- « Follow Us
-
Phone 512.401.2500 | Fax 512.401.2501
2745 Bee Caves Road, Suite 101
Austin,
Texas
78746
| Map It
Question:
People seem to use injectable fillers more than fat transfer but I don’t understand why. Doesn’t fat transfer last longer? Isn’t it possibly permanent?
Answer:
Injectable fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane, are certainly used more often than fat transfer. This is the case even in our practice and we utilize fat transfer frequently. The reason is that injectable fillers are very easy to administer and have very little recovery time. Additionally, fat transfer is not useful for perioral augmentation as the fat typically does not survive in this area. This is the most common area for injectable fillers. A consultation will help an individual determined which sort of volume restoration is appropriate for their individual problem.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I would like slight reduction of my nasal hump. What procedure would you suggest for this minor change, surgical or non-surgical rhinoplasty?
Answer:
In general, a nasal hump would be treated using a surgical hump reduction during rhinoplasty. In certain individuals there is a depression above and below the hump that can be filled with Restylane which would be considered a nonsurgical rhinoplasty. The advantage of the surgical option is that the results are permanent. The disadvantages are that it is a surgical procedure with the associated risks and recovery. The advantages of filler are that it is relatively easy and has low risk however the disadvantages would be that it needs to be repeated and only some cases are eligible.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I have horizontal wrinkles on my neck and sagging on my cheeks. I’m in Cedar Park and I would like a facelift. Do you recommend laser skin resurfacing on the neck to remove the creases? I believe they are permanent, although they’ll probably be less noticeable after the face lift.
Answer:
Usually horizontal wrinkles of the neck are best treated with a facelift. However, if jowling and neck skin laxity is not present then laser resurfacing is an option. For cheek rejuvenation adding volume with either syringe based fillers or the patient’s own fat cells is the best solution.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
There seem to be an awful lot of facelift alternatives available these days, from thread-lifts to liquid facelifts, but is there ever a time when a traditional facelift is the best option?
Answer:
A thread lift is a bogus procedure and does not last. I do not recommend this procedure for anyone. Great studies have proven this. A liquid facelift is not really a facelift at all but rather volume replacement. This is a very important part of facial rejuvenation and can be done with syringe based fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm or Sculptra. This can also be done with the patient’s own fat. In the upper face, volume replacement is most useful for the cheeks and lower eyelids but also the temporal area and brow. In the lower face, volume can be used along the jaw and of course volume is used frequently for the perioral lines. Volume however will not give a result for a sagging neck and will not correct significant jowling. These areas would be addressed with a traditional facelift which with modern techniques provides excellent results with minimal downtime.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I’d like to have a fat transfer to the area under my eyes. How long is the fat supposed to last? Is this something that needs to be repeated regularly like injectable fillers?
Answer:
Fat transfer requires that the grafted cells become vascularized to the new location; in this case the under eye area. Because some of the grafted cells will not survive, you have to over-fill the area to some extent during the procedure. The cells that do become vascularized and therefore graft to the new location will be there for years. They do not behave like other injectable fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane,which last anywhere from 9-12 months or Sculptra which lasts 3-5 years.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I am a 30-year-old woman from Austin, TX with very thin lips. What would be the best option for me if I want fuller lips, but want them to look as natural as possible?
Answer:
The options are injectable fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane, surgical implants, or surgical lifts. Surgical lifts can be a good option in select individuals, but have limitations. Implants work great, but they can be felt. Injectable fillers are the most commonly performed procedure and if done correctly will yield a very natural and beautiful result. The only downside to injectable fillers is that they will only last 9-12 months and need to be repeated.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I’m considering using an injectable to minimize the small lines and wrinkles developing around my eyes and mouth. A couple of my friends go to a spa in Round Rock for Botox, but I recently heard about Dysport. What is the difference between the two?
Answer:
Botox and Dysport are both botulinum toxins type A. The difference is in the carrier proteins surrounding the active molecule and the companies that own the rights to the drugs. They behave very similar and I do not see a great advantage or disadvantage to either product in comparison.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I recently read an article about Juvederm and was shocked because I had never heard of it. Is Juvederm the latest trend in injectable fillers? What does it do?
Answer:
Juvederm has been around for several years and is not the newest filler, but it is one of the most popular. Juvederm is one of the class of hyaluronic acid fillers. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule in the skin and is the same ingredient in Restylane and Perlane. Several other new fillers of this class are in the pipeline as well. In general, Juvederm has a slightly higher concentration of hyaluronic acid than Restylane and therefore attracts more water. Therefore, we tend to utilize Juvederm around the mouth area. For the same reason, we use Restylane around the eyes as attracting too much water in this area can lead to a puffy result.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I would like Botox treatments. I have very pronounced frown lines and crow’s feet. How many injections would I get for these areas? Do you first apply a topical anesthetic?
Answer:
Botox for frown lines involve 4-5 small injections and crow’s feet involves 2-4 per side. We use ice for a topical anesthetic usually, but if a patient is particularly nervous topical may be used. We use a 32 gauge needle with our injections which are very small and cause very little discomfort. The injections are very well tolerated.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I’m embarrassed of my ugly thin lips and I’d like to get something done to make them look better. What can be done to give my lips a sexier and healthier look?
Answer:
The usual treatment for thin lips is injecting of hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm. This is an easy procedure and patients love the results, but they will wear off with time, 6-12 months. Surgical implants can also be used which provides a permanent result through the use of a very simple in-office procedure. The results look natural, but the implant can be felt if the lip is grasped with the thumb and index finger. Other surgical lip lifts may also be used, but scarring may prevent this from being the procedure of choice.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
