Cosmetic Surgeon 411 Directory

Archive for the ‘Florida’ Category

If the effects of aging are taking a toll on your appearance, there are now a multitude of different options to consider to improve the appearance of sagging skin, sun spots, blemished complexions, wrinkles or excess fat in the facial region. All these factors can contribute to a permanent expression of lifelessness, tiredness and stress. There are even options for those who are well aware of the effects of aging, as they have watched others go through it, though they themselves are still young.

Treatments range depending on the area to be treated, and the extent of damage wished to be improved, and can be injection based like Botox or Sculptra, or based on the use of laser technology or other thermal systems. At the far end of the spectrum is the facelift. A surgical procedure, the facelift involves incisions all around the face so that the surgeon can lift and reattach the skin. This surgery requires several days of recovery, and the patient is required to be under general anesthetic as the surgery can take several hours. The results are very evidently noticeable, and can often take 5-10 years off of someone’s age.

Noninvasive means, such as laser resurfacing and injections are gaining in popularity. Radiofrequency technologies such as thermage or fotofacial treatments are revolutionizing the way laser resurfacing works, and are able to provide focused results after a period of sessions. Thermage treatments, for example, optimize the desired contour of the face by mapping the change on a computer, and then temporarily tattooing this grid onto your skin during treatment.

Injections are also common for those who want more immediatley apparent results. Radiesse is an injection treatment that adds calcium based microspheres to the inner layers of the skin. These calcium microspheres help to initially tighten the skin and improve elasticity. They also provide a foundation for collagen to continue growing, so the treatment lasts long after the session.

Sculptra is another form of injection that is based on poly-L-lactic acid microparticles. These microparticles stimulate collagen growth, which in turn improves the elasticity and smooth, taught texture of the face. The injections add volume to the face. The most notable aspect of sculptra treatments is that it can last up to two years. Results are noticed after several sessions interspersed periodically over a few months.

The newer and noninvasive treatments are all designed to work after several sessions, and it is important to consider this when weighing the options.