When my patients tell me they’re interested in facelift surgery at my Denver area practice, they often envision a procedure in which their entire face is “lifted.” In reality, facelift surgery is designed to restore the lower two-thirds of your face and neck – primarily the jawline and mid-face.

Some common problems corrected by facelift surgery are:

• Jowls (poor muscle tone around the jawline)
• Naso-labial folds (creases that extend from the outer mouth to the nose)
• Wrinkles under the lower eyelids
• Sagging in the mid-face

In order to reduce wrinkles in the forehead or around the eyes, I perform a brow lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) at my Denver area practice. However, some facelift patients who are not ready to undergo an additional surgical procedure can correct the look of lines in these areas with non-surgical injections such as BOTOX® Cosmetic or dermal fillers. These treatments can soften wrinkles for several months, and they require little or no downtime.

Eyelid surgery in Houston may not be the best choice for patients who don’t have the time or the desire to undergo surgery. As an alternative, I offer a simple, 30-minute procedure called OcuRx™ to reverse signs of aging and add volume to the cheeks and lower eyelids. This simple treatment uses the hyaluronic acid filler Restylane® to fill in the under-eye area and restore smooth, supple skin.

Who It’s For

OcuRx is specifically designed to improve the area between the lower eyelids and the apples of your cheeks. Individuals with hollowing under the eyes, dark circles or a deep ridge between the lower eyelid and the cheek can usually benefit from treatment. OcuRx will not improve the upper eyelids or remove excess fat in the lower lids.

How It’s Done

The OcuRx procedure is very straightforward. Most patients are given a local anesthetic, so they feel no discomfort during the session. A topical numbing ointment is applied to the lower eyelids, and Restylane is administered in the appropriate locations. The filler is sculpted and shaped to create an even transition from the under-eye to the cheek.

Results

After OcuRx, most people look instantly refreshed and their complexions look smoother. Under-eye hollowness is plumped up from within, creating a more youthful fullness. Dark circles are diminished, and fine lines are improved. Results typically last between 8 and 9 months.

It’s a common goal most of us share: to look young, regardless of our age. Many patients come to my office interested in facial rejuvenation procedures, such as eyelid surgery in Denver. While eyelid surgery can remove excess skin and fat of the eyelids, many of my patients also experience revitalizing benefits from a brow lift procedure.

Depending on your needs, you may be a candidate for either a mini or endoscopic brow lift. Understanding the difference can help you determine which might be right for achieving your aesthetic goals.

Mini Brow Lift

A mini brow lift is usually appropriate for those who desire a more youthful, refreshed look.   They may experience some laxity in the skin of this area, and some wrinkles and fine lines. To perform a mini brow lift, your surgeon will create incisions along the hairline of the brows. Then the skin is lifted and any excess skin is removed.  

Endoscopic Brow Lift

An endoscopic brow lift is perform by making  several incisions behind the hairline and a special scope and instruments are used to elevate the forehead off the bone. Then the brows are repositioned and fixed at a higher level using small screws.  At the Center for Cosmetic Surgery, we prefer the mini-brow lift over endoscopic for several reasons: better longevity, less obvious scars, superior direction of lift to avoid a surprised look, and less discomfort to the patient.

Recovery from either procedure depends on the patient, but in general, mini brow lift patients recover faster than those who have chosen an endoscopic brow lift, because it is not as invasive. If you are curious about brow lift surgery and how the procedure can help improve your facial appearance, talk to a qualified surgeon and see if you are a candidate for either procedure.

Have you ever heard the term blepharoplasty used by Denver women and men? You may or may not be familiar with what this term means, and what the procedure can do to improve your overall appearance. Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, is a surgical procedure frequently performed in our office.  This procedure is designed to enhance and rejuvenate the eye area by removing excess skin and fat, as well as tightening the underlying muscles.

When performing blepharoplasty, your surgeon will either address your upper eyelid area, lower eyelid area, or, in some cases, both regions. Having excess fat and skin in the upper eyelid area can contribute to a tired or even angry appearance. In addition, some patients say that excess “hooding” of the eye area causes their vision to become obstructed. Once these concerns are corrected, many patients appear more youthful and vibrant, while those who experience “hooding” may have improved vision.

If you have bags underneath the eyes that lead to a tired appearance, lower blepharoplasty may help. Your surgeon will create an incision and remove any excess skin and fat. Then, the underlying muscles are tightened, resulting in an alert and refreshed eye appearance.

In general, blepharoplasty is a satisfying procedure because recovery is normally very smooth and scarring is concealed within the lash line.

What are your thoughts? Have you heard about blepharoplasty before?

Eyelid surgery, also called eyelid lift or blepharoplasty, involves removing excess skin and fat around the eyes to rejuvenate your appearance or even improve your ability to see. While eyelid surgery may seem like a minor procedure, for many, it can be life-changing. This is because eyelid surgery in Denver carries with it two major goals—functional and cosmetic enhancement – which both can lead to dramatic improvements in people’s appearance and their psychological perception of themselves.

Functional blepharoplasty is usually performed to treat sagging skin above the eyes that has become so severe it is inhibiting a person’s vision. Either by weighing down the eyelids and making it difficult for some to open their eyes or by hanging over the eyelid and obstructing their vision, excess or sagging skin above the eyes can become a serious medical problem. Removing this skin can not only improve a person’s vision, but can help them feel more confident about their appearance.

But what about cosmetic blepharoplasty? It may not seem like cosmetic enhancement can be life-changing, but for many of my patients, it can be. People who typically come in for eyelid surgery are those who suffer from excess skin or puffiness above the eye, people who have dark hollows under their eyes, or those who have heavy “bags” below their eyes. These concerns are usually difficult to treat without eyelid surgery, with the exception of perhaps under-eye hollows, which can be treated with dermal fillers, such as JUVÉDERM® or Restylane®. For many, their eyes look consistently tired no matter what they do, which can become disheartening, make them look prematurely older, and have a negative effect on others’ perceptions of them. Correcting the eyes with either lower-lid or upper-lid blepharoplasty (or both) can restore eyelid contour and restore a person’s youthful vision of themselves.

BOTOX® Cosmetic for Denver area patients is one of the most popular procedures and is even more popular today than it has been in the past. Most commonly, it is used to treat frown lines between the brows and crow’s feet around the eyes, but BOTOX can be used to treat a number of cosmetic as well as medical conditions. When performed correctly by a trained physician for cosmetic enhancement, the wrinkle-diminishing results of BOTOX Cosmetic can look very natural. However, BOTOX Cosmetic injections aren’t for everyone. Here are some things you should consider about BOTOX:

Where are your wrinkles?

BOTOX Cosmetic is meant to treat wrinkles between the brows, around the eyes and areas around the mouth, but cannot treat every type of wrinkle. BOTOX only treats wrinkles that are caused by frequent muscle contractions, or “dynamic wrinkles.” Other wrinkles, which mainly result from lax skin, can only be treated by adding volume to the skin, tightening the skin or lifting it, as with facelift in Denver.

How healthy is your skin?

BOTOX Cosmetic should only be used for people with fairly elastic skin, meaning their forehead skin still maintains some of its youthful tautness. If you have too much sagging skin on your forehead, BOTOX Cosmetic may not adequately treat the problem. In many cases, patients who think they may need BOTOX may actually need a brow lift or eyelid surgery in Denver. However, some patients choose to enhance or touch-up their brow lift surgery with BOTOX Cosmetic down the road. Your surgeon can help you decide which procedure is correct for you.

Do you have any medical conditions?

If you have any of the following medical conditions, you may not be an ideal candidate for BOTOX Cosmetic:

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You have certain neurological conditions
• You take heart medication or antibiotics
• You skin is infected at the injection site

The best way to find out if you are a good candidate for BOTOX is to speak with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon about your options, your medical history, and your goals for cosmetic enhancement.

Eyelid surgery in Dallas often is thought to be a procedure for older people. However, concerns such as under-eye puffiness or eyelid sagging can affect men and women of any age. Factors such as genetics, sun exposure, diet, and lifestyle choices all influence the skin’s appearance. At my practice, I evaluate the need for surgery on a case-by-case basis. After a proper physical assessment and thorough discussion of your individual goals, I may recommend eyelid surgery to address the following:

• Sagging skin around the eyelids
• Wrinkles beneath the eyes
• Under eye puffiness
• Heavy, drooping upper eyelids
• A fatigued or tired appearance

Surgical Alternatives

Some individuals who are not yet ready to undergo surgery may benefit from injectable treatments such as BOTOX® Cosmetic. These treatments are usually suitable for men and women who have mild to moderate signs of aging. Injectable treatments are minimally-invasive and provide temporary enhancements with little to no downtime.

People often assume that eyelid surgery in Boston always involves correction of both the upper and lower eyelids. In reality, upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery are distinct procedures that are chosen for different reasons. If you are thinking about improving the appearance of your eyes, the following list of concerns may be helpful in determining which procedure is best for you.

Concerns

• Under eye puffiness: Individuals who are worried about the appearance of “bags” under their eyes can benefit from lower blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery). This creates a more rested look by removing excess fat deposits below the lid.
• Under eye hollowness: Lower eyelid surgery can include the repositioning of fat pads to add volume to depressed or sunken under eye hollows.
• Lines and wrinkles: Lower blepharoplasty can reduce the appearance of “crow’s feet” or lines around the eyes by removing excess skin and smoothing the lower eyelid.
• “Opening up” the eye: Individuals who suffer from eye “hooding” or a droopy upper eyelid may benefit from upper eyelid surgery. This removes excess skin and fatty tissue and can even improve impaired vision caused by eyelid sagging.
• Creating definition: Upper blepharoplasty can create a more defined eye contour and restore a more youthful eye shape.
• Total rejuvenation: For complete anti-aging benefits, upper and lower eyelid surgery may be combined to address a full range of concerns and refresh the look of the entire eye.

Recently, I’ve noticed a surge in plastic surgery procedures such as blepharoplasty at my Houston area practice. This increase has become a trend across the United States. As the economy is recovering, more women and men are becoming interested in plastic surgery procedures.

While cosmetic surgery tends to be more popular with women, more men are seeking treatments to appear rejuvenated or younger. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, blepharoplasty was among the top 5 most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in 2010, which saw a 3 percent increase since 2009.

Additionally, body and facial procedures such as rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominoplasty made up the rest of the top 5 procedures of the past year.

Many women and men turn to eyelid surgery in Houston when they are unhappy with their facial appearance. A growing number of individuals, however, are seeking non-surgical ways to address the same areas of concern that eyelid surgery or other facial rejuvenation might address. Among those minimally invasive procedures are solutions such as BOTOX® Cosmetic and injectable fillers.

BOTOX has become one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures, due to its ability to provide a natural, younger appearance. It takes just minutes to perform, and patients can return to their normal activities immediately following the procedure.

Injectable fillers are also becoming increasingly popular, as they fill in fine lines and wrinkles. Injectable fillers, like BOTOX, are quick to perform and require little to no downtime. While all of these non-surgical methods are effective, it is important to remember that they will not deliver the same results as eyelid surgery or other surgical facial rejuvenation.