As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in helping my patients look as young as they feel, I certainly know the emotional value of seeing a better reflection in the mirror. But I also know that plastic surgery is not always the right choice. In fact, it takes a certain degree of aging for a person to be a candidate for even a Band Aid Mini Facelift, and many patients (understandably) want to stay looking their best throughout the entire aging process. Non-surgical facial fillers can be a quick, easy, low-cost, and low-risk way to do this at nearly any age. Check out the infographic below for everything you need to know about facial fillers.
There are many levels of facial rejuvenation treatments: injectables, non-surgical skin tightening, laser treatments, minimally invasive cosmetic surgery, and more comprehensive cosmetic surgery. The key is keeping an open mind, taking it one step at a time, and seeking the help of a board-certified plastic surgeon who truly has your best interests at heart and can guide you through your options. To get started on the road toward your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more anti-aging tips, plastic surgery information, and even savings opportunities, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Let’s be honest, most of us don’t just want fewer wrinkles – we want the solution to be a quick and easy one, too. After all, time is valuable. That’s why Botox® injections have become so popular that they’re a household name, as have Dysport® injections—a similar product offered from a different brand. But it’s important to realize that Botox® and Dysport® aren’t the cure-all for wrinkles. In fact, they’re designed to address very specific types of wrinkles.
Botox® and Dysport® are typically ideal for crow’s feet, “frown lines” between the eyebrows, and forehead wrinkles. That’s because the primary cause of these wrinkles is tenseness in the underlying muscles. If you look in the mirror, you’ll notice that these wrinkles become deeper when you make many facial expressions, because the underlying muscles are contracting. Over time, these muscles become tense and they don’t smooth out as well as they used to when you were younger. Combined with the fact that the skin becomes thinner as you age, these contracted muscles create wrinkles that are present even when your face is relaxed.
To address these issues, Botox® and Dysport® are injected into the tense facial muscles, and they work by blocking the nerve signals that are telling the muscles to contract. As a result, the muscles relax and smooth out, reducing the wrinkles in your skin.
Choosing the right facial rejuvenation technique is one of the most important steps toward getting the results that will help you be your most confident and beautiful self. To start discussing whether Botox® and Dysport®, facial fillers, a Band Aid Mini Facelift, or another procedure is the best wrinkle-reduction option for you, schedule your facial rejuvenation consultation. Or, for more anti-aging tips and facial rejuvenation information, follow me, Dr. John L. LeRoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Facial aging is one of the most common aesthetic concerns around, so it’s no surprise that countless rumors and home remedies have arisen regarding how to get rid of them. But which of these theories can actually help you look your best and which will simply prove to be a waste of time and money? As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation, I’m happy to use my knowledge and expertise to answer your questions about a few of these anti-aging myths.
Myth #1: Wrinkles are what give away your age, so to look younger, you just need to treat your wrinkles.
Actually, there are a number of factors which make a person look older. While wrinkles and sagging skin are the most obvious signs, there are a number of factors (some of which we only notice subconsciously unless it’s pointed out to us) that betray someone’s age, including age spots as well as the loss and shifting of facial tissue which ages the shape of the face itself. For this reason, the most comprehensive results can be achieved with a combination of plastic surgery (like my Band Aid Mini Facelift) to remove excess skin and reposition the underlying tissue, along with skin treatments like Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing to address age spots, fine lines, and other common problems.
Myth #2: The newer the treatment, the better it is.
It’s true that medical science is constantly advancing and producing better treatment options for cosmetic and medical needs alike, but just because a procedure is newer doesn’t mean it’s actually better. It may simply be another manufacturer trying to enter the market. Or, in some cases, a new treatment may actually offer improved benefits for certain types of patients, but it may not be the right option for your specific needs. Research your options and talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon to figure out the best course of action for you.
Myth #3: Aging is hereditary, so if your parents always looked young for their age, you will, too.
Some degree of your natural aging process is hereditary, but aging can be strongly affected by environmental factors like sun exposure, smoking, diet and exercise, and more. In other words, don’t take your good genes for granted. In order to stay looking your best, you’ll still need to use some degree of facial rejuvenation treatments as the years go by.
Myth #4: There’s nothing you can do to keep wrinkles away.
Aging can’t be prevented entirely, but there are ways you can slow and delay its progress. The aging process is accelerated significantly by sun damage, smoking, excessive drinking, and other environmental factors, so protecting your skin and following a healthy lifestyle can have a strong impact on your appearance. Another increasingly popular choice is Dysport® or Botox® injections. Because these relax the targeted facial muscles, they can limit the development of certain expression lines like crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead wrinkles.
Myth #5: You can look 20 years younger without surgery.
Unfortunately, this is simply an unrealistic expectation. While they won’t have such a dramatic affect as to take decades off your appearance, non-surgical procedures like Band Aid Skin Tightening (which requires no downtime), Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing, and the like are highly effective for facial rejuvenation. The other good news is that modernized surgeries are not as invasive as you might expect. The Band Aid Mini Facelift offers highly successful and natural-looking results with just half the recovery time of a traditional facelift, and my new Band Aid Micro Mini Facelift is even milder.
Myth #6: You get what you pay for.
This isn’t to say that all facial rejuvenation treatments and skin care products are created equal; it simply means that the most expensive choice is not always the best one. In terms of procedures, talk to a plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation about the ideal options for you, and as far as skin care products go, focus on the active ingredients, not the price or the flashy packaging.
It’s understandably tempting to give it a try when you hear something like “this face mask you can make with ingredients you already have will take ten years off your face.” But when it comes to something as important as your health and your appearance, only trust a board-certified and experienced professional. To discuss how you can be your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more anti-aging tips as well as monthly special offers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
As a double board-certified plastic surgeon who has been specializing primarily in facial rejuvenation for over twenty years, I have developed both a comprehensive understanding of the aging process and a keen eye for how to address each patient’s unique concerns. Thanks to genetics, lifestyle habits, and other factors, everyone ages in their own way, which means that despite the common misconception, facelifts aren’t a one-size-fits-all way to turn back the clock. For many patients, getting the best results means combining either a face lift or my minimally invasive Band Aid Mini Facelift with other procedures, like eyelid surgery, facial liposuction, or a brow lift. In the case of my Band Aid Facelift, even a combination of surgeries may be able to be performed in-office using gentle numbing. My video below offers a more detailed explanation of these options.
The technique of performing multiple plastic surgeries in one operation is sometimes misunderstood as being less safe. But the truth is that as long as you’re under the care of an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon, you’ve completed all of the necessary health screenings and other pre-surgical preparations, and you’re committed to your post-surgical care, these procedures can be an effective and manageable way to maximize your cosmetic surgery results. To discuss how I can help you be your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a pre-surgical consultation. Or, for more plastic surgery tips and helpful information, follow me, Dr. John L. L.eRoy, on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
There’s nothing quite like looking into a mirror one day and noticing that first wrinkle. Some people think little of it, but many are bothered by seeing the aging process begin, especially when it happens earlier than they expected. For those who choose to fight back against fine lines and wrinkles, cosmetic facial injectables (like facial fillers and Botox® or Dysport®) are often the first place they turn, because the treatments are quick and easy, they require little or no downtime, and they can produce beautiful, natural-looking results. But as the aging process continues, patients require more significant procedures in order to achieve the results they want, and when they reach a point when a facelift or a Band Aid Mini Facelift is their ideal choice, many patients ask: how do injectables fit in?
Ultimately, injectables can be a great way to smooth specific fine lines and wrinkles for a younger but natural-looking appearance. However, they cannot be used to treat the sagging skin that aging eventually causes (like jowls and neck folds). When a patient has developed skin laxity, cosmetic surgery in the form of a facelift or a Band Aid Mini Facelift is typically the best option. Both of these procedures can remove excess skin, restore firmness to the facial skin, and reposition the underlying tissue for a more lifted, youthful look, but the Band Aid Mini Facelift is a minimally invasive option performed in-office with gentle numbing and smaller incisions for limited recovery time.
So, does a facelift eliminate the need for injectables? While it is fully a patient’s choice whether or not to continue their treatments, most face lift patients are happier with their results if they keep up with regular injectables (though they often need less than they did before). Plastic surgery does not get rid of every fine like and wrinkle – if it did, the results would look far too “tight” and unnatural. Throughout over twenty years as a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation, I have found that patients typically want to look like a younger version of themselves, and strategies like this can repair existing signs of aging while reducing the new ones as they arise, creating an ongoing youthfulness.
A combination of surgical and non-surgical procedures has helped countless patients continue to be their most confident and beautiful selves for decades to come. But there is no “one size fits all” solution, so it’s important to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate your needs and design a plan that is designed around you. To get started, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery tips, our latest special offers, and more, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
