Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

Juvéderm Voluma XC, a popular pick among plastic surgeons looking to add volume and contour to their patients’ cheek area, is now FDA-approved for the chin, too. The hyaluronic acid-based filler, one of several under Allergan’s umbrella of Juvéderm injectables, is the first and only filler of its kind to receive FDA approval for chin augmentation.

“When assessing facial anatomy, the chin is a critical component to facial balance, yet it is often overlooked. Due to its distinct gel properties and product profile, Juvéderm Voluma XC is uniquely suitable to address this need,” Carrie Strom, president of Global Allergan Aesthetics, said in a statement.

While the FDA’s approval is newsworthy, many plastic surgeons have already been using Juvéderm Voluma XC off-label in the chin area for patients who want to try out a chin implant without committing to one. In many cases, the patients are so satisfied with the results that they opt to continue getting injections of the filler and forego the implant.

Patients are attracted to the ease of the filler. In less than a half-hour, they can see themselves with a new chin, with minimal pain and bruising and virtually no downtime. An implant, by contrast, typically entails a week of downtime. And it can take several weeks for the swelling to fully subside.

That said, Juvéderm Voluma XC should only be considered for relatively subtle chin enhancements. Someone who’s seeking a little more definition or structure is a great candidate.

In conjunction with a rhinoplasty (nose job), both surgical and nonsurgical, chin augmentation with Juvéderm Voluma XC is an effective means of balancing a facial profile. For those who have large noses on profile, adding a little volume to the chin can make the nose appear smaller by comparison. Similarly, the procedure can also help diminish the appearance of jowls.

When used in the cheek area, Juvéderm Voluma XC has been shown to last up to two years. In Allergan’s own study of the filler as a chin augmenter, the majority of participants reported “high satisfaction” with their results up to a year later.

Learn some lesser-known truths about Liposuction. As fast as noninvasive body contouring is growing, liposuction continues to be even more popular. In 2018, liposuction was the second-most performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States, behind only breast augmentations. The number of liposuction cases had also grown five percent from the previous year.

For all the noninvasive body contouring options that are now available, not to mention a host of others that are on the horizon, none can deliver the dramatic results—not in a single session, at least—that liposuction can. And with techniques constantly improving, you may not necessarily need general anesthesia for liposuction, which is another big incentive.  For example, in our office we can perform FLASH – fat liposuction away same hour – a unique liposuction technique that can be done on your lunch hour with local anesthesia.  We talk the entire time!

But if you’re considering liposuction, none of the above is likely news to you. A quick Google search will tell you as much. What I’d like to discuss here are a few aspects of liposuction that aren’t as well-known, and we make sure our patients know.

Liposuction is not a weight-loss tool

Perhaps the biggest misconception is that it aids weight loss, which is understandable. After all, fat is being suctioned out through a small incision. Basic math, right? Not quite. Body contouring is different from weight loss. The best candidates for the surgery are those who are close to their target weight but who are having trouble with a particular area or two, like their abdomen or love handles.  You may lose some weight from having liposuction, but the change is generally minimal.

Liposuction won’t trigger an adverse reaction from your remaining fat cells

Somewhere along the way, the myth developed that liposuction triggers an adverse reaction from the body’s remaining fat cells. Namely, they’ll either spawn new fat cells or the cells in the treated area will wander the body and eventually regroup elsewhere. Neither is true. The number of fat cells in our system is set. So, once they’re gone from a specific spot, they’re gone for good. But our fat cells can fluctuate in size, which is why eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly are critical to maintaining your results following liposuction.

Liposuction won’t cause sagging skin

Developing loose skin around the treated area is another common concern about liposuction. If your skin is firm and smooth before the procedure, it’ll be that way after it, too. The collagen and elastin in our skin enable a certain amount of contraction and tightening of the skin. And even if you have some mild sagging beforehand, there are a number of skin-tightening treatments we have available, specifically where we use combination treatments with radiofrequency and liposuction. Any one of them can be employed once you’ve recovered from your surgery.

Liposuction yields great results—just not right away

Liposuction is capable of some fairly dramatic final results – and you may see some immediate results – but your procedure is always followed by swelling, which can minimize the effect of the surgery initially. The swelling will subside over the first couple of weeks after your surgery, your final contoured appearance is normally achieved three to six months after your procedure.  The recovery, though, always goes quicker than you think it will—as long as you enter into it with some patience.

If you wish to learn more truths about liposuction, please do not hesitate to contact Davis CPS — we are here to answer your questions.