns and other stress-induced expressions. As our skin becomes naturally thinner and weaker with age, it shows these muscle contractions more and more, and the combination of aging skin and repeated facial movements can lead to noticeable forehead wrinkles. Luckily, there are several ways to restore a more youthful and relaxed look to your brow.

Fighting Back Against Forehead CreasesBand Aid Brow Lift

A traditional brow lift uses an incision across the scalp to remove sagging skin and reposition the underlying tissue to give the forehead a smoother, younger appearance. However, throughout over 20 years as a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I have found that nearly all forehead rejuvenation patients can receive the results they want with a minimally invasive procedure that I developed called the Band Aid Brow Lift. Like my other Band Aid plastic surgery procedures, the Band Aid Brow Lift is performed in-office with gentle numbing rather than general anesthesia, and it uses smaller incisions and specially-designed techniques to minimize scarring, recovery time, and cost.

Non-Surgical Treatments for Forehead Wrinkles

If your brow creases haven’t yet progressed far enough to call for cosmetic surgery (or if you’ve already had a Band Aid Brow Lift and want to maintain your results for longer), there are a variety of non-surgical procedures that can be effective for minimizing wrinkles as well:

  • Botox® and Dysport® are both cosmetic facial injections that improve forehead creases by relaxing the underlying muscles that have become tense after years of those repeated facial expressions. Relaxing the muscle smooths a perpetually furrowed brow and helps you look happier and younger. While the results are temporary, these treatments are ideal for patients with tight schedules because they require no downtime and the procedure can typically be completed in 10-15 minutes.
  • Band Aid Skin Tightening and Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing are both non-surgical ways to build collagen, the protein that gives your skin its youthful firmness and elasticity. While they operate differently (Band Aid Skin Tightening uses targeted heat while Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing uses tiny beams of laser light), both procedures are effective for facial rejuvenation, and we can discuss your individual needs to determine which treatment is the best choice for you.

For patients hoping to improve the appearance of forehead wrinkles, there are many treatment options available because every patient is unique, both in their individual anatomy and in how aging has affected them. To start discussing whether a cosmetic procedure can help you be your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a plastic surgery consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, to stay up-to-date on the latest news in cosmetic surgery, join me on Facebook Twitter, and Google+.

What’s the most common misconception about plastic surgery?

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john leroyMany people think that plastic surgery is a to aging.  The fact is that the body continues to age after plastic surgery whether you have a traditional full facelift or a Band Aid facelift.  I like to suggest patients approach plastic surgery with a maintenance mind set.  Because bone and collagen weaken with maturity causing wrinkles and sagging skin, I often find that those patients who pursue facial plastic surgery earlier (when they start to notice cosmetic issues) are better able to obtain the enhancement they’re after because less dramatic measures are required.  This was actually one of the reasons I created my Band Aid plastic surgery procedures beginning with the Band Aid Facelift in 1997.

Band Aid Facelift, wrinkle reduction with injectables or facial fillers, and Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing are all effective options to address those starting marks of maturity.  Additionally, these procedures can give people who have previously undergone plastic surgery the rejuvenation they may need to return to their original post-surgery appearance.  While these procedures are certainly not a substitute for the dramatic results facelift, necklift, or browlift surgery can produce, they are accessible options for isolated issues like crow’s feet, sagging cheeks, and signs of sun damage.

Another important thing to understand about cosmetic procedures is that aging will continue to become visible after treatment if certain lifestyle factors aren’t addressed.  I urge all of my patients to regularly wear protective clothing and a broad spectrum sunscreen to keep their refreshed skin looking more youthful.  Smoking can also impact the way your body heals after facial plastic surgery and topical treatments like laser skin resurfacing.

I like to explain these things to my patients to allow them to better understand when facial rejuvenation is appropriate.  Seeing eventual need for additional Band Aid plastic surgery shouldn’t be seen as defeat, but as logically addressing the distinct issues that arise at varying ages to maximize the natural appearance of your plastic surgery results and optimize your long-term satisfaction.

To learn more about the Band Aid procedures and skin treatments I perform visit my website.  If you’re interested in pursuing cosmetic treatment, or would like to ask any questions, I invite you to contact my office and connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.