April 2011

» April 2011

What is Restylane used for and how long-lasting are the results?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Restylane on April 30th

Question: What is Restylane used for and how long-lasting are the results?

Answer: Restylane is one of the hyaluronic acids and can be used in many ways as a filler. Here in the Rejuva Center, we mainly use Restylane for the tear trough where it lasts at least one year and sometimes longer. We also use it in earlobes. We have found that in other areas Juvederm is more appropriate, longer lasting and more natural looking.

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How long do effects of the injections last?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Botox on April 30th

Question: I am a 37 year-old female who would like to try Botox for my crow’s feet and smile lines. I am curious as to what if any risks there are. Also, typically how long do effects of the injections last?

Answer: Botox is a safe treatment modality and has been used since the 1980s with great results. There is always the risk of bruising but this is minimal. Depending on the strength of your muscles, the effects of Botox can last from 2½ months to 4 months on average after the first treatment. As the muscles involve relax over time, this can lengthen and typically patients require less Botox over subsequent treatments.

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When would I be able to return to work?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Laser Skin Resurfacing on April 29th

Question: In my line of work I spend a lot of time in the sun. If I were to have a laser treatment, when would I be able to return to work?

Answer: Lasers could predispose you to pigmentation if you spend time in the sun. I would recommend 30 days without sun and the use of a good sunblock, at least SPF 30 prior to sun exposure

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What are my options for getting rid of these?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Laser Skin Resurfacing on April 29th

Question: I have some really unsightly spider veins and broken capillaries on my face. What are my options for getting rid of these?

Answer: The Candela vascular laser is the gold standard for treating spider veins, broken capillaries and rosacea. This laser delivers an intense but gentle burst of light into the target areas that is absorbed by the blood vessels obliterating them.

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I would like to improve a few things about my face

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Facelift on April 28th

Question: I’m in my late 30s and would like to improve a few things about my face. I think I’m relatively young to be considering a facelift. The aging signs I have are bothersome to me but not exactly extreme. I know I have other options like injectables, but I’d like to know if there are any benefits to getting a facelift and addressing these issues at an earlier age.

Answer: You are right that it is typically a bit early to consider having a surgical procedure or a facelift for someone in their late 30s. The first signs of aging typically has to do with deflation of volume loss and there are many soft tissue fillers, including injectables such as Botox, that may help someone in their late 30s look more rested and a little less tired or angry. Naturally a detailed consultation with an experience facial plastic surgeon would give you much more insight into this but in general we encourage patients to pace themselves and not consider a surgical approach until it is necessary.

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What is a mini face lift?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Weekend Lift on April 28th

Question: What is a mini face lift?

Answer: A mini-facelift is essentially a lift that can be referred to as an S-lift, short flap-lift, or in our practice we refer to this as a weekend lift. As you hold your hand along the jawline and gently pull back addressing the jowls, this is what is typically accomplished by this. It is performed as an outpatient under local anesthesia and typically takes about 1.5 – 2 hours to do. A patient is usually in pretty good shape in two-three days and many patients return to work in one week.

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What are the risks of this procedure?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Blepharoplasty on April 28th

Question: I have severe dry eye and have been told that having an eyelid lift might not be safe for me. What are the risks of this procedure for someone with my condition?

Answer: The short answer is that there is no standard operation or blepharoplasty for every patient. Some patients have more puffiness and fatty tissue and some have extra skin. Some patients need to have their eyelids tightened at the same time and in most patients we are now also performing a fat transfer procedure to the upper cheeks as the hollowing of the upper cheeks make this deformity more noticeable. When it is appropriate, we always attempt to place the incision behind the eyelid rather than on the eyelid and this helps considerably in the recovery period. The procedure takes approximately 1.5 hours and is done with a twilight anesthesia.

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Is there anything that can be done to improve it?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Scar Repair on April 28th

Question:

I was bitten by a dog on my cheek when I was a kid. The scar still bothers me and I’m very self-conscious about it. It never healed particularly well and is now thinner but still a raised, very long line that’s whiter than the rest of my skin. Is there anything that can be done to improve it?

Answer:

Typically surgical removal of a scar and repair leaves the patient with a much better and less perceptible scar. The scars are oriented in the lines where the eye expects to see a line or shadow and this allows it to blend it more appropriately. We always inform patients that it will initially look worse before it looks better and providing the patient is willing to go through this process after being evaluated there is generally considerable improvement with a scar revision procedure.

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I’ve been looking into ear surgery for my seven-year-old son

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Otoplasty on April 27th

Question: I’ve been looking into ear surgery for my seven-year-old son. I understand that fixing his ears now could be really good for him, but at the same time the thought of electing surgery for my child is really difficult. What sort of concerns or considerations are there for performing this surgery on children? Also, my son’s ears are generally large and stick out from his head, but would he ever grow into them?

Answer: Ideally the best time to repair protruding ears on a child is before the child enters school. At that time, the ears are approximately 80-90% full size and it does not affect their growth. We feel this is the ideal time before the child starts school and becomes ridiculed. Unfortunately, children are cruel and psychologically this can be fairly devastating during the formative years. Nonetheless, this problem can also be addressed later in life and it is not unusual to see patients in their early adolescent years for surgery.

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Can you explain this a bit more?

Posted by Dr. Edwin Williams in Fat Transfer on April 27th

Question: I heard that for fat transfer procedures, if you retain the stem cells in the fat after removing it, it can then last forever once reinjected. Is this true? Can you explain this a bit more?

Answer: By harvesting the fat cells with a low pressure cannula they can be gently washed and placed through a centrifuge to separate the living or viable cells from the broken cells. They are then gently injected through a small cannula in the areas where fat or volume has been lost in the face. By placing the fat in areas where volume has been lost with time and close to blood supply, we have the best chance for longevity. In our experience we tell patients that there is some loss in the order of approximately 10-50% per year which I feel is consistent with further aging. We refer to this as a semi-permanent re-volumization procedure and we are very enthusiastic about the results we have seen for the past eight years.

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