Total Body Surgical Blog

Watch this video....if it were only that easy to defy gravity!!!

http://youtu.be/iNQ3BHKm57o

For the final installment on wrinkles or rhytids we are going to cover procedures for people that other easier methods will not work for.  We have discussed skin care and sun avoidance for prevention, then Botox to rid ourselves of lines that are not yet permanent.  For areas that Botox will not soften, we use fillers such as Radiesse and Juvederm.  After these products have worn out their ability to improve we move into laser skin resurfacing.  When all of these tools fail....then what?  The answer is the facelift.  Sometimes only a surgical correction will do.  As we lose collagen and fat in our face and the connective tissue below the skin sags, the skin follows and becomes lose.  There are some non-invasive methods that may help, but minimally.  Face lifts come in many different types and one size does not fit all.  The oldest types only address the lose skin and have little longevity, they fail in no time because the skin stretches quickly and wrinkles and loose skin return.  Don't believe that skin stretches quickly???  Talk to a pregnant woman, skin can stretch to an incredible size, and can do it quickly.  Real face lifts address the underlying connective tissue, tightening it, and then remove the excess skin.  There are several types of lifts that are commonly used and the procedure should be individualized for each patient.  The one picked should address the specific areas that need to be lifted.  The mini face lift (s-lift, lifestyle lift, short scar lift, etc.) addresses the lower face, jowel area and some lose skin in the neck.  The vector of pull on the connective tissue and skin is up and toward the ear.  The incision starts at the temporal tuft of hair in front of the ear, follows the front contour of the ear, down around the ear lobe, and a short distance behind the ear.  This lift does have a shorter recovery time and works great for the appropriate patient.  Those with a heavy neck will need a "full lower face and neck lift".  This lift has the same incision but is is extended onto the back of the ear and into the hair line.  The vector of pull for the connective tissue and skin is not only up for the lower face, but is back and up for the neck as well.  Usually there is also a small incision under the chin to remove fat and sometimes tighten or remove some of the underlying muscle tissue.  During face lift surgery, the underlying connective tissue is tightened to correct the loosened structure that causes the face to droop and some of the fat is sculpted or liposuctioned too.  Then the skin is draped and trimmed then carefully sutured into its new location.  Facelift surgery should also address underlying bone and fat deficiencies too.  This may require cheek or chin implants, fat grafting, or other techniques.  A good face lift should not leave the patient looking stretched, it should not disrupt the normal smile or look fake.  The incisions heal very well over time and are difficult to detect.  You should look younger and well rested.  When looking for a face lift surgeon, demand to look at pictures and be sure that areas that bother you will be addressed.  Also, make sure the pictures you look at are from patients done by the surgeon you are talking to...this is an old trick...claim anothers work for your own.

At Total Body Surgical Cosmetic Surgery, Dr Swetnam has experience with numerous lifting techniques and can assist in selecting the one appropriate for you.

Come see us where cosmetic consultations are complimentary!!

Don't forget our Breast augmentation spring special and our Laser Hair Reduction Special too....Hurry though, not much time left!!

-Breast Aumentation....ACT NOW!!!

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Next week, more about skin, brow and mid face!!

Last week I began a discussion of common skin care complaints.  Today I will discuss one of the common complaints.....wrinkles...

Now this kid has a cure for everything.  Check out his routine!!

http://youtu.be/X5kFQW7W7_k

What causes wrinkles?  Well, that is a big question but the answer is about the same for everyone.  Time, as in aging, is the primary culprit.  We all make facial expressions that are common.  We all scowel from time to time, we smile, frown, and elevate our brow.  When young, we produce collagen at a rapid rate and elastin that keeps the skin flexible even when the underlying muscles wrinkle the skin.  Skin also produces more oil and moisture when young adding to its pliability.  At around age 30 most of us stop producing collagen at a rapid rate and we gradually develop a net loss of it.  When this happens, the skin, in response to constant pressure from the underlying muscles of expression, begins to gradually show wrinkles.  These wrinkles are seen in nearly everyone starting around age 40 but can occur much later or much earlier.  Genetics takes a part in when the process starts as well.

What can we do about them??  You can start with prevention.  This starts with a good skin care regimen.  The most important part of this regimen is sun screen to protect from UV damage.  For the remainder of the care, at Total Body Surgical Cosmetic Surgery, we recommend the Obagi line of medical skin care.  These products are fantastic at slowing the process of aging, i.e. wrinkles.  When used properly this line stimulates collagen formation and keeps the skin young longer.

When skin care is used properly, wrinkling can and eventually will continue to occur.  When this happens, the best product on the market, hands down, is Botox or Dysport.  These products are time tested, safe, and VERY effective when used properly.  We use Botox by the gallon and everyone loves it.  Wrinkles that are too deep for Botox may need to be Filled.  I will cover these products in my next chapter.

Come see us at INTEGRIS Total Body Surgical for a full line of Obagi products and Botox.  Mention this blog and get Botox for nine dollars per unit (about $300 for the full upper face).  You need to mention this blog though when you book.

Cosmetic consultations and skin care consultations are complimentary!!!

The next few weeks I will be covering, in this blog, my philosophy and approach to common skin problems.  I hope this will be helpful to some of you. As a cosmetic surgeon, we see these problems commonly.

For a good laugh with a little ring of truth. 

http://youtu.be/byTMPyzq7O8

What are the causes of skin damage, pigment issues and other skin problems?  The answer to that question is fairly complex.  We do know some of the answers but certainly do not know them all.  First of all.....exposure.

Have you ever seen a new car that was wrecked and then left out in the elements???  Over time, the paint becomes dull, faded, and if you rub it, it comes off on your finger.  This is called oxidation.  The same thing happens to our skin over time.  Elements in the air.... pollutants, and sun work on the skin from the outside making it less youthful.  The other factor that works on the skin is what we put IN our body.  To use the car analogy, if water gets into the metal under the paint, you get rust from the inside.

So, all analogies aside, our skin is effected by exposure and what we eat.  There are 3 or 4 main problems that people complain about related to their skin:  First is wrinkles...these are caused by the skin adapting, over time, to motion of the underlying muscle.  Add this to the aging process where our bodies produce less collagen (the substance that gives our skin strength) and less elastin (the substance that gives our skin elastic qualities).  This process goes on even when we remove all of the other variables unfortunately and actually has been proven to start in the late 20's age group which is not considered old to me.  These wrinkles are very predictable.  They occur between the eyes (the elevens), around the eyes (crows feet), across the forehead, and around the mouth.  They are created by frowning, squinting, pursing the lips, and elevating the brow.  The second problem people complain about are pigment issues....brown and red "spots".  These are caused by changes in pigment production and areas of blood vessel changes in the skin, usually related to UV (sun) exposure.  The third problem is "sagging" of the skin.  This is again related to loss of collagen and skin elasticity but is contributed to by loss of underlying support structures, i.e. facial fat.  The fourth problem people complain of is the developement of "lesions" or rough areas that may or may not be pre-cancerous.

In the next blogs I plan to cover these issues one by one and give you some ideas on how to deal with them.

Come see us at INTEGRIS Total Body Surgical for your skin care concearns.

Remember to check out our Breast augmentation and hair removal specials too!!!

http://www.totalbodysurgical.net/breast-aumentationact-now/Default.aspx?utm_campaign=Grand-on-GRAND&utm_source

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