Question:
What is the difference between Botox and injectable fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm? What is the best option for minimizing lines in my forehead and neck?

Answer:
Botox is a muscle relaxant. In general it works best on the upper half of the face and typically last for 3-4 months. Botox is a great option for softening lines in the forehead. Injectable fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm work by “filling in” lines and wrinkles. It in general does better on the lower half of the face and typically last 9-12 months. The neck area is generally not ideal for either, although the vertical bands the run up the neck can be treated with Botox. Both Botox and injectable fillers can be done in the office with minimal downtime; both have greatly expanded are options for treating early facial aging in the office.

Comments Off

Question:
I’ve been reading up online about laser skin resurfacing. I’m a little confused, since I’ve read about CO2 lasers, Fraxel lasers, Dot lasers, etc. What might be the best laser skin resurfacing treatment for a 42-year-old woman with freckles and sun damage on the face, neck, and décolletage?

Answer:
With all the laser systems available today, choosing the right one can be challenging. The advantage of having so many systems available is that cosmetic surgeons can tailor specific treatments for each patient like never before. For someone with mild to moderate sun damage, IPL (intense pulsed light) is a great option. Theses treatments remove sun damage over a series of treatments with minimal downtime or side effects. In addition, compared to other laser resurfacing types, IPLs are effective at reducing the “reds” as well as the browns that come with sun damage. At Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, our aestheticians use the Limelight system from Cutera. It provides effective treatments that can be even further tailored to a patient depending on typre of sun damage. Treatments involve minimal to no discomfort and almost no downtime- make-up can be applied the next day. The first step to correcting sun damage is to meet with a licensed aesthetician or board certified physician to determine the best treatment options for your skin.

Comments Off

Question:
Post eyelid surgery will I be able to drive home?

Answer:
Absolutely not! Even with the best techniques and the procedure being done under local, patient’s can still expect to have some swelling and possible visual impairment. For safety reasons, after a blepharoplasty operation it is imperative that someone drive you home following eyelid surgery.

Comments Off

Question:
After almost a year of investigating different cosmetic procedures, I have finally decided that I would like a facelift. I am planning it during my two week vacation from work. I am also not going to tell anyone except my best friend that I am getting it done. Will the bruising be completely gone by two weeks? Should I take another week’s vacation so that no one can tell that I have had a face lift?

Answer:
Most patients are able to get back out after 2 weeks following a facelift, but WITH make-up. Although most the swelling and bruising will be gone, some will probably persist. In addition, the incisions will stay pink for several weeks. Spending time with an experienced make-up artist (which our office has full time) is critical to getting back to things quickly.

Recovery after facial surgery is typically shorter than most patients expect, but spending time with an experienced make up artist can really expedite the process.

Comments Off

Question:
I’ve been told by a doctor that I have thick nasal skin. How will this impact my rhinoplasty surgery?

Answer:
Thick skin can definitely affect rhinoplasty. The advantage of the thick skin is that it is more forgiving. Minor irregularities or assymetries will be less visible with thick skin. The disadvanatge is that it makes getting a well defined nasal tip more difficult – the thickness prevents the full affect of what has been done to the cartilage from being realized. An excellent rhinoplasty surgeon can adjust his techniques to compensate for some of this, but there are limitations. Consulting with a facial plastic surgeon is the first step to evaluating your nose and finding what your options are for achieving the look you want.

Comments Off