Restylane « Cosmetic, Facial & Eye Plastic Surgery Blog

November 16, 2011

Will cucumber slices help the dark circles under my eyes?

Filed under: Cosmetic Surgery — Tags: Cosmetic Surgery, dark circles, Restylane, under eye fillers, under eye hollows — admin @ 10:07 pm

No. This comes as a surprise to many of my patients: movies, TV shows and spa commercials have made them think that a woman in a Turkish robe reclining with cucumbers over her eyes is the epitome of total relaxation and rejuvenation. But in reality, cucumbers won’t do anything for dark circles. The soothing cool of the cucumber feels nice on the eyelids, but dark circles are a structural issue that a slice of fruit simply can’t solve.

Dark under-eye circles can be caused by a number of conditions, including thin lower eyelid skin and not having enough fat between the skin and underlying muscle (the orbicularis oculi). The deepest part of the dark circle is where this lower eyelid muscle attaches to the bones of the face. The only permanent solution for this problem is to add volume to the under eye area. The best approach is to use hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane, which can be adjusted to create the perfect taut under-eye area.

Fat grafting is another method that is often used to treat this problem. Unfortunately, fat grafting requires a surgery. The surgery may be accompanied by a number of unpleasant side effects, including profound bruising, persistent swelling, and the development of bumps and lumps that sometimes require additional surgery to address.

Ending a long day by putting slices of cucumbers under your eyes may help you relax, but it won’t make a dent in your dark circles. If you’re truly interested in permanently lightening or erasing dark circles, consult a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgery.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is on active staff at the UCLA Hospital and Medical Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine as an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmology in the Division of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery. UCLA is consistently rated the best hospital in the West and ranked at the top with a handful of medical centers in the United States. Many surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis at the Surgery Center at the UCLA Medical Center. Dr.Steinsapir addresses a broad array of oculofacial reconstructive concerns. Contact us today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Steinsapir.

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November 8, 2011

Fillers vs Fat Grafting for the Lower Eyelid

Filed under: Cosmetic Surgery — Tags: dark circles, fat grafting, fat grafting complications, lumps from fat grafting, Restylane — admin @ 3:41 pm

Why does Dr. Steinsapir prefer “off the shelf fillers rather than body fat to fill under the eye? I thought fat transfer lasted much longer than off shelf fillers. What does he recommend and why?

Fat transfer has become very popular. Doctors are even calling them “stem cell facelifts.” Technically, adults stem cells are in the grafted fat, so there is a tiny grain of truth to this. Mostly though, it is a lie. These stem cells have nothing to do with the results accomplished with a facial fat transfer.

Dr. Steinsapir finds that fat grafting to the lower eyelid is an inferior treatment. First it requires a surgical procedure to obtain the fat. Harvesting the fat requires a small surgery with definite, though rare, harvest site healing issues.

Placement of facial fat also requires a surgical procedure. It is common for the face to bruise with placement of the fat. The bruising commonly takes about 10 days to resolve. The take of the fat is not predictable. Experienced fat grafters including Dr. Steinsapir believe that about 60-70% of the grafted fat survives. Over filling the face with fat can make the face too full. Where that fat is placed in the cheeks, chin and temple areas the grafted fat tends to hide in existing facial fat. Dr. Steinsapir likes fat grafting when the face needs a good deal of volume.

However, fundamentally, the lower eyelid is not an ideal location for fat grafting. The reason for this is poor tissue coverage. The dark circle or tear trough is defined where the lower eyelid orbicularis oculi muscle inserts into the bone of the maxilla. This means no fat under the insertion of this muscle, the thinnest spot of the dark circle. Putting the fat above or in the muscle is a sure way of making bumps. You don’t want bumps, especially not bumps caused by grafted fat. Unlike certain fillers that are prone to bumps, those fat bumps are not going away. 20 years from now those fat lumps will still be there. In fact if you happen to gain weight since your fat grafting, guess what? Your lumps will gain volume too.

How common are lumps after fat grafting? Gee, fat grafters as a group don’t report this information. Many of these patients find their way to Dr. Steinsapir’s office for help. Some of them were made worse because a well meaning surgeon injected the bump with corticosteroids to melt them away. They show up with a lump where the grafted fat is and a hole where the steroids have damaged the natural lower eyelid fat. 5-florouracil is sometimes used to modify the unwanted lumps from fat grafting. This is an anti-cancer medication that can sometimes modify scar tissue. However, when this does not work, actual eyelid surgery is needed to remove these nodules of grafted fat. It is Dr. Steinsapir’s opinion that as many as 30%, possibly more of patients who have had fat grafting to the lower eyelids have unwanted lumps.

Now compare this to filling the dark circle with Restylane. Restylane is an office service and does not require surgery. No second wound is needed to obtain the material. The product is available with local anesthetic. Using a topical numbing cream applied to the skin also helps to make the procedure very comfortable. Deep anesthesia is not needed. Restylane can be shaped to the face once injected. You can reapply makeup two hours after treatment so down time is minimal. It is possible to bruise from this type of treatment but typically the bruise is not as profound as that associated with fat grafting. If there are any lumps, bumps, or unwanted highlights on the skin, these can easily be modified with an enzyme called hyaluronidase.

Restylane often lasts a year or more. This treatment is easily performed by an experienced midface injector like Dr. Steinsapir. It can be adjusted at any time in the office setting with a very safe injectable enzyme. This certainly beats needing to have surgery on the face or needing the face injected with an anticancer drug.

Fat grafting does it last? Yes, certainly. However, after fat grafting it is very common for swelling to persist for several months. It is all too common for individuals to become dissatisfied with the degree of facial improvement once the swelling has resolved many months later. Individuals who have been fat grafted, often feel that the volume from the fat grafting has disappeared. While this is seldom actually true, the deflation that occurs as the fat grafting heals causes natural disappointment with the procedure. This leads many to wonder if fat grafting was worthwhile. Combine this with lumps in the lower eyelid when fat is placed in the thin tear trough area and you have a formula for unhappiness. Given this reality, Dr. Steinsapir feels that under eye Restylane is almost always the preferred option over fat grafting the lower eyelid.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is on active staff at the UCLA Hospital and Medical Center at the David Geffen School of Medicine as an associate clinical professor of Ophthalmology in the Division of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery. UCLA is consistently rated the best hospital in the West and ranks at the top with a handful of medical centers in the United States. Dr. Steinsapir performed his surgery on an outpatient basis at the Surgery Center at the UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Steinsapir addresses a broad array of cosmetic oculofacial concerns including cosmetic eyelid surgery, Asian eyelid surgery, endoscopic forehead lift, BOTOX and dark circle treatment. Contact us today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Steinsapir.

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October 12, 2011

What should I expect with my filler service?

Cosmetic fillers like Restylane®, Perlane®, Juvederm®, and other hyaluronic acid fillers are an excellent alternative to surgical procedures. These products are composed of a cross-linked sugar gel that can correct wrinkles, volumize the nasolabial fold and lips, fill acne scars, and improve under-eye dark circles. Dr. Steinsapir is the inventor of a unique and effective method that specifically addresses under-eye discoloration. This technique is called the Deepfill™ method. Facial fillers last about a year and treatments are easily adjusted using hyaluronidase, if necessary. For many years, Bovine Collagen was the gold standard of fillers, but has now been displaced by Restylane® which is now the filler to which all others are compared.

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.

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September 9, 2011

I had facial fillers and BOTOX and now I look older

If this happened to you, there is no doubt that you are dissatisfied with your treatment and that it makes you feel old – the exact opposite of the reason you chose to undergo the procedure! There are many reasons your treatment may not have turned out the way you expected it to, but it is not the fault of the BOTOX or the filler, whether it’s Juvederm®, Perlane®, Restylane®, or any other hyluronic acid filler. Complications from non-surgical treatments like fillers and BOTOX are almost always the result of your surgeon’s talent. Choosing a skilled surgeon to perform your injections is important, but once the damage is done, choosing a skilled surgeon to fix the problem is imperative.

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.

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August 30, 2011

Feeling Pressure to Look Feminine

With an abundance of fashion magazines like Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and Elle there is a lot of pressure to look a certain way in order to be considered “feminine;” full pouty lips, large eyes, flawless skin, and high, full cheeks are the aesthetic standard these days. The internet has only become a tool to fuel this obsession with female perfection, but the reality is, makeup and Photoshop go a long way in making starlets and models meet the modern standards of beauty. Nevertheless, the desire by women to meet the ideal is strong, and it doesn’t always require major surgery to achieve. More often than not, it’s the little touches that make the big difference and starting small can preserve a more natural look and prevent you from looking like you’ve had major surgery.

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.

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July 7, 2011

What’s the Best Eye Wrinkle Treatment?

Filed under: Beverly Hills BOTOX,Beverly Hills Restylane,Botox,Botox Los Angeles,dysport,hyaluronic acid fillers,Restylane,restylane in los angeles — Tags: Botox, Botox Los Angeles, botox side effects, eye wrinkles, facial fillers, Restylane, restylane los angeles, Under Eye Restylane — admin @ 2:28 pm

Eye wrinkles are treatable, but not unavoidable. There is no cure for aging and therefore, no cure for wrinkles, especially around the eyes―our most expressive feature. However, you can take preventative measures to delay and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles. There’s no magic cure, but using sunscreen on a daily basis and wearing sunglasses are an excellent way to limit the effect of sun damage and squinting, which are thought to play important roles in the development of periocular wrinkles. It is generally thought that smoking also damages the delicate elastin in the skin speeding the development and severity of facial wrinkles. Once these wrinkles do appear you will need more than a skin moisturizer to help improve these lines.

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.

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June 23, 2011

I am having a complication from a Restylane treatment and my wedding is in six weeks. What should I do?

Filed under: Beverly Hills Restylane,hyaluronic acid fillers,Juvederm,Perlane,Restylane,restylane in los angeles,Restylane Injections,restylane los angeles — Tags: Perlane, Restylane, restylane in los angeles, restylane los angeles, Under Eye Restylane, under eye treatments — admin @ 7:42 am

Wanting to look your best for your wedding day is something everyone is entitled to. In the event that you experience 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, there are circumstances where there is simply no substitute for seeing a leading expert to help you get the results you need.

Seeking a second opinion

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.

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June 11, 2011

Can Surgery Remove Persistent Dark Circles?

Filed under: hyaluronic acid fillers,Perlane,Restylane,restylane in los angeles,Restylane Injections,restylane los angeles,Under Eye Restylane — Tags: Perlane, Restylane, restylane in los angeles, Under Eye Restylane, under eye treatments — admin @ 8:11 pm

Dark circles under your eyes can make you look old and can even degrade your self-image. Diet, exercise, and plenty of rest are cited as solutions for dark circles. Skin creams and dark circle concealers can provide some help. Often people are under the mistaken impression that surgery will fix the dark circle. While there are a small percentage of individuals who will benefit from surgery for their particular type of dark circle, in the majority of cases surgery will be of little benefit and can make the situation worse.

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.

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March 28, 2011

I had Restylane service 6 months ago and still have lumps. Can anything be done about this?

Filed under: Beverly Hills Restylane,facial fillers,hyaluronic acid fillers,oculoplastic surgery,Perlane,Restylane,restylane in los angeles,Restylane Injections,restylane los angeles — Tags: facial fillers, hyaluronic, hyaluronic acid fillers, hyaluronidase, Restylane, restylane beverly hills, restylane in los angeles, Under Eye Restylane, under eye treatments — admin @ 12:13 pm

Restylane is a long-lasting but not permanent facial filler that is especially suitable for improving facial contours due to its natural-looking results, even in sensitive areas like dark circles under the eyes, and offers the ability to modify your results in the few cases when treatment isn’t completely satisfactory. 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.

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.

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March 4, 2011

Micro Needling and the Need for Science-Based Treatments

Filed under: Beverly Hills BOTOX,Beverly Hills Restylane,Botox,Botox Los Angeles,Cosmetic Facial Fillers,Cosmetic Surgery,facial cosmetic surgery,facial fillers,Restylane,restylane in los angeles,Under Eye Restylane — Tags: Botox, Cosmetic Surgery, facelift, facial fillers, Restylane, Under Eye Restylane — admin @ 4:53 pm

Micro needling, also called skin needling, is a recent trend in cosmetic treatment marketing that sounds miraculous in promotional media but unfortunately is not backed by science or medicine. Does it work? We can’t say for sure without extensive research on micro needling, and it’s important to understand that not everybody responds to a treatment in the same way. But we can say from simple human experience that most products that sound too good to be true often are, especially when they aren’t supported by science, research findings, or promising new approaches that are grounded in established knowledge.

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.

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