About Face

Choosing between the office and the surgery center

When it comes to the advancements made in cosmetic surgery, more and more people are having aesthetic procedures with less and less downtime. Plastic surgery is safer, more effective, and more affordable than ever before. But the fact that plastic surgery and cosmetic in-office procedures have become so accessible does not discount the fact that these are still medical procedures being performed, and that there continue to be risks and benefits that must be discussed with you prior to undergoing one of these procedures.

While many patients are accustomed to visiting their facial plastic surgeon to have Botox and fillers (such as Juvederm and Radiesse), many are also having surgery in the office. How is this possible? Is it safe? 

A Study Shows Combo Chin, Nose Surgery is Effective

Get the perfect nose and chin combination

A new study from Italian researchers shows that having chin augmentation with nose surgery is stable over time. Facial plastic surgeons will often recommend having a chin implant to enhance a weak chin (called microgenia). This allows for a superior cosmetic outcome with appropriate proportions to the face. 

(See before and after photos here)

At the Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, you can choose between surgical and nonsurgical options to enhance the nose and chin. Some patients opt for the in-office rhinoplasty and chin enhancement as a "try-out" before choosing to proceed with surgery for the nose and chin. If you think such enhancements might be right for you, be sure to speak with a qualified facial plastic surgeon to learn more about your options.

The Most Popular Cosmetic Procedures in 2012

Each year, around this time, the most popular plastic surgery procedures are totaled.  Usually the most popular procedures such as Botox, breast implants, or rhinoplasties, continue to stay high in demand.  However, there are some unexpected new increases in other procedures as well!  Read more to see what plastic surgery procedures have been increasing in popularity.

Looking Younger is Your Nose's Job, Too

When people decide to get nasal reshaping (rhinoplasty, often called a nose job), they usually want to fix an imperfection such as a bump, a low nasal bridge, or to make the nose smaller.  Others need to fix a breathing problem (by getting a septoplasty), or have experienced a traumatic injury to their nose. Most people don’t know or realize that a nose surgery can make you look younger!

Thinking about Cosmetic Surgery? Don't Make These Mistakes!

Even though the economy has been suffering, the number of people receiving cosmetic or plastic surgery has increased and is still on the rise.  Knowing about these plastic surgery mistakes that no one talks about is more important than ever. So if you are considering or have decided to go forward with a cosmetic procedure, you will want to know about these mistakes which can leave you with less than desirable results!

When Less is More for Men

Women still outnumber men in the number of cosmetic procedures they have, which is why most advertising for plastic surgery is still tailored for women.  However, the number of men receiving plastic surgery is on the rise.  In increasingly competitive work and social environments, men are caring about their appearance and aging more than ever. Given the improved health and ability (and, unfortunately, necessity) to work longer before retiring, older men find themselves competing to look youthful, energetic, and capable.   Although men are receiving more surgical and nonsurgical procedures overall, men prefer permanent surgical procedures over more temporary noninvasive ones.

Preview your look before Nose Surgery

"Nose Surgery," or rhinoplasty, is one of the most sought after cosmetic procedures for patients under 35, according to the American Acadmey of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 

New technology, however, is helping potential patients visualize what their new noses might look like. Imaging sessions allows you to upload your own picture taken in the office and digitally reshape the image to see what your new nose could look like.

Even if you already had rhinoplasty and were disappointed with the outcome, the imaging session can show you what an revision rhinoplasty would look like. 

To schedule an imaging session with us, please call (626)447-3223, or email us!

 

16th Century Diagrams of the Earliest Rhinoplasty

A 16th century book detailing one of the earliest rhinoplasty operations came to light when it was sold at auction. The operations were carried out to repair faces that had been wounded in battle. The tome is illustrated with diagrams in which the patient's nose was attached to a flap of skin from his upper arm. The book tells how he stayed like that for about three weeks until the skin from his arm had attached itself properly.

These days, rhinoplasty is much more straightforward. Read here for more information about modern day nose job, and the two major techniques involved. The Chow Center for Facial Plastic surgery also offers imaging sessions for those interested in seeing what they would look like post-operation.

A Quick and Easy Way to Erase Facial Lines and Add Volume

From fuller lips to jaw contouring, a brief session with your facial plastic surgeon can achieve the cosmetic goals you want! Read here to find out the many uses of Botox and fillers injectables.             

Mutilated Afgan Girl Gets a New Nose

Aisha, who had her nose cut off by her husband, now has a new nose after reconstructive facial plastic surgery. Read about it here.

Cosmetic Facial Procedures to Help Patients Breathe

A nose job, or rhinoplasty, not only helps to aethetically enhance the face, it may also help one breathe better. Find out how rhinoplasty can help patients with nasal obstruction.

An Introduction to Rhinoplasty, or the Nose Job

 Noses come in all shapes and sizes, and any good rhinoplasty (or nose job) surgeon knows that every surgery is therefore also unique. Using exactly the same set of techniques on every nose leads to problems and, more often than not, that "done" look. Therefore, your facial plastic surgeon must possess a large array of different techniques and skills in order to address the various cosmetic concerns related to the nose.

Sometimes, when looking at the nose, we forget that its primary purpose is for breathing. Changing the outer appearance of the nose can also alter its function--and not always for the better. For this reason, rhinoplasty (or the nose job) must achieve a pleasing shape without compromising one's ability to breathe. In fact, there are many people who have rhinoplasty not only to improve the appearance of their noses, but to breathe better, too!

Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty

The nonsurgical rhinoplasty is a relatively recent development in facial plastic surgery. Although dermal fillers to provide contouring and volume have existed for many years, starting with bovine collagen, improved, longer lasting fillers have only become available for cosmetic use in recent years.

As this is a nonsurgical procedure, no incisions of any kind are made in the nose. Instead, cosmetic fillers are injected in the office to sculpt the nose to correct underdeveloped nasal bridges, unsightly bumps, or irregularities present on the nose. Gentle massage then achieves the final shape. The procedure often takes less than 15 minutes, and a numbing ointment or cream can be used beforehand to minimize discomfort. 

Rhinoplasty Concepts: The Make Up of...Makeup

Reshaping the nose is one of the most common concerns my patients have. As such, I have spent a great deal of time focused on the problems unique to noses in general, as well as those specific to each ethnicity. Naturally, individual cultural preferences play a large role in defining beauty of the nose. I first began researching some of these influences while in college as part of a degree in East Asian Studies, which included trips to Asia. I then traveled to Europe and Africa to learn more about how distinct cultures influence each other. Forming the appropriate contours in the nose so that it is not only shapely and proportionate to the rest of the face, but also reflects light in a comely manner requires knowledge, skill, and not a little artistry.

In this first entry on rhinoplasty, or reshaping of the nose, I plan to discuss the non-medical options for making the nose appear more proportionate to the face. In general, the nose helps to form the middle portion when dividing the face into horizontal thirds, and its base should be about the distance between the eyes, which makes up one vertical fifth of the face (see the figures below).