Radiesse and Sculptra are the last injectables that I’m covering in this series. While they may not have achieved the mainstream brand recognition as Botox and Juvederm, they are well known within the cosmetic industry for offering well established and proven volume restoring, wrinkle fighting results. They accomplish this through very different methods. Sometimes Sculptra and Radiesse are called the tortoise and the hare.

The Tortoise

In the Aesop’s fable The Tortoise and the Hare, the slow moving tortoise actually wins the race with a hare because of its steady effort. In a seemingly similar way, Sculptra offers visible results that are slower to appear, but achieve a big win because the results usually last a lot longer than any other fillers. It does this because it actually stimulates the skin to make it’s own collagen.

• Medical: Sculptra is made of a poly-L-lactic acid, which is a manmade polymer that is biodegradable and biocompatible. In the medical arena, it has also been used for over a decade with FDA approval to restore the hollowed facial features caused by HIV. This material is also used in absorbable stitches and bone screws.
• Cosmetic: The FDA approved Sculptra for cosmetic use in 2009. With 1 to 3 injections over the course of 6 to 12 weeks, Sculptra stimulates the skin’s collagen enough to effectively restore volume and smooth out wrinkles. If not under any event’s time constraints, some people prefer the gradual results because they come on less drastically and obviously. Generally, most onlookers notice the youthful results, but can’t pinpoint when or how they exactly occurred. It just looks like a mini facelift happened gradually over the course of 2 months. Also, unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane, Sculptra can last much longer, such as 2 years or more.

The Hare

Instead of hyaluronic acid, which is used by Juvederm and Restylane, Radiesse is composed of calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres suspended in a gel. Calcium hydroxylapatite is a kind of mineral that is normally found in human teeth and bones. In addition to instantly adding volume, the scaffolding created by the calcium hydroxylapatite in Radiesse promotes collagen production. This offers benefits to the skin’s foundation that lasts beyond when Radiesse dissolves.

• Medical: In 2007, the same year it was approved for cosmetic use, the FDA approved Radiesse for treating facial wasting experienced by HIV patients. The medical community has also used Radiesse in therapeutic treatment for vocal cord deficiencies.
• Cosmetic: Radiesse is an injectable filler that also restores volume in a thicker gel than Juvederm and Restylane. Its dense formula is great for moderate to severe facial wrinkles, nasolabial folds and volume loss. It also is a phenomenal way to take 10 years off your hands, which tattle on your age.

I hope that this blog series, All About Injectables, has informed and encouraged you about the safety and efficacy of the top injectables. Isn’t it interesting that there are such helpful medical uses for them, as well as cosmetic? I think that just adds to their credibility.

As you can tell, at DAVinci Plastic, you’re certainly not lacking for great options for your cosmetic needs. Fortunately, you don’t have to be the expert in which of these injectables would be the perfect fit for you. Our expert injectors can help you find the best fit for your beauty goals. Schedule a consultation at www.davinciplastic.com today.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

In addition to an increased awareness of neuromodulators like Botox, there is another major category of injectables called “fillers” that have become mainstream. They address wrinkles and other cosmetic issues related to volume loss. Fillers, such as Juvederm and Restylane, use hyaluronic acid to restore volume, but even within these popular fillers, there are a lot of options for different uses. We will talk about these fillers and some others in this blog.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

The hyaluronic acid in these injectables is made from a safe bacteria protein. It is a modified, safe form of the hyaluronic acid that naturally forms in the skin. It attracts and bonds to water, creating a plumping effect within the injected area. It has the highest safety profile of all the injectables and contains no DNA from animals or humans. It is unlikely to induce an inflammatory or allergic reaction because it is similar to the natural hyaluronic acid created by the body.

What is the difference between Juvederm and Restylane?

Both are FDA approved HA fillers for smoothing the nasolabial fold (from the outer crease of the nostril down to the outer corners of the mouth) and are used “off label” effectively to restore volume in other areas. They both have an excellent safety and efficacy track record.

The main difference is the consistency. Juvederm is smooth and Restylane is granulated. They both come in a variety of thicknesses to accomplish effective revolumizing of different facial areas. Depending on how your body metabolizes hyaluronic acid, Juvederm will probably last a little longer, but this is not the case for everyone. Clinical trials demonstrate different kinds of Juvederm lasting from 1 to 2 years and Restylane lasting from 6 to 18 months. Both are excellent products, but may be better for different applications.

I would spend more time concerned with choosing an expert injector who is very familiar with correct and effective application of these products (such as who we have on staff) and let them make the recommendations. However, just so you can be familiar with all your options, here is a list of the different kinds of Juvederm and Restylane, along with their best applications.

Juvederm

• Juvederm Ultra XC adds natural feeling and looking fullness to thin lips.
• Juvederm Volbella XC plumps the lips subtly and smoothes the appearance of fine lip lines.
• Juvederm Vollure XCtreats moderate to severe facial wrinkles around the mouth and nose, such as mouth corner lines, marionette, and parenthesis folds.
• Juvederm Voluma XC is the longest lasting option for restoring youthful volume to cheeks and midface.

 Restylane

• Restylane Defyne smoothes out the deeper facial creases and wrinkles, while still allowing for movement in areas that need it, such as the nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
• Restylane Refyne offers the flexibility needed to maintain natural movement while filling in mild to moderate nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
• Restylane Lyft is FDA approved for restoring volume to the cheeks and midface area. It contains a numbing agent to reduce treatment discomfort.
• Restylane Silk is administered using an ultrafine needle to enhance accuracy for adding volume to the lips.

These are excellent fillers that can accomplish beautiful, rejuvenating results. Next week we will cover the remaining to injectables that are safe, effective and available at our office. Schedule your consultation today at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

Mother’s Day is a month away and forward thinking husbands and family members are already putting their heads together about how they can honor the mothers in their lives. And rightly so. One thing for sure is that mothers work harder than most anyone I know. Their work is not only physical, but mental and emotional. They don’t get to clock out at the end of the work day or take many “vacation days,” especially in the early years of motherhood. Their job is ever evolving and lasts a lifetime. We should definitely be showing love to our mothers year round, but especially on Mother’s Day.

One thing that mother’s deserve is some pampering. For some women that means a day at the spa, a decadent brunch out with girlfriends or family, or for others they want to have lasting youthful effects from a variety of cosmetic treatments and procedures. While getting Botox injections as a gift isn’t the same kind of pampering as a day at the spa, many women prefer the enjoyment of waking up day after day to a younger looking face and demeanor. More and more women are being vocal about their desire to receive treatments like this as their gifts. This is how we at DAVinci Plastic Surgery can help.

This week we will talk about some of the quick “in and out” treatments that we offer for those mothers who would like a youth enhancing boost to last for months. Next week we will cover some options for Mommy Makeovers that involve surgeries that address moms most requested areas of help.

• Botox is known as a wrinkle eraser because it inhibits the muscle action that causes the wrinkles. This is especially useful for allowing forehead furrows to relax and smoothing out crows feet or wrinkles between the eyebrows.
• Juvederm fills in creases and wrinkles with water attracting hyaluronic acid. The cells plulp up like a sponge sucking up water so that those “parenthesis” around the mouth or nasolabial folds are filled in. It is also wonderful for plumping up lost volume to areas of the face, especially the lips.
• Radiesse immediately stimulates the body to produce collagen to replace volume for youth enhancing effects
• Sculptra may not necessarily be considered a “quick fix” because the effects build over time, but the results last twice as long as hyaluronic fillers.

Each of these treatments successfully gives the appearance of turning back the clock of time to reveal more youthful facial features. This effect is rejuvenating and confidence boosting. In combination with each other, they can have the effect called a Filler Facelift. While this doesn’t compare to the full effects of a Facelift, it’s as close as you can get without going under the knife. We will custom tailor a combination treatment to address a variety of concerns, such as to:

• Lift up sagging brows
• Brighten up the eyes by adding volume to hollowed temples and sunken eye sockets or tear troughs
• Erase forehead lines
• Lusciously fill those lips
• Lighten the lines around the mouth
• Plump the cheeks restore youthfulness and gently lift the midface
• Smooth and contour the chin

You can give these as a gift certificate to allow the mother in your life to choose what she’d like or designate the gift for a specific treatment that you know she’s mentioned that she wants. Visit www.davinciplastic.com today to pamper the mother in your life this Mother’s Day.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

It’s not too late to show your love with the gift of a Liquid Facelift. The spring is coming and there is no better feeling than going into a new season with a refreshed feeling and look. The new and rejuvenating experience can catapult confidence and productivity for not only a more youthful appearance, but invigorated feeling.

The Liquid Facelift, also called a Filler Facelift, is a visible, yet subtle rejuvenation involving multiple injection locations and kinds. While it doesn’t have the complete capabilities of an actual Facelift, it does address concerns throughout the facial features to provide a no downtime “refresher” for the face. It smoothes out wrinkles and restores volume to those trouble areas that are unique to each person. These are the benefits:

• Erasing forehead lines with Botox
• Brow lifting by replacing volume with Juvederm
• Revolumizing the eye area with Juvederm to minimize sunken eye sockets, hollowed temples or deepened tear troughs
• Plumping flat cheeks with Juvederm, Radiesse or Sculptra which gently lifts the entire midface, including the effects of volume loss on nasolabial folds
• Smoothing the “parenthesis” lines around the mouth
• Plumping thinned out lips with Juvederm
• Balance the chin definition with Radiesse or Sculptra

The Filler Facelift addresses these issues not in isolation, but within the facial framework and contours. This comprehensive injection session rejuvenates the entire face and not just one feature by utilizing different kinds of injectables. The Liquid Facelift is a great way to hold off the need for a surgical facelift. Results can last a couple of months to a couple of years.

The different kinds of injectables used in different areas of the face all work together for the Liquid Facelift rejuvenation. Here are the typical players we use in our office to give our patients beautiful results:

• Juvederm naturally attract water to the plump up the cells with hyaluronic acid. This sponge like effect, plumps up the cells at the injection site to fill in the creases. Its plumping abilities are fantastic for restoring youthful facial contours and lip fullness.
• Botox inhibits muscle action that stops the movement creating the wrinkles and creases. This stops forehead furrows and frown lines in their tracks.
• Radiesse immediately stimulates your own collagen renewal for your skin to work on replacing volume and firmness.
• Sculptra takes time to reveal the youth enhancing effects, but is well worth the wait. Its scaffolding stimulates the body’s own ability to rebuild collagen with long lasting results that can endure twice as long as hyaluronic fillers.

Experience the refreshing look that a Filler Facelift can offer. Give the gift to yourself or a loved one. To schedule your Liquid Facelift our highly trained injectors, visit www.davinciplastic.com

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

While you may initially come into my office to address an immediate beauty need, we will take the time in our consultation to talk about your long term beauty goals and to help you with a plan. This plan may start off with some non invasive treatments, such as a Liquid Facelift using a variety of injectables to touch up and rejuvenate some crows feet, furrowed brows or mouth parenthesis creases. Then it might build into a 5 to 10 year plan for a mini facelift to address slightly sagging jowls and neck or Blepharoplasty to open up drooping eyelids for a brighter, more rested looking eye area. Either way, this plan should not only focus on immediate needs, but incorporate treatments for future youth restoration goals and maintenance.

Cosmetic surgery and non invasive treatments can easily be performed all year long, however, there are certain times of year that lend themselves to easily incorporate the rest and recovery that make it more convenient. Also, there are also certain issues you may want to address before a special event (think: high school reunion or holiday party) or time of year (think: bikini season).

Here is a seasonal surgery guide with suggestions for planning your procedure:

Fall

After the activity of summer and before the flurry of winter festivities, the fall season offers a perfect break in the social calendar for most people. This means that recovery time away is easy to schedule. Also, the cooler weather means clothes with more coverage and comfort. After getting any kids and grandkids settled into school, the scheduled routine or empty nest would allow for effortless predictability and rest for scheduling a surgery. It also will allow plenty of healing time for you to approach the holidays recovered and looking great. This is a good time for anything from Liposuction, Blepharoplasty, Facelift to Breast Augmentation. Fall is my first choice for cosmetic procedures.

Winter

This season offers some good opportunities for cosmetic surgeries. Before the new year, the injectables are the best because you can’t afford downtime between Thanksgiving and New Years, but January is the perfect month to kick off the New Year with a big step towards your beauty and healthy body goals. Winter scarves and turtlenecks easily cover the bruising or swelling from Kybella or a Facelift. Also the bulkier clothes will conceal any over night changes to the body from a Tummy Tuck or Liposuction. The Martin Luther King and Presidents Day holidays allow for long weekends and time off work without the usual holiday social schedule.

Spring

These are the months to rejuvenate and refresh yourself along with the start of a new season, and to prepare for the summer season. Body image procedures such as Liposuction, Brazilian Butt Lift, and Breast Augmentation are popular this time of year. Also, by this time, some of the results from New Years resolutions for weight loss have a chance to kick in and become a habit so that body contouring can have optimal results.

Summer

Surgery can be a success in the summer, but it’s crucial to stay out of the sun. The heat and sweat can be irritating during recovery. It’s always a great time for injectables like Botox, Juvederm, Radiesse, Sculptra since these injectables are in and out so you’re on your way to looking fabulous for your vacation. Another fabulous non invasive, body contouring rpocedure to trim away small puches of stubborn fat is SculpSure. Popular summer break surgical procedures are Rhinoplasty and Otoplasty between the school years.

Let me help you make your procedure plan for your ideal image by scheduling a consultation today at www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

No matter how smooth, firm and wrinkle free someone’s face is – a drooping, weathered and wrinkled neck can take away from any youthful appearance. So unless you want to be wearing a turtle neck or scarf year round, take care of your neck.

If you’re already seeing  signs of aging,  don’t worry – I can help. There are a variety of ways to rejuvenate the neck and take years off your overall aging appearance.

Why Rejuvenate the Neck… Although it’s technically not part of the face, having a smooth, trim neck profile can dramatically restore an overall natural and youthful appearance. A youthful neck contour not only makes the patient appear younger, but also elegant and refined. The neck also can have a significant aging (or anti aging) effect on the profile.

How the Neck Ages… Understanding the underlying muscles of the neck and how they are affected by the aging process will help you understand why the neck ages and how. The platysma muscle is immediately under the skin of the neck. In our youth, it is tight and meets in the middle of the neck under the chin. You can easily see this muscle in the mirror when you clench your teeth and tighten your jaw. As we age, the right and left sides of the platysma muscle come apart, which creates the look of vertical bands in the neck. Also, as the skin loses elasticity with age, the lower part of the face and neck show the effects most dramatically. This results in sagging, drooping jowel and waddle under the chin.
Reverse Aging of the Neck… I have extensive study and experience in face and neck rejuvenation.  They are my specialty. The most effective surgical options for rejuvenating the neck are liposuction, cervicoplasty and the neck lift, technically called a platysmaplasty …which is named after the muscle in the neck that the surgery corrects.

Liposuction: Generally speaking, my younger clients who want more definition between their jawline and neck  and who still have good skin elasticity and strong muscles are good candidates for liposuction.
Cervicoplasty: This procedure is geared towards people only concerned with the double chin or excess neck waddle.
Platysmaplasty: A neck lift deals with more midline neck correction of muscles to improve the chin and neck, and the removal of extra skin and fat.

Without a doubt, the neck is a major contributor to an overall youthful  appearance. The aesthetics of a defined jawline and long flat neck is apparent in every magazine and on every movie screen. I will get into more details on each aspect of surgical rejuvenation of the neck in next week’s blog.

In the hands of a specialist like myself, these surgeries for the removal of fat and excess skin, and tightening of the muscles, are sure to result in an attractive neck contour and rejuvenated appearance.

Contact us today to schedule your consultation, www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

When you look at yourself in the mirror do you see dark circles, deep hollows, and tired looking eyes? If the hustle and bustle of the holidays is putting extra stress on you and it’s showing, you can turn to one of the most under estimated areas of the face – to restore some youthfulness to your 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. Sunken tear troughs can cast a shadow under the eye that looks like dark circles and gives the face a worn out appearance. This sunkenness also ages the face by creating a visible separation from what should be the smooth transition – from the lower eyelid to the cheek.

Why do tear troughs happen?
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 …
– getting more rest
– cutting down on salty foods
– minimizing your exposure to environmental pollutants
– not rubbing your eyes so much

While these tips can prevent the tear troughs and under eye bags from getting worse, you can also reverse their appearance with hyaluronic acid fillers.

Rejuvenate Your Tear Troughs with HA Fillers
While there are surgical options to reversing tear troughs, more people prefer to try non invasive treatments first. This has led to the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, such as Restylane, Juvéderm or Belotero. When they are injected on top of the orbital bone, the HA attracts water to the area to restore volume. This gives the eyes a fresh, rested appearance by the next day after treatment. These results will last 6 months to a year, and you can go right back to your daily routine with no downtime or recovery.

Subtle Solutions for Significant Youthfulness
Today’s patients realize that facial rejuvenation can happen from restoring volume loss in subtle areas … such as the earlobes, temples, chin, melolabial folds and tear troughs. I definitely see a more rested, fresh, and youthful appearance for the whole face using HA fillers to rejuvenate the under eyes.

There’s still time to make your eyes look alive and bright again….before the Holidays!  Call to schedule your treatment today!

Steven Davison, M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

The Lipstick Effect is a well known theory projecting that, in times of economic downturn, people may cut back on the bigger luxuries in life and instead splurge on the smaller ones. For example, fewer people will be going on expensive overseas vacations, but they’ll spend the money to dine at local restaurants to still enjoy a treat – and to not feel like they’re going completely without any splurge. The question is, how does this theory apply to the cosmetic surgery industry?
Cosmetic Surgery and the Lipstick Effect… While some might consider cosmetic procedures a luxury that can be foregone in times of recession, the economy today has not hindered the growth of this industry at all.  Some analysts speculate that our society has developed a “collective vanity” and that social media has given us the mentality of maintaining good looks despite the costs. Another perspective is that youthfulness is a sign of health, vitality and success. Also, Millennials understand that prevention is the key and they include cosmetic procedures in their budget as part of their routine health regimen.

Injectables and the Lipstick Effect… For those who follow the purchasing pattern of the Lipstick Effect more truly, this still doesn’t mean they forego cosmetic procedures all together. It just means they choose the less expensive anti aging treatments, especially the injectables such as Botox and fillers, such as Radiesse. Maintaining youthfulness with these anti aging tools is a necessity to hold off surgery for a few more years. This practice is actually considered saving money. A much more cost effective, non surgical way to help maintain a younger look without a full Facelift is to consider a “Filler Facelift.”

Lipstick Effect for Luxurious Lips
Another indication of the Lipstick Effect is that during tight economic times, women don’t shy away from buying skincare or a new shade of lipstick to help them feel a little indulgent. You can absolutely love the way your new shade of lipstick looks – on fuller, more sensual lips plumped up with Juvederm. This would actually be a great gift for Mother’s Day.

Let the Lipstick Effect, using Injectables, lead you to save money in the long run by maintaining a more youthful look. And don’t forget about mom! Mother’s Day is May 8. Get her a new shade of lipstick to accompany her certificate for fuller lips with Juvederm. To set it up, call 202.966.9590 now – or visit www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

MYTH #6 Botox is Permanent

Some people actually wish Botox was permanent, but it isn’t. Your muscles, that have been relaxed by Botox, will eventually regain movement after about 3 months. Fortunately, the benefits of Botox can last for 6 to 12 while the muscle memory gradually returns.

MYTH #7 You are never too young or old for Botox

There’s not an age where Botox magically stops working, and not everyone’s skin ages the same, so there isn’t an exact age on when to start or stop Botox. As a matter of fact, some plastic surgeons report success with Botox patients more than 65 years old. Botox will always work to relax the muscles, but in older patients, it may not be enough or it may throw off facial harmony – if other treatments are not done in other areas of the face. On the other side of the timeline, I’d say there definitely is a lower limit on the age. I’d advise teenagers against it. There certainly is value to preventative Botox in the 20s, but until then, there really isn’t enough constant muscle movement to warrant this treatment for cosmetic reasons.

MYTH #8 The best time for Botox is when the lines appear

As stated in the previous question, there is surging interest in using Botox for wrinkle prevention starting in the 20s. Getting started early, rather than waiting until the wrinkles get deeper and more noticeable, can help you in the long run. Getting Botox early can also help make you conscious of the facial expressions that cause those wrinkles – and can raise your awareness to avoid or limit them. To not frequently furrow your brows or frown is a good habit anyway!

MYTH #9 You can become addicted to Botox
It’s true that you’ll probably love the results from Botox so much you will want to keep coming back. You’ll feel great about looking fabulous and won’t want to stop, but Botox has nothing in it that would make you physically addicted. There’s no “withdrawal” or negative side effects from stopping Botox. You’ll just return to your usual “wrinkling pattern” as before you started getting Botox treatments.

MYTH #10 If you stop getting Botox, your wrinkles will be worse

In contrast to how smooth your skin will be while getting Botox, it might seem like it’s gotten worse once you stop, but really, it’s just resumed the same muscle position as prior to receiving treatment. Once you start Botox, it will relax the muscles so the wrinkles seem to disappear. Even though they don’t actually disappear and normal development of wrinkles, with muscle movement will resume… they won’t be any worse.

I hope this has helped clear up any Botox “myths.” You can schedule a consultation at www.davinciplastic.com if you’re ready to stop those wrinkles in their tracks and smooth out those lines with Botox. We can take care of you during a normal lunch break.
Steven Davison M.D.

Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

Bikini season can bring awareness to a lot of ageing and tightening the areas of the midsection. Along with the attention to this area comes a keen awareness of the small yet significant belly button.

THE IDEAL BELLY BUTTON…This makes sense because the as of our body that we’d like to improve. Most commonly are trimmcenterpiece of your stomach is the belly button. Does it tuck into a nice tight oval, or does it bulge and ripple? Is it perky or protruding? Are the edges smooth and vertical or irregular and sagging? These are some of the characteristics of the desirable navel versus the ones that usually are repaired.

NOT YOUR DESIRABLE NAVEL…Besides being the victim of a bad newborn umbilical cut, the belly button can go through a lot of changes over the years with weight gain and loss, hernia, pregnancies, piercings, etc. You may have never liked its shape, depth or protrusion, or the changes over the years may not have been kind to it. Now more than ever is the time to take care of your belly button, to repair it to look great in a bikini or today’s low waist fashions.

GETTING A BETTER BELLY BUTTON…Belly button repair, also known as Umbilicoplasty, is one of the most popular surgeries being performed today. It safely corrects distortions for beautiful, natural looking belly button. Belly button repair surgery can help you to feel even more confident to show off your efforts after working hard for that flatter stomach at the gym or gained through the help of a tummy tuck. Either way, you’ll want to show off your new navel.

ABOUT UMBILICOPLASTY… A combination of issues may be causing your less than desirable belly button. There may be extra skin from the stretching of weight gain, a hernia bulging under the surface, or even the muscles may have separated and so the integrity of the abdominal wall may need to be addressed. Generally, if a tummy tuck isn’t needed,

I can correct the belly button within an hour. I work through a very small incision in the belly button to remove excess fat and skin. If a hernia exists, that can be addressed, whichwill diminish any bulging. Then the belly button is crafted into a more desirable, attractive shape. Sutures close the incisions, which are tucked within the belly buttons so they aren’t visible. During the very mild recovery, the area will be tender with some swelling and soreness, but depending on the extent of the surgery, most patients can return to work soon within one to three days. This is a surgery that can have one of the shortest down times so you can enjoy the beautiful results almost immediately.
BIKINI READY WITH A BEAUTIFUL BELLY BUTTON … Umbilicoplasty can help you get the belly button you desire which can give you the confidence boost to get you into that bikini you’ve always wanted. You can be enjoying your new belly button this summer, into fall and during your winter getaway to a warm, sunny place!  So don’t delay. To set up a consultation please visit www.davinciplastic.com.

Steven Davison M.D.

Board certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

One of the more prominent areas of the face to show signs of aging is the forehead. This is why a Brow Lift, also known as a Forehead Lift, is a popular procedure among celebrities. It is even more in demand than breast implants in countries like Great Britain in recent years.
While the emphasis on a nice eyebrow and smooth forehead is increasing, I thought it’d be good to go over what can be expected from a brow lift…to help you decide whether you’d like to come in for a consult about what the procedure can do for you. If you feel that the signs of aging on your forehead and upper face make you look sad, tired, angry, or older than your age, you are likely a good candidate for a brow lift. Generally, the brow lift can:
• elevate the eyebrows to a more youthful position
• decrease forehead lines and crow’s feet
• dimish creases between eyebrows
• minimize upper eye lid hooding (although it is best to combine a brow lift with blepharoplasty, eyelid lift, to achieve optimal results in this area)
NOT ALL BROW LIFTS ARE ALIKE… As a board certified surgeon and expert in all surgeries of the head and neck, I understand the details of anatomy and the unique characteristics needed for individual faces. I perform a variety of brow lift techniques to offer the ideal results for each unique person’s forehead anatomy. Generally there are 4 main methods of brow lift, 3 surgical and 1 injectable:

1. Traditional Brow Lift
This approach is also called an open or coronal method. It involves an incision within the hairline or the coronal method is across the crown of the head. The coronal method can also shorten or lengthen the forehead so this is to be considered with the patient’s goals and within the existing forehead anatomy. The Traditional Brow Lift includes the removal of excess skin to raise the eyebrows to a more attractive position before closing the incisions with sutures. It also addresses the muscles that cause frown lines.

2. Endoscopic Brow Lift
This approach is considered a gentler approach with smaller incisions, but generally isn’t used for more severe cases of eyebrow decent. Instead of skin removal, it lifts the brow to a more youthful position using a fixation device, while also correcting the forehead creases that a traditional brow lift addresses. The incisions within the hairline are very small and the use of an endoscope, or a lighted scope, allows for a virtually undetectable scar and less recovery than an open Brow Lift.

3. Biplane Brow Lift
This technique combines the advantages of both the traditional and endoscopic brow lift techniques to achieve maximum results.

4. Injectable Brow Lift
Depending on the desired results, multiple types of injectables can be used to subtly improve the shape and position of the eye brows, as well as the forehead creases. This is a quick, non invasive option for subtle improvements and retraining of the muscles. Also, it is easy to refine and adjust results over time to achieve desired results in a natural progression that isn’t an obvious over night change.

With whichever technique is decided to be the best for your unique needs, you can rest assured you’re in the hands of an expert in who understands surgery, anatomy and the artistry of creating a beautiful forehead and brow. Visit www.davinciplastic.com to schedule a consultation.

Summer time is soon upon us…hot sunny days, beach days, family reunions, camping trips…lot’s of outdoor “sun exposure.” Don’t forget the sunscreen, plenty of water, sun glasses,hats, appropriate clothing and time out of the sun’s extreme ray’s. Hottest sun exposure occurs from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm. Have fun…but be smart about it!

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon

Since I addressed the youthful contour of the neck the past two weeks, I thought we’d work our way up to the chin and the important role it plays in attaining the “perfect profile.” Generally speaking, our society appreciates different features in men and women, but an aesthetic profile… regardless of gender… is harmonious and balanced.

These profile characteristics are popular among Americans:
• Upper face: a forehead that isn’t entirely round, flat or elongated, and a browbone structure that isn’t overbearing
• Mid face: straight nose with some concavity to it, not too long, wide or bulbous
• Lower face: full lip projection, well defined chin, neck and jaw line

MAKING THE CASE FOR THE CHIN … It is the framework and support system for the entire face. Too weak or strong of a framework can distort the rest of the facial structure, throwing off the balance and proportion. For example, a chin that is too small or recessed can make the nose look too big, or on the other hand, a chin that is too prominent can draw too much attention and be unbalanced with the rest of the facial features.

BRINGING PROFILE BALANCE WITH THE CHIN…Usually the chin is a feature that men are known for, and is therefore attributed as a masculine focused feature. But the lack of a chin can even throw off the harmony in a feminine profile and can increase an aging appearance caused by that lack of definition between the face and neck.

HOW THE CHIN AGES…Most people first notice the signs of aging in the upper face, such as wrinkles on the forehead and around their eyes. But, even though they may be more subtle in some people, the signs of aging don’t skip over the lower face. With age, the chin begins to look different:
• sagging skin, volume loss from the mid face and upper jaw ends up hanging from the lower jaw
• fat and sagging skin accumulation under the chin
• bone loss in the chin and jaw

One solution for mild repair would be use of injectables to restore volume and contour to the chin area. Another option could be chin augmentation surgery.

CHIN IMPLANTS FOR RESTORING FACIAL BALANCE… This is one of the most popular options to restore facial balance and a youthful, natural appearance. Chin implants are a safe and effective surgical modification that can be tailored to your unique facial needs. It can also be combined with other surgeries, such as a Facelift, Eyelid Lift (Blepharoplasty) or Nose Reshaping.

CHIN IMPLANT SURGERY, SAFE AND QUICK… Of all the facial plastic surgeries, this is one of the fastest to perform, and for my patients, a quick recovery. Chin implants are made from a variety of materials and come in various shapes and sizes. This allows for custom tailoring in order to create your perfect profile!

For complete information about Chin Implants and your consultation, visit www.davinciplastic.com. Let’s talk about your perfect profile goals.

Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon