Spring brings with it a desire to refresh and renew. You can experience the vitality of Spring through your own facial rejuvenation with injectables. Here’s a little information about each injectable option we offer at our office:

BOTOX is a well known, FDA approved, safe injection using botulinum toxin type A. It halts muscle movement that is the cause of the wrinkles by blocking nerve signal to the muscles. When the muscles aren’t constricted, the lines are relaxed and the wrinkles are prevented from going deeper. Optimal results are seen within a week or 2, lasting for several months. Some of the most popular cosmetic uses for Botox are for smoothing:

• horizontal forehead creases
• vertical lines between the eyebrows (“eleven lines”)
• crow’s feet around the eyes
• nose furrows
• smoker’s lines around the lips

JUVEDERM is a volume restoring injectable filler that smooths out lines and folds using hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a naturally occurring substance that attracts water to the area its injected. It is a highly cross linked smooth gel that is also offered in the Juvederm XC Ultra and XC Ultra Plus formulas, which are the first FDA approved HA fillers for all skin tones and color because of no risk for hyper pigmentation. Juvederm results are instant with long lasting results for 6 months and up. It is perfect for many needs of the mid to lower face:

• fill lines on the side of your nose (nasolabial folds)
• rejuvenate creases on the sides of the mouth
• plump up lips

RADIESSE is a semi permanent filler that creates scaffolding for your own collagen to grow around, naturally rebuilding in a lasting way. This gives immediate and ongoing wrinkle reducing results that remain beyond when Radiesse breaks down and dissolves. It uses calcium based microspheres to rebuild your skin’s foundation with results that last a year or longer for rejuvenated:

• cheeks
• nasolabial folds
• smile lines

SCULPTRA is the longest lasting filler, proven to last up to 2 years or longer. This is nearly twice as long as the majority of hyaluronic fillers. It is composed of PLLA, poly L lactic acid, that stimulates the body’s own collagen renewal for incredible enduring rejuvenation that is natural looking. Sculptra is a great base for a Liquid Facelift that offers lasting volume and skin thickness. It best addresses:

• aging skin folds
• indented chin surfaces
• hollow cheeks
• sunken eyes

VOLUMA XC is a thicker hyaluronic acid filler that instantly adds volume to the cheek area to fill in lost volume that comes with aging. It is the first FDA approved injectable filler for complete cheek volume restoration. It lifts and sculpts the cheeks for a gentle, subtle Liquid Facelift that lasts up to 2 years. Also, Voluma XC is better suited to fill more difficult folds and wrinkles. The lifting and sculpting benefits rejuvenate:

• nasolabial folds
• cheek volume and definition
• chin shape and smooth lines

As expert injectors, Dr Davison, myself and our PA Nora, are ready to help you rejuvenate and refresh your face for the Spring and beyond. Please visit www.davinciplastic.com to schedule your consultation today.

Dr. Pinell

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon of the Face and Body

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

Love Your Selfie in 2015

Have you mastered the art of taking a “selfie” yet? These self portrait photos, taken on cell phones, are over populating the newsfeeds of Facebook and Instagram. With the proliferation of the selfie comes a higher self consciousness of the actual image we portray of ourselves. More now than ever, people see pictures of each other through social media on almost a daily basis.

COSMETIC PROCEDURES DUE TO RISE IN SELFIES… One in three plastic surgeons found an increase in procedure requests due to patients’ social media awareness per a recent poll by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty and hair transplants had increased from 6 to 10% from 2012 to 2013.

SELFIE SPECIALTY SURGERIES… Straight noses, bigger breasts and flatter stomachs are still in high demand. And, plastic surgeons are now being asked to correct imperfections that have been brought to our attention due to “social media selfies.” Posting a nice photo of you wearing your new sky high heels will show off your calves, feet, and ankles. If you’re unhappy with how these look, your concerns can be addressed with a calf augmentation; while trimming the ankle fat with microliposuction or even injections in the toes for nice toe cleavage. Hand makeovers are more in demand so that people can more confidently show off some new baubles on their fingers or wrist.

So do you want to take more selfies that you love in 2015? If so, here are some tips for looking great in these self portraits on social media.

KEEPING IT REAL… A real and natural appearance is the Most people want their selfie to look like themselves, just a more youthful, better version. People want more fine, naturally flawless results to look like the best they can for their age. For some people, this may mean more subtle breast augmentations or nose jobs to correct a slight dip in the bridge.

If you feel like you look tired and older than your age, we can talk about an eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) or injections to the tear troughs to brighten and rejuvenate the eyes.
– To correct a thin lipped smile, we can easily plump your pout with hyaluronic injections like Juvederm.

– Voluma XC is great for a cheek augmentation to give the face a mini non surgical lift and to address marionette lines.

– Double chin can be smoothed and tightened with liposuction and a chin lift.

– Get curves in the “right places” with butt and breast augmentations.

– Liposuction and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) flatten and tighten your midsection so that you can take full body mirror selfies without the belly bulge stealing the show.

HOW TO TAKE A GREAT SELFIE…Here are some tips from the photography experts:

Be yourself, relax and act natural.
Avoid “duck lips” and hand signs.
Slightly angle your face to one side for a slimming effect.
Take the photo from slightly above eye level for a sleek jawline.
Pay attention to what’s in the background.
Natural light is best, but watch the position of the sun since it can cast shadows on the face.

Come in for a consultation so we can discuss how to help you get a selfie you love in 2015. www.davinciplastic.com.

Happy New Year 2015!

Dr. Davison