by Grossman Medical | Oct 23, 2020 | Articles
Men and women wanting a non-invasive way to change the way they look often choose face fillers such as Dysport or Botox treatment. If you’re considering either one of these options, the following information about these cosmetic treatments will help you make an informed decision.
What Are Face Fillers?
Face fillers, also called dermal fillers or soft tissue fillers, are chosen by individuals who want to add fullness and volume to their faces. Face fillers typically contain hyaluronic acid or other natural substances like it that essentially fill particular areas with material to make them appear fuller and smoother. Face fillers can be used if you wish to correct:
- Wrinkles located around the mouth and forehead
- Thin lips
- Cheeks with a saggy appearance
- Scars
- Fine lines
Fillers can also restore the skin’s youthful glow and help to make the face look slimmer.
How Long Do the Results from Face Fillers Last?
Results will differ according to the product chosen. While some fillers will last between six months and one year, others can last as long as five years. Restylane and Juvéderm are two popular and effective brands of face fillers.
What Is Botox?
Botox is short for botulinum toxin, the source of bacteria. Botox injections contain minuscule amounts of the toxin. Botox cosmetic treatments are injected in the muscles, where it interrupts nerve signals. Once this occurs, the muscle is paralyzed temporarily or “frozen.” This lack of movement allows wrinkles to be reduced or smoothed and, in many cases, even eliminated. Botox can be used to correct:
- Crow’s feet
- Creases between the eyebrows
- Wrinkles in the forehead
From a non-cosmetic standpoint, Botox has also been used in the successful treatment of migraines and headaches.
How Long Do the Results of Botox Last?
The results of Botox injection can last up to nine months, but several treatments are needed to maintain results. In some people, results have lasted up to four months. The latest form of botulinum toxin is sold under the name Dysport, which has been used with success in Europe for over 15 years. Dysport is approved by the FDA for use in the U.S.
What Is Face-Slimming Botox?
This option offers another way to correct the appearance of the face. Face-slimming Botox involves injecting Botox to achieve the appearance of a slimmer face. This injection is often chosen to correct:
- Cheeks that appear larger than the face’s jaw
- A square jawline that appears more masculine than preferred
Face-slimming Botox is injected into the masseter muscle, which is the jaw muscle used for chewing. The injection relaxes this muscle and, over time, the muscle will shrink with the lack of movement and use, allowing the face to achieve a more proportional look.
Dr. Peter H. Grossman is the board-certified plastic surgeon at Grossman Plastic Surgery. With over 20 years of experience in dermal fillers, Dr. Grossman can help you achieve the results you want. Call (818) 981-2050 to schedule your initial consultation today for Botox, Dysport, or another face filler.
by Grossman Medical | Oct 22, 2020 | Articles
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is a procedure performed on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both, to improve appearance by addressing sagging eyebrows, upper lids, and skin below the eyes. Blepharoplasty may also be performed to improve the function of the eyelids.
Double eyelid surgery, or Asian eyelid surgery, is a form of blepharoplasty in which a crease is made in the upper eyelid, known as the supratarsal crease.
What Is Blepharoplasty Surgery Like?
During the procedure, excess skin, muscle, and fat may be removed from the eyelid. Eyelids can stretch and the muscles supporting them can weaken with age. This can cause droopy upper lids, sagging eyebrows, and bags under the eyes. The surgery can improve appearance and correct vision problems due to sagging skin impairing the full line of vision. It is typically an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia.
The surgeon starts by cutting along the upper eyelid fold. Next, they’ll remove excess skin. If there is excess muscle or fat, they can remove that too before meticulously stitching the incision closed. When operating on the lower lid, a surgeon cuts just below the lashes. Or, they may cut inside the lower lid to remove or redistribute sagging skin, muscle, or excess fat.
After the procedure, you’ll be monitored in a recovery room. Eyelid surgery recovery may temporarily result in blurred vision from a lubricating ointment, watering eyes, light sensitivity, puffy eyelids, double vision, swelling or bruising, or some pain or discomfort as you recuperate at home. Bruising and swelling typically abate in one to two weeks.
Who Is a Candidate?
Candidates for blepharoplasty include people with baggy or droopy upper eyelids, excess skin on their upper eyelids that blocks peripheral vision, or those with excess lower eyelid skin or baggy eyes. A good candidate is healthy with no medical conditions that can interfere with healing. Nonsmokers, people without serious eye conditions, and those with realistic goals and a positive outlook are candidates as well.
How Much Does Blepharoplasty Cost?
In 2019, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found the average cost of cosmetic eyelid surgery was just under $3,300.1 This is the cost of surgery alone and does not include expenses such as anesthesia, use of operating facilities, and prescription medications. The surgeon’s fee is based on their experience, location, and the procedure they use. Consult with your specialist to learn how much eyelid surgery is for you.
Request a Consultation with Grossman Plastic Surgery Today
Grossman Plastic Surgery specializes in blepharoplasty, which is performed in our out-patient surgery center in West Hills, CA, near Los Angeles. Our patients go home the same day and often return to work by the second week after surgery. Request a consultation, get a quote, or book an appointment online, or feel free to call us at (818) 981-2050.
Sources:
- https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/eyelid-surgery/cost
by Grossman Medical | Oct 16, 2020 | Articles
Vitamin B12 is essential for health, and we can get this nutrient via the consumption of animal-based foods. However, when it’s impossible to get enough of this vitamin, getting B12 injections can restore the balance of this nutrient in the body. We discuss the many health and B12 anti-aging benefits of these injections.
The Many Roles of Vitamin B12
This vitamin plays many roles in our health. It helps our bodies produce healthy red blood cells, thereby preventing anemia. It can reduce the risk of macular degeneration by lowering levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which is associated with the increased risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Vitamin B12 has been known to improve depression symptoms in those who were found to be B12 deficient. It has also been found to be beneficial for the promotion of healthy nails, skin, and hair in those with a deficiency of the vitamin.
B12 Deficiency Risk Factors and Symptoms
A person can become deficient in Vitamin B12 when their diet contains insufficient amounts. Deficiency can also occur as a result of the body’s inability to absorb it completely from food. Older adults, people with gastrointestinal disorders, and those on strict vegan diets are all at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency. Symptoms of deficiency include:
- Difficulty maintaining balance
- Feeling faint
- Heart palpitations
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Lethargy
Vitamin B12 injections can eliminate the above symptoms, as well as provide a way for the body to absorb this nutrient more directly and completely, and in a way that bypasses the stomach.
Benefits of B12 Injections
Vitamin B12 injections contain high levels of the synthetic form of the nutrient called cyanocobalamin. Some of the benefits associated with vitamin B12 injections are:
- Better concentration and energy levels
- A boosted immune system
- Improved sleep
- Improved metabolism and weight loss
- Restored healthy hair growth
- Improved mood
For those with a B12 deficiency who are unable to absorb this nutrient through their diet or digestive process, injections may be given every few weeks to correct the deficiency. Monthly injections may be ideal if a medical condition is the cause of your inability to absorb B12.
Are B12 Booster Injections Right for You?
If you are already eating a healthy diet and not experiencing the symptoms of a deficiency, you likely don’t need B12 booster injections. However, because deficiency doesn’t always cause symptoms, seeing your doctor for a vitamin B12 deficiency test is best before getting injections.
If you don’t get enough B12 in your diet due to veganism, gastrointestinal conditions, or low stomach acid due to aging, you may be at risk of a B12 deficiency and may benefit from injections. However, it’s best to confirm with a blood test first.
Dr. Peter H. Grossman is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience in surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Dr. Grossman can administer B12 injections for deficiency correction or as part of anti-aging regimens. Visit Grossman Plastic Surgery online to schedule your consultation.
by Grossman Medical | Sep 23, 2020 | Articles
When you have unwanted hair, there are plenty of ways to remove it. There are some methods of hair removal that are more effective than others. Join us as we review some of the most popular—and interesting—methods of temporary and permanent hair removal.
Hot Wax
If this hair removal method sounds painful, that’s because it can be. Waxing is also a messy hair removal method. You can wax in the comfort of your home or have a professional complete the procedure in a salon.
This method removes hair at the root, leaving skin hair-free for up to a month. The wax can burn your skin if it’s too hot, and it may not remove all the hair. It also shouldn’t be used with certain pharmaceutical acne creams or if you’re taking isotretinoin.
Threading
This traditional hair-removal method originated in the Middle East and involves wrapping thread around the fingers and then quickly passing it over unwanted hair to remove it by the root.
Although very safe for every skin type, irritation can occur as the result of several hairs being removed at once. Threading allows entire rows of hair to be removed at a time for results that last up to six weeks.
Shaving
Shaving is easy to do in or out of the shower, and it only takes a few minutes. New razors should be used with caution, as nicks and cuts can occur.
Shaving should occur against the direction of hair growth in order to be effective. This method cuts hair right above skin level, so shaving will need to be repeated every other day or so to maintain smooth skin.
Sugaring
Another Middle-Eastern technique, sugaring combines lemon juice, water, and sugar into a paste that is spread onto the skin and pulled to remove hair at the root. Typically less painful than waxing, sugaring causes less irritation because of its natural ingredients and gentleness on skin.
Sugaring can produce identical results to waxing when done properly, and it can last up to four weeks. Hair also needs to grow a little bit before your next treatment.
Laser
Laser hair removal involves sending microbeams below the skin’s surface to damage tissue and release hair. The body’s natural healing process then replaces damaged skin cells with healthy ones. Laser hair removal is ideal for most skin types; the most common side effects are temporary swelling and a sunburn feeling.
Those who take advantage of laser hair removal service enjoy hair-free skin for up to eight weeks and should repeat the procedure every six to eight weeks. Icon Laser hair removal takes about 30 minutes per session.
Of all the above methods, the Icon laser offers the longest-lasting results with the least skin damage. When considering the Icon Laser, the right surgeon will be crucial. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Peter H. Grossman possesses over 20 years of experience. Don’t wait to remove unwanted hair; learn more about laser hair removal cost and its other benefits by contacting Grossman Plastic Surgery at (818) 981-2050.
by Grossman Medical | Sep 16, 2020 | Articles
Breast reduction is a popular option for many reasons. If you are considering a breast reduction procedure for the first time, you may have some questions. We explore what to expect with this type of surgery to help you make an informed decision.
What Is Breast Reduction Surgery?
Breast reduction surgery or reduction mammaplasty involves removing excess skin, fat, and tissue from the breasts. Women can opt for this surgery, and so can men with gynecomastia or abnormally enlarged breasts. Breast reduction is categorized as an outpatient surgery.
Reasons and Benefits
There are many reasons why people choose breast reduction surgery. Women who undergo this procedure do so to reduce the weight and size of their breasts and also to improve the symmetry of their breasts. This surgery is also chosen to eliminate sagging breasts due to significant weight loss, pregnancy, and aging.
The many benefits of choosing breast reduction include the alleviation of painful symptoms associated with heavy breasts, such as shoulder, neck and back pain, shoulder grooves, rashes, and chafing. For men, benefits include greater confidence and a reestablished masculine profile.
Clothing, including swimsuits, bras, and activewear typically fit more comfortably after boob reduction surgery. Once any excess weight is removed, breasts will lift and increase in firmness for a more youthful appearance.
What to Expect
You should expect to have a consultation with your surgeon to discuss any medical conditions and family medical history. It’s important to be honest when answering questions.
In addition to questions about medical history, you should also be prepared to talk about any medications you take, whether or not you smoke, the emotional impact you’ve experienced as a result of your breast size, and any physical conditions that have developed due to your larger breast size.
You should also expect that your surgeon will need to take measurements and photos for breast reduction before and after comparisons. They will also likely talk about the amount of tissue that will be removed. You may need to stop taking certain medications or quit smoking until after surgery.
Length of Surgery
Your surgery will either take place on an outpatient basis or will require you to spend time in the hospital; it depends on your individual circumstances. The actual surgery typically takes between three and four hours to complete, and patients are able to return home on the same day.
Recovery Tips
You can prepare at home for the two to four weeks that you’ll need to recover from surgery. Be sure to have several loose shirts to wear, clean towels and washcloths, gauze, and ice ready for when you return home. You’ll also want to get any prescriptions for topical medications before surgery so that they’re ready for when you return home.
Breast reduction may be for you if you want to eliminate pain and sagging, lift your breasts, and restore your confidence. Dr. Peter H. Grossman is a board-certified plastic surgeon with over two decades of experience. To learn more, call Grossman Plastic Surgery at (818) 981-2050.
