San Diego
plastic surgery -
La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre patient and doctor
Which approach is best for you?
Facial Resurfacing
Articles abound in press and TV media extolling the wonders that can be achieved with state-of-the-art, non-invasive facial rejuvenation. The idea of looking better at lower cost and without scars or downtime is very appealing.
Dramatic breakthroughs with new technology treatments to the skin surface are achieving better and better results. Doctors and patients report increasing improvement in facial rejuvenation using Fraxel, Plasma (Rhytec Portrait), Erbium (Sciton), CO2 (UltraPulse), Alexandrite, V-Beam (Perfecta), and Long pulsed YAG (Gentle YAG, Candela). Thermage is frequently useful in achieving moderate skin tightening. Choosing the right laser resurfacing technique is very important.
With all these new options, you may be asking yourself, "Do I even need to consider cosmetic surgery?"
The Advantages Of Cosmetic Surgery And Of Skin Resurfacing. What's Best For Me?
To answer that question, you need to understand the differences between surgery and skin resurfacing.
Cosmetic plastic surgery (such as a facelift, eyelid lift, or forehead lift) removes and tightens loose or excess skin. If you have excess skin with visible sagginess, having cosmetic surgery is probably your best approach.
Non invasive facial rejuvenation (skin resurfacing) makes the surface of the skin look smoother tighter, younger, and can remove or improve color irregularities. Skin resurfacing procedures usually allow you to return to work in a few days, and discomfort is minimal. However, the skin tightening from surface treatments is usually relatively minor and will not compare with the tightening that can be accomplished with cosmetic surgery.
Why La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre?
La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre is one of the very few centers in the nation that has both cosmetic plastic surgery and cosmetic dermatology divisions within the same office. The advantage to you is that you can have a consultation in both divisions, and our physicians can help you decide what is truly in your best interest. Our physicians understand all of the options and can explain the alternatives to you. Cross-referrals between the cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dermatology divisions occur daily.
If, for example, you are past 50, and have lax facial and neck skin, but also have a blotchy or uneven skin surface, you may be a candidate for both surgery and skin resurfacing. If your main concern is uneven skin surface, large pores, post acne scarring, or skin discoloration, you will probably do better with skin resurfacing (laser resurfacing) of one kind or another. If you have good skin that is loose or sagging, surgery will probably solve your problem. Sometimes, it is safe to have both treatments at the same time using only one anesthetic.
The Physicians At La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
As you will find elsewhere in this website, Doctors Lori Saltz, Michael Roark, Johan Brahme, and Joseph Grzeskiewicz are all board certified Plastic Surgeons. They are all superb surgeons and honorable human beings. The depth of their experience is extremely reassuring if you are considering cosmetic surgery.
In our Cosmetic Dermatology division, Director Richard Fitzpatrick, MD and Dr. William Groff provide state of the art care with all off the various kinds of technology available. Dr. Fitzpatrick is acknowledged as one of the world’s experts on laser treatments. Both physicians are certified by the American Board of Dermatology, and Dr. Fitzpatrick is one of the few dermatologists in the world certified in Cosmetic Dermatology.
Many of the studies contributing to the understanding of the latest in skin care are performed at our center (naturally with full understanding and cooperation of the patients involved). Dr. Fitzpatrick has been honored as the world’s leading developer of the use of lasers in treating skin for cosmetic reasons. Dr. Graff also focuses his entire professional attention on cosmetic dermatology and is beloved by his patients.
Having skin rejuvenation performed by the world’s experts (instead of a nurse practitioner) is a huge advantage. One of our patients went to a colleague’s office where skin resurfacing is performed by a nurse. The patient questioned why a nurse was going to perform the procedure and was “reassured”, “don’t worry,” the nurse said,” I use Dr. Fitzpatrick's settings.” What that nurse did not know is that Dr. Fitzpatrick uses an infinite variety of “settings”, and routinely also uses other lasers at the same time in order to achieve the very best results for each patient with the minimum of treatments. You don’t want “cookie cutter” care.
Trusting La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre
At La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, you do not need to independently choose whether skin treatment or cosmetic surgery is best for you. You can come to our beautiful offices within the XIMED Building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital Campus and let us explain, after examination, why one, both, or neither of the above types of treatments is the right choice for you.
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