Dr. Buckingham’s Q&A

March 15, 2012

What are your thoughts on Thermage vs. other lasers for spider veins?

Filed under: Facelift Surgery,Spider Viens — admin @ 4:15 pm

Question:
I recently heard of a vein treatment that uses radio frequency energy. Is this a good treatment? Can it be used for spider veins on the face?

Answer:
Radio-frequency is the technology used for Thermage. I have never been impressed with the results from this technique. It is usually used to improve the tightness of the skin. To my knowledge it is not used for spider veins on the face. Spider veins on the face are easily improved with a KTP laser which is very reliable and has very little recovery time.

Please visit us or contact us by e-mail for more info about Facial Plastic Surgery in Austin, TX.

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March 5, 2012

What is a vampire facelift?

Filed under: Facelift,Facelift Surgery,Injectables — admin @ 2:54 pm

Question:
I just read an article about something called the vampire facelift where your own platelets are removed from your blood and reinjected into your face to stimulate collagen. Is this effective? What are the benefits compared to other injectables?

Answer:
There is an entity called a vampire facelift. Unfortunately, that is a very bad and inaccurate name. The "vampire" facelift is a process where blood is drawn from the patient and processed into a fibrin matrix of platelets and other clotting components to the blood as well as growth factors. This is then injected into the skin in order to provide a filling effect as well as theoretically improve the skin. Studies are currently underway to see if this process really provides any benefit. It is currently one of those procedures that’s demand is being driven by advertising and not science. While the risk is low the benefit has not been proven. I would recommend waiting for quality studies to emerge prior to spending money on this procedure.

Please visit us or contact us by e-mail for more info about Facial Plastic Surgery in Austin, TX.

Posted by Dr. Buckingham

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February 29, 2012

Is my face going to look or feel pulled after facelift surgery?

Filed under: Facelift,Facelift Surgery — admin @ 10:12 am

Question:
How do you avoid an overly taut or pulled look from a facelift?

Answer:
Overly taut and pulled results from a facelift occur when incorrect vectors of tension are placed on the skin and SMAS and also from tension being placed on the skin. When performing a proper facelift some type of elevation of the fascial layer of the face called the SMAS needs to occur. There are different techniques to deal with this layer, the SMAS, but the direction of pull needs to be appropriate. No tension should be placed on the skin in a facelift. Placing tension on the skin only results in a pulled look and creates widened noticeable scars.

Please visit us or contact us by e-mail for more info about Facial Plastic Surgery in Austin, TX.

Posted by Dr. Buckingham

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December 13, 2011

Can you explain how the threadlift works? Are actual threads used to lift the face?

Filed under: Facelift,Facelift Surgery — admin @ 6:10 pm

Question:
Can you explain how the threadlift works? Are actual threads used to lift the face?

Answer:
Threadlifts purport to work by placing barbed suture in to the face and lifting the skin with the thread. A very good study has been performed to determine the effectiveness of threadlifts. After 3 months in 100% of the patients no result could be seen. We do not perform threadlifts. There are much more effective minimally invasive procedures.

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May 23, 2011

Facelifts options depending on the patient’s needs

Filed under: Facelift Surgery — admin @ 10:13 am

Question:
What are the different options that you provide for facelifts? I had always thought that there was one type of facelift and now there seem to be other options.

Answer:
We provide a range of facelifts options depending on the patient’s needs and desires. If a patient does not have excess fat in the neck, does not have platysmal banding and does not have significant neck laxity then we will offer a limited incision approach, which involves incisions around the ear only, is done in the office with oral sedation and local and has minimal recovery.

For patients with more significant aging we will offer a lower facelift that involves making a small incision under the chin and performing liposuction and a muscle tightening procedure. Again depending on the degree of aging we will then adjust the amount of dissection we perform on the SMAS to match the patient’s needs. When the anterior neck is opened it adds a small amount of recovery time, but most patients may return to social activities by 7-10 days.

Please visit us or contact us by e-mail for more info about Facial Plastic Surgery in Austin, TX.

Posted by Dr. Buckingham

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Dr. Edward Buckingham is a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in Rhinopalsty, Facelifts, Eyelid Surgery, BOTOX, and many other
Cosmetic Facial procedures. His office is located in Austin, Texas and services the surrounding areas including: Sunset Valley, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park,
Round Rock, and many of the other nearby Texas cities. © 2011 Austin Texas Facial Plastic Surgery
Dr. Buckingham is a Eyelid Surgery and Rhinoplasty expert in the Austin metropolitan area on RealSelf.