There’s nothing quite like looking in the mirror one day and seeing your first wrinkles, especially because it often happens earlier than you expect. In many cases, the first signs of aging appear around the eyes as crow’s feet, frown lines, or forehead creases, and fortunately, there is a highly successful and convenient treatment available: Dysport® and Botox®, both of which have been FDA-approved as safe and effective. These wrinkle reduction injections are so popular among men and women in their 20s through 70s that Botox® has become a household name, and more and more people are finding out about Dysport®, which is a highly similar formula with a different brand name. We’ve compiled some helpful facts to give you a crash course in these terrific injections you may want to add to your cosmetic roster.
As popular and minimally invasive as Botox® and Dysport® are, it’s important to remember that they require a true medical procedure which can have serious complications if done incorrectly, so you should only trust your health to a qualified medical professional—in this case, a board-certified plastic surgeon. To learn whether you’re a candidate for Dysport® or Botox® injections, schedule a consultation with me. Or, for more helpful plastic surgery tips, follow me, Dr. John L. LeRoy, on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I have an appreciation for the way seemingly small improvements (like fewer wrinkles) can have a powerfully positive impact on a person’s life. But there are members of our community whose needs extend far beyond a confidence boost, and at the plastic surgery offices of Dr. John LeRoy, we strongly believe in giving back to our community by offering help to those in need. That’s why we hold four social media charity contest each year to identify Georgia-based organizations who can use our donation to serve their neighbors. We’re happy to announce that our Summer 2016 charity contest will begin on Thursday, July 21st.
How do Dr. John LeRoy’s charity contests work?
Our charity contests take place in two stages: nomination and voting. First, we’ll spend a few weeks collecting nominations from our social media followers on the John LeRoy, MD Facebook page. There is no limit to the number of charities which can be nominated, but on August 8th, we’ll announce up to four finalists and we’ll post a poll on our Facebook page where you can vote for a final winner. The winning charity will be announced on Monday, August 22nd, 2016 and will receive a $1,000 donation to further their valuable mission.
How can I get involved in the charity contest?
Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome to participate! The first step is to nominate a non-profit organization by simply visiting our Facebook page between July 21st and August 5th, 2016 and commenting on the post at the top of our page (the one inviting you to submit your nomination). Be sure to “Like” our Facebook page (if you haven’t already) and follow Dr. John LeRoy on Twitter so you can keep an eye on the nomination process and stay informed when the voting stage begins. You can nominate any charity which meets these criteria:
The charity must hold a 501(c)(3) non-profit distinction or be a valid and charitable crowdfunding page.
The charity must be in Georgia.
The nominator must be at least 16 years of age.
Each nominator may only nominate one charity.
The charity must contribute to a greater good, identifiable through a published mission statement.
The charity may not be a previous charity contest winner (recent winners include Little Nuggets Rescue, The Mastocytosis Society, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Atlanta Humane Society, and Atlanta S.E.E.D.s).
At our plastic surgery office, one of the most satisfying parts of our job is seeing patients who are thrilled with their cosmetic surgery results and feel the burden of self-consciousness lifted from their shoulders. In the same way, we want to lift the burdens of our other neighbors in need, whether those burdens include illnesses, poverty, or other issues. We look forward to working with all of you to make Georgia a better, happier, and safer home for us all.
Plastic surgery has helped countless patients restore their confidence and take the stress of self-consciousness off their minds, but it does come with some trade-offs to consider, including scars. Patients who are preparing for facial surgeries like a facelift tend to be particularly concerned about scarring because their face is such a prominent part of their appearance. While scars cannot be fully avoided in any surgery, the good news is that board-certified plastic surgeons like me are experienced in concealing scars within the hair and natural lines of the face as much as possible, and that there are also many steps you can take before and after surgery to minimize your scarring.
Consider whether a Band Aid Mini Facelift will meet your needs.
Many patients know that they want to look younger and they know that they’ve reached a point when non-surgical treatments like Botox® and filler injections simply won’t produce the results they want. But some who think they need a facelift are actually candidates for my minimally invasive Band Aid Facelift instead. While it’s still a surgery, the Band Aid Mini Facelift uses specialized techniques and is performed in-office with gentle numbing (as well as conscious sedation if desired), and among other advantages, produces smaller scars compared to those of a traditional face lift.
Follow all pre- and post-surgical instructions closely.
While there are ways to reduce the appearance of your scars later, it’s best to help them remain as small and subtle as possible from the beginning, and one of the most important factors in the way your scar forms is how well your body heals. Many factors can affect your plastic surgery recovery, from what you’re eating and drinking to whether you’re smoking to the way you care for your incisions, and all of these will also have an impact on the appearance of your scar, so following the instructions you receive both before and after your surgery will help your body’s healing process and help your scars form as smoothly as possible. It’s also crucial to communicate any concerns you’re having about your recovery along the way, either at your scheduled follow-up appointments or simply by calling my office. Keep in mind as well that some patients are genetically more likely to have significant scarring than others, so your body’s natural responses will also affect your scars.
Protect your new scars from the sun.
Scar tissue is more sensitive to the sun than your normal skin, and sun exposure can cause your scars to darken and develop a more prominent appearance. We advise our patients to use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for at least six weeks after surgery. However, keep in mind that sun exposure can also cause premature aging, so making sunscreen a part of your normal daily skincare can also help your face lift results last longer.
Consider Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing to further reduce your scar.
After you’ve healed from your surgery, certain skin treatments can be used to smooth and reduce the appearance of your skin by breaking down the old collagen and helping your body replace it with a more even texture. Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing is a minimally invasive way to do this by creating tiny treatment areas which work with your body’s natural healing process to improve the appearance of the skin around them. Beyond helping your scars to be less noticeable, this laser treatment can also enhance the results of your facelift by improving other signs of aging, like age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Scarring is a part of the fascinating way your body heals and protects you, and while that doesn’t make their appearance any more welcome, there are many ways you can make your plastic surgery scarring as minimal and subtle as possible, and you can begin this process before your procedure is even performed. To discuss how I can help you address your specific aesthetic concerns while also keeping scars to a minimum, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery tips and other helpful information, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Just as with most other aspects of life, preparedness can make all the difference in your Band Aid Mini Facelift (or any plastic surgery, for that matter). For many of my patients, the time leading up to their surgery is filled with excited preparations, like stocking up on movies to watch and easy foods to eat while they recover. But what happens after your surgery? Because aging is a continuing process, patients who want to keep looking their best are never “done.” While a facelift or Band Aid Facelift can have a powerful effect on your appearance (in fact, many patients feel that it takes ten years or more off their age), there are some follow-up steps you can take to keep your results looking their best.
Step 1: Help your healing process go more smoothly.
Your final plastic surgery results will depend not only on the procedure itself but also on how well your body heals. The best ways to achieve strong results are to keep up with all your follow-up appointments (to allow me, as your plastic surgeon, to evaluate whether you’re healing properly) and to follow all your post-surgical instructions, like your activity limitations, details about caring for your incisions, and more.
Step 2: Protect your skin from age-accelerating factors.
While aging throughout your face and the rest of your body occurs naturally, there are outside factors which can accelerate it significantly, which means your facial rejuvenation results won’t last as long. Some of the most common and powerful culprits include:
Sun exposure (even for just a few minutes at a time, which can be reduced by wearing sunscreen every day and reapplying every several hours)
Smoking (which breaks down the proteins that keep your skin firm while also forming little lines above your lips from the repetitive motion of using a cigarette)
Skin dehydration (which can be minimized by both drinking plenty of water and using moisturizer)
Excess sugar, including too much alcohol
Skin irritation (such as from using overly harsh skincare products)
Step 3: Tackle new signs of aging as they arise with non-surgical skin treatments.
Wanting to look your best is far more than a superficial concern—confidence (or a lack of it) can impact nearly any area of your life, including your day-to-day outlook. But it’s important to realize that becoming and maintaining your most confident and beautiful self is an ongoing process that requires teamwork between you and your board-certified plastic surgeon. To get started, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation tips.
Atlanta Magazine Highlights Band Aid Facelift Patients’ Freedom to Be Discreet
Thanks to its growing popularity and a larger number of public figures speaking out in its defense, plastic surgery is losing the stigma it once held, and patients are feeling more and more comfortable making the choice to feel confident in their appearance. But regardless of whether they think others would disapprove, most of my facelift patients strongly want natural, discreet-looking results simply because it’s more aesthetically pleasing and it still allows them to look like themselves. That’s where the Band Aid Mini Facelift comes in.
As my most popular procedure, the Band Aid Facelift is a unique surgery I developed nearly twenty years ago. It’s essentially a minimally invasive version of the traditional facelift, using precise techniques to lift and firm the skin and underlying tissue of the face for a more youthful appearance, all with significantly less recovery time, scarring, bruising, and swelling than a typical face lift. In this procedure, the emphasis is on achieving a noticeable improvement that takes as much as ten years off most patients’ appearance, but which looks very natural and does not make the patient look “windblown” or “overdone.”
Part of the beauty of a Band Aid Mini Facelift is that the results don’t scream, “I’ve had work done.” In fact, as many of my patients describe, family and friends who don’t know about the surgery often remark that the patient looks great but that they can’t put their finger on what the change was. This means, as a patient, you have the freedom to keep your mini facelift discreet if you so choose, and you can sit back and soak up the compliments without getting questions about your surgery in every conversation.
Cosmetic surgery is all about choice – patients choose to take control of their appearance and to make a change in order to be happy with what they see in the mirror. And while many patients are more than happy to tell others about their experience, others prefer to maintain their privacy, and striving for natural-looking results makes this all the easier. If you want to discuss whether a Band Aid Facelift (or one of my many other minimally invasive surgeries) can help you be your most confident and beautiful self, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more helpful information and plastic surgery tips, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Plastic surgery has helped countless patients restore their confidence and take the stress of self-consciousness off their minds, but it does come with some trade-offs to consider, including scars. Patients who are preparing for facial surgeries like a 
