INJECTABLE FILLERS FOR WRINKLES AND LINES

Click on an image to view an enlarged version and more before-&-after photos. BEFORE AFTER Until recently most surgeons saw the aging face as a problem of excess tissue. Traditionally, surgery was designed to remove this “excess” or “puffy” tissue. However, if you study the aging face you’ll realize that a lot of what we perceive as an “old” face has to do with loss of fullness. Over time the face deflates like a balloon losing air. Just like a smooth grape becomes a wrinkled raisin, the face loses its vigor as the skin thins and fat is lost. There is another change that happens as we age. The skin of the face is attached to the underlying bone in certain areas of the face by ligaments. In the area of attachment, there is a particular loss of fullness. If we look at the face in these areas of attachment we can see the beginning of the development of furrows or grooves. These grooves can make it look like there is a bag or pouch, but, actually, the problem is the loss of fullness in the groove. Patients (and unwary surgeons) used to think that lifting the tissues and excising the fullness is the best way to smooth out the bags and pouches. Unfortunately, this just stretches the skin tighter and accentuates the hollowness created by the removal of the full area. There is some improvement, at least for a while, but in the long run the face looks stretched, sunken in and unnatural: that is the “wind swept” surgical look of traditional eyelid lifts or facelifts. Instead of restoring a youthful fullness to the face, the surgery makes them look older and more tired than they are.

A New Approach to Restoring Facial Youthfulness While there is still a major role for surgery, the main focus of improving the aging face should be to restore the fullness that is lost and improve the elasticity of the skin. The new hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Restylane® and Juvéderm™, have revolutionized this field. These crystal clear gels are made of natural sugar molecules that are already in the body. They can be shaped and sculpted in the tissues. The effect lasts 6-12 months, depending on the product, which provides an opportunity for ongoing maintenance. And because the face changes over time, the treatment is allowed to gradually adapt to the ongoing changes that occur in the face. Which areas can be treated? Many areas of the face can be improved: the area around the mouth: thin lips, turned down corners of the mouth, and nasolabial folds can often be improved significantly. What about the eye area? Restoration of the area around the eye is very delicate. In fact, patients are often told that it is too hard to treat and it can’t be done. We have developed a technique that we call LAMLE (Ligament Attenuation Modification by Layered Expansion). Which means that ultrafine hair-like threads of Restylane® or Juvéderm™ are layered to create an artistic reshaping and sculpturing of the deflated tissues around the ligaments. Restylane® and Juvéderm™ work hand in hand with BOTOX® Cosmetic and skin treatments such as laser skin rejuvenation and chemical peels. Sometimes these treatments are combined at one visit, sometimes they are staged over several visits. Restylane® and Juvéderm™ can also be combined with surgery for complimentary improvement. We specialize in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids and face, as well as non-surgical treatments and services. Our office is conveniently located in Beverly Hills, California, near Los Angeles and bordered by Orange and Ventura Counties. Call us today for an appointment or for more information! CONTACT US / BACK TO TOP