COSMETIC MEDICINE AND PLASTIC SURGERY TRENDS Dr. Lawrence ...

COSMETIC MEDICINE AND PLASTIC SURGERY TRENDS

What's the latest in cosmetic medicine and plastic surgery, as people seek ways to look a little younger as they get older?

Dr. Lawrence S. Reed, a York board-certified plastic surgeon, discussed what he's been seeing on The Early Show on Thursday, May 14, 2009. He practices in New York City.

The segment featured before-and-after photos of several of the procedures he talked about.

When it comes to aging is there certain parts of the body that shows age more than others?

Well, there probably is. The most visible areas are the face and the hands.

What age can patients begin to correct the aging process?

You can't do anything to prevent the aging process. It's genetics. If you have great genes you can do everything and still look good. There are two things areas we get involved with which are cosmetics. One is cosmetic medicine, a fusion of cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists, nutritionists and certain homeopathic work. Cosmetic medicine begins where makeup ends and surgery begins. Plastic surgeons are not the creators of beauty ideals we respond to the needs of patients' desires. Because women are busier they want less work that gives them a greater down time. They need to get back to work quicker and look refreshed but no one knows what happens. These procedures are called non or minimally invasive.

The face is the most visible part of you, and the part that shows your age first. WHAT ARE SIGNS OF AGING ON THE FACE? When people come in now they complain about sagging look in the mid face with loss of volume. From eyes to jawbone. They say I look tired. That's what they first come in for. Looseness of the skin they didn't have before. Jaw line is included in the mid face.

Next comes the Neck: In earlier days, they came in when the neck started going, but now they come in younger and earlier. The bad economy is making people more competitive for jobs with an emphasis on youth. Who does everyone see on TV?? The youngest, prettiest people. Men only come in for the neck, not the midface.

Eyes are one of the first features to go. Bags occur from 20's on. Eyes are a big sign of aging. Not as meaningful now. But, eyelids were number one of all facial cosmetic surgery across all age groups last year.

In 2008, the top 5 non-surgical procedures included the following, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: BOTOX LASER HAIR REMOVAL INJECTIONS (JUVERDERM, RESTYLYANE AND RADIESSE) CHEMICAL PEELS LASER SKIN RESURFACING

When it comes to minimally evasive procedures for the face the latest and most effective right now LASER SKIN RESURFACING : Facial resurfacing with the carbon dioxide laser. Another major part of the aging process is changes in the skin with wrinkles, discolorations, pigment chances etc. The CO2 laser will give the skin a youthful appearance with a nice glow and coloration. To do a full face will cost about $2,000- $5,000. You use the laser for the full face, the neck and the decotalage. The procedure takes about 45 minutes to do in the doctor's office under local sedation. Recovery takes 3-9 days. It's taking the wrinkles out of the face. The pros are it is

the most effective way to rejuvenate the skin with good results. Negative thing, is there is a risk of pigment change and there is a risk of scaring.

A more invasive surgery is a facelift, which is done with local anthesthesia, known as a M.A.C lift. What is M.A.C.?

MAC's Lift. (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension) limited incision, minimally invasive face lift. Takes about one hour under local anesthesia or in cases, light sedation. Out patient procedure. Limited bruising and early return to activity. For mid face aging ( patients between mid 30's to early 50's in most cases) with improvement of early aging of the neck. Some people love the term "lunch time" facelift. The "lunch time" face lift although this term is mostly hype and not very realistic. I am not a proponent of the term because it sounds demeaning. Surgery is surgery. There is bruising and dressing. And the term sounds frivolous and you should not take it casually. But if there was a lunch time face lift MAC would be it. Very popular and well received procedure. Cost: eight to ten thousand. The pros' it is focused on the mid face with neck benefits and local anesthesia Negatives are that it is not good for a hanging neck.

What procedure is most appealing to men?

The neck. Men are not as brave and courageous as women. They are fearful of surgery. They don't want to touch their face.

Neck-only procedures are very much desired by men. Does not address face which many men don't care about? Very limited incisions. 3 incisions around the ear. No skin is removed and it is retracted up. None visible. Can correct even the most difficult neck through three tiny incisions. Never have an "operated look" Out patient, light sedation, some bruising and need at least 5 to 7 days to look good enough to go to work. Cost seven to ten thousand. Pros' are it's invasive and directs itself to the neck. The disadvantage is that you get no benefit in the face.

Another popular surgery is on the eyelids, where they remove fat from the eyelids. But doctors are choosing to leave some of the fat in. Why?

Eyelid Surgery has made great advances in approaches to the eye which creates a more youthful looking appearance by preserving volume and preserving the inherently beautiful shape of the eyelids and avoiding the "operated look", by moving the fat around and leaving it in the eyes. It's an out-patient procedure with a fast recovery and minimal down time. Cost. Five to eight thousand.

And the #1 choice of non surgical procedures FILLERS, such as Botox, restylane and patients using their own fat. What parts of the face can you get fillers?

Contouring Volume restoration. A big part of aging process is loss of youthful facial volume and contour. Corrected by a variety of injectable's including patients own fat, Restylane, Juviderm, Radiesse etc. This is not to make the face puffy or abnormally full. I call it biological spackling. It just restores areas of volume loss and stigmata of aging. Important aspect of the rejuvenation process. Out patient. From $800 to several thousands. Can be used on lips, lines, hollowness of cheek area, nose, under the eyes. Have it done every 6 months to a year. In office procedure. You can have swelling or bumps after the procedure.

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