Virginia Facial Plastic Surgery Blog

Our faces are our most visible part of ourselves. Faces also show our age to a greater degree than any other part of our bodies. There are many ways to rejuvenate the face, one of the most complete and popular being a facelift. A traditional facelift is an involved procedure, and involves a fairly significant recovery. Some people, either because they can’t afford the money or time involved in such a procedure, or because they simply want a quicker result, are turning to newer, less invasive options.

A full or complete facelift, the traditional type of facelift procedure, involves incisions along the hairline from the temples to around and behind the ears. Through these incisions, your surgeon can access the layers of muscle or connective tissue underneath the skin, lift them, and secure them in a lifted position, along with the outer layer of skin. This ensures a complete and natural result. Some patients are put off by the invasiveness and recovery time involved and, as a result, surgeons have been working on newer, less-invasive methods for achieving similar results.

Botox and injectable filler treatments are a safe and effective way to minimize the appearance of wrinkles and obtain fuller lips. That is, of course, when the procedure is performed correctly. Unfortunately many patients are being tricked by the allure of so called “experts” offering lower prices. Seminars are being offered to doctors and sometimes individuals who are non-licensed professionals. They promise that attendees will be able to incorporate injectable treatments into their practice in a matter of hours. These people then go on to perform the procedure without having undergone a full, proper training.

While it is not an overly complicated procedure, it is important that the person performing the injections is certified and well trained. There are many factors that come into play when performing a botulinum or dermal filler injection. Injectors need to know proper injection techniques and injection placement. They need to know how to make the experience painless. The technique should involve little time. The longer the doctor takes to inject the site, the more pain and swelling will occur. Training should also involve how to make a patient feel comfortable as well as extensive knowledge of possible side effects that can occur.

For patients looking to renew the appearance of their faces, chemical peels can be a very effective treatment. As patients age, time and sun damage cause lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and often an uneven skin tone. Chemical peels treat these problems by stripping the outer layer of skin and allowing a new, fresher appearance to be revealed. However, the ultimate success of the treatment can depend on how the skin is cared for during recovery. As a patient, it is on you to follow your physician’s instructions in order to maximize your outcome.

The theme of your recovery should be to be gentle to your skin. You want to keep the old skin in place as long as possible, since it acts as a natural bandage for the new skin healing below. To do this, you should be very careful to keep the skin from drying out, including applying moisturizer many times throughout the day. Keeping the skin from drying out will also help avoid the tightness, cracking, and stinging that can occur during healing.

Dr. Naderi was excited to receive a letter recently from Congresswoman Barbara Comstock. In the letter, Congresswoman Comstock congratulated Dr. Naderi for his recent recognition as a Top Plastic Surgeon for 2013 by Northern Virginia Magazine.

Ms. Barbara Comstock has been a member of the Virginia House of Delegates since 2010. She represents the 34th House District which includes portions of Fairfax and Loudon counties.