If you’re going to make the investment in getting a Facelift, you want it to last as long as possible. Even though a Facelift can take up to 10 years off your appearance, your skin will continue to age. This means that gravity will have its affect as your skin loses elasticity and collagen – over the years following your surgery. You can’t stop the aging process, but you can help keep the age reversal affects as long as possible by implementing the habits and tricks suggested in this blog.

Buying Time with Injectables
You will love your more youthful appearance with a Facelift and subsequently you’ll want to help the youthful effects to stay in the most effective way. Injectables, such as Voluma, are crucial to add back lost volume, as well as Botox to stop muscles from recreating those deep wrinkles. They may seem like subtle youthful enhancements at the time, but they will help the facelift last longer. These are perfect options to push back or prevent the need for touch up surgery.

Luscious Lips Look Younger
An issue that the Facelift doesn’t address is the lips. Just as volume decreases in the rest of the face, age related volume loss affects the lips. You’ll want to maintain facial harmony and balance -throughout your face with youthful lips. Using a hyaluronic filler, such as Juvederm, to plump your lips will help enhance and maintain a youthful appearance after a Facelift.

Daily Care and Special Treatments for Skin
The cumulative affect of taking good care of your skin on a daily basis… really does pay off in the end. I suggest using clinically proven skin care, such as SkinMedica to help prolong the youthful effects of cosmetic procedures. On a regular basis it is also important to get special treatments for your skin. For example, chemical peels stimulate new skin growth to enhance skin clarity and smoothness. A chemical peel can wreak havoc on the skin and actually cause aging if done incorrectly, so please be sure to come to my office even for serious treatments such as this.
Stay Away from the Sun and Pollution
These are the outside factors that cause the most skin damage and can reverse the benefits of a facelift real quick. Protect yourself from environmental pollution and the sun, which can damage the skin’s cellular integrity. This can show up as blotchy, uneven skin that is dehydrated and leathery.

Lifestyle Contributes to Aging
You should be concerned about what you eat not just for the calories or weight management, but to promote overall healthy cellular integrity. You skin is your biggest organ and reveals much about the overall healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choices you make.

Here are some tips to feel and look younger:
There are actually foods that boost collagen production, such as celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, dark green and colorful vegetables, fish, avocados, berries, white tea, garlic, fresh citrus fruits, oysters, and proteins like eggs, nuts and lean meats.
Instead of drinking dehydrating beverages, such as coffee, tea or alcohol, drink lots of water.
Sweeten with raw honey since it is a vitamin and mineral rich alternative to sugar, which causes inflammation and other unhealthy body responses.
Maintain healthy weight instead of extreme gaining and losing.
Avoid smoking.
Smile more than you frown. You’ll use fewer wrinkle causing muscles and studies show that a positive, cheerful disposition can help keep you healthy.

Feel and look great after a Facelift by implementing these tips.

To talk about a Facelift or if you’ve already had one and would like the help to maintain the results as best as possible, schedule a consultation at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

!.  Go with an experienced injector who is highly trained, has a good reputation, and one you can trust.
It is so easy to find someone who will inject you with Botox these days. Just because you can get Botox just about anywhere, like at your hairstylist, your dentist, or even in your own home… it doesn’t mean that you should. Did you know that someone can learn to be a Botox injector in a couple hour course on a weekend and be injecting people in a professional setting the very next day? It is no wonder that there are a myriad of Botox horror stories. There is an art to injecting. Reversing and enhancing aging features with Botox is a skill that can’t be mastered in a weekend course. – One must know and have the feel for how deep to inject – exactly where to inject, based on the muscular /skeletal facial structure – and the unique features of each individual – and how much Botox to use. Do your research. As a Board Certified plastic surgeon with many years of success and experience with injectables, you can trust you’re in the best hands with me.

2.  Communicate clearly with your Botox injector.
The consultation should be a setting where you can comfortably ask questions and express your desired results. Be as specific as possible. You’ll receive feedback on what to realistically expect and suggestions on how to accomplish that.
It should first be determined if you’re even a good candidate for Botox. -You should be clear about your medical history, allergies, as well as any medications, supplements or other medical treatments you’re receiving; even things such as whether you’re undergoing fertility treatments, pregnant or breastfeeding.
Sometimes if you’re seeking a Botox treatment for the first time it may be wise to start slow with minimal units. This can help us to gauge how you will react to the Botox.
3.  Prepare your body for the best results.
Even though this is a quick in and out procedure, some pre planning, and a little preparation can help you get optimal results. For example: If you want to minimize bruising, a week prior to receiving injections – you should limit alcohol consumption and stop taking medication or supplements that can thin the blood (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, Motrin or any similar generics, Vitamin E, St. Johns Wart, Ginko Biloba, Ginseng, Fish oil, etc)

4.  Abide by the post Botox “Don’t” list to get the best results:
Just as tempting as it is to pop a pimple, you’ll want to touch and massage the injection site, but DON’T do it for 24 hours. You wouldn’t want to make the Botox spread to other unintended muscles or get the injection site infected.
Don’t lie down for at least 4 hours after your appointment. The Botox needs a couple hours to settle and if you put pressure on your face it will distort the results.
Let this be an excuse to skip the gym or any strenuous activity for the day. This will help your body heal correctly and not bruise as much.
Hydrate yourself and avoid consuming large amounts of alcohol to help your body heal.
Be gentle with your skin and don’t scrub, micro-exfoliate or chemical peel your skin for at least 24 hours.
Apply topical vitamin K and Arnica Montana to aid the skin in healing.

I hope this helps you feel more confident. Schedule a consultation and let’s talk about how Botox can help you. Holidays are just a few weeks away…are you ready to put “your best face forward?”
Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

Botox is not new.  In fact, it’s been used worldwide for decades for both functional and cosmetic treatments. Botox is currently approved in 85 countries for at least 25 medical treatments such as Bell’s Palsy, Blepharospasm, Elbow muscle stiffness, chronic migraine headaches and many more. There are in excess of 2300 publications devoted to Botox alone.  I have recommended it to my patients since it was first approved and proven safe and effective.  I effectively use it to treat Bell’s Palsy symptoms from which my patients suffer.  Botox used to treat Bell’s Palsy symptoms is for “functional” purposes, not to be confused with the many “cosmetic” uses for Botox.

Botox® and Bell’s Palsy…Botox injections have given many thousands of people, worldwide, relief from the pain and suffering caused by Bell’s Palsy for over 2 decades now.  Here’s how it works:

• Botox has proven to be one of the most effective treatments for partial facial paralysis and Synkinesis caused by Bell’s Palsy
• Botox injections give great relief from the pain and symptoms
• It restores facial symmetry and overall facial comfort
• Botox injections paralyze the overactive muscles and allow them to be “retrained”
• Botox allows for complete neuromuscular and brain retraining in Bell’s Palsy cases
• Botox alleviates the pain/discomfort from Synkinesis
• Botox treatments are done in office with no downtime
• Reduced muscle action is noticeable within 12 to 18 hours post injection with maximum results seen by the end of the first week after treatment
• Topical anesthetics can be used on sensitive facial areas for more comfortable treatments
• Maintenance treatments (well spaced) have proven to increase the duration of effectiveness during retraining therapy
• Side effects from Botox injections may occur…but are rare

Synkinesis is pain and discomfort caused by nerves that have regrown into the wrong facial areas thus causing misdirected muscle responses. This occurs during the recovery phases of Bell’s Palsy when the regenerating nerve fibers initially migrate through a common channel called the main nerve trunk.  These soon divide into branches bound for the brows, eyes, cheeks, lips, neck and these migrating fibers are forced to select a path.  Sometimes, some nerve fibers earmarked by the brain for a particular function, may ultimately choose the wrong path and grow in the wrong location.  When this happens, for example, fibers responsible for smiling may grow to the muscles at the corner of the mouth and eyelid thus causing lip movement and eye closure instead of a smile. These are abnormal, hyperactive functions called Synkinetic function. These responses include “tears” when laughing or chewing, abnormal blinking when talking or chewing and other discomforts. Botox injections have proven very effective in hosts of patients suffering with Bell’s Palsy and other neuromuscular disorders.

Asymmetry (facial) resulting from Bell’s Palsy is one of the top reasons patients seek my treatments.  Botox, when injected into isolated spastic muscles reduce the synkinesis symptoms allowing for retraining of the brain and muscles while the Botox blocks the nerve/muscle actions.  Physical Therapy is typically coupled with the Botox treatments for ultimate results and the ongoing retraining process. Visit my website and go to the “UTube” presentation I’ve put up: https://www.davinciplastic.com.

If you or a loved one is suffering from Bell’s Palsy pain and discomfort let’s talk soon.  There is safe, effective treatment used by millions of people.  You can get it too!

EXPERT INJECTOR…this is critical for any injectable procedure.  I am specially and maximally trained, certified and recognized worldwide as an “Expert Injector.”  People travel from around the globe for my highly specialized, premium treatments.

REMEMBER THE FUN in the SUN TIPS:  HATS, WATER, SHADE without glare, SUNSCREEN, ANTI OXIDANT SNACKS/DRINKS, UMBRELLAS and a sensible time frame.  Now, go have some fun!

Best to You and Yours,

Steven Davison M.D.