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Atlanta Restylane

The Science Behind Fillers

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Facial fillers like Restylane®, Juvéderm®, and Radiesse® are among the most popular and best-known ways to diminish lines and wrinkles throughout the face. However, most patients simply know that fillers are injections that make their wrinkles smoother. Knowing more about any procedure you’re having or considering can help you better understand why certain products and techniques are ideal for your needs. Plus, many patients feel more at-ease when they know exactly what is being injected, how it’s being injected, and why. So, to help you be more informed about your facial rejuvenation choices, we’re delving a little deeper into the science behind dermal fillers and how they actually work.

The Science Behind Facial FillersVolumizers vs. Stimulators

The overall goal of fillers is to “fill in” wrinkles by plumping up the skin, and in some cases, to restore more youthful contours to your face. There are two general ways this can be done: by placing a temporary amount of volume (“volumizers”) or by causing your own body to produce more collagen—the protein that gives your skin youthful volume and firmness (“stimulators”). Volumizers produce results that are visible nearly immediately, but they generally last around 6-9 months as your body naturally breaks them down. Stimulators, on the other hand, produce much longer-lasting results, but because they rely on your body’s own processes, the results take longer to develop. Some facial fillers, however, combine both: they provide temporary volume while the body works on building collagen, so that the improved appearance continues even after the volumizer has broken down.

Types of Fillers

Within the categories of volumizers and stimulators, there are a number of different chemicals and compounds that can be used to make facial fillers. At my plastic surgery office in Atlanta, we offer the following types:

  • Hyaluronic Acid (Restylane®, Juvéderm®)

Hyaluronic acid (or HA) is actually a substance that occurs naturally in your body, so the manufactured HA mimics a natural chemical. HA is a volumizer, so it offers temporary volume which lasts for approximately 6-9 months, depending on the brand and your body’s natural metabolism.

  • Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse®)

This unique formula combines both volumizing and stimulating effects. The calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) is suspended in a gel, and while the gel creates temporary volume, the CaHA is stimulating new collagen. As a result, the results typically last one year or more.

Combining Facial Fillers with Other Facial Rejuvenation Methods

Dermal fillers have a number of advantages: the appointment takes just minutes to complete, they’re minimally invasive, and they’re able to target very specific wrinkles. However, they won’t address sagging skin, age spots, or expression lines. In these cases, filler injections are very easy to combine with other facial rejuvenation treatments. For instance, a Band Aid Mini Facelift can resolve sagging jowls and lift the mid-face, while fillers can address the remaining wrinkles or volume loss, resulting in a significantly younger yet natural-looking appearance. If you also have age spots or other surface imperfections you would like to address, these can typically be treated with Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing as an additional way to enhance your results.

When some patients want a cosmetic change, they simply go to their plastic surgeon and ask, “What can you do about this problem?” But in the digital age, it’s becoming easier and easier for patients to learn about a variety of procedures online. While being informed can be very beneficial in allowing you to understand your needs and your options, it’s important to only get your information from trusted, accurate sources and to rely on the advice of your board-certified plastic surgeon rather than simply taking your questions to Google. To learn what types of fillers or other cosmetic treatments are ideal for your needs, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John L. LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery information and helpful tips, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Summer Savings for a Younger You

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Summer is a season that many of us look forward to. Outings and activities likes boating, swimming, and family vacations allow us to let loose and embrace a younger version of ourselves. So this June, at the offices of Dr. John LeRoy, we’ve designed our monthly specials to help you get a rejuvenated look to match your youthful summer spirit.

Atlanta plastic surgery discountsBand Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing

Many patients want a treatment that tackles several of their aging concerns at once, and laser resurfacing fits the bill. We use the precise DOT laser to perforate the skin with tiny columns of laser light. This stimulates and controls the healing process that causes the body to produce more collagen—the protein that gives our skin youthful firmness and elasticity. The loss of collagen with age is a major culprit behind wrinkles and lax skin, so by helping the body replace the diminishing collagen, Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing can improve the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, and even acne scars.

Band Aid Skin Tightening

Sagging skin is one of the most common complaints from patients who want a younger look, but many think that plastic surgery, like a Band Aid Facelift or a neck lift, is the only way to lift and firm the skin. As its name suggests, Band Aid Skin Tightening is a minimally-invasive way to tighten lax skin, and in fact, the procedure is entirely non-surgical. We use the advanced Protégé system to send a unique and controlled heat energy into the deeper levels of the skin while leaving the surface skin unaffected. The result is firmer, younger-looking skin with no scarring and no downtime.

Cosmetic Facial Injectables

For patients who have more specific “problem areas” and those who want quick results, several injectable products can give them a more youthful look in a treatment that takes just minutes to complete. Dermal fillers like Restylane®, Juvéderm®, and Juvéderm Volumaâ„¢ XC can replace facial volume that has been lost with age, improving the look of wrinkles and areas of the face that have a “hollowed” appearance. Botox® and Dysport®, on the other hand, soften wrinkles around the eyebrows and forehead by relaxing the underlying muscle that is giving the skin a creased or “furrowed” look.

At the offices of John LeRoy, MD, we take pride every day in helping our patients to be their most beautiful and confident selves, and our June specials aim to make beauty a more affordable goal. Contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss your aesthetic needs and determine which treatment or procedure can give you the results you’re looking for. Or, for more cosmetic tips and information about the services we offer, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

May Brings Many Ways to Save on Facial Rejuvenation

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Throughout more than thirty years as a plastic surgeon, I’ve found that one of the most common goals my patients have is to look younger. They still feel as vibrant and energetic as they did ten years ago, and they want their outward appearance to match. But even a basic knowledge of cosmetic treatments makes it clear that there isn’t one particular way for patients to achieve this goal—the options span from noninvasive treatments to injections to surgical procedures like my Band Aid Facelift. That’s because every patient is unique; their skin tone, aesthetic goals, signs of aging, and medical needs all impact which procedure I recommend. As a reflection of this, our May specials offer savings on a number of treatments, all of which are geared toward facial rejuvenation.

Atlanta plastic surgeonBand Aid Skin Tightening

We all know that as we age, our skin loses its firmness and elasticity, and gravity causes it to sag. A facelift is a highly effective way to correct this problem, but for patients who aren’t yet ready for surgery or those who are seeking to maintain the results of their facelift, Band Aid Skin Tightening can be an ideal solution. The cutting-edge Protégé system sends precisely controlled heat into the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers the body’s production of collagen, the protein that gives skin its youthful firmness. As the collagen continuously develops, the treated skin becomes more firm and wrinkles become smoother, leading to a naturally refreshed look.

Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing

Besides lax skin, another common sign of aging is the development of age spots—small spots where sun exposure over time has made the skin darker than the surrounding skin. Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing is unique because it addresses both age spots and wrinkles, as well as acne scarring. Like Band Aid Skin Tightening, this procedure stimulates the body’s natural collagen production process, which has slowed down with age. The DOT Therapyâ„¢ laser sends precisely controlled columns of laser light into the skin while leaving the surrounding skin intact. As a result, the refreshed collagen creates a smoother, more youthful complexion, yet the healing time needed is minimal.

Cosmetic Facial Injections

Perhaps some of the best-known methods for facial rejuvenation are cosmetic facial injections. Botox® and Dysport® are wrinkle-reducing medications that relax the targeted muscles in the faces. This smooths the creases and winkles that have formed as a result of the muscle being contracted or furrowed from years of facial expressions. Dermal fillers like Restylane® and Juvéderm®, on the other hand, restore the youthful volume that is naturally lost from the face as we age. In some cases, these fillers can also be used to subtly plump the lips. Starting on May 1st, 2015, patients can earn special savings on their Dysport® and Restylane® treatments through the new ASPIRE Galderma Rewards program. To learn more about the program or to enroll for free, visit www.aspirerewards.com.

As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, my priority is making sure that you get the best treatment possible. It’s important to balance great results with safety and recovery time, and to find the procedure or treatment that balances each of these priorities. To schedule your consultation to discuss the best treatment option for you, give us a call to schedule an appointment. Or, for helpful tips and information about plastic surgery and other cosmetic topics, follow the John L LeRoy, MD, FACS, PC page on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Facial Cosmetic Injectables or a Facelift?

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Thanks to modern medicine and a growing amount of knowledge about how to live a healthy lifestyle, Americans today are living longer and feeling energetic and young until a later age. As a result, we’re on an everlasting quest to look as young on the outside as we feel on the inside. There are a wealth of facial rejuvenation procedures, medicines, and options for a reason: because different methods are best for different people. You can follow me, John LeRoy, MD, on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ to learn more about these treatments and for updates on my ever-growing menu of procedures.

facial plastic surgeon atlanta gaSo which route makes the most sense for you – cosmetic injectables or a facelift? Facial cosmetic injectables are simply compounds that are injected into desired areas of the face. Some injectables, like Botox®, relax the facial muscles to diminish wrinkles, while others like Restylane® are fillers, which add youthful volume to the face. A facelift, on the other hand, is a surgical procedure which, rather literally, lifts the facial skin and repositions the muscle and fat to repair the sagging caused by age. Below are some questions to help you determine which procedure may be the best fit for you.

What are your areas of concern?
If you would like to see more smoothness in essentially all areas of the face (like the cheeks, mouth, and jawline), a facelift may be the way to go, because it delivers more widespread results. Injectables, on the other hand, are preferable for targeting specific problem areas, like the forehead or the lines around the mouth. Injectable facial fillers are used to fill in skin creases to provide a more youthful look.

How much recovery time can you reasonably afford?
If you have a schedule that is both busy and too rigid to allow for recovery time, cosmetic injectables may be a great option to consider. They require no downtime, and in fact you may be able to complete your entire treatment during your lunch hour. On the other hand, while recovery times do vary from patient to patient, a traditional facelift is a surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia, so there will be some recovery time involved. My Band Aid Facelift is a less invasive alternative procedure. Performed in my office with gentle numbing, a Band Aid Facelift is a viable “meet in the middle” option for my patients.

Do you want to tighten your skin or add volume?
Aging takes a toll on our faces in many ways, so spend time examining your face in the mirror to determine whether it’s a loss of elasticity you’re unhappy with (in which case a facelift will likely provide the results you’re looking for) or a lack of facial volume (in which case, fillers like Juvéderm® or Restylane® should be considered). For most patients, a combination of both procedures proves to be ideal for restoring the face to its more youthful, rested self.

How permanent do you want the results to be?
It’s important to note that neither of these procedures produce permanent results, because they are not capable of completely stopping the aging process. However, a facelift does produce more dramatic results for a longer period of time than injectables do. In other words, because a facelift “turns back the clock” farther than injectables do, it takes significantly longer for your face to return to its pre-operative appearance with a facelift than it does with cosmetic facial injections.

In the end, an informed and wise decision about your facial rejuvenation can only be made after your individualized consultation. During this appointment, we’ll discuss your reasonable cosmetic expectations and decide together how we can help you look as young as you feel.