Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

I’m fond of saying that plastic surgery is equal parts medicine and imagination, that the best doctors among us possess both technical expertise and uncommon artistic ability. And while that idea is certainly not new, it’s taken on a fresh relevance as surgeons are using injectables in lots of innovative ways to sculpt the human face.

With a syringe of hyaluronic acid filler, we can plump lips, alter the shape of a nose, and carve a new jawline. By understanding how Sculptra can spur collagen growth, we can subtly restore lost volume. And with neurotoxins (like Botox and Jeuveau) and deoxycholic acid (Kybella), we can create negative space and streamline the silhouette.

Subtraction by addition

Nonsurgical rhinoplasty, or the “liquid nose job,” as it’s more widely known, is often held up as the most impressive example of shape-shifting with hyaluronic acid fillers. Augmenting the nose renders it bigger, not smaller. Yet, by creating a highlight down the center and a delicate point at the tip, the nose appears smaller and proportionate.

Lip augmentation is a similar illusion. It’s easy to think that more volume equals plump, pouty lips. But a much more natural-looking result requires a deft hand because it has more to do with subtly changing the structure, building the height of the top and bottom lips with hyaluronic acid filler and perhaps perking up the Cupid’s box with a strategically placed neurotoxin.

Each of these changes can be measured in millimeters. But take in the whole picture and you’ll see that the difference is in the details.

Subtle rarely means simple

Increasingly, certain fillers are also being used as a framework for the face. As we age, we lose fat in some prominent places. To help restore those contours, filler is placed more deeply under the skin, often right up against the bone. The technique has the effect of restoring the foundation without leaving the face looking overstuffed.

With experience, surgeons can now also enhance the highly individual variations of the face, judiciously placing robust hyaluronic acid gels or longer-lasting Radiesse at key points. By redefining angles and contours, rather than erasing them, as once was standard, the change is subtle, but undeniable.

Subtle is a term that features prominently in plastic surgery consultations these days. Few among us are looking for wholesale changes. We simply want to look like the best version of ourselves. But from a surgeon’s perspective, the smaller the alteration, the greater the degree of difficulty. Which is to say that we’ve arrived at this point not by chance but by evolution.

If the waiting room at your plastic surgeon’s office seemed especially busy last month, that wasn’t your imagination. The first week in January—and, really, the entire month—is thought to be the busiest time of the year for cosmetic treatments, according to a new article in Allure magazine.

There’s no overstating the strength of the January “makeover” mentality. Whether you’re hitting the gym on a more regular basis or addressing deepening fine lines, declaring it in the form of a New Year’s resolution makes it go down a little easier.

But practical reasons also played a role in the bump, the article says. “December often means travel, kids home from school, and encounters with friends and family you haven’t seen all year, or in other words, not the ideal time to book an appointment” with your plastic surgeon. With several weeks of winter still in front of us, now is also an ideal time for many to schedule procedures that tend to be more extensive and require lengthier recovery times.

If you’re interested in getting in on the action—no resolution required—these are some of the procedures that are in the most demand at the moment, according to Allure.

Peels, lasers, and facials

Chemical peels and most laser-resurfacing procedures require that patients stay out of the sun for a week or two after the treatment. That’s a lot to ask in the spring in summer. In the dead of winter, not so much. Each treatment, in its own way, treats fine lines, reduces the appearance of pores, enhances firmness and elasticity, and improves skin tone and texture.

Injectables

Anymore, there’s no time of year that isn’t a good fit for Botox or a filler, but they’re an especially safe play when the forecast looks like 50 shades of gray. Sure, the “New Year, New You” pressure is undeniable. But, at the end of the day, this is about doing something good for yourself. And if that something is able to remedy a long-running concern in a half-hour or less, all the better.

Body contouring

Not everyone starts working out in January, even though it may seem that way. If you’ve been faithfully exercising all the while but just haven’t seen the progress you expected, now may be the time to finally consider aggressive, alternative ways of combatting those stubborn fat pockets. CoolSculpting is an FDA-approved body-contouring treatment that freezes and kills fat cells in targeted areas, like the thighs, upper arms, and lower back. These cosmetic treatments take under an hour, and there’s no downtime.