Post Care For Your Fillers

December 13th, 2011

Congratulations on having your filler placed! After the procedure, there can be swelling, bruising, lumps and bumps. These gradually decrease over the course of the week and usually improve a lot over the first three days.  We usually suggest manual massage for the first 2 weeks over the areas that are more raised, noticeable or incongruent with the surrounding structures.  If there are still some issues, you should make an appointment at 2 weeks and we can help resolve things for you.  For Restylane, Juvederm, and Perlane, there are enzymes that can be injected to smooth away certain areas.  Also, you can always inject more product to improve the appearance as well.

It is okay to put make-up on after your filler procedure but if you are particularly red it might be better to wait at least 1-2 days.  It is always good to avoid high dose vitamin E, herbal medications, supplements (like fish oil, omega-3’s), anti inflammatories (like naproxen, Aleve, ibuprofen, Indocin, piroxicam, sulindac, ecotrin, Bayer, aspirin, Motrin, Excedrin), and other blood thinners 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your procedure.  We have a list of medications and things not to take before your procedure on our resource page on our website. Avoiding blood thinners will help in preventing increased bleeding during and after your procedure.  Excessive bleeding can create a lot of complications during your recovery and procedure.

Immediately after your procedure you should try your best to ice the areas of injection for 15min every hour.  Icing is best the first 2-3 days. You can use ice but do not directly apply the ice to the skin.  There should always be something in between the ice and your skin so you don’t freeze or damage your skin.  Plastic zip lock bags are great for this purpose. Frozen peas and cucumbers in a zip lock bag are a common recommendation. Commercially prepared icepacks are also very commonly prescribed.

For the first 48 hours it may be prudent to avoid hot showers (use luke warm water), hot and spicy liquids, foods.  Try to keep things cool for the first 48 hours and limit your activity if possible. For the bruising you can alternate between warm and cold compresses but you should consult our Office before doing so.

If you have increased redness, swelling, or tenderness 2-3 days later this could indicate an infection and you should call us immediately at 425-990-3223 and possibly come in to see us.  We will do everything we can to take care of you. We would like you to make a follow up appointment at 6 months for us to assess your progress.  This is also the ideal time point to re-inject more product and get even longer lasting results based on scientific study.  Please contact us anytime via email or calling us. We would like to be of any help during your journey towards facial rejuvenation.

Your Team at Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery

Dry skin got you down?

December 9th, 2011

For many of my clients cold weather, turning on the heat in your car, office or home can really dry out the skin during the winter months.  We all love rosy cheeks, but when it becomes red, cracked or inflamed it can become a real problem.  There are many options to help relieve these symptoms without spending too much or taking up more of the precious minutes we have in the morning.  Start basic; use a creamy cleanser rather than a foamy cleanser.  You can also incorporate serums that contain extra hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Olive Leaf Extract, and Vitamin E without changing your daily moisturizers.  The Pro-Heal Serum Advance from IsClinical is one of my new favorites.  It contains Vitamin A, C, E and Olive leaf extract to help heal, supply antioxidant support and repair inflamed skin. Great for Rosacea, dry/dehydrated, acne, poor elasticity or thin skin.   If you just need an extra boost to your moisturizer, the Hydrating Complex from Skin Medica is lighter, absorbs quicker and will enhance the benefits of your current moisturizer.  And as always, apply SPF 20 or higher every day to help protect your skin from daily environmental stresses.   If your skin is extremely flaky or dry, come in for a microdermabrasion to rejuvenate and revitalize your skin and get camera ready for the holidays!

Healing your body and mind

December 9th, 2011

Once you have the procedure you waited a long time for, it is time to be patient and wait, again, for your body to heal.  Unfortunately, a surgeon’s scalpel is not a magic wand and healing will occur at different rates for different people.  You must allow yourself to heal and be aware it is natural to be impatient for the results and a little anxious because you often look worse before you look better.  Being aware this can happen will help you understand these normal feelings.

 

Sharing your experience with friends and family can help give you a support system during your recovery, but realize they may unintentionally make you question your decision with concerns during your recovery.  While you may think that you are looking pretty rough around the edges, we may tell you that you are healing beautifully.  Trust us.  We will share with you if there is a concern, so if we tell you that everything is healing normally, it is.

 

Your healing will depend on many things such as your general health, your willingness to follow instructions, and your mental attitude toward recovery.  While I can perform the surgery, I cannot “heal” you.  It is up to you to be an active participant in your recovery process to help your body heal the best that it can.  Following all of our instruction is very important, as is working with us to address any complications that may arise.  Even surgeries that are done exactly right can have complications during recovery.  It has to do with the human factor.  We are not machines and every person can react differently and heal differently even when the surgery is done exactly the same.  Every surgeon has unexpected results from time to time.

 

It is important you approach your surgery and especially your recovery with the mindset that we are a team, and you are an integral part of that team.  We must trust each other to be working for a common goal, your successful result.  As the surgeon, I enjoy my work and strive to achieve an ideal result during every surgery for every patient.  I have rigorous standards that my staff must meet in order to be involved in your care.  I am looking forward to working with you to achieve a great result and do not anticipate any post-operative problems.  I will do everything I can to make sure that you are happy with your result.

 

Dr. Philip Young, MD

 

The Best Part of Working Here

November 30th, 2011

There are many great things about being a Facial Plastic Surgery Nurse, but the best part is being able to be with people as they start a new chapter of their life. Imagine not being able to leave your house because of the unnerving self-consciousness of a disfiguring scar on your face… what if every time you looked in the mirror you were reminded of being made fun of, or a horrible accident that had happened or just all around bad feelings… Patient’s that come into our office have similar stories to these and sometimes have struggled with them their entire lives.

Working with Dr. Young at AFPS I have the privilege to be with people through an amazing and life-changing experience. It truly is amazing to talk with a patient after a procedure and find that they have a new take on life because of something we helped them with.  Whether it be a Scar Revision, Rhinoplasty, or the YoungVolumizer, not only are our patient’s transformed on the outside but on the inside as well with more confidence and self-worth and a new take on life. I’m thankful to be able to be there for people and share this life changing experience with them. Hannah, RN

Feeling good on the outside

November 30th, 2011

We all try to live a healthy life. Whether that be through our food and exercise, we also need to take care of our skin and face. There are many damaging obstacles that our face comes in contact with. Sunlight, pollution and our own natural aging process.

Thanks to advances in technology and medical treatments, repairing damaged skin and reversing the noticeable signs of aging has become easier, faster and less painful – and can often be done without surgery. Quite literally, it’s possible to have a treatment today and be back at work tomorrow.

Many aesthetic treatments have proven highly effective in repairing and rejuvenating the skin, including:

  • Botox injections ease wrinkles in the upper third of the face. Effects typically last for 3 to 6 months.
  • Chemical peel removes fine lines and smoothes the skin, especially around the eyes and mouth.
  • New filler injections are used for lip augmentation and to treat wrinkles and skin folds. Effects typically last up to a year.
  •  Laser resurfacing treats sun-damaged skin, scarring, and other facial skin problems. It also works well on stretch marks, especially when treated early.
  • Microdermabrasion erases ultra-fine lines, rejuvenates the complexion, and helps restore healthy skin tone and color.

It is also very important to be on some kind of skin care regimen, including sunscreen of 30SPF. Making a few changes to your daily routine can pay off in healthier, more youthful looking skin. Daily doses of vitamin E (200-400 IU) and vitamin C (500-1000 mg) as both have been shown to stimulate collagen production. Adults aged 40 and above should add a daily calcium supplement of 600-1000 mg. Multi-vitamins containing Evening Primrose oil and green tea extract can also benefit the skin.

Many skin care products now contain vitamins and antioxidants. Products with vitamin C can help against fine lines and wrinkles, stabilize collagen and help sunburned skin. Vitamin C also works to lighten darker skin pigment by decreasing melanin. Vitamin A can also help fight wrinkles and brown spots, a common problem after pregnancy for Asian women.

Before choosing your skin care products, it’s important to know your skin type. Those with dry skin should add moisturizer every day, while oily skin needs regular cleansing, with moisturizer applied only sparingly. Those with sensitive skin should avoid perfumed products and herbal extracts, as these can irritate the skin. If you’re unsure about your skintype, feel free to schedule a complimentary consultation with our Aesthetician Tanya.

The YoungVolumizer and its future in facial rejuvenation

November 29th, 2011

This blog is to discuss why we think the YoungVolumizer will play a huge part in facial rejuvenation in the future. Here is an example of a patient who received the YoungVolumizer. This will help in the reading below:

YoungVolumizer Before and After

YoungVolumizer Before and After

 

When Dr. Young was training in Los Angeles, he noticed how the most famous and wealthy people were looking odd after facial plastic surgery. Now if the people in the know and the people with all the resources in the world were getting odd results, what would it be like for the average person. I would say not likely much better. Dr. Young tried to find out why. Through his search he discovered that some of the most basic things in plastic surgery needed some improvement. At the core of this was our blue prints for our goals in plastic surgery. Facial beauty and the knowledge of what makes a face beautiful is like an architectural plan is to a builder. Dr. Young found that our ideas on facial beauty were incorrect and flawed. Even today in 2011, our most dominant theories on facial beauty is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s theories of Facial Beauty that were founded back in the 1400′s. Recently, we have shown that these theories were incorrect. So plastic surgeons never really knew what made a face beautiful or not.  Dr. Young thought that this was a serious fact that we needed changing immediately. He then went on a journey to find out just what made a face beautiful or not. During those years of research he discovered his theory on facial beauty called the Circles of Prominence. Also during this time of about 8-10 years, Dr. Young was also discovering the benefits of facial rejuvenation through volumizing of the face. The culmination of the two lead to the YoungVolumizer, the breakthrough incision less face lift. This may sound too good to be true so you can find out more about this procedure on our website www.theyoungvolumizer.com. But, this procedure, has made a difference in many people’s lives and you can read about our testimonials for the YoungVolumizer.

Why is this procedure so important? Well it all has to do with how we age. Ideally, it is most advantageous to reverse aging in the exact order that use to get the person where they are at in the current moment.  If you try to reverse aging in a different order you get unnatural results. This is what happened in the past with traditional procedures. A large part of aging is from a volume loss. This face contracted in and down. The goal of volumizing is making the face younger by directing it up and out.  Most traditional procedures tended to make the face up, backward and more inward.  It brought the face nowwhere near the point that it used to be.  That lead to the pulled, tight and unnatural look.  You can get more of a visual representation of this in our Introduction to the YoungVolumizer here.

Notice in the above picture, how we have made the face amazingly smaller as well.  We did this by adding a lot of volume. How did we do that? Well that is our secret. You can find out more by coming into to discuss your needs through a consultation if you would like. We hope that this article will give you some hope on making your face look more rejuvenated.  We are confident that we can achieve many of your facial rejuvenation goals and we look forward to talking with you in the near future.

Thanks for reading

Our team at Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery!

 

Benefits of Plastic Surgery

November 28th, 2011

I recently came across this positive article regarding the benefits of plastic surgery. Often plastic surgery is looked at in a negative way but who are we to tell someone they cannot be happy with the way they look.

Plastic surgery is currently experiencing unprecedented popularity with continuing advancements of technologies for the diverse array of procedures. This has inevitably led to superior results with reduced complications and side effects, leading to a higher degree of customer satisfaction. Consequently more and more people are feeling the immense benefits from improving their image through plastic surgery.

Unique Prerequisites

Whether a person opts to have plastic surgery on their face, hips, breasts or thighs the aim is to sculpt the body in a way that looks natural, the physical and external benefits of plastic surgery can be multi-faceted. Surgeons aim to correct this by taking each individual’s body into consideration before deciding on a desired result.

Many find that they are more outgoing, personable and confident when they become accustomed to their transformation and this heightened sense of self-esteem can be a benefit that lasts a lifetime.

The first thing that many people notice after plastic surgery is that their bodies seem more proportional or balanced. Often a nose may appear too large for a particular person’s face, or a bust that is too large or too small can blur all an individual’s other features making them seem disproportionate.

Rejuvenation

Aging and sun-exposure can also takes it toll on men and women, sometimes making an individual seem older than they actually are. Facial rejuvenation procedures like face-lifts, facial implants, dermabrasion, chemical peels, and Botox injections can restore your once youthful appearance, and replenishing your vitality.

The physical and external benefits of plastic surgery can be multi-faceted. Surgeons aim to correct this by taking each individual’s body into consideration before deciding on a desired result.

Synergies

The wonderful thing about plastic surgery is that the direct benefit is external, but more importantly it will greatly improve your external condition – your inner beauty will be magnified with your newfound self-esteem, confidence and assurance.

Water Ripple Effects

The physical result of plastic surgery produces a healthier look and the ramifications are immense, as this healthy look will often permeate to the patient’s entire lifestyle. People who have surgeries like liposuction and breast reduction usually feel more comfortable in their clothes, that their new bodies allow them to participate in physical activities that they wouldn’t have considered before surgery. Plastic surgery can open new doors to people who have previously lived their lives sheltered. They find themselves participating in activities they never would have in the past such as swimming or aerobics, due to their renewed confidence.

The wonderful thing about plastic surgery is that the direct benefit is external, but more importantly it will greatly improve your external condition – your inner beauty will be magnified with your newfound self-esteem, confidence and assurance.

Heightened Sense Of Self-Esteem That Lasts A Lifetime

Whether a person chooses to undergo plastic surgery to improve their lifestyle or to improve their look, there will always be emotional benefits when a person is finally able to feel comfortable in their body. Many people find that they are more outgoing, personable and confident when they become accustomed to their transformation and this heightened sense of self-esteem can be a benefit that lasts a lifetime.

 

The YoungVolumizer the Breakthrough Incision Less Face Lift

We are releasing a new co2 laser resurfacing live video demonstration

November 20th, 2011

We are releasing a new co2 laser resurfacing live video demonstration. Come see our new video and learn more about cO2 laser resurfacing. We also have very informative pages on laser resurfacing if you are planning to have this with your doctor that would be helpful in preparing for the pre procedure time period and after the procedure.

Laser resurfacing involves using a laser monochromatic light (co2, erbium) to remove the top layers of your skin. This action leaves the remaining skin cells located within the hair follicles to “resurface” the areas that have been removed from the laser resurfacing process. In that process you get a renewal of brand new skin over the treated areas. The healing that takes place (under cover) over the next year, leads to an increase in collagen production under the skin cells that tightens the skin layer and reduces fine wrinkles. This gives you an overall improvement to your skin. The lasering of the top layers also removes unwanted skin pigmentation issues, DNA damaged skin cells in the more superficial layers, and other damaged cells and tissue elements. The end results that is achieved is fresh renewed skin with more even pigmentation, decreased fine wrinkles, and more even texture.

Thanks for reading

Our team at Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery!

Diary of a Facial Plastic Surgery Surgical Technician

November 17th, 2011

We are introducing our blog category Diary of a Facial Plastic Surgery Surgical Technician. This blog category will concentrate on what our surgical technician experiences are and the things they have learned. We will cover topics like wound care, pictures of wound care, follow up care, the process of preparing for our services etc.  Let us know your thoughts. We would love to hear them and learn how we can improve here at Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery!

Thanks for reading

Our team at Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery!

I’m excited to learn about Fillers this week.

November 15th, 2011

This week we are having a special on fillers. Purchase one filler and get one complimentary on us. I did some dermal filler on my mom and she was so happy. I didn’t see how much it could improve someone’s looks until I did it on my mother. I have been able to follow my mother’s results and witness first hand the benefits of fillers. Not only did it improve her wrinkles, it made a big improvement on a scar on her face. I didn’t know she was so self conscious about her scar until we did this for her.  She feels a lot more confident since the filler for the scar.

Thanks for reading,

Hannah, RN