Like Restylane, Perlane® is intended for volumizing, but it differs from Restylane in that Perlane is intended to provide facial volume in the deep dermis and superficial subcutaneous fat.  Perlane and Restylane are not equivalent products.  It is essential that your doctor places Perlane deeper than Restylane.  When used properly, Perlane is an excellent alternative to volumizing products like Scluptra® and Radiesse® and even fat transfer.  Treatment with Perlane also lasts well over a year.

Where are injections commonly performed?

Hyaluronic acid fillers are office-based services. You may see estheticians and unqualified individuals like medical assistants offering injections illegally in spas and salons under the justification that they have a “medical director.”   No States permit this arrangement.  Unless a doctor is present and performs the service, this type of situation is the illegal practice of medicine.  As with BOTOX®, don’t let an unqualified individual perform your Restylane or Perlane service.

Just like BOTOX, only a licensed medical doctor or a nurse under the direct supervision of a licensed medical doctor can inject hyaluronic acid fillers.  The exact details of the required qualifications vary by State so it’s important to research the individual you wish to perform the injection to ensure he or she is qualified.  However, just because your doctor or nurse is minimally qualified to perform the injection does not necessarily indicate he or she is the ideal choice for the procedure.  As with many other medical procedures, the best results require a certain level of qualification, skill and experience; these concerns are perhaps even more important when considering modifications to your physical appearance.

What’s the typical recovery course and what are the physical restrictions?

Many of Dr. Steinsapir’s patients resume their normal activities just after leaving the office with the exception of no workouts for 24 hours.  Wait a day before going to the gym.  If you don’t bruise, there will be about thirty to forty hours during which you experience minimal swelling.  Many patients, both men and women, can hide this swelling right away with a camouflage makeup that matches their skin color if necessary.  If your lower eyelid skin quality is poor and you often collect a small bag of puffiness under the eye, the doctor may counsel you regarding the need to consider a procedure like a chemical peel or surgery prior to getting regular filler treatments so you don’t experience prolonged recovery after each filler service.  This can be discussed when you have your initial consultation.

What are common complications and how are they addressed?

Most people, about 70 percent, do not experience bruising after a Restylane treatment; the other 30 percent experience some degree of bruising; most of it mild.  But a very few (one or two in a hundred) will develop a black eye.  The black eye can take about two to three weeks to completely resolve, and this is a cosmetic concern without health dangers.  The worst part of this is that many will assume that you were the victim of domestic violence.  Glasses and makeup help to hide the bruise while it is resolving.  Considering that Restylane will last over a year, the recovery process is very mild and comfortable even for these few.

For the few Restylane recipients who experience bruising, the short-lived bruise is worth the long-term results.  It’s a good idea to obtain treatment at least three weeks before big events like vacations.  For the biggest occasions such as your own wedding, Dr. Steinsapir advises have treatment 2 months ahead of the event to be completely certain that your pictures will turn out great.

To minimize your risk of bruising, your doctor will ask you to stop taking certain medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin.  If you are taking anything prescribed by a doctor, Dr. Steinsapir strongly advise that you consult with your prescribing physician before discontinuing the medication.  If your doctor suggests that you continue the medication, this does not mean that you aren’t a good Restylane candidate.  If you are willing to be at a slightly elevated risk for bruising, Restylane can still be effective.  Your regular doctor and your cosmetic specialist can help you decide the best route to take.

The incidence of allergic reaction varies with the products used and should be discussed with the treating physician but the incidence of allergies to these products is very low.

For unwanted highlights or bumps that occasionally occur after an otherwise excellent filler treatment, the enzyme hyaluronidase makes Restylane injections easily adjustable to a more desired aesthetic, and your doctor can even erase the treatment completely if you determine together that this is your best option.  In the event that you experience lumps or unwanted effects from your Restylane treatment, hyaluronidase makes it easy to adjust hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane.  This flexibility created by the ability to adjust a service is one of the most important factors making HA fillers such a popular service.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon.  He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid and midface surgery.  He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions.  He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago.  He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage.  He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally.  He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.  His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Bevery Hills communities.  Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for this expert care.

To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialized Restylane treatments, please contact us today.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

The Truth About Treatments

As the effects of your BOTOX treatment begin to wear off after several months―Restylane wears off more slowly―your face will slowly regain the looks it had immediately before your treatment.  Restylane and BOTOX treatments will not make you look worse than your original pre-treatment appearance as they wear off, nor are they supposed to make you look worse when treatment is new.  Provided you did not let someone put silicone oil

in your face and treatment is provided by an experienced injector fillers and botulinum toxin A have few side effects.  But if you aren’t happy with your results, you do have options and it is not necessary to wait more than a year for the filler to wear off.

Options for Fixing BOTOX Treatments

Treatments like BOTOX and Restylane are popular because they are noninvasive treatments that together can smooth wrinkles, relax tense muscles, and fill in hollow areas.  BOTOX and Restylane will not permanently alter your looks.  BOTOX is a naturally-occurring purified protein that relaxes muscles, and Restylane is made from a biodegradable sugar-gel that occurs naturally in the body.  Both of these are eventually broken down and expelled from your body completely.

Generally with the botulinum toxin A products (BOTOX, Dysport, Xeomin), the issue is an unbalanced treatment.   These services typically freeze the forehead.  The treatment results can be improved by having the appropriate counter treatment along the eyebrow using Dr. Steinsapir’s Microdroplet method.  However, if your BOTOX treatment has caused eyelid ptosis, Dr. Steinsapir recommends finding an oculoplastic surgeon to help you with this particular issue.  Oculoplastic surgeons are trained to assess and follow upper eyelid ptosis.  They are familiar and have experience treating upper eyelid ptosis.  A prescription for Iopidine (aproclonidine ophthalmic solution) can be helpful in this circumstance.  This medication is a glaucoma medicine that can elevate the eyelid a couple of millimeters. The drops can also be used to assess the severity of the ptosis and predict the likely time frame for the resolution of ptosis.  Dr. Steinsapir recommends trying the drop twice a day for a week.  If the drop is working to open the eye, then it is likely that the ptosis will resolve in 4-6 weeks.

Options for Fixing Filler Treatments

Dr. Steinsapir often sees individuals frustrated with treatments they received elsewhere.  Surprisingly, many people are not aware that the hyaluronic acid fillers can be adjusted using the enzyme hyaluronidase.  This enzyme is delivered with a small injection during a very comfortable office visit.  Dr. Steinsapir has helped people who put up with unsatisfactory treatments for much longer than they need to. These issues are easily dealt with using the enzyme in one or two visits.  It is the ability to make these adjustments that makes it feasible to provide many of the advanced filler services.  Do you have a hyaluronic acid filler issue that is not responding to hyaluronidase?  Some patients have been told they were injected with hyaluronic acid filler but in fact were treated with silicone oil.  Correction of some of these issues can be challenging and need to be approached on a case by case basis.

Restylane is a long-lasting, but not permanent sugar-gel facial filler that is preferred for improving facial contours due to its natural results, even in sensitive areas like dark circles under the eyes and the lip edge.  Restylane and Perlane offer the ability to modify results when necessary.  This includes treatments that were performed in the past and need fine-tuning.  The ability to adjust a treatment with the enzyme can take a good treatment and make it great.  In some cases, as the body slowly breaks down the material over time, slight irregularities may develop despite the initial quality of the treatment.  Sometimes, the answer is adding filler rather than subtracting volume.  For this reason, it is best to start with a detailed assessment with an expert like Dr. Steinsapir.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon.  He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, Fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid and midface surgery.  He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions.  He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago.  He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage.  He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally.  He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.  His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Bevery Hills communities.  Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for his expert care.

To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialized Restylane treatments, please contact us today.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Lips

Your lips are one of the first parts of your face to appear aged.  With a loss of volume and an increase of lines around the the mouth makeup has a tendency to exacerbate the problem by feathering.  Full soft lips are not just a sign of beauty, but also a sign of youth.  Fortunately, your lips are one of the simplest fixes without the need for surgery.  Fillers can provide a very natural solution to lips that are thin or losing volume.

With so many fillers available on the market today – Restylane®, Radiesse, Perlane, Juvederm, Artefill, Sculptra, Matridex, and even silicone oil – it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the options.  However, not all of these fillers should be used as lip fillers under normal circumstances.  Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Juvederm, and Perlane are much more suitable for lip augmentation than permanent and semi-permanent fillers.  This is because they are much more forgiving, do not tend to lump, and can be simply and easily adjusted with the enzyme hyaluronidase.

Dr. Steinsapir prefers the use of Restylane as the best filler for lip volume deficiencies.  This is because the lips are very sensitive and irregularities can arise.  Fortunately, Restylane doesn’t tend to form bumps, and an experienced physician specialist can skillfully place Restylane for natural looks and long-term benefits.

Under Eye Fill

Dark circles under your eyes, or even a hollowness above your cheekbones is easily improved using a similar method as with the lips.  Dr. Steinsapir also prefers Restylane to reduce the appearance of dark circles because it can be easily adjusted.  Despite what the old wives tales say about dark circles and getting enough rest, persistent dark circles are actually the result of your lower eyelid muscle showing through the delicate and thin skin of your lower lid area.  When there is no subcutaneous fat between the skin and the muscle, the area appears dark and sunken.

The treatment requires a skillful hand but once placed and adjusted, the treatment is completely natural and can’t be detected by others. No wonder this has become the most popular eye dark circles treatment.

It is critical that the injecting physician assess how you do after the treatment because a certain percentage of treatments require an adjustment.  Dr. Steinsapir explains that everyone holds a slightly different amount of water in the tissues and small areas of fullness can spoil an otherwise great result.  For this reason, he encourages his patients to follow up about a week after treatment to assess how the service has settled.

Microdroplet BOTOX® and Dysport®

Of course, forehead wrinkles and brow lines are considered unfeminine, even among the older generations of stars like Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, and Jane Fonda.  Despite all of these women being over 60, all their photographs show them with smooth foreheads and full cheeks despite their features showing other signs of aging.  Maintaining a youthful appearance is a large part of looking feminine because it’s these features in women that are signs of femininity.

Unlike standard treatment methods, Microdroplet™ BOTOX® and Dysport create brow lift without forehead paralysis.  Microdroplet™ BOTOX® works with greater precision with your facial muscles.  The care and interest Dr. Steinsapir has shown in inventing this treatment demonstrates his dedication to achieving a beautiful, more youthful appearance without impeding the ability to express emotion.

Standard injection methods tend to freeze the forehead.  The forehead can’t move and the eyebrows drop like stones.  What looks good is a gently lifted eyebrow, no crows feet lines or brow pinch, and a forehead with reduced lines that is still able to move.  Imagine a BOTOX® or Dysport® treatment that allows you to have natural expressions!

Chemical Peel

Flawless skin has always been the ideal for beauty and as we all age, men and women alike, our skin develops flaws and spots that may not have been there when we were young.  But cosmetic products are not marketed to men so there is even more pressure on women to maintain clear, beautiful skin.

There are many types of chemical peels available and they treat many types of concerns, so it can be difficult to figure out which chemical peel is right for you.  But the chemical peel is truly an art form with versatile abilities depending on your needs, so it’s vital to understand that for a successful face peel with profound results, you’ll need an expert in performing facial peels who has extensive treatment experience and understands how to combine science and aesthetic planning for the best results possible.

Chemical peels can effectively treat facial concerns like aging skin, fine wrinkles, dark spots, acne, creases, loss of elasticity in the skin, and other concerns.  This frequently makes the chemical peel an excellent alternative to surgery that removes excess skin for the lower eyelid.  A chemical peel in the eyelid region is a minimally invasive procedure that preserves your natural features while rejuvenating your appearance.

Pigmentation is always an important consideration to any chemical peel.  The range in skin colors and complexions is complex, so this is something to consider with your doctor on an individual basis.  Fortunately there are many people who can and do benefit from chemical peels.  Your doctor can tell you more about skin-types as classified by the Fitzpatrick scale, and let you know what that means for you and your candidacy for a chemical peel.  A chemical peel can also help improve concerns with irregular pigmentation.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Fillers and Muscle-relaxers

Treatments like BOTOX®, Dysport®, and Restylane® are popular because they are noninvasive treatments that can smooth wrinkles, relax tense muscles, and fill in hollow areas.  These injections are not permanent and will wear off.  Touch-up or maintenance treatment is repeated as necessary.  This is typically twice a year for the botox service and commonly a year for the filler service.

BOTOX and Dysport are naturally-occurring protein that prevents treatment muscles of facial expression from contracting, and Restylane is made from a naturally occurring sugar-gel that is found in the body.  Both of these products are eventually organically broken down and expelled from your body completely primarily in the form of water and CO2.  You’ll notice as this happens that your wrinkles will slowly return.  They may stand out to you after many months of looking much better.  When should you be retreated?  Dr. Steinsapir does not believe that your next treatment needs to occur more frequently than once a year.

Can BOTOX and Restylane prevent problems?

We know that BOTOX and Dysport does not aggravate wrinkles or make them worse in the long run.  We also know that the face is subject to gravity and general usage as we age, and that wrinkles can be caused by tense muscles.  When these overactive muscles relax, as they do in response to BOTOX and Dysport, the skin is no longer constantly creased.  While there are no clinical studies suggesting that ongoing treatment with these agents prevent wrinkles from forming, it does make sense that less skin creasing should help preserve skin integrity and reduce the formation of lines and wrinkles.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir trained alongside the inventor of BOTOX and has performed thousands of BOTOX treatments in Los Angeles since 1988 and recently patented his Microdroplet BOTOX technique. He is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Southern California where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology.  Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in BOTOX, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment.  No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success.  Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Seeking a second opinion

Dr. Steinsapir often sees individuals frustrated with treatments they received elsewhere.  Surprisingly, many people are not aware that the hyaluronic acid fillers can be adjusted using the enzyme hyaluronidase.  This enzyme is delivered with a small injection during a very comfortable office visit.  Dr. Steinsapir has helped people who put up with unsatisfactory treatments for much longer than they need to. These issues are easily dealt with using the enzyme in one or two visits.  It is the ability to make these adjustments that makes it feasible to provide many of the advanced filler services.

Correcting the problem

Restylane is a long-lasting, but not permanent sugar-gel facial filler that is preferred for improving facial contours due to its natural results, even in sensitive areas like dark circles under the eyes and the lip edge.  Restylane and Perlane offer the ability to modify results when necessary.  This includes treatments that were performed in the past and need fine-tuning.  The ability to adjust a treatment with an enzyme can take a good treatment and make it great.  In some cases, as the body slowly breaks down the material over time, slight irregularities may develop despite the initial quality of the treatment.  Sometimes, the answer is adding filler rather than subtracting volume.  For this reason, it is best to start with a detailed assessment with an expert like Dr. Steinsapir.

Restylane has long-term benefits and it is also easily adjusted even long after a treatment.  These characteristics are essential in the eyelid and surrounding areas.  The skin here is very thin and the tissues are very sensitive, so even small issues show up.  Don’t live with a treatment that isn’t everything you want it to be.  See an experienced cosmetic surgeon who can help take a treatment from like to love.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon.  He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, Fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid and midface surgery.  He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions.  He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago.  He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage.  He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally.  He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.  His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Bevery Hills communities.  Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for this expert care.

To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialized Restylane treatments, please contact us today.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Why don’t cosmetic creams and bleaches work?

Although creams and bleaches don’t work to brighten the area under your eye, a dark circle concealer may do the trick.  Dark circle concealers work by mixing mineral particles in the cream.  These minerals reflect the light to create the illusion that the area under your eye is fuller.  Concealers are less expensive than under eye filler, but concealers stay on the skin just a few hours.  In contrast, and under eye filler service can provide help for up to a year and in some case longer without the need to constantly apply makeup.

The darkness of under eye circles is optical.  The skin is dark because there is no fat between the thin lower eyelid skin and the darkly colored muscle just under the skin.  Filling the hollow with hyaluronic acid fillers reduces the area in the lower eyelid that can shadow, improving the dark circle.  Under eye filing with Restylane using the Deepfill^TM method developed by Dr. Steinsapir directly helps the hollowness in the lower eyelid, a major factor contributing to the dark circle.

Restylane can help

Dr. Steinsapir finds that under eye Restylane® is the best option for dark eye circles.  Restylane® is a hylauronic acid filler made of up cross-linked sugar gel used to fill wrinkles and provide volume in the face.  “Unfortunately, that lower eyelid circle develops early on the face,” notes Dr. Steinsapir who commonly treats young entertainers who needs to maintain their youthful edge in Hollywood.  The treatment requires a skillful hand but once placed and adjusted, the treatment is completely natural and can’t be detected by others. No wonder this has become the most popular eye dark circles treatment.

When you do decide to have under eye filler, take time to look for a doctor who knows what they are doing.   Dr. Steinsapir reports that when he teaches other doctors to perform the method, he often finds that they lack the detailed anatomic knowledge needed to successfully perform the treatment.  It is also critical that the injecting physician assess how you do after the treatment because a certain percentage of treatments require an adjustment.  Dr. Steinsapir explains that everyone holds a slightly different amount of water in the tissues and small areas of fullness can spoil an otherwise great result.  For this reason, he encourages his patients to follow up about a week after treatment to assess how the service has settled.  “Adjustments can easily be made with the Restylane® treatment at any time after the service, which is why the treatment is so powerful,” he notes.  He advises avoiding medicines and herbal products that can thin the blood for about a week before treatment.  If you are taking something prescribed by a doctor, check with your doctor first before stopping a medication.  Also it is advisable not to work-out until 24 hours after a treatment.  These precautions minimize the risk of bruising.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon.  He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, Fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid  and midface surgery.  He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions.  He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago.  He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage.  He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally.  He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.  His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills communities.  Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for this expert care.

To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialization in Restylane treatments, please contact us today.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

When we hear from individuals who had dissatisfactory Restylane service long in the past, what is most disconcerting is that the individual was not aware that they could seek a simple adjustment from the start, or that they were not comfortable returning to their original cosmetic surgeon for this procedure.  This may indicate a problem in communication between the provider and the individual receiving services—and while this could simply be a lack of personality compatibility, it’s crucial that you are comfortable openly talking with your doctor about your treatment and any concerns that may arise.

Seeking the Best Restylane Services

While Restylane is considered a safe and routine procedure enjoyed by many who experience its benefits, this does not at all indicate that providing Restylane is an unskilled task.  You should always seek treatment from a leading and qualified provider such as Dr. Steinsapir, who is a cosmetic surgeon and oculoplastic surgeon with a major specialization of his practice being Restylane, including under-eye Restylane.  Your doctor must understand the subtleties of safely placing Restylane for natural results as well as how to adjust it should you have the need, and he or she must understand how Restylane and your facial anatomy interact to a level that could be called an art form.  Your doctor must also understand how to seamlessly adjust your Restylane treatment through comfortable hyaluronidase treatment.

Modifying Your Restylane Results

In the event that you experience lumps or unwanted effects from your Restylane treatment, hyaluronidase makes it easy to adjust hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Juvederm and Perlane.  In most cases its best to return to your original doctor who should be eager to make sure you are happy with your treatment and outcomes.  However, if you are concerned about the skill level of your original provider who may not have specialized in facial fillers, or if you are experiencing a breakdown in communication and lack confidence seeking further direction and treatment from this individual, then you may wish to consider seeking a second opinion.

Dr. Steinsapir often sees individuals dissatisfied with treatment received elsewhere, and in many cases he can help you to restore the relationship with your original doctor.  If this is not possible, then you can seek adjustment and further treatments from someone else like Dr. Steinsapir.  It’s very important that you are comfortable with these decisions and are empowered with knowledge and a good communication rapport with your doctor to ensure best results.  If you have been waiting as long as six months to find out if your experience with Restylane is normal and if you can have your results adjusted, we are sorry to hear that you have been needlessly stressed.  Fortunately, Restylane can be adjusted and you may learn that when your treatment is customized and delivered with great skill and precision, impressive results are possible.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a much sought after oculofacial surgeon.  He is an innovator in minimally invasive cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has invented new methods for treating with BOTOX, Fillers and cutting edge reconstructive eyelid  and midface surgery.  He specializes in high precision eyelid surgery and is a leader in correcting prior facial and eyelid surgery, including multiple revised cosmetic eyelid reconstructions.  He attended medical school at the UCLA and completed ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago.  He is multiple fellowship trained including three years of fellowship training in oculofacial plastic surgery at UCLA, and a two-year cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage.  He is widely published and lectures to other surgeons nationally and internationally.  He is an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.  His private practice is located in West Los Angeles, immediately serving the Los Angeles and Bevery Hills communities.  Additionally, individuals from all over the country and the world regularly come to Los Angeles for this expert care.

To learn more about Dr. Steinsapir’s specialization in Restylane treatments, please contact us today.

So what is micro needling?  In this treatment you use numbing cream and a roller to puncture hundreds of tiny holes in your skin.  Some claim that this can cure everything from wrinkles to scars to hair loss to unwanted fat.  These claims remain unproven.  Given the different causes of problems as diverse as too much cellulite and too little hair, it seems strange that one procedure says it can address all this and more.  With medicine doctors typically approach the cause of a problem to effectively address it, which is why Dr. Steinsapir only provides evidence-based treatments.  “Cure-alls” may be cleverly marketed, but most often we find that they don’t make sense, aren’t supported by evidence, may rely on dishonest marketing techniques like camera tricks, and are often expensive without delivering on their promises.

Seeking Proven Treatments for Reliable Results

For reliable results and the most return on your financial and emotional investment, we advise you to find an experienced cosmetic surgeon who can help educate you on scientifically grounded treatment options and customize the best individual treatment plan for your unique situation.  Dr. Steinsapir is highly experienced in providing and perfecting established cosmetic treatments like BOTOX and surgeries like the facelift, while also taking leadership in improving cosmetic treatment options, as demonstrated by his work with carved ePTFE orbital rim implants in the midface lift, chemical peel advances, Restylane for dark circles, and Microdroplet BOTOX.  You cannot know which treatment option is best for you until you consult with a doctor specializing in facial cosmetic procedures.  Whichever treatment route you and your cosmetic surgeon ultimately feel is best for you, it should be custom-designed and based on evidence backed by research.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is board certified in Ophthalmology and has completed numerous fellowships, including three years of Orbit and Eyelid fellowships at the prestigious Jules Stein Eye Institute at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a separate two year cosmetic surgery fellowship under the auspices of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.  He is widely respected for his work and has published over thirty scientific papers and eight book chapters.   He is a true innovator, having developed Microdroplet™ BOTOX®, a unique patented method for injecting BOTOX®, Deepfill™ under-eye Restylane® treatment to address the dark circle and under-eye hollow for up to a year without the need for retreatment.  Dr. Steinsapir is one of the foremost eyelid surgeons in the world.  He is on staff at the UCLA Hospital and Medical Center where he is an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute.  He is also on staff at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center where he serves as an attending surgeon.  He is in practice in West Los Angeles and is in high demand by discerning individuals from Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Southern California.  Many of his patients also come to see him from around the country and the world. Very few doctors offer the level of skill and expertise he brings to cosmetic surgery and aesthetic restorative surgery to address prior unsatisfactory eyelid surgery.  Please contact us today to learn more about evidence-based treatment options with Dr. Steinsapir for proven results.

It’s appealing to believe that we can resolve all of our concerns through exercise, and while research shows that exercise does benefit our health in many ways, it also shows that further medical treatment is required for many conditions.  Just as someone with presbyopia cannot exercise to regain the ability to focus for reading vision, it’s not likely that you’ll be able to reverse the effects of age, time, gravity, and stress by wiggling your face or by having electrical currents stimulate your facial muscle to contract.

There are many types of facial cosmetic surgery and other treatment that can help you obtain the result you need if your doctor determines that you are a suitable candidate.  These range from minimally invasive treatments with little-to-no downtime like BOTOX and undereye Restylane to surgeries like the facelift and plastic eyelid surgery including eyelid reconstruction, which give dramatic yet natural results to individuals with far-reaching concerns.  While it is impossible to know which treatment, if any, is most suitable for you before a private consultation with the best facial cosmetic surgeon for you, you can be confident that there are a wide range of treatments that an expert can custom-tailor to meet your needs.

As a specialist in facial cosmetic treatments, Dr. Steinsapir has treated many individuals who first explored a variety of “natural solutions” for their aesthetic facial concerns.  Frustrated when they saw no results, they eventually consulted with Dr. Steinsapir and opted for proven treatment methods that provide dramatic yet natural results.  This human tendency to pursue unproven treatments is not a fault; it is normal to want to independently resolve a problem using the least invasive and most economical method possible.

Dr. Steinsapir is focused on your personal goals and comfort level.  Dr. Steinsapir always asks you questions about your specific goals, individual situation, and preferences so that he can plan a solution that is aligned what you want, so you can feel comfortable knowing that you are ultimately in control of your treatment plan.  Dr. Steinsapir very much believes in using the least invasive method for accomplishing a particular goal; for example, he does not recommend a forehead lift when a BOTOX treatment for wrinkles will will meet your goals – and he is a leader in his field of minimally invasive solutions.

If you are seeking a proven treatment with an experienced facial plastic surgeon with extensive training in oculofacial plastic surgery, we invite you to a personal consultation with Dr. Steinsapir today.  Dr. Steinsapir is honest, friendly, and can talk to you about customized treatments that give you the results you seek by addressing your specific needs and unique facial features.  Please call us today to schedule a time when you can speak with Dr. Steinsapir.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified cosmetic surgeon and oculoplastic surgeon in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology.  Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves patients at UCLA, where he is an assistant
clinical professor. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert provider of facial cosmetic surgery and eyelid reconstruction, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Fat is a living graft.  The harvested fat cells are placed where they need to be in order to rejuvenate your features through facial volume restoration.   Fat transfer to the face is clinically successful because approximately 60% to 70% of the fat that is grafted survives, creating meaningful results in areas like the midface.

Effective fat transfer treatment relies on the grafting of living fat.  Like other living things, the fat cells used in fat transfers have a lifespan, can be damaged, and will eventually die.  The primary problem with freezing fat for later use is that the fat’s life is not easily preserved, which means your treatment will not be as effective next time.

Why doesn’t freezing fat work very well?

When your cosmetic surgeon harvests fat for your treatment, he or she will obtain it from another part of your body, essentially performing a mini liposuction on that area.  It’s very appealing to harvest extra fat for later use, because theoretically you can initially have a more comprehensive liposuction procedure, and then save this fat to top off your filler sometime in the future – in other words, you’d get the added cosmetic benefit of liposuction now and then cut a step out of your treatment later.  Unfortunately, cutting corners often leads to problems, and this example is no exception.

You have heard of fertility doctors and researchers freezing eggs, so it’s tempting to assume that you can just plop your harvested fat cells into a freezer and come back to them in a few months or years.  In this case, the egg is preserved using very special tissue techniques that enable a high percentage (but not all) of the eggs to survive.  Much of the fat, on the other hand, dies once it is frozen.  As we discussed above, successful fat transfer results relies on the viable fat cells that survive transfer.

If your facial cosmetic surgeon were to freeze your fat for later use and then place it during your later treatment, you would ultimately have disappointing results.  Immediately after the treatment, you would have some swelling caused by the injection and the added volume, just as occurred during your original fat grafting procedure.  However, this time the results would be disappointing, because the body will work to remove the dead fat cells, and a vast proportion of them will have not survived.  Since great results depends on the transfer of your living cells, with fewer alive you will have less satisfaction in the outcome.  Because of the inflammation associated with the body removing the dead fat cells, swelling is the main reason you might think the procedure was initially successful and then over the course of weeks, this swelling disappears.

Additionally, you should consider that a surgeon who offers to store fat is running an unlicensed tissue bank.  Licensed tissue banks have very tightly controlled procedures, specialized equipment, expertise, and backup procedures.  How do you know you are getting your own fat back, what steps were taken to reduce the risk of cross-contamination?  Do they screen for Hepatitis and HIV?  Before jumping on board with a surgeon who says he or she can save your fat for later, you need to find out if your doctor has the appropriate licensing and background needed to perform these additional medical tasks.  But you should also question whether freezing fat for later is a good practice to begin with.

Best Practices for Best Results

Given these reasons, it is no wonder that freezing fat for later use has been questioned by respected medical authorities.   Time-tested experience and clinical studies have shown that harvesting fresh fat yields the best possible results.  When it comes to things as important as your health and appearance, it never pays to take shortcuts.  At worst, to do so would be a gamble and a risk; at best, the shortcut would bring dissatisfactory results and you’ll need to redo your treatment the right way.

The evidence-based placement of fillers for the face like Restylane and natural fat transfers are an excellent option for many individuals who are dissatisfied with their deficiencies in facial volumes.  If you are concerned and wonder if a fat transfer or another service might benefit you, consider how a specialized physician in facial fillers and treatments can help.

Dr. Steinsapir studied at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA as well as at the University of Chicago, and he is trained in both cosmetic and oculofacial surgery.  His philosophy is to build customized aesthetic solutions for individuals that enhance the face’s natural beauty with balanced results through minimally invasive practices.  To learn more about safe and effective fat transfers and other facial concerns, contact us today to schedule your risk-free consultation.