All about BOTOX® Cosmetic
The Good, the Bad, and the Filler
BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure in the United States. The popularity of BOTOX® results from its effectiveness and its relatively low cost. For $500, a patient can make a significant impact on the way her face looks. Although the effects of this procedure last only 3 to 6 months, it's still very popular because BOTOX® really works.
For many of my patients in Pasadena, BOTOX® Cosmetic is an essential part of their beauty regimen. It relaxes critical wrinkle muscles of the brow and "crow's feet," and can produce a slight brow lift effect if injected properly. With skillful use, natural relief of aging signs occurs. It's not a wrinkle filler, like Radiesse® or JUVÉDERM® Injectable Gel - a common misconception. These materials also help wrinkles, but in a different way.
While a skilled professional can achieve great results with BOTOX®, improper use of BOTOX® may result in undesirable effects on the forehead, such as drooping brows and eyelids. In any metropolitan area, there are at least 20 day-spas offering BOTOX®. The reality is most are staffed with just registered nurses or, in some cases, unlicensed practitioners. In California, BOTOX® can only legally be injected by a registered nurse (under physician supervision), a physician assistant, or a physician. Although a medical license doesn't guarantee expertise, it is a minimum requirement when selecting a practitioner.
Skilled physicians may use BOTOX® Cosmetic for the wrinkles underneath the eye as well as the wrinkles around the mouth and possibly even to turn up the corners of the mouth. At our office in Pasadena, BOTOX® is now injected through a new, tinier needle that patients can hardly feel. To learn more, contact us online or call 800-804-5476.
All about Eyelid Surgery in Los Angeles
When BOTOX® Isn't Quite Enough
Many patients who choose BOTOX® want more. The most complimentary procedure is often eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty. These patients often find that the BOTOX® works better after their blepharoplasty.
When I perform upper eyelid surgery in Los Angeles, a small fish-shaped bit of skin is removed and sometimes some excess fat. The stitches are concealed in the crease of the upper lid, and any scars can generally be well hidden with makeup. This surgery is designed to tighten, lift, and open the eye in a pleasing way.
If the lower lids have excess fat, this can also be removed. The best, safest way is through the inside of the lower lid, ideally using a laser. If a scalpel is used instead, results may be satisfactory but more bruising may result. Wrinkling of the skin of the lids may be improved with the resurfacing laser. A small strip of skin of the lower lid may also be removed to improve these wrinkles, but this is less reliable than the laser and may cause complications.
Recovery Periods
BOTOX® generally has no "downtime," and the new, smaller needle rarely causes any bruising. Blepharoplasty, on the other hand, is a minor surgical procedure and recovery ranges from a few days to a week or rarely more. Ice can be very helpful and is used intermittently for 24 hours or more.
In conclusion, BOTOX® is a fantastic cosmetic treatment, but for longer-lasting skin smoothing and rejuvenation, the next step is often eyelid surgery. Los Angeles women who do not feel that BOTOX® is alleviating the wrinkles or sagging around their eyes might consider asking their cosmetic surgeon about blepharoplasty. Often the two will produce a wonderful, long lasting and complimentary result.
Click here to request a consultation to discuss your options, or call Dr. Yoho's office nearest you at 800-804-5476 to schedule an appointment. Before your visit, be sure to view before and after photos of eyelid surgery results.
Liposuction Fact and Fiction
The Skinny on this Popular Procedure
If you are thinking about liposuction, we are sure you have heard about recent fads and advertising trends of liposuction. For the most part, this advertising is filled with buzzwords and procedures of questionable merit. It you are looking to liposuction for a painless and effortless "quick fix" to make you skinny, you are making a mistake. Here are the facts:
- Injection therapy works just a little bit. It causes scarring in the fat that makes future true liposuction more difficult and unpredictable. It's universally accompanied by starvation-type diet advice. If you do the diet, it really works.
- None of the laser or ultrasonic liposuction gimmicks will help an experienced surgeon achieve better results. Most of these procedures have very low limits on the amount of fat that is usually removed. Skin burns and areas of skin death are more likely with the more aggressive of these techniques.
- Lipo can remove significant weight but is primarily a shaping procedure. You must have long-term healthy habits if you really want to look your best and keep the fat off.
- "Lunchtime" lipo: there is a relationship between your recovery and the result. If you go back to work the afternoon after your lipo procedure you aren't going to get much of a result.
- You need small incisions to perform any liposuction and it's impossible to have any sort of liposuction procedure without creating scars. These blend and can be treated after the procedure, but sometimes take many months to fade.
The bottom line is if you don't remove much fat you don't get much of a result. We do work with overweight patients and remove large volumes of fat but realistically counsel them about their situation, including a longer recovery period. We have performed thousands of cases using modern liposuction techniques for over 15 years in Los Angeles and we know what it takes to achieve fantastic results.
