Lifestyle

Are Cosmetic Procedures Aging You?

Yes, Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Procedures can make you look older.

The goal of all these procedures is to make us look more youthful, more rejuvenated, not harsher and older.

If you take a look at some at some celebrities over the years you can really see how their images have changed from too much fillers or too much Botox, making them look weird and sometimes older than they really are. Woman are getting botox and fillers starting in their 20’s and end up looking more like they are in their 30’s.

Take a look at Kyle Jenner before she had fillers, with fillers and without fillers. Doesn’t she look prettier and younger without fillers?

Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic procedures can actually make you look older. In fact I’ve interviewed plastic surgeons for my podcast, The NipTuck Talk Show who have stated they don’t like fillers, don’t use fillers because they feel too much filler over time can actually cause the face to age more.

I often wonder about this as I continue to plump up face with fillers due to age and volume loss.

Yes, too much filler can make you look older. Rather than enchanting your looks, your face becomes distorted. Puffy cheeks with slitty eyes and duck lips is not a natural look.

Frozen faces from too much Botox can make your face look weird, waxy and overdone. Nicole Kidman’s face had a weird frozen look last year. She’s still beautiful but her face had no movement.

Watch your brows. Too much Botox can raise your brows giving you an unnatural look screaming too much Botox. On the other hand low droopy brows can age you. A brow lift can also raise your brows to where they look freakish and unnatural. That’s a sure sign you’ve had a brow lift!

Large Breasts that don’t match your body shape look unnatural and can be a health risk. Your breasts should look like they match your body shape not lead into the room. Yet many young woman still think, big is better. Actually big is not better and the trend is going smaller with 250-300cc breast implants. Many surgeons today will not even operate on you if you are seeking 500-600cc breast implants. When I see a young woman with enormous breasts, I cringe because she has no idea what she is going to look like at 50 or 60 years old. Your breast should flatter your body at any age.

Beware of too much liposuction and Buccal Fat removal. These procedures can age you as you grow older and lose volume. There are concerns that procedures like Kybella may remove too fat from your chin and neck.

Plastic surgeons caution patients about removing too much fat in areas where we need fat as we age. Such as necks and under the eyes.

The bottom line is we can’t stop the aging process.

Be smart about your cosmetic procedure choices, striving to look like a better version of yourself at any age.

Michele is an independent plastic surgery coach and patient advocate. Visit her website for more information.

The NipTuck Talk Show: Boob Talk Recap

We’e been talking about Boobs on my podcast, The Niptuck Talk Show. BOOB TALK

In Season 1 Episodes 1- 4 we explored Breast Augmentation with a lift without a lift, choosing implants, new technologies in breast augmentation and safety issues. We also spoke to breast augmentation patients and Jenny Eden from Eden Knows Implants. You can listen to Boob Talk on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify or on NipTuck Talk.com

In Episode #1 I spoke with Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Marc Mani about the medical criteria for having a lift with breast augmentation as well as not having a lift with breast augmentation and implants. If you are considering breast augmentation with a lift or without a lift, this episodes gives you important guidelines and questions to ask your surgeon. You can hear and read the about the episode HERE

In Episode #2 New York Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Brian Cohen shared his expertise about choosing the right breast implants, noting the trend in implants is smaller.If you are considering different types of implants, this episode covers them all. You can hear and read the about the episode HERE

Bonus Episode . Jenny Eden joined me to talk about her personal breast augmentation journeys. She had 3 augmentations. She shared her inspiration for Eden Knows Implants. . You can hear the episode and read more HERE

In Episode #3 Santa Monica Plastic Surgery, Dr. Steven Teitelbaum shared his patient care philosophy. We talked about new breast augmentation technologies, safer and quicker recovery options and why patients should demand more from their plastic surgeons. A very insightful interview. You can hear and read the about the episode HERE

In Episode #4 Marina Del Ray Plastic Surgeon and President of ASAPS, Dr. Grant Stevens joined me once again to discuss using your own breast tissue to lift your breasts. Think of an internal bra for your breast. The Laser Bra Lift. This surgical technique is not for everyone. If you seeking a breast reduction, have ptotic breasts the Laser Bra may give you the lift you want and need without implants. You can hear and read the about the episode HERE

Dr. Marc Mani

Dr. Grant Stevens

Dr. Brian Cohen

Dr. Steven Teitelbaum

Next Part 2 of Boob Talk. We’ll explore the psychology of breasts, as breasts are more than just sex objects, we’ll hear from a man about his personal breast preference, will it be natural breasts or implants? You’ll have to tune in to find out. Maybe it really doesn’t even matter!! We’ll talk about Breast Health, Breast Cancer, The Controversies about Breast Implant Illness with both a patient and Dr. Edward Melmed, plus Reconstructive Surgery with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo from PRMA in San Antonio, Texas and hear a patient’s breast cancer journey.

If you enjoy listening to The NipTuck Talk Show, I’m now on Patreon. Patreon is a simple way for you to contribute every month and get exclusive bonus content and rewards in return. Go to https://www.patreon.com/niptucktalkshow

Review: Skin Tightening Without Surgery Thermage FLX- Five Months After

I had my first Thermage treatment for a loose neckline in 2009, as I was a long way away from any surgery. Ouch! The treatment was not only very painful, I saw no results.

So when Dr. Vic Narurkar , San Francisco dermatologist and Laser King asked if I’d like to try the new Thermage treatment for training purposes, I said yes. For years, Thermage has been called “the gold standard” for skin tightening.

Thermage FLX delivers radio-frequency energy deep below the surface of the skin were the collagen is produced. The energy heats and smooths out the existing collagen and creates new collagen. It also heats up the skin faster. FLX is the newest version and a big game changer as it produces more predictable results. The tips are 33% larger so larger treatment surface areas can be treated, allowing for faster treatment times. A face and neck can be done under 60 minutes, making all the treatment areas more comfortable. You will see immediate off the table results but optimal results are generally at the 3 to 6 month mark . Retreatment is done every 1 to 3 years.

I’m always a little skeptical about skin tightening devices. Patient selection is key, as not everyone will benefit. Since my last Thermage in 2009, I’ve had a face and neck lift. However, my neck was never tight enough, so I was willing to give this a try.

I expected to get numbing cream before the treatment, even though I knew it could not hurt as much as the first time. I was told that I did not need numbing cream and that it would not hurt. My anxiety level went up 100%. However, I put my faith into Dr. Narurkar’s skilled hands and trusted him. Once we started the treatment, I was incredibly surprised to feel almost nothing. I was dozing off. Amazing!

Dr. Narurkar used a setting of 2.5 to 3.5 on my face and 1.5 to 2 on submentum and 0.5 to 1 on my neck. 900 count tip. About 4 to 6 passes per anatomic area.

Sadly, Dr. Vic Narurkar suddenly passed away in late January this year. He is greatly missed.

Right after my treatment, my face had a nice glow and I could see it looked tighter.

It’s been five months since my treatments. I see a little lifting around my jaw line. My brows do look elevated. It’s hard to tell if there is any improvement in my neck, but I was not expecting much.

In conclusion, Thermage FLX is extremely comfortable. As results improve over time, you have to be patient. It’s not a quick fix. Results take 3-6 months. The treatment is a great adjunct after a facelift. If I had a Thermage treatment soon after my facelift, my facelift may have lasted longer than it did. As I said, patient selection is important and you have to manage your expectations. Combining Thermage FLX with Botox and Fillers helps in maintaining a youthful appearance. Keep in mind, if you really need a facelift and have lots of loose, sagging skin you may not be happy with the results. Results are different with each person. Before you decide, please seek the advise of a Board Certified Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon who has a lot of experience in treating patients of all age groups with Thermage.