Posts Tagged ‘facial fillers Charlotte’

Fillers or Facelift for Treatment of Jowls in Charlotte?

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

The hated jowl grows and creeps its way down your face as we age.  It eventually overhangs the jaw to disturbs the long beautiful uninterrupted jawline of youth.  This can be a source of concern for my patients in Charlotte.  As a facial plastic surgeon, I believe there are many treatment options for jowls including both non-surgical and surgical procedures.

Charlotte Jowls 300x225 Fillers or Facelift for Treatment of Jowls in Charlotte?

The Jowl Overhangs the Jawline

What are the non-surgical procedures to help with jowling? Non-surgical options are best for younger patients with early stages of jowling.  The goal is to help lift and camouflage the jowl.  This can be done by using injectable facial fillers to the area above the jowl to lift it.  I typically use Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane, or Sculptra to lift the area.  Theses same fillers can be injected in front of the jowl to help create a smooth jawline.  Fillers in this area will camouflage the jowl.

Restylane Treatment of Jowls in Charlotte Ballantyne 274x300 Fillers or Facelift for Treatment of Jowls in Charlotte?

Locations to Inject Fillers to Lift and Hide Jowls

What are the surgical procedures to help with jowling? If a patient has mild to moderate jowling and has good skin elasticity, liposuction or liposculputre, is a great option.  Liposuction actually removes the jowl fat and the skin will contract in the area to help eliminate or soften the jowl. Patients with more severe jowling and/or poor skin elasticity can combine jowl liposuction with a facelift or a necklift to eliminate the jowl.  This will also define the neck and rejuvenate the entire lower face. If a weak chin is contributing to the formation of the jowl then a chin implant may be recommented.  Chin implant with fill in the depression in front of the jowl and it will also pull the skin around the jowl.  A chin implant with jowl liposuction may be the best option for some patients. Surgical solutions for jowling may be more expensive up front but may be more affordable in the long run.  Injectable fillers in this region last between 6-9 months and then must be repeated.  Liposuction, facelift, or a necklift will provide a long lasting result that will not require repeat treatments overtime.

Youth is Fleeting; Smooth Skin Doesn’t Have to Be

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

The aging process takes its toll on the body in many ways. The skin is perhaps one of the most visible reminders that youth can’t last forever. Over time, your body starts to lose its ability to produce collagen and the elastic fibers that once kept your skin looking firm and smooth. Wrinkles set in and your face can appear hollow, or worse, begin to sag in certain places. Stop worrying; frowning only makes the wrinkles worse. Instead, visit your cosmetic surgeon in Charlotte for a plethora of potential treatments, such as Radiesse, that can rejuvenate your appearance.

Skin is Layers Deep

Youthful skin has a firm, almost plump look about it, while older skin appears thinner; similar to comparing a juicy grape with a raisin. The skin is the largest organ in your body, and is actually comprised of many layers, which are grouped into two major layers: the epidermis and dermis. The top layer — or epidermis — you can actually see; it is composed of cells that have been keratinized, which waterproofs them and makes them strong. The underlying layer, or dermis, contains collagen, protein, elastic fibers and other connective tissues. This layer supplies the epidermis with nutrients to help repair the outer skin and keep it healthy.

The Fountain of Youth

Drinking water and staying hydrated can go a long way to keeping your entire body, including your skin, more healthy. But when it comes to wrinkles and those deep grooves around your mouth, you need something stronger. Enter Radiesse and the other dermal fillers available in Charlotte. Dermal fillers are placed under the skin in an effort to “plump” it up, helping to lessen the severity of deep lines and wrinkles. Some dermal fillers, like Radiesse, actually help the skin improve its appearance on its own.

Radiesse

In Charlotte, Dr. Jonathan Kulbersh offers Radiesse as a dermal filler. It’s made of calcium-based microspheres that actually stimulate collagen growth, immediately adding volume and lift to your face. Because the skin now has what it needs to make more of its own collagen, Radiesse results can last up to a year. It is safe to use on the face as well as the hands.

Needle-Shy?

If you don’t like the idea of getting multiple injections, you don’t have to. Dr. Kulbersh employs techniques he learned studying in Beverly Hills under world-renowned plastic surgeons. He uses needle-less techniques that utilize a blunt tip cannula and a small needle. A few sticks with the tiny needle allows the cannula to pass into the skin, pushing aside tissues and blood vessels rather than cutting through them like a large needle would. This technique decreases healing time and reduces chances of bruising, which means you can show off your new, youthful skin faster!

What Are in the Facial Fillers that I Use at My Facial Cosmetic Surgery Practice in Charlotte?

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

As a Charlotte cosmetic surgeon, I use facial fillers to replace lost volume and reshape the face to a more youthful proportion.  Whenever I am performing a procedure, I want my patients to be well informed about the facial fillers that I use.  I commonly receive questions regarding the composition of fillers.  Generally, there are 2 types of fillers:

1)      Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

  1. Restylane
  2. Perlane
  3. Juvederm

2)      Collagen Stimulators

  1. Sculptra
  2. Radiesse

 

Hyaluronic acid sounds like a bad substance because it contains the word “acid.” Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that the body produces daily.  It functions to support all of the cells in the body.   Typically, Restylane, Juvederm, or Perlane will last 6 -12 months.  It will resolve faster in areas that are constantly moving, such as the mouth, as opposed to still areas, such as the temples. Restylane, Perlane, and Juvederm differ in their thickness and swelling rates after the procedure.  Juvederm tends to swell the most while Perlane in the thickest.  Restylane is in the middle.

Charlotte Sculptra1 300x26 What Are in the Facial Fillers that I Use at My Facial Cosmetic Surgery Practice in Charlotte?

Sculptra’s fancy medical name is poly-l-lactic acid.  That is same material that is used in a line of commonly used sutures which have been popular for years.  Sculptra is very safe when placed in the face by a trained injector.  It stimulates the body to produce collagen which replenishes the lost volume of the face.  The results typically last 2-3 years.  Depending on the amount of volume lost, more than one session of Sculptra may be required.

 

Radiesse is composed of Source calcium hydroxyl apatite , a substance that is produced by our bones.  When injected into the face, it will fill the area and stimulate the body to produce collagen.  It typically lasts for one  year depending on its location.  I do not use it around the eyes or in the lips because it may leave lumps or bumps.

I hope this serves as a synopsis for the composition of the different facial fillers I use in my cosmetic surgery practice in Charlotte.  For more information about facial fillers click here.

 

The Locations of Fat in the Face and How I Use This Information with Facial Fillers

Monday, March 19th, 2012

Why is knowledge of the anatomy important when injecting facial fillers in Charlotte?

All surgeons must master the human anatomy before they can operate.  In facial plastic surgery, the difference of a few millimeters can be the difference between good and great results.

There are many options for facial fillers (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Sculptra) in Charlotte.  As a facial cosmetic surgeon, I believe a mastery of the facial anatomy is a per-requisite for using facial fillers.  I use my knowledge of the facial fat compartments while injecting facial fillers, and believe that this knowledge is the difference between mediocre and great results.

What is my unique approach to using facial fillers?

The standard approach is to inject a facial filler to fill a specific line.  This is most commonly done to fill “smile lines” in Charlotte.  While this may be the result some patients are looking for, I believe there are better ways to inject which produce an even better outcome.  All young people have smile lines and I believe overfilling them produces unnatural looking results.

In my opinion, fillers should be used to fill in areas of the face that have lost volume.  We know that a loss of fat in specific compartments of the face is one aspect that contributes to facial aging.  The different compartments are:

Fat compartments to be injected by facial fillers in Charlotte The Locations of Fat in the Face and How I Use This Information with Facial Fillers

When I analyze a face for possible filler injections, I look to fill the specific fat departments that have lost volume.  When volume is replaced from the location where it was lost, it creates the best results for my patients.  I can also fill different fat pads to help correct areas of concern for my patients.

What should patients be asking when considering facial fillers in Charlotte?

Often patients will ask what the best facial filler is for their specific situation.  While there are many different fillers, different locations in the face to use those facial fillers, and many different techniques for injections, I believe the most important part of using facial fillers in Charlotte is choosing the most qualified injector.