After the dimple surgery the cheek is generally swollen for about a week or two. Frequent rinsing of the mouth is required to ensure a healthy healing process. Eating liquid foods may be more comfortable during the healing process. Work and normal activities can be resumed in 2 to 3 days following the procedure.

Contact the plastic surgeon for a free consultation and more information about the dimple creation surgery.

SPIDER VEIN-FREE LEGS

As we age, the veins in our legs weaken, and added pressure from pregnancy or excessive standing can cause them to enlarge and bulge.  Genetics play a role as well.  In some cases, varicose and spider veins can become more than an aesthetic nuisance if left untreated.  If you have unsightly leg veins and you experience pain, discomfort or leg fatigue, make sure to have the veins evaluated.

VARICOSE VEIN REDUCTION and TREATMENT

Sclerotherapy

Veins of varying sizes respond well to Sclerotherapy, which involves injecting a solution into the vein, causing it to swell, stick together and ultimately seal shut.  This stops blood flow so the vein turns into scar tissue and fades within a few weeks.  Although most patients see a 50 to 90 percent improvement in appearance, stubborn veins may require additional treatments.  Three to five sessions are usually recommended depending on amount to be treated.  Expect to feel a stinging with the injections, and you may experience temporary redness and bruising at the injection site.  Sclerotherapy is downtime free, but you may be asked to limit your activity after treatment and to wear compression stockings for at least 72 hours afterward to promote blood flow.

VARICOSE LEG VEIN PREVENTION

If you have varicose veins (or a strong family history of leg veins), it’s best to avoid long periods of standing or sitting.  You should also take rest breaks throughout the day to elevate your legs above heart level and avoid heavy lifting and putting unnecessary pressure on or crossing your legs.  As an extra precaution you can also wear support hose to promote proper circulation.  Last, if you are prone to leg veins, try to limit your salt intake, as excess sodium can cause swelling in the lower extremities that makes circulation more difficult.

DID YOU KNOW?

Spider veins aren’t really broken blood vessels.  They are small, superficial veins that grow in response to weight gain, pregnancy, hormonal shifts, certain medications and lifestyle factors such as prolonged sitting or standing

Would you not love to get your tummy tucked in and get back in shape once again? Now this can be easily done with a ‘tummy tuck’. Also known as abdominoplasty, this is a surgical method of reducing your excess belly. This cosmetic surgery procedure is a revolutionary way to tighten your muscles and fascia of the abdominal wall. With a partial tummy tuck you can get rid of the lower tummy and for a complete tuck-in, you can opt to take the complete tummy tuck!

Reasons for the procedure:

Often after childbirth women are unhappy with the appearance of their belly because of the stretching. It makes them feel guilty about their looks and with a simple tummy tuck procedure; they can now improve their appearance. The reasons for getting a tummy tuck are usually personal since it leads to a good positive impact on their self-esteem, confidence and complete body message as well.

The process involved:

Just like common surgical procedures, a tummy tuck will require the patient to take general anesthesia and the complete procedure may last from three to five hours. Tummy tuck is done by first making a long incision from one hip bone to the other one and another up the abdomen to allow the navel to get separated from surrounding tissues. During the surgery, a liposuction may also be performed to get rid of excess fat deposits. The surgery involves separating the skin from the tissues and muscles, which are then tied up to have the dual good effects of:

• Strengthening the abdominal wall
• Narrowing down the waist line

Finally, the incisions are closed by drawing a new hole for the navel. In mini tucks, the belly button is left untouched. The surgeon winds up by leaving a drain off tube for any kind of excess fluids.

Results of Tummy Tuck:

The results are visible very quickly though the time required to be away from the office can vary among patients. The incision and suture areas will be kept bandaged.  To help you move around, a compression garment will be provided to you.

The recovery period may take from few hours to few days. The doctor could be your best guide as to how much time will you require to spend in the hospital. The patients may be able to walk immediately after the surgery yet they may feel sore for some time and may find it hard to bend, sit, lift or move without help.

What are the side effects of this procedure?

The common side effects involved are bleeding, blood clots, and infection. Before you decide on having a tummy tuck, you need to have a complete consultation with your doctor since this is a major invasive surgery.

Tummy tuck actually means tucking away your tummy and it is a procedure that shows how far plastic surgery has reached – being able to actually fold away a part of you to present a better you!

Liposuction is a surgical procedure to remove the excessive fat in any part of the body between the skin and the muscles. Such fat removal is meant for a better and leaner look of the human body. Liposuction is achieved by introduction of a cannula or small stainless steel tube to the body fat through a small incision. The incision is as small as 3 mm. The other end of the canula is connected to a powerful suction pump. When the fat is pumped out, you get a better body shape. After liposuction at the right place or places in your body, your looks are improved and you feel younger.

Anyone who has accumulated fat in some parts of the body is fit for liposuction. There no age or weight limits to undergo liposuction. Normally it is overweigh or obese people who go for this surgical procedure. However, an excessively obese person cannot expect to make a body of perfect shape with liposuction,  a person can improve their looks. A person who has a serious health problem must consult his or her doctor before going for this procedure. Almost any part of the body where fat accumulates can be treated with liposuction. Breast, abdomen, waist, hips, inner and outer thigh, buttocks, arms and face are the most frequently treated areas. Each of these areas is treated independently.

In almost all parts of the body, fat is accumulated just under the skin. Such fat is fit to be removed easily by liposuction. But in the case of abdomen fat, it appears at two more places deep inside the body in addition to just under the skin. One place is the abdominal cavity on the intestine. Another location is inside the intestine itself. The fat found in these two locations cannot be removed with liposuction. Dieting and exercise are the best solutions to get rid of this fat. Liposuction surgery is done under local or general anesthesia. In the case of a breast liposuction, it gives a better look for the breasts. The breasts get a lift after the surgery. The scar created by liposuction on the breast disappears within a month.

In ultrasonic assisted liposuction (UAL) a special cannula or tube is used. This special cannula emits ultrasonic waves which rupture the fat cells and liquefy them. The fat becomes easier to be sucked out. In tumescent liposuction procedures the area to be treated is injected with large amounts of saline fluid. That makes it easier for the removal of fat and causes less loss of blood. Power assisted liposuction is another procedure in which a powered cannula is used. It produces rapid vibrations which make it easier to remove the fat. It is a very gentle procedure. Simple liposuction needs no hospitalization. Liposuction involving large areas may require hospitalization for one or two days. This simple surgical procedure can be done on several different parts of the body consecutively on the same day.

Liposuction procedure is much simpler than what people think. But it goes a long way in improving the shape of your body.

One of the best innovations in the recent times, laser skin resurfacing is a dramatic improvement in the ways dermal do-over is performed. The results are quite long-lasting and also the treatment involved is simpler and much more easily done. This explains why in recent times there has been a large increase in people opting for this treatment.

Reasons for the procedure:

Lasers are a safer and easier way to effectively rejuvenate aged skins and do away with wrinkles. They also help in getting rid of the effects of skin disorders like acne, psoriasis or sun damages. Laser skin resurfacing can be also used for doing away with:

• Tattoos
• Birthmarks
• Unwanted body hair
• Scars
• Hyper-pigmentation
• Spider veins

The process involved:

The process includes using the laser light to target the superficial and deep layers of skin. The type of laser being used depends upon which layer of skin needs to be treated and the reason for such treatment.

1. The ablative lasers like CO2 and Er: YAG vaporizes the upper layers of the skin away and requires substantial recovery time.
2. The non-ablative lasers target the tissue below the skin and only stimulate new collagen growth. Though non-ablative treatments cause less damage, you may need to have more than a single treatment to have significant effects.
3. Fractioned lasers like Fraxel are used to treat smaller areas of skin and provide a better concentrated heeling effect as well.
4. Intense pulsed light involves using broad-spectrum pulses of light and is not exactly a laser treatment. It helps to eliminate enlarged and undue blood vessels as well as do away with brown marks.
5. Photo rejuvenation is the use of energy-based devices to tighten and uplift the facial skin. As the recovery time is minimum as compared to a surgical facial uplift, this method is nowadays more commonly used.

The kind of laser treatment depends upon the patient’s needs and the best person to advise you in this regard would be your surgeon. Prior to your treatment, your doctor may provide you with certain special lotions or creams to applied and prepare your skin for such treatment. Additionally, you may also be given antiviral, antibacterial or anti-yeast medications to avoid any form of complications. The type of anesthesia the doctor will administer you will depend upon the type of treatment you are going to undergo.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Compared to the other forms, laser skin resurfacing has emerged as a favorite due to various reasons:

• They cause no discomfort at all as compared to other measures.
• The recovery time is small since there is no bruising, bleeding or damage to skin.
• The present laser system is even more safe and gentle than older versions.

Results of Laser Skin Resurfacing:

As compared to the other methods, this procedure gives you more predictable results like glowing skin, decreased area of skin discoloration, reduces wrinkles and folds – all that with minimal scarring as well!

Gone are the days when you used tweezers, shaving sets and waxing gels to get rid of all that unwanted hair. Today you have more non-fussy and long-lasting treatment options like the laser hair treatment. By using a laser, this treatment makes use of the energy of light to help both men and women to look more beautiful and smooth!

The major reason for using laser hair treatment is to get rid of all unwanted hair. This is especially a good option for people with areas of unwanted hair.

You need a good and experienced person to provide you laser hair treatment. In such cases, this process will be completely safe. The process starts with shaving off the target area and then applying an anesthetic cream over its surface. The treatment could be uncomfortable yet it is in no way painful. You can repeat the procedure on monthly basis as well. You might need to take 4-6 sessions before you completely do away with the hair in that target area.

Using laser, highly concentrated pulsed beams are produced. When such beams are put onto the target areas, all the surrounding follicles are damaged as the entire light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicles. With absolutely no recovery time involved, laser hair treatment helps you to get back to work the same day. The length of the procedure varies according to the extent of area under treatment.

There are many types of laser hair removal and they include intense pulse light hair removal, ruby laser hair removal, alexandrite laser hair removal, diode laser hair removal, and Nd YAG laser hair removal.

The type of laser hair treatment suited for you can be best decided by your doctor. Some of them work for all skin types as well.

Laser hair treatment is seen to show better results for those with lighter skin and darker hair. Also this treatment works better on coarse and rough hair rather than fine hair. The major common areas being treated include the face, back, chest, legs, bikini, underarm and arms.

The side effects seen from laser hair treatment are not many. Some may experience a reddening in that area which will disappear in no time. However, very few experience more complicated side effects like darkening or lightening of the treated area and in some extreme cases burning or blistering of the treated skin. Again, scarring is a part of laser hair treatment though in majority of the cases, the effects are too minor to be even noticeable to you!

The experience of the person treating you, the laser being used, the amount of pigment melanin in your skin and your body’s ability to heal are some of the factors that determine the benefit that will be created to the treated area. With lots of research going into improving the laser hair treatment, this is the most ideal way to get rid of your nightmare forever!

As we move down the ladder of life, we find our skin transgress into a diminishing form with wrinkles and folds appearing all over. Where earlier this was an accepted sign of aging, now you have easy ways to stop it from happening to you using simple dermal injectable fillers. The most popular ones in use have been Restylane and Juvederm. Restylane has been in the market since 2003 while Juvederm is fairly new and made its entry in 2006. Learn about them before you make your final choice.

Reason for the Procedure:

The cause of our skin to look raw and lost in comparison to young skin is lack of Hyaluronic Acid that binds water to keep hydrating the skin. This is why we feel that youthful skin is fresh and healthy and now you can get the same great look using the dermal fillers. Working at deep dermal levels, the three benefits you can get from such fillers is:

• Improves the skin elasticity by increasing the production of collagen in the body.
• Smooths the fine lines and rough patches of skin.
• Provides more full, plump lips.
• Restores the shape and volume of your face.
• Best for aging people, acne patients or those who have uneven skin texture.

The Process:

Injectable fillers like Restylane and Juvederm should be administered by Physicians for best results. They are a form of gel that is simply eased under your skin to instantly restore your lost glory and do away with wrinkles and folds in a jiffy. In no time, you will have regained your natural glow and healthy shine – so much that everyone will notice the vibrant difference! This aesthetic non-surgical procedure is now growing in popularity for its ease in procedure and recovery time.

Results from the process:

You might be just surprised at how well these treatments can work for you. The procedure does not need any time away from work or hospitalization. The recovery time is minimal, and the results are very effective in keeping those fine lines away!

Restylane Vs Juvederm:

• Restylane claims to restore your skin vitality in a very subtle way with long-lasting and yet not permanent effects. On the other hand, Juvederm is the only dermal filler which usually results in improvements that can last for as long as one year.
• Restylane has a ten year clinical track record to back up its claims and provides you the most natural look. Since it resembles the skin so closely, it is said to have no inflammatory reactions and will not affect the facial movements or expressions. Also since no animal-derived ingredient is used herein, no previous skin test is required.
• Juvederm claims to enter the skin much better giving you faster results in as little as 15 minutes while with Restylane you may need several days to see visible effects.
• Juvederm is proved to have twice the consistency of Restylane and this may be the reason why the results are also faster and pure. As such this gel is highly advocated as ideal filler for lips.

As you grow old, both your upper and lower eyelids may become droopy and baggy. The eyebrows may also droop. All these happens because your skin starts stretching and the muscles weaken. You look sleepy and prematurely old. Many think that this is an irreversible situation; however, the opposite is true. It can be corrected with a simple eyelid surgery.

This kind of surgery to improve the appearance of the eye is called blepharoplasty or in common parlance, ‘eyelift’. In the upper eyelid, fat and excessive skin is removed by the eyelift surgery by incisions. The incisions are closed with fine sutures. In the lower eyelid, incisions are made either inside or outside of the eyelid to remove the fat. In both cases, the incisions are closed with fine sutures. The incisions made on the inside are not visible at all. Incisions made outside are barely visible and they fade away in course of time.

The eyelift is an outpatient procedure in most cases. Normally, an eyelid surgery takes less than three hours. Many hospitals also have dedicated outpatient facilities. If you are having plastic surgery, you may have the blepharoplasty also along with that. In that case, you may be required to get admitted into the hospital and stay overnight in the hospital. Staying in the hospital costs more than being an outpatient and going through the procedure.

During the surgery the skin is separated through the incision and the excessive fat is removed. If loose muscles are found, they are trimmed.  The surgeon makes sure that the muscles are attached. Then the incision is closed and stitched using the narrowest gauge suture. At least in some cases, there is excessive fat in the lower eyelid, but the eyelid does not sag. This normally happens at a younger age. In such cases, a procedure called transconjunctival blepharoplasty is performed. In this procedure, the incision is made inside the lower eyelid and the bag of excess fat is removed. Along with an eyelid surgery, your laugh lines, also known as crow feet, at the outer ends of both eyes can be improved. The surgery can reduce the length of the crow lines and thus improves your looks.

After an eyelid surgery, the patients encounter some difficulties. But they are purely temporary. Redness and swelling around the incision appear after the surgery initially. Tears may appear excessively. If dryness appears in the eye after the surgery, it can be countered by suitable ointment. When the ointment is applied, temporary blurred vision is common. The eye may be sensitive to light until recovery. For the tightness of the eyelid, it is lubricated with ointment. Dark sunglasses are recommended for sensitivity to light. All these are only purely temporary symptoms. A complete recovery is achieved by about ten days after the surgery.

An eyelid surgery improves your looks a great deal. It eliminates the bags beneath your eyes. It also reduces the wrinkle around your eyes. The cumulative effect of all these is that you regain your youthful look and your self-confidence is increased.

For those who would love to repair their damaged skin, a chemical peel is a great way to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin. This method actually involves applying a chemical solution over your skin which removes the damaged layers, leaving you with new, vibrant, smooth, and radiant look!.

Reasons:

Chemical Peel is an effective way to help with facial blemishes, wrinkles or uneven skin pigmentation. The type of acid used for this purpose varies according to the patient’s needs. A Chemical Peel can be used in harmony with facelift procedures.  However this is in no way a replacement for such surgical process since a chemical peel does not actually slow down the aging process. To know whether a chemical peel is the right procedure for you, you need to consult a plastic surgeon. However, the more common reasons why it is performed include:

• To enhance your appearance and confidence (for cosmetic reasons).
• To remove pre-cancerous skin growths.
• To soften acne facial scars.
• To control acne.
• To reduce and do away with wrinkles and folds that show the age on your skin.

Process:

There are many different kinds of chemical peels available including:

1. Alpha Hydroxy Peels (AHAs)
2. Beta Hydroxy Acid Peels (BHA)
3. Jessner’s Peel
4. Retinoic Acid Peel
5. Trichloroacetic Acid Peels(TCA)
6. Phenol Peels

AHA is one of the mildest peels available also with the least recovery time. It involves application of various concentrations of an AHA either weekly or at longer intervals to obtain the best result. They can be also used on a daily basis by mixing them with a facial wash or cream in lesser meditation. Comparatively, TCA can be used in different concentrations. However, it is more commonly used for medium-depth peeling. Phenol is the toughest form of chemical peel that gives you a deep peel and is most commonly used only on the facial portion.

Results:

An AHA peel will give you a smoother, brighter looking skin in almost no time and this one is ideal for those who cannot spare time for recovery period. The results would not be long-lasting though and frequent applications would be required. Comparatively, TCA would more long-lasting and yet not as dramatic as the phenol peels. The recovery period for a TCA peel would be lesser than that required for a phenol peel. The strongest one is the phenol peel which gives you a comparatively lighter skin and is not usually prescribed by doctors except for certain exceptional cases since it may cause scarring when applied to the neck or other parts of the body.

FAQs:

All of the chemical peels have minimal to  zero downtime and do not require any anesthesia. Generally, the procedure will not take more than 20 minutes. After the chemical peel the treated area should remain out of the sun.

We offer an exclusive Concierge Aesthetic Medicine  service in Malibu, Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles, California.   Our aesthetic revitalization program allows you to have an Ivy League educated,  board certified plastic surgeon come to your home to perform non surgical procedures including botox injections, restylane, collagen and perlane fillers.  Also, we perform the full suite of surgical procedures at an affiliated surgery center.   Our concierge medicine clientele is primarily referral based, but we do accept new clients after a prelimary pre-approval process.