Faces and Apples Don't Match

Too often we see patients who have taken facial filler injections too far. Fueled by the quest for everlasting beauty and the fear of any surgery, they keep having their face injected over and over with various facial fillers. But over-filling cheeks and cheek bones with HA fillers (such as JUVÉDERM®, Restylane®, JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC) ends up looking like having apples in your cheeks, not infrequently seen in Hollywood celebs and ‘reality' TV shows like the not-so-‘real housewives.'Of course, these alluring ‘non-surgical facelifts' or ‘liquid facelifts' are NOT facelifts or a facelift substitute, and they will result in an unnatural and obvious ‘filler face' when pushed beyond their indications.

Natural results in facial rejuvenation result from a balanced approach with the judicious use of facial filling, to replace lost facial volume, and removing the slack and sag in the cheek and neck which becomes undeniable after the age of 50. Non-surgical treatments, such as HA fillers, neurotoxins (BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dysport®), and skin surface treatments, are great by themselves until our late 40s when used with sound aesthetic judgment and skill. Surgery becomes relevant when more filling does not help further or begins to distort the appearance.

Today's facial rejuvenation surgery involves a powerful combination of replacement of facial volume with your own body's fat (and associated growth factors) PLUS tightening of the saggy infrastructure of the face and removal of saggy skin. It's conceptually simple: where it is empty, one fills and where it is loose, one tightens. This is the way to create natural, good-looking faces that appear refreshed and vibrant, not surgical. Skin surface treatments, fillers, and BOTOX® Cosmetic then serve to optimize and maintain your appearance.

If you are seeking to rejuvenate your appearance, call Dr. Stephan Baker to schedule your consultation. Dr. Baker is a board-certified plastic surgeon with years of experience providing his patients with beautiful, natural-looking results. Please call (305) 381-8837, or fill out our online contact form for more information.