What exactly takes place in a consultation with a Plastic Surgeon?The initial consultation is an opportunity to meet with a board certified plastic surgeon so that you can get to know one another and discuss the areas of your appearance which you would like improved. When you call to schedule your consultation, you will usually be sent an information packet telling you about the surgeon, the surgeon's office and the plastic surgery procedure you are interested in. It is suggested that you read these materials first so that you will be aware of the available options prior to your consultation. This packet also includes a questionnaire about your medical history, which you should fill out completely and honestly as you can. These forms are not meant to embarrass you or meant to be negative in any way. It is important that you fill this form out fully providing the most accurate information about your medical history possible. Remember that anything left out of the medical history could possibly have an adverse effect on your surgery.
Your consultation will also include an examination after which your surgeon will share with you which procedure he recommends, why he recommends it and what your other options are. He/she will thoroughly review the planned procedure, what to expect as you recover and will discuss your anticipated results. After meeting with the Doctor, you will meet with someone called the Patient Care Coordinator.
At this time, you will be given an opportunity to view pre-and-post-operative photographs of patients who have undergone similar procedures, and who have given us their permission to show their pictures. This meeting is also your chance to ask any additional questions you may have. The Plastic surgeon's Patient Care Coordinator will discuss the timing of your surgery, finances, and assist you in making any necessary arrangements before or after surgery that you may require, including hotel and nursing arrangements for our patients living elsewhere in the U.S. or abroad. You should expect the consultation to last 1-1 1/2 hours. Of course, if you require more time, it will gladly be made available.
I want to make my face look younger and do not know which dermal filler would be best for me- can you help??My First suggestion would be to consult with a
board certified cosmetic surgeon who is skilled and experienced with dermal fillers. The consultation is always the best "first step" for having any kind of plastic or cosmetic procedure. Dermal Fillers are no exception to this rule- it is easy for an inexperienced surgeon to make a mistake, and thus the main reason why it is highly important you do your research and find a qualified surgeon. Online Resources are helpful as they usually have a large library of
plastic surgery information for you to use. The best site I have seen is lookingyourbest.com. The website has an extensive library of information about plastic surgery, articles written by doctors and surgeons, and they also offer a free service to help you locate a surgeon in your area. All of that being said, let's take a quick look at a few of the Dermal fillers and facial rejuvenation treatments available:
Restylane®/Perlane®: Restylane® and Perlane® are made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in our skin, and treatments will fill out lips and cheeks and improve facial wrinkles and facial folds. The improvement you will achieve will last usually from 6-12 months. There will be gradual fading of the results at which point you can return for another treatment.
BOTOX® Cosmetic:BOTOX® Cosmetic is an dynamic treatment for facial wrinkles in the forehead, between the eyes and in the “crows feet” areas (upper third of the face). BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, which reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those frown lines between the brows to form over time. Botox® Cosmetic works by weakening the muscles of facial expression that create those unwanted lines and wrinkles. As the muscles relax, the skin flattens and wrinkles fade away naturally.
Juvéderm™:Juvéderm™ is a smooth consistency gel made of hyaluronic acid—a naturally occurring substance in your skin that helps to add volume and hydration. Your healthcare professional eases Juvéderm™ injectable gel under the skin to provide a smooth, natural look and feel—so everyone will notice (but no one will know)! In fact, studies show superior results of Juvéderm™ compared to a collagen-based dermal filler.* And, almost 90% of all study volunteers who were treated with both Juvéderm™ injectable gel and another dermal filler* preferred Juvéderm™! In addition, Juvéderm™ injectable gel is the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is proven to be safe and effective for persons of color.
Lip Augmentation:Injection of fillers such as Collagen, Hylaform, Juvederm, and fat into the lips is an easy way of enlarging or shaping the lips. Collagen is commercially available through plastic surgeons, but before having this procedure, you must first pass a collagen allergy test. Its advantages are, it does not require surgery and it is relatively inexpensive. Its disadvantage is that it is not permanent and usually lasts 3-5 months. Other newer injectable fillers such as those mentioned above usually last much longer than collagen and don’t need to be allergy tested. Fat, tendon, or dermal grafting is another method used for lip augmentation. They require harvesting of the fat, dermis, or tendon from another area of the body. Its biggest disadvantage is that the lips remain swollen and inflamed for a much longer period than when synthetic fillers are used.
Chemical Peels:If you're considering chemical peel... Chemical peel uses a chemical solution to improve and smooth the texture of the facial skin by removing its damaged outer layers. It is helpful for those individuals with facial blemishes, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation. Phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) are used for this purpose. The precise formula used may be adjusted to meet each patient's needs. Although chemical peel may be performed in conjunction with a facelift, it is not a substitute for such surgery, nor will it prevent or slow the aging process.
Labels: board certified plastic surgeon, botox, dermal fillers, juvederm, plastic surgery, procedure