Jowl got you down?
What are Jowls? They are the drooping lower cheeks and skin over your jawline that can form as we age. So- you have jowls that you don’t quite like, and you want to pull them up? Well, if you want the real deal – that’s a FACE LIFT. Invasive plastic surgery. Many people definitely do not want to go that route for many reasons. So what are the next best treatments? Fillers and Tox! PDO threads can be used as well. It is a good idea to have a realistic goal in mind as these treatments will give you a natural and a subtle lift. First, let’s figure out why we get jowls. Over time, many factors contribute to the formation of jowls, such as: gravity, skin laxity due to loss of collagen, ligament laxity, bone loss, and overall facial volume loss. So what can we do about it? We can use tox help relax the platysma (the superficial neck muscle) to stop it from pulling the jowls down. It has a pretty name too- a Nefertiti Lift! But we should also really address the underlying structures and support them – and this is when HA fillers come in. Supporting the MIDFACE – yes, supporting the DEEP TISSUES in UPPER CHEEKS can provide the lift to elevate the jowl and bring focus up. Furthermore, also adding filler to smooth out the concavities on your CHIN/JAWLINE can help with the appearance of the jowls as well – ultimately giving you a refreshed look! Everyone needs different amounts based on the anatomy and severity of jowls. That’s why consults and frequent re-assessments are key! PDO threads can be used as well, but there is evidence that they can cause scar tissue to develop in the underlying tissues, making it relatively challenging if you ever want to consider a facelift in the future. So, waiting on more long term studies on that for now.
Little lips?
In the journey towards facial balancing, we HAVE to address the lips! And NO! I am not talking about duck clips, big lips, wide lips, flat lips. I’m talking about enhancing YOUR natural lip shape that you have in order to fit the overall aesthetic of your face in a very NATURAL way. In younger patients who don’t have significant volume loss or upper lip droop, a little lip plump with very lightweight filler does the trick effectively. 0.5 cc to 1 cc can make a big difference. You can achieve such natural looking results without looking overdone. It is key in the overall facial balancing process. As we get older, the area above our top lip loses laxity and can make our top lip droop, making it look thinner and smaller. We also lose volume, which can exacerbate this. Lip filler can help restore shape and volume. Also, supporting the philtrum columns (the two vertical lines between your nose and your top lip) can help pull the lip up for support and add volume without actually adding more filler in the lip. Effectively making you look… Younger. It is a fairly quick procedure, giving you the biggest bang for your buck in terms of your investment in your facial aesthetics. Most fillers last 9 to 12 months, if not more. If you have a high pain tolerance, topical numbing cream can help take the edge off. But if you are quite sensitive to pain, we can do a nerve block as well. Downtime is minimal. So what are you waiting for?
Want a radiant age-defying glow to your skin?
There is a whole field dedicated to the science of aging. Briefly, as we age, we tend to slowly lose the structural integrity of skin leading to decrease is healthy fat pads, thinning of blood vessels, decline in collagen, overall hydration status and much more. These processes directly result in the outward appearance of aging. But, can we support the appearance of aging with external treatments? Absolutely! Here comes Skinvive by Allergan Aesthetics. Skinvive is a hyaluronic acid (which naturally occurs in your body), in microdroplet form. This is injected in the dermal layer of the skin – specifically the cheek and periauricular area where hydration loss can have the greatest effect. This attracts your body’s natural moisture which results in a vibrant, radiant age-defying skin. Also, those pesky fine lines and even the nasolabial folds? Skinvive can reduce the appearance of these as well. On top of it all, it lasts up to 6 months! Skinvive can be a great treatment by itself, or be combined with neurotoxin and traditional HA fillers for an overall full facial rejuvenation. Aging…or should I say anti-aging keeps