Facial Cosmetic Surgery
Minimally Invasive Facial Cosmetic Procedures
With the natural aging process, severe sun exposure, poor diet and poor sleeping habits our skin starts to lose hyaluronic acid and starts to lose its elasticity. Our face will start to show wrinkles that are a testament of our age. The actual trend is to replace that lost shape with fillers that augment the lost volume and provide a more youthful look without the need for surgery.
At Oral and Facial Surgery Institute of Houston we use only the highest quality dermal fillers with proven clinical value and longevity.
Dermal Fillers:
Cheek Augmentation
For cheek augmentation we use Juvéderm Voluma XC. This product lifts and contours the cheek. As we age and as the fat pads in the cheek area descend, we lose the youthful volume at the cheek area and also this change helps in the formation of the folds in the lateral part of our mouth (nasolabial folds). With Voluma XC the surgeon can easily correct the age related volume loss in the cheeks to help create a more youthful appearance. It will create a subtle lift that can last up to 2 years. The patient can go back to work immediately if desired.
Lip Augmentation
For lip augmentation we use several products. The product used will depend on the a amount of lip augmentation desired.
For significant volume deficit correction Juvéderm Ultra XC is the product of choice. This product adds more fullness and plumps thin lips. It will help correct lips that have thinned out due to the aging process or if you have thin lips and are still young. This product typically last 6-8 months.
For subtle lip augmentation Juvéderm Volbella XC is a great alternative. This product is tailored to add subtle volume to the lips and smooth the appearance of vertical lip lines, also called smokers’s lines.
Botox
For the wrinkles that are in the forehead, between the eyebrows and in the lateral part of the eyes, Botox is the ideal choice to smooth them out. Botox has been in use since the late 80’s and it has a proven record of safety and effectiveness. The area between the brows typically will need 20-25 units of Botox while the forehead will use 25-30 units. The patient will start to see results in 3 days and the maximum effect will be seen in about 2 weeks. The effect of Botox will last 3-6 months but will also depend on the muscle strength and muscle volume of the patient. The patient can go to work immediately after the injections.
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
With the normal aging process, the brows descend with time. This causes fullness of the upper eyelid skin. With time that fullness of the upper eyelid can cause difficulties with the lateral gaze that can make driving a motorized vehicle dangerous. The blepharoplasty is quick procedure that can reduce that malposed skin and add youthfulness to the middle third of the face.
The lower eyelid can also be rejuvenated. The “tear trough deformity” is caused by extruded fat from the area below the eyeball causing fullness of the lower eyelid. In the lower blepharoplasty that “excess” fat is removed and a “skin pinch” removal of skin is also performed.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
Sometimes the best treatment for low brows (brow ptosis) is an actual lifting. With the endoscopic brow lift, a small camera is used to direct the surgeon in modifying the internal part of the brow in order to allow its superior repositioning. Sometimes this procedure is done in conjunction to a conservative blepharoplasty in order to rejuvenate the area around the eyes.
Nose Surgery
With a rhinoplasty the surgeon can modify almost any part of the nose. Patients with bony protrusions at the dorsum (dorsal hump), boxy tips, and even the diameter of the nostrils can be modified. Wide nasal bones can be reduced to a more cosmetically pleasing shape and size. During a cosmetic rhinoplasty some issues with breathing can also be corrected. A deviated nasal septum and collapsed internal valves of the nose can be corrected, with the end result for the patient being better nasal breathing.
Ear Surgery
Ear deformities that cause a unfavorable cosmetic display can make people feel self-conscious and reduce their self-esteem. In a otoplasty, the surgeon can set back protruding ears, reduce the size of the ear cartilage, improving their appearance. Children can have otoplasties as soon as they become self-conscious about their ear appearance.
The earlobe can also be modified to exhibit a better cosmetic look. Earlobes stretched or torn from heavy earring wear can easily be corrected.
Facial Implants
Any part parts of the face can be modified or altered to achieve the look that we are looking for. There are different kind of materials that can be used to accentuate the cheeks, the chin, and the angles of the mandible. The lips can be permanently enhanced with lip implants. There is little downtime after these procedures and the results are seem immediately.