If you’re thinking about any type of plastic surgery procedure, odds are that you have a number of questions. In the case of most procedures, the more you know about what happens during surgery and what to expect afterwards, the better off you will be.
One surgery that people tend to have a number of questions about is rhinoplasty. No matter where you are in the process of considering plastic surgery, or in this case facial plastic surgery, the sooner you have your questions answered, the better.
You not only want to learn about the surgery itself, you also want to get a grasp of the surgeon’s experience performing the procedure and his or her experience as a surgeon in general. One important thing to ask about is the surgeon’s experience and training. Board certification, which means the doctor has completed a certain level of education and hands-on training, is a must.
You also want to find a surgeon who performs rhinoplasty on a regular basis and who has ample experience with the surgery. Ask to see pictures of past patients and to speak to past rhinoplasty patients to get an idea of whether or not they were happy not only with the way their surgery turned out, but also with the way they were treated in the surgeon’s office.
Since even the best surgeon’s skills can get rusty with lack of practice, you might also want to ask when the doctor last performed rhinoplasty. Ideally, you want a surgeon who performs the procedure on a weekly basis, if not more often.
Typically, there are two ways to perform rhinoplasty. An open procedure involves making an incision on the small piece of skin between the nostrils, so that the inside of the nose is opened up while the surgeon works. During a closed procedure, the surgeon works within the confines of the nostrils. The main advantage of a closed rhinoplasty is that there is no visible scar on the outside of the nose.
While an open surgery does create a scar, it is usually small and not very noticeable. An open surgery typically also offers the surgeon greater access to the interior of the nose. Whether an open or closed rhinoplasty is performed depends on several factors, such as how much the patient wants to change his or her nose and which procedure the surgeon is most comfortable with.
Many patients want to know how long the recovery process is after surgery and when they can expect to see the final results. It’s important to understand that the results from a rhinoplasty won’t be immediately evident. In some cases, a patient might look worse before he or she looks better.
For example, a patient might have bruising under the eyes for several days after the surgery, as well as swelling. While the most dramatic swelling will go down after a few days, it is possible for a person to have some slight, residual swelling for up to a year after the rhinoplasty.
You can think of recovery from rhinoplasty as a multi-pronged process. Most people are able to go back to daily activities, such as working in an office or running simple errands, after a week or two. In many cases, people are able to start working out again after about four weeks. But, some activities, particularly those that can injure the still healing nose, should be avoided for even longer. In general, it can take up to a year for a patient to see the final results from a rhinoplasty.
Rhinoplasty isn’t the right option for everyone, even for people who are very unhappy with their nose. Part of discussing the surgery with a surgeon is finding out if it is the right pick for you. Your overall health or habits might mean that rhinoplasty isn’t a good option at the moment. Your expectations for the surgery can also play a part in deciding whether it’s a good pick for you.
For example, if you want the surgery to make you look like a celebrity, a surgeon might be hesitant to go forward, since there’s a high chance the procedure won’t completely change your appearance or make you look like a famous person. But, if you want the procedure because you want a slightly slimmer nose or if you want to remove a bump from the bridge of your nose, a surgeon will most likely determine that your expectations are reasonable.
You might have more questions about rhinoplasty that are worth bringing up with a surgeon. When you’re considering plastic surgery, it’s worth asking your surgeon any questions you think of, so that you go into the procedure as well informed as possible.
No matter what questions you have, plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen Smith is happy to answer them. You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Smith at two practices in the state. For an appointment at the , office, call . Call 614-678-7180 to schedule an appointment at his practice in Columbus, .
Getting older can mean that your eyebrows start to droop, lines start to form across your forehead and your eyes start to develop a more hooded look. The changes that occur in the area around your brows and forehead can make you not only look older, but also tired and angry.
For years, the best way to rejuvenate the upper area of the face was with a brow lift, or forehead lift. Not every patient is ready for surgery or able to physically handle surgery, but might still want to do something about the sagging and wrinkles in the brow area.
A non-surgical option, Botox injections, might be suitable for patients who want to do something about the signs of aging on the upper part of their face, but don’t want to, or can’t, deal with surgery at the moment.
Botox was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002 for use in treating frown lines, or glabellar lines, that develop between the eyebrows. The two vertical lines, which resemble a pair of 1s, form after years of repeated muscle movements, caused by frowning or furrowing the brow. In 2013, the FDA also approved Botox for use in treating crow’s feet, the crinkly lines that form at the corners of the eyes after years of squinting or laughing.
The injection works by helping the muscles relax and by keeping the nerves from sending signals to the muscles. For that reason, it is commonly used to treat lines and wrinkles that form as a result of movements in other areas of the face, such as forehead lines, lines that form on the neck from repeated movements and a droopy brow that develops after years of raising and lifting the eyebrows.
While Botox works by blocking nerve signals, a brow lift is effective because it involves removing excess from the forehead and eyebrow area. During the procedure, the surgeon trims away extra skin, extra muscle and extra fat, if needed. One of the more commonly performed type of brow lifts these days is the endoscopic lift, which requires the surgeon to make a few small incisions, which are often hidden by the hair. During an endoscopic lift, the surgeon is guided by a small camera.
The traditional form of brow lift, known as a coronal or open procedure, involves a much larger incision. It’s generally reserved for patients who have extra skin in the area that needs to be removed. While Botox injections can help if you have just a small degree of drooping, a brow lift might be your best option if you need more pronounced or dramatic results.
One of the big differences between Botox and a brow lift is the amount of preparation you need beforehand and the length of recovery afterwards. Usually, minimal preparation is needed if you’re going to receive Botox. To reduce the risk of bruising, your surgeon might recommend that you avoid taking aspirin or another blood thinner for a few days before the injection. But, you won’t have to change many of your habits or avoid eating for hours before your injection.
Typically, preparing for a brow lift requires a much longer period. You’ll want to discuss your medical history with your doctor, talk about any medications or supplements you’re taking, and learn about any habits you need to change or give up, such as smoking.
Recovery is also much longer after a brow lift than after Botox injections. Most people are able to go back to work or their other activities right after an injection. After a brow lift, you may need to take as much as two weeks off from work to allow for a full recovery. After that point, you might need to limit certain activities for an additional few weeks.
The other big difference between Botox and a brow lift is the type of results you get and how long those results last. While Botox can help completely fade frown lines, it might not provide as much of an actual lift as you were hoping for. Additionally, Botox results typically only last for three months, at which point you’ll need to repeat the injection to get your brow back.
The results from a brow lift tend to be much more noticeable, giving you a more rejuvenated look without making it look as though you’ve had surgery. Results from a brow lift also last much longer, usually several years at the very least to up to about a decade.
If you are not happy with the way your brow and forehead area looks, speaking with a facial plastic surgeon who offers brow lift surgery and Botox can help you better understand your options. Dr. Stephen Smith is a fourth-generation plastic surgeon in who offers both treatments at his two practices. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Smith in , , call . If you’d prefer to see him in Columbus, , call 614-678-7180 to schedule an appointment today.
Some things might be as plain as the nose on your face, like the fact that your sinuses cause you a considerable amount of discomfort or the fact that a crooked septum has long made breathing difficult. Many patients would do anything to correct their nasal issues, but the cost of nasal surgery might be prohibitive.
While it’s true that insurance won’t cover most types of plastic surgery, many plans do cover some types of nasal surgery. Before you rule out insurance as a possible payment option, check with yours to see what it will and won’t cover.
Typically, insurance companies only cover procedures that they determine to be “medically necessary.” That means that it really comes down to whether you’re having a surgery to improve the function of your nose or a surgery to improve its form. If you’ve long been unhappy with the size of your nose, or been dissatisfied with a bump in the middle of it and decide to have rhinoplasty, it’s more likely than not that your insurance policy won’t offer any coverage for the procedure.
While the majority of rhinoplasty cases won’t be covered by insurance, there might be a few instances when a policy does extend coverage. In these cases, you’ll need to have the surgery to correct a medical problem. For example, Aetna will cover rhinoplasty if it is performed to correct a deformity related to a cleft palate. It will also cover the surgery if it’s being done to correct an obstructed airway, but only if other, less invasive forms of treatment were not effective. If your nose was severely injured in an accident, such as a car crash or while playing a sport, your insurance company may cover the cost of surgery to repair the injury, as well.
Even if your surgery is medically necessary, insurance might still not cover it or the coverage it provides might be less than you think. If you have a deductible on your plan, for example, you might need to contribute a significant amount towards the cost of surgery before your policy kicks in.
In many cases, insurance companies require pre-certification or pre-authorization before the procedure is performed. Precertification means that the insurance company reviews the procedure before it takes place, determines whether or not it is necessary for your overall well-being, then determines whether or not it will be covered.
Once you’ve confirmed that your insurance policy will cover all or part of your surgery, you also want to confirm that the surgeon you are seeing accepts your insurance policy or is part of the insurance company’s network, so that you get the best deal. You may want to call the surgeon’s office to see if he or she takes your insurance plan before you start the process of consulting with surgeons and learning what your policy does or doesn’t cover.
In a perfect world, if your insurance covers your nasal surgery or functional rhinoplasty, it covers the entire cost of the procedure, leaving you to pay only the co-pay. In reality, you might be responsible for a bit more of the costs, even if your policy offers coverage.
Typically, any amount you have to pay out of pocket is due to the surgeon at the time of your visit or at the time of surgery. You have a few options when it comes to paying for your surgery, whether you only need to pay a portion of it or the entire bill. Using your credit card is one option, as most surgeons accept at least one type of card.
The big drawback of most credit cards is the high interest rate, so you might want to consider another option, such as applying for a personal loan in advance of your procedure, provided the interest rate on the loan is a bit lower. You can also open a new credit card that offers an introductory, low rate of interest.
Since it can be confusing figuring out which insurance policies cover what, and how much of a certain procedure your policy will or won’t cover, your surgeon’s office will most likely be able to assist you in making sense of the ins and outs of insurance. Getting your insurance and payment details in a row before your surgery will help you enjoy a less stressful and more comfortable recovery afterwards.
Dr. Stephen Smith, a facial plastic surgeon in , performs rhinoplasty to improve both the form and function of his patients’ noses. He performs the procedure at two locations in the state. To learn more about rhinoplasty and your insurance and payment options, call for a consultation today.
People age in different ways. Depending on your genes, facial movements and lifestyle habits, you might begin to show signs of aging in the forehead or eyebrow area before you start to age in the lower portion of your face. Just as people age in different ways, different surgeries are designed to focus on different areas. While the term “facelift” might imply that the procedure focuses on the entire facial area, it’s actually generally used to correct sagging and wrinkles on the lower part of the face. Signs of aging on the upper part of the face, or forehead, are generally addressed with a brow lift.
You might consider a brow lift if you are concerned about a number of changes to the upper part of your face. Aging can cause the eyebrows to become heavy and droopy, which makes people look as though they are sleepy, or in some cases, angry. Wrinkles can also form in the forehead or brow area, which make you look older than you feel or upset, even when you are not. The lines can be two vertical lines that form between the brows or horizontal lines that stretch across the forehead. The surgery can smooth those creases or lines and elevate a drooping brow.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to a brow lift. Depending on your specific needs, the surgeon may perform the surgery endoscopically or he or she may perform a traditional procedure, which involves a larger incision. During an endoscopic procedure, the surgeon makes a few very small incisions in your hairline. He or she then uses a small scope, or camera, to help him or her see where to remove or trim away extra skin, muscle or fat. Since the incisions are small and hidden, many patients who have an endoscopic procedure performed do not have to worry about scarring.
The incision made during a traditional, or open brow lift, is generally much larger. It stretches across the head, usually just inside the hairline. Depending on how much extra skin or tissue you have and the degree of sagging on your forehead, the traditional procedure might be more appropriate for you.
Brow lift procedures can also vary in terms of what type of anesthesia the surgeon uses. General anesthesia is commonly used, which means you’ll be completely out of it during the surgery. Another option is local anesthesia, which numbs the area, combined with sedation, which makes you sleepy but doesn’t completely knock you out. Your surgeon will review the pros and cons of each option to help you determine which is most appropriate.
Since a brow lift is a surgical procedure, you can anticipate there being some downtime. It will take a few weeks for swelling, bruising and redness to subside. Many patients take up to two weeks off from work to rest up and recuperate. The exact length of your recovery depends in part on the type of procedure you have performed. An endoscopic surgery generally has a shorter recovery period than a traditional procedure, for example.
You’ll want to stay in touch with your surgeon during the recovery period. He will prescribe pain medications for you to take, if needed, and will arrange for the bandages or sutures to be removed, as needed.
If aging on your forehead is a concern, a brow lift isn’t your only option. Depending on the amount of aging in the area, a non-surgical solution might be effective. For example, if you have frown lines between the brows, but not a considerable amount of droopiness, Botox injections might be an appropriate option for you. While Botox injections require almost no recovery time, the results from the injections don’t last nearly as long as the results from surgery. You’ll have to repeat the treatment every few months to keep up a youthful looking forehead and brow area.
It is possible to combine a brow lift with another related surgery, to get better results or to create a more balanced appearance. For example, you and your surgeon might decide that it makes sense to have a brow lift performed at the same time as a facelift or at the same time as eyelid surgery. Combining surgeries can mean a lower cost to you, compared to having two separate procedures, and a reduced, combined recovery time.
If you have any additional questions about the brow lift procedure or are wondering if it is right for you, contact Dr. Stephen Smith, a fourth-generation facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Smith will help you weigh the pros and cons of the procedure and will evaluate the signs of aging on your face to determine if it’s the best option for you. You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith at one of his two practices. Call to reach the , practice. For an appointment in Columbus, , call 614-678-7180 today.
Today’s plastic surgery patients have more options than before. You can choose between injections, laser treatments or traditional surgery. When it comes to surgery, you have the option of traditional, invasive procedures or less invasive surgeries with shorter downtimes. The number of options available has perhaps led to some misconceptions, myths and confusion about certain surgeries. One procedure that suffers many misconceptions is the facelift. If you’re considering the surgery, speaking with a facial plastic surgeon beforehand will help you separate fact from fiction.
A facelift will help reverse the signs of aging on your face. But the procedure won’t keep the hands of time from marching forward, nor will it permanently freeze your face in a state of youth. The results from a facelift will be long-lasting, with many patients seeing results for about a decade or so. But your face will continue to age after the surgery.
Although you can’t stop time with the surgery, there are a few things you can do to make the most of the procedure. Listen to your surgeon’s instructions during recovery. Make every effort to avoid a lot of sun exposure. Wearing sunscreen all the time will help protect your face from the aging effects of the sun’s rays. Eating a healthy diet will help you stay in good shape and keep the signs of aging from creeping back onto your face.
Once you’ve seen the “windswept” look created by older, traditional facelift techniques, you know why some patients fear they will end up with a tightly pulled, permanently surprised looking face. Fortunately that unnatural look is largely a thing of the past. Older techniques relied on tightening the skin during the surgery. Today, the procedure involves cutting away extra skin and fat and tightening the underlying muscles, creating a more natural look overall.
Another way to avoid an unnatural look is to avoid having too much done to your face. Some patients benefit from combining the surgery with another procedure, such as Botox. But going overboard is possible, creating an overdone look. Your surgeon can help you decide what procedure or combination of procedures will give you the most natural results.
A facelift does have a longer recovery time than certain other procedures, such as injections or a mini facelift. Bruising and swelling are also common after the surgery and you’ll be bandaged for a few days afterwards. While you can expect some swelling and bruising for a few weeks and most surgeons recommend taking about two weeks off from work, you won’t be shut off from society during your recovery.
Usually, you’ll find that you’re able to go out and about at the two week point. Many patients see friends and family well before that. As you start to heal from the surgery, your surgeon can give you pointers on using makeup to conceal any lingering bruises so that you feel confident going out in the public again.
A lot of people associate facelifts with older patients. While a 70-year-old patient who is in good health can benefit from the surgery, it’s not exclusively for the geriatric set. In many cases, having the surgery performed relatively early, in your 40s or 50s, can provide even better results.
By the time you reach age 60 or 70, you’ll likely have signs of aging on other areas of the face, which can’t be helped by a facelift. If you decide to have just a facelift, your results might look unbalanced, as you have signs of aging in the area around the eyes, for example, but look more youthful around your neck and chin. Older patients might need to combine surgeries to get the same results they’d have gotten if they’d had surgery earlier.
Injections can really help when it comes to the signs of aging on your face. Botox can help ease the appearance of frown lines while fillers such as Juvederm can help with the lines and wrinkles around your nose and mouth. While injections might seem like a quick and easy alternative to surgery, they really aren’t the same thing and won’t give you the same results.
A facelift not only reduces wrinkles, it also tightens the skin, reducing sagging and looseness. Injections don’t do that. Injections also don’t last nearly as long as the results from surgery. You might see results for a few months or up to two years after an injection.
Getting the facts about a facelift will help you decide if the procedure is right for you. A fourth-generation facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Stephen Smith can help you weigh the pros and cons and sort reality from fiction when it comes to facelifts. You can find Dr. Smith at two practices in . Call for a consultation at the , practice. You can also see Dr. Smith in Columbus, . Call 614-678-7180 to schedule an appointment today.
If you’ve been unhappy with the way your nose looks, you might want to consider rhinoplasty.
Although superficially the main benefit of rhinoplasty is to correct a physical issue with your nose, the surgery has a wide range of benefits. Nose reshaping surgery can improve not only the way your nose looks, but also the way it functions. It can also provide benefits for you emotionally and socially.
Surgery to change the way your nose looks can improve its appearance in several ways. The surgeon might make your nose smaller if you feel that it is too large for your face or he or she might enlarge the nose so that other facial features don’t overwhelm it. The surgery can also correct any crookedness in your nose or smooth down any humps. During rhinoplasty, the surgeon can also adjust the angle of the nose’s tip, so that it is more flattering.
Changing the way your nose looks can improve your appearance not because it alters your nose, but because the surgery can help your nose look as though it better fits your face. For example, if your nose is large in relation to your chin or other facial features, reducing its size will create a more balanced, harmonious face.
Rhinoplasty doesn’t have to be a strictly cosmetic surgery. In some cases, changing the shape and size of the nose can also improve its function. Known as a functional rhinoplasty, the surgery can help you breathe easier or can improve your sleep.
Functional rhinoplasty can take several forms. The type of surgery your surgeon performs depends on your particular problem. For example, if you struggle to breathe because of a deviated septum, meaning the cartilage between your nasal cavities leans too far to one side or the other, a septoplasty can correct it and improve breathing.
Another way that rhinoplasty can improve your breathing is through turbinate reduction. The turbinates are small bones, covered in mucous membranes, that are located along the nasal cavity. Every person has three turbinates in each nostril. In some cases, the turbinates become large enough to block the nasal passage and make breathing a struggle. In that case, a surgeon may reduce the size of the turbinates during rhinoplasty, so that you can breathe without difficulty after you heal.
Having rhinoplasty performed can help improve your self confidence, as long as you have realistic expectations for the way the surgery will turn out. Finally getting the surgery after living with a nose you didn’t like for years can make you feel happier about your appearance and generally improve your self-esteem.
A report published in 2013 suggested that patients who had rhinoplasty or another facial surgery, such as a facelift or eyelid surgery, were more likely to say that their self esteem had improved after surgery or that their quality of life had improved.
To a lesser extent, rhinoplasty can also help improve a patient’s social standing. Some teenagers might wish to have the surgery if they are constantly bullied by others about the shape or size of their nose. Even though having the surgery won’t change other teens’ behavior, the confidence boost that a teenager gets from the change might be enough to help him or her better handle the bullying.
A nose-reshaping surgery might also help improve a person’s career prospects, particularly if a person works in an industry that is very focused on appearance. But it’s important to remember that rhinoplasty alone won’t determine whether or not you advance on the career ladder or move up in your job. Getting ahead in your career might be a side benefit of rhinoplasty, but it shouldn’t be the sole reason for having the procedure performed.
Understanding the benefits of rhinoplasty and the ways it might help you, can help you decide if the surgery is the right option for you. Speaking with a facial plastic surgeon who regularly performs the surgery can help you determine if it’s a good fit for you.
In , Dr. Stephen Smith is a fourth generation facial plastic surgeon. He can walk you through the process and prepare you for what to expect from rhinoplasty. Dr. Smith practices in two locations. To schedule an appointment at the practice in , , call . For an appointment in Columbus, , call 614-678-7180 for an appointment today.
When you visit a facial plastic surgeon these days, you might not actually be seeing him for a surgical procedure. While plenty of patients have procedures such as rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery or facelifts performed every year, non-surgical options, particularly injections such as Botox or dermal fillers have increased in popularity.
If you are concerned about wrinkles or other signs of aging on your face, one of the decisions you might have to make is whether to handle those signs of aging with injections or to go under the knife. Which one you choose depends on a number of factors, including your schedule and what you expect to get out of the procedure.
One of the major differences between plastic surgery and a minimally invasive procedure is the amount of time you need to recover after treatment. While you may be able to go back to work a week or so after surgery, it can take considerably longer for bruising to fade or swelling to decrease. After any type of surgery, you’ll need to talk to your surgeon about what you can and can’t do and for how long.
For example, after rhinoplasty, you’ll want to steer of any activity that can bump the nose as it heals. That usually means you’ll need to avoid working out, swimming or other types of exercise for about a month after the surgery. That might not be a big deal if you’re not an active person, but if you love going to the gym or play a sport, it can be a challenge.
In contrast, recovery after a dermal filler or Botox injection is usually pretty quick. In most cases, you can go back to your regular life immediately after the injection. Some people even schedule their injections over a lunch break, then head back to work, as if nothing has happened.
You might have to take some precautions after an injection, though. If you have Botox injections, it’s usually recommended that you keep your head held up for several hours after the treatment, so that the substance doesn’t travel from the treated area to another part of your face, causing side effects. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions after an injection so you know exactly what to do.
Another thing to think about when deciding whether injections or surgery is the right call for you is what you’re hoping to get out of the treatment. If your big issue is loose skin on the lower part of your face, a facelift is usually your best option, as injections won’t reduce sagginess or tighten that skin. But, if your big concern is simply a few lines and wrinkles, injections can usually accomplish what you want without much fuss.
While it is possible to change the shape of the nose somewhat with injectable fillers such as Juvederm, if you want your nose made smaller, surgical rhinoplasty is usually the best option. If you are concerned about your forehead and brows and are trying to decide between Botox injections or a brow lift, the decision might come down to how extensive the wrinkles and sagging are in the area. Botox can help with the frown lines, but if you have a lot of droopiness or a furrowed brow, a forehead lift might be the appropriate option.
The other major difference between surgery and injections is the duration of results. No injections provide results that last forever. In the case of surgery, not all are permanent, but the results typically last a lot longer than the results from an injection.
For example, Botox injections typically wear off after about 3 months. To keep up your appearance, you’ll need a repeat injection. In contrast, a brow lift can last for years. Depending on how you age, when you had the surgery and how well you take care of yourself afterwards, the results from a facelift can last for more than a decade. The results from an injectable filler, on the other hand, last for up to two years at the most.
Speaking with a board certified facial plastic surgeon can help you narrow things down and determine which treatment best meets your needs. In , Dr. Stephen Smith regularly performs facial plastic surgery and non-surgical treatments, such as Botox injections and fillers. He can review your options with you and discuss your concerns. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith, call today.
While a facelift can take a few years off of your looks, it won’t magically keep those years from returning.
Making the most of your facelift and getting results that last five or 10 years, or even longer, means remembering to shield yourself from external factors that contribute to aging. In some cases, it also means embracing non-surgical options, which can help you maintain or even enhance your results.
Turning back the clock on your looks doesn’t mean you can turn back the clock on your habits. If your teens, twenties and thirties were full of junk food, alcohol and cigarettes, don’t revert to those habits. If you kept up a diet of junk food, such as salty snacks and sugary treats, into your forties and beyond, the time after your surgery is ideal for turning over a new leaf is now.
Try to stick to a balanced diet full of good-for-you foods such as vegetables, grains, fruit and lean protein. For one thing, losing and gaining weight after your facelift can affect the results, as losing fat from your face makes you look older. Eating a steady diet full of foods that contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients gives your body that fuel it needs to fight the signs of aging. You don’t have to necessarily look for “superfoods,” which are bursting with nutrients. Simply choosing to eat more of a wide variety of vegetables and fruits can help.
It’s also important to try to say no to sugar. Although it might taste sweet, sugar wreaks havoc on your skin, causing something called glycation. Glycation affects the collagen that’s just below the surface of the skin, leading to more wrinkles and to skin that’s less smooth and elastic.
Even though your surgeon might have told you to stop smoking for just a few weeks after your surgery, it’s in the best interests of your overall health and the prolonged results of your facelift, for you to kick the habit for good. Smoking is one of the leading causes of wrinkles. If your goal is to look more youthful and keep wrinkles away, smoking just isn’t the way to do it.
One of the best ways to pamper and care for your skin after a facelift is to protect it from the sun. You might be told to avoid any sun exposure immediately after your surgery. Once your surgeon gives you the go-ahead to go outdoors again, make every effort to cover up your face. Wear a moisturizer with sunscreen, don a wide-brimmed hat and put on a pair of sunglasses with UV protection.
Keeping up a good skincare routine post-surgery is also a good way to make your results last as long as possible. Your surgeon can recommend certain products for you or you can ask about prescription strength products, such as Retin-A to help fight wrinkles or products that contain alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids. Try not to go overboard with the products after your surgery. If you’re not sure if two products will interact with each or irritate your skin, ask before using them.
Although you probably don’t want to receive laser skin resurfacing or an injection immediately after your surgery, as time goes on, either or both can be an option to help you maintain the results. A facelift only focuses on the lower portion of your face, so injections that target the forehead and upper area, such as Botox, can help create a balanced, more youthful look. As time goes on, injectable fillers in the lower part of your face can help keep wrinkles and lines from returning.
A facelift procedure doesn’t adjust the quality of your skin, such as its texture or areas of discoloration. Laser treatments, such as fractional CO2 laser, can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, scars and uneven texture. Lasers also help give your skin a more even tone, by removing or reducing the appearance of sun or age spots.
In , Dr. Stephen Smith offers facelift surgery at two locations. He can also help patients maintain their results with non-surgical options, including laser treatments and injections. To learn more about facelifts, injections and laser skin resurfacing, call to schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith today.
When you were a kid, your parents probably had you take a multivitamin to help you grow. Now that you’re an adult, you might not be so concerned about developing strong bones or about gaining in size. But, vitamins will play a big role in your life and in your diet. A number of vitamins play an important role in protecting your skin from the signs of aging. Along with considering skin rejuvenation treatments and surgery to reduce the signs of aging, it’s also worth taking a peek at the vitamins you’re ingesting or applying to your skin. Some have a huge part to play when it comes to minimizing wrinkles, spots and other signs of getting older.
If you’ve ever used a topical product that claims to fight wrinkles, you might be very familiar with the role vitamin A plays in helping your skin. Retinol, a known wrinkle-fighter, is derived from it. Products that contain retinol or retinoids, the synthetic form of vitamin A, are known to help increase cell turnover and improve the production of collagen in the skin. Retinoids not only help minimize wrinkles. They are also helpful for minimizing dark spots and hyperpigmentation, since they encourage exfoliation.
You can find retinoids in both over-the-counter and prescription products. As you might have guessed, the prescription strength products tend to be stronger. If you have particularly sensitive skin, it can be helpful to speak with your facial plastic surgeon first or to try a milder over-the-counter retinol product. When you use a product with retinol, it’s often best to apply it at night, since it does make you more sensitive to sun exposure. You’ll also want to be particularly diligent about wearing an SPF every day when using retinol.
It can seem like there’s nothing vitamin C can’t do. It not only helps your immune system and improves your body’s absorption of certain nutrients, but it’s also great for your skin. Vitamin C helps reign in free radicals that cause skin damage, helps encourage collagen production, and helps fade dark spots. When you’re focusing your skin, the best way to get your vitamin C is topically.
Applying a moisturizer or serum that contains the vitamin can help reduce dark spots and improve the texture of your skin. There are just a few things to keep in mind: vitamin C is a bit volatile, and will break down when exposed to sun or air. For that reason, look for a product that contains it and that is also packaged in an opaque, airtight container.
While evening in the best time for your retinoids, morning is the best time for your vitamin C. Put a product containing it on your skin first, before your sunscreen, to give your skin even more protection against sun exposure and free radicals.
Vitamin E is known as an antioxidant and a moisturizer and it’s fairly common in skincare products. It’s also often found in sunscreens, as it provides an added layer of protection against sun exposure (just don’t rely on vitamin E instead of SPF). While it might be tempting to take a vitamin E supplement to further protect and moisturize your skin, you’re probably getting enough from your diet or in a multi-vitamin. Go ahead and use topical products with vitamin E to your heart’s content, but speak with your doctor before taking a vitamin E supplement, or any supplement, for that matter.
As you get older, your skin begins to lose its protective barrier. Redness becomes more common. Some anti-aging products, particularly those that contain retinoids, can also make redness worse, particularly if you have sensitive or reactive skin.
That’s where niacinamide, or vitamin B3, can come in handy. It helps strengthen your skin’s protective barrier by encouraging the production of fatty acids and ceramides. The stronger your skin’s barrier, the more protected it is, and the less redness you’ll see. Topical products with niacinamide can be particularly helpful if you suffer from rosacea, as they can minimize redness and flushing associated with the condition.
While using skincare products that are packed full of vitamins won’t replace surgery or treatments such as Botox or fillers, they can help you keep the signs of aging at bay for some time. If you’re interested in learning more about the role vitamins play in skincare and more about what you can do to keep your skin looking youthful for longer, make an appointment with Dr. Stephen Smith, a fourth generation facial plastic surgeon in , today. Call to schedule your consultation.
The age old targets of facial plastic surgery have been dropping tissues. Therefore, the answer had always been reductive surgery (removing tissue). While these surgical techniques remain useful in our facial rejuvenation strategies, volumetric changes were initially neglected. Fortunately, that has changed in the modern practice of facial plastic surgery.
If we look at our children, their faces are full and voluminous. The senior most members in our lives may become hollow and skeletal in appearance, and most of us are somewhere in between. Therefore, Volume portrays youth and our ability to correct those changes allows us to reserve surgical efforts. Hyaluronic acids (Juvederm and Restylane), and hydroxyapatite (Radiesse) are office based strategies with little or no downtime, with longevity up to and potentially beyond a year. Fat transfer offers a longer term solution.
