Plastic Surgery: Frequently asked questions – Part 2
Information and answers to common questions about plastic surgery, Del Mar, San Diego – Part 2
San Diego Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Larry Pollack
I WAS CONTEMPLATING LIP AUGMENTATION BUT DON’T WANT TO LOOK LIKE A DUCK, OR WORSE! IS IT POSSIBLE?
Yes. As a matter of fact, no-one having a lip augmentation should look like a duck. Lip enhancement should be no different than other cosmetic procedures we do as plastic surgeons–our goal should be to achieve an aesthetically-pleasing proportional look.
At Del Mar Plastic Surgery, I use a variety of techniques for lip augmentation. The most popular choice is fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane. Both are hyaluronic acid products which last between 6 to 9 months. There is essentially no downtime, as the lips can look beautiful and normal the next day. There is a small risk of bruising.
Another method that is gaining popularity is fat transfer. Fat is taken from another area of the body and injected into the lips. This can be done in conjunction with other procedures, such as a facelift or eyelid lift, or by itself. It can be done by itself in the office under local anesthesia, but there is a little more downtime because of more bruising and swelling. But, usually about 50% of the fat injected will be permanent.
MY EYES MAKE ME LOOK OLDER AND TIRED. WHAT CAN I DO TO LOOK BETTER?
This is a very common complaint of both women and men. Our eyes can be the first area on our face to show signs of aging. There are a number of procedures that can help, and the choice of procedures depends on the problem you have.
Upper eyelid lift, or upper blepharoplasty, is a simple procedure that removes excess skin from the upper eyelids. The scar is well hidden in the eyelid crease, and the healing time is about one week. For people who have baggy lower eyelids, a lower lid blepharoplasty can also be done. This removes or redistributes the bulging fat pads and also removes any excess skin. This procedure often can help treat the dark circles under the eyes sometimes caused by the fat pads.
I recommend a browlift if the eyebrows have dropped and are adding to the excess upper eyelid skin. I primarily do what is called an endoscopic browlift. This involves placing several small scars in the scalp, and using a small camera scope to release the muscles and tissue that cause the brow to drop. The brow is then elevated and anchored to the skull with dissolvable plastic hooks under the skin. Again, the brow elevation needs to be aesthetic to avoid the “surprised” appearance. The endoscopic browlift also has a quick one week recovery period.
Call Del Mar Plastic Surgery at 858-450-9100 to schedule a consultation, or go to our website at www.delamrplasticsurgery.com for more information on these and other procedures.