Monthly Archives: March 2016


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Refreshing Spring Cheek Lift… with Fillers

Spring is a time for “refreshment and renewal.”  Many women choose filler cheek lifts this time of year

to look and feel refreshed from a long winter by restoring the lost facial volume winter often causes, and to be ready to put their more youthful,  best face forward…subtly.

FILLER Mid – FACELIFTS fill in those cheeks that hollowed out during a long, cold winter causing the mid face to sag.  With a few precisely placed injections, hollows are filled, lines and wrinkles disappear and cheeks are lifted to that “more youthful” position.

CAUSES OF VOLUME LOSS:

  1. One of the main causes of volume loss is ultraviolet ray damage to the cells that create collagen, a protein that is crucial to keeping skin full, firm, and youthful.
  2. Also, as we age, we lose fat in the face. Fat usually isn’t thought of as our friend, but really is necessary for keeping the “cushion” in your face. Fat is important for youthful contouring around eyes, cheeks, and chin/jawline.
  3. Up and down weight loss stretches the ligaments that hold up the facial tissue and can result in loss of elasticity and volume.
  4. Hormonal changes affect facial volume. As estrogen levels fall, so does the amount and quality of facial fat.

FILLERS for FACIAL VOLUME LOSS:
A great way to restore facial face is with Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers. HA is a naturally occurring substance in the body that binds with water in the injected site…to plump up the area. It is great for filling in sunken facial areas experiencing volume loss, as well as wrinkles. Realize though, that all fillers aren’t the same in their viscosity and smoothness, and therefore work better when injected in different areas of the face.

FOUR PROBLEMATIC FACIAL AREAS:

EYE AREA : Drooping eyebrows, sagging under eyes and hollow temples all cause a worn down, aged eye area. Solution: RESTYLANE, JUVEDERM, VOLUMA etc. can all help fill in sunken tear troughs, crow’s feet, and hollowed temples.

MIDFACE:

Among the first areas where volume loss is noticed – as flattened, hollow cheeks, or marionette lines.

Solution: JUVEDERM VOLUMA – smooth flowing hyaluronic acid gel  is the most effective for contouring the midface. By restoring fullness to the midface (cheeks) the surrounding skin is tightened, giving a slight mini facelift.

MOUTH AREA/LIPS: Marionette lines, lip creases, and overall thinning of lips resulting from volume loss. Solution: JUVEDERM and RESTYLANE in the hands of an experienced injector like myself can smooth out lines and give you the perfect pout.

CHIN and JAWLINE: When volume decreases in the mid face and moves downward, the jowls become more prominent creating a more square shaped face rather than the desirable inverted triangle. Solution: RADIESSE can help reshape and restore volume.

What are your Spring Time concerns:  sagging, hollow face, Deflated cheeks, chin without definition or other any other “body area” rejuvenation concerns.  I can help.  Let’s talk!  See my website for complete procedure information: www.DAVinciPlasticSurgery.com.

Enjoy the beauty and renewal of Spring.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

Expert Hands for Breast Surgery Correction

One of the hardest situations in the plastic surgery industry is to have a patient’s results not go as expected. This may or may not be the fault of the physician, but the best results are directly correlated to the most credentialed, experienced surgeon. This is why it is crucial to only trust your face and body to an experienced, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon…someone like myself.
In my area, I’m the only triple Board certified plastic surgeon, a member of multiple prestigious medical societies, and a published professor at Georgetown University. Along with my many years of experience, compassion and patient care, these credentials have led to my ability to provide a very high level of patient satisfaction. As a result, I’m often called upon to correct the concerns that arise from unsatisfactory surgeries, at the hands of other physicians, and the unforeseen side effects that happen from improper healing.

For example, an occasional unwelcome side effect after beast augmentation surgery is Capsular Contracture. This occurs when the scar tissue that has formed around breast implants tightens and hardens around the implants to create an imbalanced external appearance. This means that the affected breast will look a different shape or be at a different height on the chest. While meticulous surgical precision can help prevent capsular contracture, as with any surgical procedure there will be scar tissue and there are factors outside of the physician’s control.
Here are some tips that can contribute to avoiding Capsular Contracture:

…Avoid smoking is one of the most predictable ways to reduce your chances, as you’re twice as likely to have Capsular contracture if you smoke.
…Two weeks prior to surgery, start taking Vitamin E and possibly Prednisone, a prescription corticosteroid drug.
…Breast implants in a submuscular position, or under the pectoral muscles, may be less likely to develop capsular contracture than when breast implants are placed in a subglandular position, or over the pectoral muscles.
…There’s a slightly higher percent of Capsular Contracture with silicone implants over saline.
…Upon the instruction of surgeon, massaging and compression of the breast implants can help keep the capsule flexible and loose.

Capsular contracture may develop at any time, but can occur as early as 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, and usually not later than 6 months. It can affect just one or both breasts. Fortunately, it can be corrected with Revision Breast Surgery.  There is a special art and skill to correct Capsular Contracture… because of the difficulty of working with scar tissue. It’s a puzzle figuring out what possibly went wrong and then to skillfully correct it.

Revision Breast Surgery to correct Capsular Contracture can involve a variety of ways for releasing the interior scar tissue. These ways may include capsulotomies, capsulectomies, implant exchange or placement behind the pectoral muscle. A Capsulotomy is a surgical procedure that releases scar tissue without removing it from the pocket. This gives room for the breast pocket to expand, relieving the scar tissue contraction that is squeezing the breast implant. A Capsulectomy is a more aggressive approach, as it completely removes the scar tissue surrounding a breast implant. This procedure is more often used when the scar tissue is very thick and calcified or when a silicone breast implant has ruptured.

If you’ve experienced the disappointment of your breast augmentation not going right and want to trust your body to one of the leading plastic surgeons to correct it, please set up a consultation at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

 

 

 

Lipomas – 30 Seconds to Gone!

Using my “quick squeeze” method means my patients lipomas are gone in about 30 seconds.

This is the time of year, with Spring upon us…well here anyway…people are thinking about summer vacations, school events, family reunions, corporate events and more.  For many women, this involves wearing sleeveless and or low cut tops, shorts and swim wear and elegant evening wear…and more relaxes open collar or collarless shirts and shorts for men. These styles, while comfortable and casual are often more revealing and can show off unwelcome defects on the body.

For most people these events are fun and looked forward to.  But, for people with lipomas…not so!

What are Lipomas?  Lipomas come in various shapes and sizes – they are soft tissue tumors that can pop up anywhere on the body.  Even though most are not painful, they can be if they are pressing on a nerve.  For most people they represent an inconvenient, unsightly lump, bump that is not cancerous but you don’t want it on your body!

Get Those Lumps and Bumps Checked Out!

Typical Signs of Lipomas:

  • have a lump that is soft to touch and moveable (as opposed to a hard, stationary cyst)
  • feel no pain or discomfort within the lump (although it can be pressing on a nerve to cause discomfort)
  • are an adult between 40 to 60 years of age (it’s possible for children and young adults to have lipomas, although not as common)
  • feel the mass is very large (lipomas can grow to 6 centimeters in diameter)

Plastic Surgeons are specially trained to deal with Lipomas surgically. I have for years.  But now, with my “quick squeeze removal method” – surgery is avoided more often than not – and leaves little to no scarring.

Typical Treatments for Lipomas:

1) endoscope assisted removal:

2) suction assisted removal,

3) minimal incision removal and

4) remote incision lipoma extraction.

These all work and have been used by surgeons for decades to remove lipomas of all types.  But, some of these techniques are tedious and require extra equipment (even though they are advanced treatments).

I helped pioneer a very simple, safe and effective method that involves a simple incision and a “quick squeeze” to remove lipomas without all the extra instruments used in other methods.

Quick Overview of Quick Squeeze Lipoma Removal:

1) the lipoma is identified by palpation and its margins are outlined.

2) The area is then infiltrated with local anesthesia and is prepared and draped in standard fashion.

3) An incision approximately one quarter to one third the diameter of the lipoma is made (carried down to the lipoma capsule).

4) The lipoma is then squeezed out through the incision…without any additional dissection.

Lipomas and Keloids should be treated only by medical experts, such as myself to avoid excess scarring and unnecessary discomfort.  See my website: www.DavinciPlasticSurgery.com for complete information.  Then come in and lets talk about the treatment best suited to your concerns.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified

Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

 

Under Eye Refreshment…with Injectables

When you look at yourself in the mirror do you see dark circles, deep hollows, and tired looking eyes? If your hectic schedule puts extra stress on you and it’s showing, you can refresh one of the most underestimated areas of the face… to restore some youthfulness to your features: the tear troughs.

What are Tear Troughs?
The tear trough is the area under the eye that extends from the inner corner of the eye, arching down in a semicircle. The technical term is the nasojugal groove. When the tear troughs are sunken, they can cast shadows under the eyes that look like dark circles. This gives the face a worn out appearance. This sunkenness also ages the face by creating a visible separation from (this should be the smooth transition) the lower eyelid to the cheek.

What Causes Tear Troughs?
The skin under the eyes is very thin and delicate. It shows signs of distress more easily than thicker skin. It is also more prone to the aging effects of gravity. The tissue laxity and volume loss under the eyes, as we age, leads to the tear trough becoming more prominent. Also, as fat gets displaced from behind the eye, or possibly increases and bulges under the eye, this can accentuate the aging of the eye area.

How can the under eye be rejuvenated?
Try
get more rest
cut down on salty foods
minimize exposure to environmental pollutants

avoid rubbing your eyes so much

Options I offer to rejuvenate the eye area:
Rejuvenate with HA – Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
There are surgical options to reversing tear troughs, but more people prefer to try non invasive treatments first. This has led to the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, such as Restylane, Juvéderm. When injected on top of the orbital bone, the HA filler attracts water to restore volume. This gives the eyes a fresh, rested appearance – usually the next day after treatment. Results last 6 months to a year, and most people go right back to their daily routine with no downtime or recovery.

Side Effects? Some minor bruising or swelling is common with most injections. This can easily be lessened with an ice pack, and covered by Iredale mineral makeup.

Rejuvenate with HA – Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
There are surgical options to reversing tear troughs, but more people prefer to try non invasive treatments first. This has led to the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, such as Restylane, Juvéderm. When injected on top of the orbital bone, the HA filler attracts water to restore volume. This gives the eyes a fresh, rested appearance – usually the next day after treatment. Results last 6 months to a year, and most people go right back to their daily routine with no downtime or recovery.

Side Effects? Some minor bruising or swelling is common with most injections. This can easily be lessened with an ice pack, and covered by Iredale mineral makeup.

Subtle Solutions for Significant Youthfulness
Filling the Tear Trough is becoming more common as more patients are realizing that facial rejuvenation can happen from restoring volume loss in subtle areas such as the earlobes, temples, chin, melolabial folds and tear troughs.  One can definitely see a more rested, fresh, and youthful appearance for the whole face by applying HA fillers to rejuvenate the area under the eyes.
Ready to get your face refreshed for Spring. Call today to schedule a consultation to review your options now. Treatment now means you will be getting “rave reviews” from everyone you meet. Be ready for year end school event, work/career conventions, family reunions and more. They will all wonder…but no one will ever know…except you!

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified/Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking Care of Your Skin “In Between” Treatments

We are truly partners in your anti aging goals. While I can provide wonderful youth restoring results with plastic surgery and injectables, you need to take measures to protect and preserve your skin. Taking care of your skin will help you to have the best and longest lasting results from your procedures. Proper skin care strengthens the skin and slows down the signs of aging in between treatments.

Here are a few of the ways to maintain healthy skin:

  • don’t smoke
  • manage stress
  • drink lots of water
  • always use sunscreen
  • eat healthful, antioxidant rich foods
  • use high quality, science based skincare every day

PROTECTING SKIN WITH SKINCARE
It is crucial to take care of your skin in between treatments. With all of the environmental threats to your skin, you need to use some of the most cutting edge, scientifically based skin care to help protect and preserve your skin. SkinMedica is the brand I recommend and offer through my office.

WHY SKINMEDICA?
Advanced formulas with decades of scientific research and proven results behind them.
Many formulas contain the unique, patented complexes:
*APS Corrective Complex – a patented mixture of antioxidants, peptides and other innovative ingredients that synergistically improve the overall appearance of skin.
*TNS Recovery Complex – formulated from naturally occurring growth factors, antioxidants, soluble collagen, cytokines and matrix proteins (93.6% concentration.

*Does not conduct product testing on animals.*

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS
With all the skincare products on the market, it can be hard to know what you need. Who better to help you than a physician like myself? If I’ve performed any procedure on you, we’ve had a consultation. Because of this, I have a knowledge of your health, your anti aging goals and the condition of your skin, therefore I can make a “tailored” recommendation just for you.

These are some of my favorite SkinMedica products:

1. TNS Essential Serum … offers multi functional performance to lighten, tighten, and brighten skin. This all in one formula has clinical studies that demonstrate improvements to the appearance of skin tone, texture, coloration, fine lines and wrinkles. It combines SkinMedica’s renowned growth factor formula, TNS Recovery Complex and APS Corrective Complex.
2. TNS Eye Repair … provides both prevention and improvement to wrinkles and puffiness around the eyes. This product contains TNS, chelating agents, light diffusers, as well as vitamins C and E.
3.  Rejuvenative Moisturizer … hydrates and improves fine lines. It protects against free radical damage and keeps skin soft and supple with Hyaluronic Acid, vitamins C, E, and Retinyl Palmitate.

4.  Retinol Complex 0.5% … deep wrinkle treatment regenerates skin to diminish the appearance of fine lines. Retinol should be a part of most everyone’s skincare routine.
5. Lytera … addresses pigmentation, redness and dull skin. Look for a brighter more even skin tone in 4 weeks.
6. Vitamin C&E Complex … offers powerful protection against free radical damage and helps improve skin tone.
To learn more about which SkinMedica products would be best for you, schedule a consultation at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

 

 

 

Schedule Your Consultation With Dr. Davison

The initial consultation with your surgeon is critical! It should always be face to face with your surgeon during which time he/she listens closely to your concerns. Dr. Davison believes this time spent with you is critical to both you and to him. It is during the consultation that he comes to fully understand your concerns, evaluates them correctly and is then able to make the recommendations and develop the treatment plan thats right for you. Dr. Davison invests the time to sit down and talk to you face-to-face.

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3301 New Mexico Ave. Suite 236

Washington D.C.

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