A mini face lift is often described as a less expensive, less invasive, option for facial rejuvenation. If you want to look younger, this is an appealing proposition; why not opt for the mini lift?

For Minimal Signs of Aging, the Mini Lift Works

Mini facelifts are best for treating minimal signs of aging. They can treat sagging skin and jowls when these conditions are mild, which is common in younger patients.

For older patients who can benefit from tightening of the jawline and neck area, the doctor needs to augment, tighten and restructure the deep tissues to achieve satisfying results. These techniques aren’t part of a typical mini lift, even though the same surgical incisions are used.

During consultations, we create an individualized plan using one or more of these techniques:

  • Mini Lift: the mini lift is a short scar facelift. The procedure tightens the skin, but does not address significant sagging in the jowls, cheeks, and neck.
  • Face Lift: the traditional face lift works at the SMAS layer of the tissue, which allows the surgeon to elevate the jowls at a deeper level and provide a lasting and satisfying result.
  • Fat Grafting and Liquid Face Lifts: As you age, volume loss in the soft tissues becomes a real problem. The cheeks and lower face will often benefit from soft tissue augmentation, which involves treatments such as autologous fat grafting or dermal filler injection.
  • Laser Treatment: A CO2 laser can tighten the skin and remove surface irregularities that have accumulated over the years. While it cannot provide the same results as a face lift, a laser treatment can rejuvenate the skin, and today’s laser treatments require minimal downtime.

Aside from the specific treatment considerations, you should always work with a cosmetic surgeon who is familiar with all techniques and the range of conditions that different patients present. Face lifts have changed from a standard technique to a custom-tailored approach that incorporates several of the latest techniques in facial rejuvenation. Contact our office to set up a personal consultation, in which you can discuss the options available here at our Oklahoma City practice.

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New statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that since the year 2000, upper arm lifts in women are up more than 4,000 percent. In 2000, a little over 300 women had arm lift surgery. Last year, more than 15,000 did. In a typical week, that’s a surgery every 10 minutes!

This video shows Natalie Robinson’s plastic surgery before-and-after photos. The ones she “couldn’t wait to take.” Over the last 36 months, Natalie has lost more than 170 pounds, and before having surgery to remove excess skin on her arms.

“They’re a reminder of that heavier person and you couldn’t get rid of it and it was just something else to worry about.” So Natalie decided to have arm lift surgery to tone her upper arms.

She had a type of upper arm procedure called brachioplasty, which is rising in popularity. “We did do more brachioplasties last year than we did the year before and we’ll probably do more this year,” said Natalie’s plastic surgeon Dr. David Reath. “We get rid of the skin, we leave a scar,” he explains. So as long as there’s enough improvement to be made in the shape of the arm to justify the scar, then it’s a great procedure.”

Brachioplasty was enough for Natalie. Despite the dramatic weight loss she had achieved on her own, she knew that when it came to the shape of her arms, she would need a plastic surgeon’s help. “Very happy,” she says. “It was well worth the investment. I would do it again.”

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Treatment With VOLUMA XC Filler Corrects Volume Loss in the Cheeks

cheek augmentation with juvederm volumaDermatologists and plastic surgeons will often recommend a dermal filler, fat grafting, or facial implant for patients who have sunken cheeks. Currently, there are no products with FDA approved indications for this treatment. Juvederm Voluma XC could change that in the near future, according to a recent news release from Allergan Inc.

According to Allergan (maker of Botox, Juvederm, and Latisse), the FDA’s General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee cast their votes unanimously in favor of Juvederm Voluma XC as a treatment for cheek augmentation, claiming that treatment benefits outweigh the risks.

Already a popular injectable hyaluronic acid dermal filler, Juvederm is typically used for treatment of nasolabial fold wrinkles. If approved, Juvederm Voluma™ XC would be the only dermal filler with an approved indication for cheek augmentation.

“Allergan is committed to working with the FDA as they continue their review of our PMA for Juvederm Voluma XC, with the goal of providing consumers with the first treatment option that has been specifically developed to help restore cheek volume that has been lost over time,” said Dr. Scott Whitcup, Allergan’s Executive VP of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer.

The advisory committee’s recommendation will be considered during the FDA review and decision regarding the new indication. FDA approval for the treatment could come later this year.

Photo by LeahLikesLemon

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Last week, the FDA posted an alert about counterfeit vials of Botox® found in the United States. Such fraudulent drugs have a risk of being unsafe, ineffective, contaminated, improperly stored, and improperly transported.

The fake Botox comes in counterfeit packaging, while the vial inside is labeled as a foreign version of the drug. An unlicensed foreign supplier, which isn’t part of the normal distribution chain, is reportedly selling the counterfeit, and soliciting the drugs via fax under names like “Onlinebotox” and “Onlinebotox.com,” according to Reuters.

“FDA cannot confirm that the manufacture, quality, storage, and handling of these products follow U.S. standards,” said the warning on the agency’s website.

This isn’t the first time the FDA has publicly cracked down on “illegal Botox scammers.” Investigations that began in 2004 resulted in 29 arrests and 31 convictions against people who knowingly used the counterfeit medication.

High Consumer Demand Attracts Scam Artists

Botox® Cosmetic is not quickly or easily produced. The product is made according to rigorous specifications and undergoes stringent quality control before it ever reaches the consumer.

But, like many items with high consumer demand, Botox® is a target for counterfeit makers who would love to usurp the profit of Allergan’s most popular medication. To protect yourself, it’s best to work with a provider who is familiar with the drug. Plastic surgeons and dermatologists have been buying and administering Botox for over a decade, so they’re not likely to be fooled by a counterfeit.

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