Naficy Plastic Surgery Blog — cosmetic surgery talk that lets you talk back!

Barbara may seem like your typical patient about to have facial plastic surgery.  In her Bellevue plastic surgeon’s office, dressed in her surgery gown and wearing surgical pen marks on her face instead of make up, she looks like she is about to go in for a face lift.   Well…not quite.  Barbara is among an increasing number of patients being treated non-surgically by Dr. Sam Naficy, a Bellevue facial plastic surgeon, with an Injectable Face Lift, typically performed in under10 minutes.

Naficy’s ‘Injectable Face Lift’ involves use of a customized blend of several different dermal fillers to help soften the lines, wrinkles, and folds.  The procedure is completely pain-free as his patients are typically sedated for the brief session, which often lasts under 10 minutes.  Lengthy recovery periods, scarring, or other drawbacks associated with surgery become non-issues, since there are no incisions.

There has been a paradigm shift in plastic surgery with the realization that aging is more about loss of facial volume than skin laxity.  “It’s like going from a plump, juicy grape to a shriveled, dry raisin,” Naficy analogizes when describing the effects of the facial aging process to his patients.  Many of his clients are in great physical shape, but the low percentage of body fat has taken its toll on their faces.  With his arsenal of dermal fillers, Naficy can “re-fill” a deflated face with results he calls “miraculous.” 

Naficy performs his Injectable Face Lifts using a number of different FDA-approved facial injectables including Restylane, Juvederm (from the makers of Botox), Perlane, Radiesse, Sculptra, ArteFill, and sometime even the patient’s own fat.

After her brief procedure, Barbara sits in a chair holding a mirror and admiring her younger face.  Her once-droopy cheeks are fuller and lifted up, her smile lines are gone, her jowls have softened, and she has fuller lips.  There is no blood, no cuts, and no bandages – she is already putting her make-up on and getting ready to go!

ArteFill is the first injectable filler available in the United States that fulfills the promise of lasting results. ArteFill injections have been used for more than a decade throughout Europe and Canada under the name Artecoll for treatment of nasolabial folds (the deep lines that run from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth). ArteFill has recently received approval from the FDA for treatment of nasolabial folds, and is now available at Naficy Plastic Surgery & Rejuvenation Center. ArteFill is different from other fillers because a component of ArteFill, called the ArteFill microspheres, are not absorbed by the body. These microspheres provide the permanent support needed for long-lasting wrinkle correction.

ArteFill contains 80% purified bovine collagen and 20% ArteFill Precision-Filtered Microspheres (tiny spheres made of PMMA, the same material used for dozens of medical implants over the last 50 years). As the collagen portion of ArteFill goes away with time, the ArteFill PMMA microspheres stimulate collagen production by the skin and finally become encapsulated (fully covered) by the patient’s own collagen fibers which provides the lasting results.

A skin test is required to make sure that you are not allergic to the bovine collagen contained in ArteFill. The skin test involves injection of a small amount of the collagen under the skin of the forearm and a waiting period of about 4-6 weeks to make sure there is no reaction. ArteFill is typically injected in 2 sessions, about 4-6 weeks apart.

AC Nielsen - a global research group - found in a survey that 60% of Americans believe that “60″ is the new middle age. This is due to advances in cosmetic surgery - as well as healthcare advances in general - which are allowing people to look and feel much younger than expected in the past.

Previously, your 60s were considered your golden years. These days, people in their 60s are running marathons, starting new businesses and advancing in their careers. With the help of advances in cosmetic rejuvenation - both surgical and non-surgical - people can now look as young as they feel!

A recent article written by a CBS affiliate in California details potential horror stories and complications sprouting up in connection with medically unsupervised “shopping mall” clinics offering anything from Botox injections to Laser Hair Removal.

It is important to be an informed consumer - and don’t be tricked by expensive decor and fancy marketing materials. Lasers are medical devices and injections should be administered by licensed medical professionals.

Think about it - would you ask your hairdresser to give you a flu shot??

In all cases, a physician should be on-site at all times in order to handle patient questions and potential complications. An off-site, or traveling physician just isn’t the same - leaving most medical spa staff feeling unprepared and unable to properly deal with complications.

For the full story, visit http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_314010023.html

The collagen-building and volume-producing properties of Sculptra have caused the treatment to otherwise become known as the “Liquid Face Lift”. When administered properly, the effects of Sculptra can produce results similar to plastic surgery - all without ever having to go under the knife.

What many people do not know is that Sculptra was initially approved to treat lipoatrophy in HIV-positive patients. When Sculptra’s collagen-producing effects became known through its therapeutic use, it started to be used for cosmetic purposes. The rejuvenating effects of Sculptra can be enjoyed for up to 2 years or more.

In 2005, 1.2 million cosmetic rejuvenation procedures were performed on men - a 44% increase since 2000! As women have known for years, men are just starting to realize the benefits of cosmetic rejuvenation - both personally and professionally. Men are recognizing that things like frown lines, baggy eyelids and droopy jowls are making them appear tired and worn - and giving the perception that they may be less competitive on the job.

A 52-year old male patient informed us that his droopy eyelids and tired look were affecting his co-workers’ perception of his ability to perform his job. Prior to surgery, co-workers would always ask him if he was getting enough sleep the night before. He was starting to realize his co-workers were starting to question his ability to keep up based on his appearance. Following Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), co-workers could not pinpoint what changed about his appearance, but the questions about whether he was getting enough sleep disappeared.

Currently, the most popular procedures among men are:

(1) Botox

(2) Microdermabrasion

(3) Laser Hair Removal

(4) Peels

(5) Rhinoplasty

While undergoing a cosmetic procedure will not magically change your life, a new study shows that it could improve your mood. In addition, if you are on anti-depressant medication, cosmetic surgery might help you stop.

A study presented last week at the 2006 conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows a link between cosmetic surgery and increased self-esteem - leading to an overall increase in quality of life for patients, and consequently freeing many patients from having to take anti-depressant medication.

The study evaluated 362 men and women who were undergoing cosmetic procedures. Prior to surgery, 83% of the patients were taking anti-depressants. Six months following the cosmetic surgery procedure, there was a 31% decline in the number of patients still taking anti-depressant medication. Of those 31% who stopped taking medication, 98% of them cited an increase in self-esteem, as well as a natural enhancement of mood and overall self-esteem as a result of their cosmetic procedure.

Did you know that in 1977 the Federal Trade Commission ruled that physicians specifically trained in plastic surgery were not the only ones who could call themselves “Plastic Surgeons.” Therefore, today we see many OB/GYNs, Dermatologists, Family Doctors and even Dentists calling themselves plastic or cosmetic surgeons - despite the fact that these physicians have not had any formal training or experience in the field of plastic surgery.

When choosing your Plastic Surgeon, you want to be sure that he/she is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon - ensuring that you are actually speaking to a physician with the requisite training and experience to be a true Plastic Surgeon.

Furthermore, there are additional sub-specialties within Plastic Surgery - such as Facial Plastic Surgery. When it comes to something as critical as your face - make sure you are trusting your face to a true specialist!

A recent New York Times article recounts a study that shows Botox has been used to effectively prevent scars on the face. It is well known that movement of facial muscles near a healing wound can make scarring worse. Using Botox prevents those muscles from agitating the healing wound - allowing a healing process less prone to scarring.

The initial study showed positive outcomes on wounds stemming from surgical procedures on the face, as well as to traumatic wounds such as those arising from accidents or dog bites.

While the data is still new, this could be a promising new use for Botox to minimize facial scarring.