Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

A survey conducted not too long ago by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery found that two-thirds of those polled were self-conscious about their double chins.

The technical name for it is submental fullness. The causes vary. In some, it’s just something they’re born with, passed down through genetics. In others, it can appear later in life, as a result of aging or weight gain. Either way, the double chin is one of those conditions that never really goes away, no matter how much you diet or exercise.

For a long time, the only available treatment for a double chin was liposuction, which struck many as fairly invasive considering the size and location of the area of concern. But a new option entered the picture a few years ago, and it’s completely revolutionized the experience.

When Kybella is injected into the fat beneath the chin, it destroys the fat cells, which results in a significant reduction in the fullness under the chin. It’s fast, it’s noninvasive, it’s permanent, and there’s little to no downtime.

Approved by the FDA in 2015, Kybella uses a synthetic form of deoxycholic acid, which aids fat digestion. When Kybella’s injected into subcutaneous fat, the acid breaks down fat in the targeted locations.

In more than 20 clinical studies involving over 1,600 patients treated with Kybella, nearly 70 percent reported physical and emotional improvement.

Kybella’s effectiveness in treating other small pockets of fat, beyond the double chin, is being investigated. Studies involving the upper knees and the roll of fat that can be present under the bra line or between the bra and armpit are underway.

What’s the procedure like?

You’ll receive a series of injections over about 15 to 20 minutes. How many injections you’ll receive and treatments you’ll need will depend on the amount of fat under your chin and your aesthetic goals. In the studies, 59 percent of patients underwent six treatments. Each treatment is given at least a month apart, but there are patient’s that love the results after one treatment for a double chin.

Is there any downtime?

There can be some minor swelling, numbness around the treated area following the injections, but it’s usually short-lived and nothing that would prevent you from, say, returning to work following a treatment or running some errands.

Your double chin will improve gradually over the next few weeks as the dissolved fat is cleared naturally. And within a few months, maybe even less, it’ll be as though it never existed.

No two scars are alike, yet they all share something in common: Every scar feels like it’s overstayed its welcome.

How do you get rid of them, then? To answer that, I need to explain first what a scar is, exactly.

Scars are evaluated by their size, location, and texture. Scar tissue is made of collagen, a tough, fibrous protein. When the tissue forms, it can appear red and raised and feel hard, but with time, it usually fades, flattens, and softens.

Almost every kind of cut results in a scar, but we don’t all form scars the same way. A keloid, for example, occurs when the skin creates an excessive amount of collagen while it heals and the scar tissue grows beyond the boundaries of the original wound, creating a puffy, round protrusion.

It’s thought that genetics may play some role in keloids, but it’s still not understood why some form them and others don’t.

Stretch marks are their own kind of scar. We know what they form: as a result of the skin expanding quickly during pregnancy, weight gain, and growth spurts. They also sometimes crop up when a wound’s near an elbow or a knee.

Now that we have an idea of what a scar is, let’s get into how we can treat them.

Beneath the surface

At first glance, it looks like there’s no shortage of remedies for stretch marks. But here’s the thing: A recent meta-analysis (a study of a bunch of studies) found that over-the-counter topical skincare products are ineffective at preventing and reducing stretch marks.

But, really, that’s only confirming what we’ve long suspected. Stretch marks occur deep in the dermal layer of the skin, so moisturizers and oils were never going to have an impact.

The good news: retinol sprays and creams, which contain 0.1 percent tretinoin, better known by its brand name, Retin-A, do penetrate the upper layer of the skin and rebuilds collagen. They’re available only by prescription, and not everyone seems to benefit to the same degree, but those who’ve responded the best have had new stretch marks. So, if you’re considering it, seek treatment sooner rather than later.

Sculptra Aesthetic, a dermal filler, works in a similar way, gradually rebuilding collagen at the dermal layer of the skin. It’s made from a biocompatible, biodegradable, synthetic material called poly-L-lactic-acid, which is gradually and naturally absorbed by the body during a series of treatments.

A one-two punch

One of the most effective treatments for keloids is Botox used in combination with laser therapy.

The Botox temporarily halts the excess collagen production. But in doing so, it can cause the skin or surrounding fat to atrophy, which leads to indentations around the site of the injection. So, a laser’s used to create channels in the skin, which will allow the Botox to penetrate the skin evenly.

The laser also reorganizes the collagen fibers, which helps to smooth and flatten the keloid.