What’s in a pout?
Fillers in Dubai | 13 June 2019
Well, quite a lot, as it turns out that full and sumptuous lips are the most preferable lip shape of them all – but according to a global study, there’s one key trait that distinguishes the perfect pouts from their equally plump, yet sub-par, counterparts.
A survey of more than 1,000 people from 35 different countries revealed that the key to the ultimate lip shape actually boils down to symmetry. In the study, which was published in the Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, more than 60 per cent of respondents chose the 1:1 ratio between the upper and lower lip as the most attractive shape. The second highest-rated pouts were those with a fuller lower lip, like Kylie Jenner, who has built an entire beauty empire based on her infamous (and surgically-enhanced) pout.
A heavily-defined cupid’s bow is the most-requested lip shape. Cupid’s bows can be enhanced and further defined with the use of specific amounts of filler in the upper lip to enhance the natural vertical columns that lie immediately about the upper lip. The use of a specific filler can also be used to enhance and redefine the overall contour of the lips. Other common shapes patients request improvements on include the “natural trout pout”, when the lips’ symmetry is slightly offset by a heavier top lip, and the “flat upper lip” as seen on Julia Roberts, where the upper lip has no defined cupid’s bow.
Lips start to naturally reduce in size from the age of 28 onwards, as this is when collagen and hyaluronic acid production slows – the latter is the most commonly-used product in lip injection treatments. There are numerous lifestyle factors that can affect the fullness of your lips too. Don’t smoke, stay out of the sun and don’t overdo the booze if you want your lips to be naturally full for longer. Obviously there are some risks involved with lip-plumping treatments, which can leave patients with severe swelling, bruising and soreness afterwards. Prospective patients should always seek advice from a medical professional before embarking upon surgical treatment.
Tummy Tuck – ARE YOU A CANDIDATE?
Tummy Tuck Dubai | 20 June 2019
Once reserved for Hollywood’s elite and America’s wealthy, the tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is a cosmetic surgical procedure to which people of all walks of life are turning to for tightening the abdomen and the removal of excessive skin and fat. A tummy tuck works best for people who are close to their ideal weight, but cannot shed the loose skin that has developed in their abdominal area because of pregnancy, weight loss and age. The typical patient is a female whose abdominal wall has been stretched due to pregnancy. It’s also a procedure designed for men and women who have lost a large amount of weight as a result of exercise and a more healthy diet. Variations of the full tummy tuck, such as a mini-tummy tuck (which depends upon how much skin laxity is present and where it is located), are also a possibility. The result of tummy tuck surgery is a flatter, firmer abdominal contour that is more proportionate to a person’s body type and weight.
Pregnancy and excessive weight can stretch the skin of the abdomen many times its normal state. That’s where a tummy tuck can really help in tightening and flattening that area of your body. The most common form of tummy tuck involves a horizontal incision near the pubic hairline, so swimwear or undergarments can hide the resulting scar. If there is excess skin above the navel, an incision around the navel may be required. Sometimes, the surgery involves liposuction to remove pockets of excess fat from specific areas of the body.
CONSULTATION
To find out if you’re really a good candidate to have a tummy tuck procedure, schedule an appointment with me in the first instance. There are various types of abdominoplasty, including mini-tummy tucks and full tucks with liposuction. Only a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon can tell you what’s right for you.
CHILDREN
Child bearing can cause unwanted tummy laxity. If you’re done having children, then it’s okay to pursue a tummy tuck, but if there’s any doubt, then you should wait.
MASSIVE WEIGHT LOSS
With TV programs such as Biggest Loser, there are many men and women who have pursued their own weight loss program to shed 100 or more pounds. Plastic surgeons will advise putting off a tummy tuck until the patient has maintained their ideal new weight over an extended period of time. Continued weight loss or weight gain can quickly undo the results of a tummy tuck.
EXERCISE
Before considering a tummy tuck, it’s critical to develop a healthy lifestyle involving regular exercise and good dietary habits. If you haven’t done so already, you should start. It’s always a good idea to consult with your family physician before starting a regular exercise regimen.
Blepharoplasty Dubai – REFRESH YOUR APPEARANCE
Blepharoplasty Dubai | 7 June 2019
The eyes have a dramatic impact on appearance and can let others know how we feel – whether we are happy, sad, angry, or tired. They are one of the first things we notice and they have a great deal to do with how others perceive us as they glance at our facial features. Eyes with excessive or sagging skin are frequently associated with a perception of old age (even when they occur in a young per-son) and tiredness. Unfortunately the eyes are often one of the first areas on the face to show telltale signs of aging. Over time, the eyelids may begin to droop and sag. Bags can form under the eyelids making it hard to feel alive and vibrant. The loose skin over your eyes and the fat bags under your eyes may be making you look more tired and older than you feel inside. Cosmetic eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is an operation (actually, a set of operations) for your eyelids designed to maintain the appearance of your eyes. Surgery of the eyelids, blepharoplasty upper and lower, can correct sagging eyelids, remove fatty pouches beneath the eyes and remove excess skin from the upper eyelids. The result is a brighter, more alert, and rested appearance.
For fresher-looking skin above the eyes
Blepharoplasty Dubai | 5 June 2019
Eyelid surgery could help to address drooping skin and deep wrinkles on the eyelids that can create a tired and aged appearance. Eyelid surgery, or upper blepharoplasty, is designed to remove the excess skin from above the eye for a tighter and more youthful look. If you’re unhappy that you have heavy eyelids with excess skin and deep wrinkles, you may benefit from eyelid surgery. As we age, the skin around our eyes starts to lose its elasticity. It is not uncommon to develop eye bags, as our muscles relax, causing both the upper and/or lower eyelids to sag. In addition, our upper eyelids can also start to droop. This effect is often heightened in smokers or those who have had excessive sun exposure. Blepharoplasty is designed to remove loose skin and excess fatty tissue around the eye area, tightening the relaxed muscles and giving the skin a firmer, more youthful appearance. It is a common aesthetic procedure both men and women can benefit from to achieve a fresher, more youthful appearance.
How the Blepharoplasty Operation is performed
Blepharoplasty can be carried out to improve the appearance of either the upper eye or lower eyelids, or both if required. Eyelid surgery involves the surgeon making tiny incisions along the natural crease of the eye (upper) carefully separating the skin from underlying structures and removing or repositioning the fatty tissue before stretching the skin and stitching it back together ensuring any wrinkles are smoothed out. The duration of the procedure itself only take around thirty to sixty minutes and is usually carried out under a general anaesthetic although there are some instances whereby a patient and I will be in agreement to carry the treatment out under a local anaesthetic – either way, you are able to return home on the same day.
The Blepharoplasty Incision Site
Depending on whether you decide to have upper, lower or both eyelids treated at the same time affects where your incisions will be. For instance, if you opt for an upper blepharoplasty, the incision will follow the natural crease of the eye, so will be minimally visible, if it’s a lower eyelid treatment, the incision will be placed just under the lower lash line, or even transconjunctivally which mean along the inside wall of the lower lid meaning a scar would be completely invisible.
Can a tummy tuck be used for weight loss?
Tummy Tuck Dubai | 4 June 2019
Because only a certain amount of body fat is safe to remove, abdominoplasty should not be viewed as a method for weight loss. Furthermore, a tummy tuck does not necessarily improve your blood pressure, cholesterol level or other effects stemming from obesity. For these very reasons, I don’t recommend abdominoplasty as a way for you to treat obesity or diabetes.
On the other hand, I can recommend abdominoplasty for diabetic patients, as long as you meet certain conditions:
The diabetic condition is under control and not causing any complications
There is no history of kidney ailments
You agree to additional blood tests to ensure your diabetes is under control and it is safe to proceed with the operation
Getting wrinkles is quite normal
Fillers in Dubai | 2 June 2019
Whether it’s laughter lines, frown lines or crow’s feet – getting wrinkles (the folds or creases in your skin) is quite normal. Wrinkles aren’t harmful and many people just accept them as a natural sign of ageing. However, you may decide you don’t like the way they look, and so be considering ways to reduce them.
There are lots of different treatments which aim to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and make your skin look smoother and more youthful. Here I cover the most common ones and highlight things to think about if you’re considering having treatment.
Botulinum toxin injections
Botulinum toxin injections may reduce some types of wrinkles. This is commonly called ‘Botox’ but this is actually the trade name of just one type of botulinum toxin.
Botulinum toxin injections are often used to treat forehead and frown lines that come from making facial expressions. They can also reduce lines at the corners of your eyes (crow’s feet). Botulinum toxin can only reduce what are called active wrinkles which are caused by muscle activity. It won’t work for wrinkles, creases or lines that don’t change with your facial expressions.
If you have botulinum toxin treatment, I will inject it into specific muscles in your face. It will relax or paralyse these muscles to reduce their effect on lines and wrinkles. It may take one to three days for the treatment to take effect and the best results will be after around a week or two. The treatment should last for three to six months. You’ll need to have botulinum toxin injections repeated if you want to keep the effects.
Problems that may occasionally happen with botulinum toxin injections include some partial facial weakness. This is because of excessive paralysis of the injected muscles, or those nearby. This is temporary. Botulinum toxin injections aren’t suitable if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or have a neurological disorder, such as myasthenia gravis.
Dermal filler injections
Dermal fillers aim to plump up your skin and make it appear fuller and smoother. Dermal fillers are often used to reduce lines around your nose and your lips, and to enhance the shape of your lips. There is a range of dermal fillers available that work in different ways, and they can be temporary or permanent.
Permanent fillers, such as silicone, were used in the past but are no longer recommended for use on the face. I will recommend using a non-permanent dermal filler. These are either synthetic, or made from a material that closely resembles a naturally occurring substance in your body. I will inject the dermal filler into the required area with a tiny needle.
The effects from dermal filler treatment usually last from three to 18 months, depending on the type of filler and the area you have treated. You’ll need to have repeat treatments if you want the effects to last longer.
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetic surgery can help reduce deep wrinkles and sagging skin. In facelift surgery, I will lift up the skin and soft tissues of your face. This will make your face tighter and smoother. The operation can be done on your whole face (a full facelift) or on your brow area (brow lift), lower face and neck.
Your face will continue to age after you have a facelift. The best results are achieved in people who have skin with good levels of elasticity and have a strong bone structure. A facelift can make you look younger but it may be six to nine months before you can fully judge how well it’s worked. The effects may last for up to 15 years. Surgery is the most aggressive treatment and usually has the greatest effect, but it also has a greater recovery time and risks.
Fillers in Dubai | End
What are Botox injections used for?
Aesthetic Medicine Dubai | 2 June 2019
Botulinum Toxin injections are most commonly used for:
Frown Lines
Lines around the eyes (crow’s feet)
Horizontal forehead lines
Nasal scrunch or squint lines
Lines on neck
Botulinum Toxin is also used in small amounts in a number of other areas on the face depending on the way your muscles of facial expression work. It can raise the outer part of the eyebrow if it is sagging, lift the corners of the mouth, and help to smooth out dimpled or cobblestoned chins. Generally it is not used in the lines around the mouth, usually because it might be difficult to speak and eat.
Botulinum Toxin is an injected liquid used to treat frown lines, squint and smile lines, nasal crunch lines, and horizontal forehead wrinkles. By relaxing the underlying muscles, these lines become less deep.
Botulinum Toxin has been used to treat thousands of patients medically and cosmetically over 20 years. Botox is produced in a lab by a bacterium called “Clostridium botulinum”. It has been purified under very strict controlled conditions. Botox is made by Allergan, a company with a twenty-year history of making this product safely.
When injected into a small facial muscle, it doesn’t travel anywhere else in the body. It gradually wears off naturally over a 3-6 month period. There are other forms of Botox now being produced by other companies. None have the track record of effectiveness and safety yet that Botox does.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FULL, MINI & EXTENDED TUMMY TUCK?
Tummy Tuck Dubai | 1 June 2019
Depending on the patient’s aesthetic objective, plastic surgeons will recommend one of the following three types of tummy tucks available:
FULL OR CLASSIC TUMMY TUCKS
Classic tummy tucks (which are also referred to as full tummy tucks) are utilized when individuals want to address the sections above and below their belly button, the full length of the abdominal wall. Patients who opt for a full tummy tuck often want to resolve general roundness and excess skin. With this procedure, one horizontal or u-shape incision, and possibly a second incision, are made above the pubic area and the belly button, respectively, to remove excess skin and tighten muscle. Full tummy tucks present the most natural-looking outcome, and can include a much firmer abdomen.
MINI TUMMY TUCKS
Mini tummy tucks involve less extensive incisions compared to a full tummy tuck and are intended to improve only the lower belly, below the patient’s belly button. This makes the procedure ideal for people who want to rid their bellies of a “pooch”, tiny bulge or stretch marks in the lower abdominal region only. Plastic surgeons can tighten loose muscles through a single low horizontal incision (typically without an incision around the belly button), and remove excess lower abdominal skin, resulting in a firmer, smoother lower belly.
EXTENDED TUMMY TUCK
The extended tummy tuck is considered when the goals of the procedure are to address the abdomen while simultaneously targeting the flanks and hips. To perform this procedure, the surgeon extends the horizontal incision more laterally as well as often incorporating a longer, vertical incision, which enables the surgeon to remove excess skin from the upper and lower abdominal region as well as the flanks while tightening the abdominal wall. This procedure is often ideal for those patients who have had multiple pregnancies or have lost lots of weight, either through diet and exercise or through weight loss surgery.
Tummy Tuck – Getting Advice
Tummy Tuck Dubai | 31 May 2019
What to think about and do before you decide to have a tummy tuck.
– Think about what you want to change and research the different types of tummy tuck procedures. Understanding the procedures might help you to manage your expectations around what you want and what can realistically be attained.
– Have a thorough consultation with your cosmetic surgeon. Your consultation is a great opportunity to get more advice and answers to questions. In the lead up to your consultation, it will help to write any questions down as and when you think of them so you don’t forget. If you go to a clinic and see a ‘counsellor’ or ‘advisor’, make sure you also see the surgeon who will do your operation before signing up.
– Take time to reflect before you make a final decision. The decision to have this treatment must be yours. Don’t feel pressured or be influenced by anyone else. If you need more time, take it.
– Think about your care after your operation. Will there be someone around to help you with your day-to-day responsibilities – taking the dog for a walk or lifting things around the house? This will be particularly important if you have any problems after surgery.
When you see the surgeon to discuss having a tummy tuck, there are quite a lot of areas to cover. The surgeon should:
– fully explain the procedure, including telling you about the recovery period and what to expect
– make sure that you understand what it is possible to achieve and that you don’t have unrealistic expectations
– explain all possible risks and complications
– tell you if there are other options for you, whether surgical or non-surgical
What are Fillers Made With?
Fillers in Dubai | 24 May 2019
What are Fillers Made With?
There are a variety of FDA approved filler products that cosmetic surgeons use. In general, fillers are categorized by the substance they are made from. A note for your safety: always make sure that you are receiving FDA approved, brand name fillers, which are only available through a licensed physician, such as a board certified cosmetic surgeon.
Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that is already found in your skin. It helps keep skin plump and hydrated. HA fillers are typically soft and gel-like. The results are temporary, lasting 6 to 12 months or longer before the body gradually and naturally absorbs the particles. Most HA fillers are infused with lidocaine to help minimize discomfort during and after treatment. FDA approved HA fillers include:
Juvéderm products: Juvéderm XC, VOLUMA, VOLBELLA, VOLLURE
Restylane products: Restylane, Restylane Silk, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Refyne, and Restylane Defyne
Belotero Balance
Calcium Hydroxylapatite (CaHA)
Calcium hydroxylapatite is also a naturally occurring substance, found primarily in our bones. When used in a filler, the calcium particles are nearly microscopic and suspended in a smooth gel. The consistency of a CaHA filler is typically thicker than that of a hyaluronic acid filler and typically last longer as well, about 12 months for most patients. Calcium hydroxylapatite is also reported to help stimulate natural collagen production, and it is typically used for deeper lines and wrinkles. FDA approved CaHA fillers include Radiesse®.
Poly-L-lactic Acid
Poly-L-lactic acid is a biocompatible (meaning it is safe to use in the body), biodegradable synthetic substance. It has been used for many years in medical devices, such as dissolvable stitches. Poly-L-lactic acid products are technically classified as “collagen stimulators,” as their main mechanism to smooth fine lines is by helping your skin rebuild natural collagen—the filler gel itself dissipates a few days after treatment. Poly-L-lactic acid is typically used to treat deeper facial wrinkles, and results can last more than 2 years. FDA approved Poly-L-lactic acid fillers include Sculptra® Aesthetic.
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a synthetic, biocompatible substance that has been used in medicine for much of the last century. In dermal fillers, PMMA takes the form of a “microsphere” or tiny ball, that remains beneath the skin indefinitely to provide continued support. PMMA fillers will also contain collagen, a naturally occurring substance in the skin that provides structure and firmness. FDA approved PMMA fillers include Bellafill® (formerly known as Artefill).
Autologous fat injections (facial fat grafting)
Autologous fat injections are the only injectable filler treatment that requires surgery, but results can last for many years. Your own fat is harvested from another area (autologous means “from the same person”), typically using liposuction. The fat is then purified and injected into the face to help restore volume to the cheeks, temples, lower eyelids, or other areas. Fat injections require specialized training to perform safely and achieve great results, and should only be performed by an experienced, board certified cosmetic surgeon.