The facial plastic surgery landscape is constantly evolving. And in the interest of educating my patients and anyone else who’s interested, here’s small post highlighting 5 trends for facial plastic surgery I’ve noticed recently.
1. Combination Therapies For Facial Rejuvenation
Facial plastic surgeons are becoming experts at combining nonsurgical therapies for facial rejuvenation. This includes the most popular treatment of dermal fillers plus neurotoxins to smooth wrinkles. Other treatments include raising and lifting sagging tissues plus laser skin resurfacing to get rid of excessive hyper-pigmentation. I believe that using combination therapies are the best way to get the most consistent results amongst his patients. Also, by combining noninvasive therapies, we can address most or many of the signs of facial aging without surgery.
2. Sharing Plastic Surgery Experiences
Reality shows such as “Extreme Makeover” first got people talking about plastic surgery, and that conversation continues to this day. The stigma of having “work done” is diminishing and many people are becoming more open about what they had done or what they want to have done. This may be in part due to many celebrities becoming more open about their nonsurgical treatments on social media including injectables and laser treatments. I find this is to be a very positive trend and likely due to his philosophy of creating natural and subtle results.
3. Injectables Are Getting Better And Better
With the growing array of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based fillers already on the market, and even more to come, facial plastic surgeons are becoming increasingly adept at knowing how and when to use these injectables to achieve natural-looking results. Every year we have new indications and new fillers that enhance our options for restoring lost volume in the face. For instance, Restylane Refyne and Defyne are two of the newest fillers on the market that are the next generation of hyaluronic fillers. They are specifically designed for areas of expression, such as around the mouth referred to as the perioral region. When placed in this area, the filler still allows for normal facial expression but prevents the fine lines and wrinkles from forming. This creates a refreshed improvement that many of my patients are loving.
At the 2017 AAFRPS Annual Meeting, I did a video interview discussing the new Restylane Refyne and Defyne Fillers. You can view it by clicking here.
There are so many hyaluronic fillers available in Canada and Europe that are expected to be approved in the U.S. in coming years. Each filler has a different consistency which makes it especially important to go to a specialist that is experienced, ensuring that they are choosing the right filler for your face.
4. Glam-ma’s are here!
This is a trend that is taking over our aging population. Glam-ma’s are the new Grandmas and they are starting to look more glamourous and youthful. They are ready to be photo-shoot ready and are not showing signs of stopping anytime soon. Statistics show that over the last two decades, surgical and nonsurgical procedures have more than doubled for women in their 60s and 70s. This is likely due to the no downtime for many of the nonsurgical procedures and the increased safety associated with these procedures, like fillers and botox. Also, lasers such as IPL and skin tightening devices like the Titan are achieving results without undergoing surgery. That being said, most facial plastic surgery procedures can be done safely in the appropriately chosen patient, producing a natural and long lasting result.
5. Stem cells and growth factors
Fat grafting will continue to be the one of the top procedures of 2017. Results with fat grafting continue to improve as there have been refinements in harvesting techniques — as well as more reliable, reproducible results with or without facial surgery.
Research has shown the power of stem cells and growth factors that are found in fat and platelet rich plasma.
Microneedling, followed by topical growth factors(platelet rich plasma), is also becoming very popular for everything from scar reduction to lines and wrinkles.
As plastic surgery becomes more mainstream, and more alluring to patients of all ages, consumers are urged to select a board-certified surgeon who specializes in plastic surgery of the face, head and neck. Trust your face to a facial plastic surgeon. You’ll come out looking gorgeous — and stay safe and healthy in the process. That’s a win-win.
