Non-Surgical/ Med Spa
Body
Breast
Face
Male
Hand/Reconstruction
Category Archives: Face Procedures
When Surgery is the Right Solution for Facial Aging
- Sunday, 15 August 2021 08:36
- Kim
- 0 Comments
We’ve come to realize that we cannot stop our aging process. Through the ages, humans have developed all sorts of ways to at least slow down its progression. Most recently, research has led to the development of multiple injectable products that can pump up the volume and smooth wrinkles with extraordinary speed. For nothing more than the ease of injectable treatments, many adults easily slip into the notion that surgery is no longer a necessary consideration. This isn’t the case. Here, we discuss how to identify when surgery may be the best option for achieving the results you want.
What is a Liquid Facelift?
Treatment that focuses on the use of soft tissue fillers and neuromodulators like Botox is often referred to as a liquid facelift. Doctors and nurse injectors can achieve outstanding results using carefully selected products in specific areas of the face, such as the cheeks, eyes, and jawline. Depending on the products included in the injectable treatment, the rejuvenating results may last up to two years.
The benefits of injectable treatment are obvious. People first choose this route because they don’t need to schedule time off for recovery, do not require prescription painkillers to ease postoperative discomfort, and can see at least some improvement the same day they undergo treatment. Injectables are also pretty accessible in terms of cost, making them more convenient to get than surgery.
Today’s Facelift Surgery
Facelift surgery has been performed around the world for many years. The perceived downside to a facelift is that it will look obvious. In the early days of this procedure, when surgeons focused more on tightening the skin and superficial tissue, that may have been true in more cases than not. Today, it’s just a lingering misconception. Facelift surgery today gets to the heart of facial aging. It repositions the fatty tissue and muscle that have descended downward from the cheeks so that a more youthful facial shape is restored. Sure, a facelift can achieve more dramatic results than injectables. It can make a person look about 10 years younger versus 2 or 3 years. However, it does not result in an overly-tightened appearance.
It is a big decision to have a facelift. We understand that. Some of the signs that it may be more appropriate than injectables include:
- More severe signs of aging
- Significant tissue laxity has caused a turkey neck, jowls or sagging cheeks
- The neck could also benefit from some lifting
- You want more dramatic results
- You want long lasting results
Facial rejuvenation via surgery has been on the rise. To explore your options, including the Thread Lift, contact us and arrange a visit in Pottsville or Hazleton.
Has Aging Settled on Your Lower Face? We’ve Got Solutions!
- Saturday, 15 May 2021 08:22
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
We tend to see the signs of aging first on the upper face. Horizontal lines show we’ve worried. Frown lines show we’ve concentrated or expressed displeasure. Under eye bags remind us of the value of a good night’s sleep. Crow’s feet show we have laughed and smiled, hopefully a lot. As many memories as there may be in these expression lines, they feel concerning when they make us look older. So concerning, in fact, that we may miss how aging settles on the lower face. At some point, we start to see heaviness in the hollows beneath the cheekbones. We see jowls at the jawline and sagging skin or excessive fat beneath the chin. These signs of aging change the structure of the face. Fortunately, there are ways to address them.
We love helping adults of all ages feel their best. When the signs of aging alter the face’s youthful “Y” shape into more of an inverted “V,” we perform specific treatments that restore firmness and shape. It doesn’t always take surgery to do this, either.
Nonsurgical Lower Face Rejuvenation
- Dermal fillers. Is there anything that dermal fillers can’t do? Yes. But, truly, these products are incredibly versatile! At the jawline, dermal fillers can be added to the area just in front of jowls. The subtle increase in volume can disguise mild sagging. Keep in mind that dermal fillers do not tighten the skin but are a quick fix that can last up to two years.
- Kybella. Kybella is not a dermal filler, it is an injectable fat-reducing drug approved by the FDA for submental fullness. Haven’t heard of that? You may know it as a double chin. A few appointments is all it takes for most people to achieve outstanding slimming of the chin area.
- Thermage CPT® . Using radiofrequency and controlled pulse technology, Thermage tightens skin at its foundational layer. A brief, virtually painless treatment heats the dermis to cause prolonged collagen and elastin production. Results are not instantaneous, but they are corrective and can last for a year or longer.
- Thread lift. This procedure takes less than an hour and can be done with only a couple of injections of local anesthetic. A thread lift can reduce sagging at the jawline and neck areas by repositioning tissue and suspending it with coned threads inserted at various layers of tissue. Results can last years.
Surgical Lower Face Rejuvenation
- Neck Lift. An outpatient procedure, the neck lift carefully trims tissue that has lost elasticity and begun to sag. In addition to restoring curvature between the neck and chin and jawline, a neck lift can smooth away horizontal bands, as well.
- Neck liposuction. This fat-reducing technique can compliment a neck lift or serve as a stand-alone procedure to eliminate double-chin fat.
- Facelift. Some people think that a facelift is an all-over procedure that repositions tissue from the forehead to the jawline. The true focal point of a facelift is the lower face. During the outpatient procedure, the surgeon lifts fat pads and muscle and secures these layers of tissue in the midface area. This restores definition along the jawline, along with a more youthful “Y” shape.
Facial rejuvenation need not be impossible nor difficult. We have several treatment options for you to explore. To do so, contact our Hazleton or Pottsville office today.
There’s No Such Thing as Once-and-Done When it Comes to Beauty
- Friday, 14 February 2020 06:59
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
Hundreds of patients come through our offices each month seeking to address cosmetic concerns. Often, they relate to the signs of aging, such as sagging jowls, hooded eyelids, and lines and wrinkles. When addressing these concerns, it is important that patients understand the nature of aging. Not only how it affects appearance by why. When we start at the root cause of cosmetic aging, we can better understand why no singular treatment, even surgery, can correct all problems.
The Traditional Approach to Beauty
Historically, the signs of aging have been topical solutions. Ancients used milk baths to promote beautiful skin. More recently, science has developed more powerful topicals such as medical-grade retinoids, hyaluronic acid, lasers, and other high-tech energies. In every one of these instances, the skin can look a little better and become a little stronger. However, long-term beauty is only possible with maintenance. This is why.
Aging does not happen on the surface of the skin. It happens in the dermis, where cells called fibroblasts live. Fibroblasts make collagen and elastin, proteins that then form the skin’s foundation. Collagen is a firming protein, whereas elastin is flexible and allows the skin to stretch and contract. These are vital characteristics that, when lost, lead to sagging, rough, deflated skin. Up until about age 30, our fibroblasts are humming right along, making all the collagen and elastin we need and then some. After that age, these cells go into relative dormancy. When they do, the body’s use of 1 to 2% of existing proteins each year sends us into depletion, where we begin to see the signs of aging.
To truly meet the skin’s needs over time, our job is to keep those fibroblasts stimulated. This means maintenance because no treatment can wake up fibroblasts for good. Each treatment that is performed can stimulate fibroblast activity that lasts up to six months. However, depending on how severe the signs of aging are when treatment begins, several sessions may be needed just to restore an optimal baseline.
If you’ve ever wondered why beauty treatments are “sold” in packages, this is the reason. Beauty isn’t once-and-done, so your treatments can’t be, either. To learn more about the services we offer, contact our Pottsville or Hazleton office.
Sagging Brows: One Problem, Two Possible Solutions
- Friday, 15 February 2019 18:03
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
As we age, we face a number of changes that we may have never expected. Facial aging may begin with a few lines and creases around the eyes and mouth, but, at some point, progresses into laxity that creates the appearance of weight at the lower face (jowls) and may dramatically alter the way in which the eyes represent us. If your aging process has led to drooping brows, you know exactly what we mean.
The eyebrows serve as a frame to the eyes. By nature, they are supposed to sit on top of the bone that encompasses the eye, called the orbital rim. When the eyebrows fall below this ridge, the eyes may begin to look sad, angry, or tired. Which appearance your eyes take on depends on the area in which the brow is being pulled downward. The good news about drooping brows is that they can be lifted. The question is how.
Lifting with Surgery
A surgical brow lift, or forehead lift, is a procedure in which only the tissue on the upper face is repositioned. Dr. Kimmel performs brow lifts using an endoscopic technique. This means a few short incisions versus one long incision that travels from ear to ear behind the hairline. An endoscopic brow lift uses tiny instruments to reposition the tissue on the forehead so the brow line once again sits across the orbital rim.
A surgical brow lift can:
- Restore optimal height and curvature to the brows
- Rejuvenate the eyes by reducing weight on the upper eyelids
- Remove worry lines and frown lines
- Make the eyes appear friendlier and more vibrant
- Complement blepharoplasty to achieve more dramatic results
Lifting with Botox
Botox can solve quite a few cosmetic concerns, including a drooping brow. Treatment involves injections into tensed muscle tissue at specific points on the forehead. Within a few days after injections are administered, the treated muscles relax and allow the brow to sit higher on the forehead.
A Botox brow lift can:
- Reduce or eliminate worry lines and frown lines
- Reposition the brow line to sit closer to the orbital rim
- Offer convenient and affordable treatment
- Achieve results that last approximately 4 months
Schedule Your Consultation
Both the surgical brow lift and Botox brow lift offer specific advantages and each has disadvantages, too. To discover which approach may be best for your aging brow, schedule a visit at our Pottsville or Hazleton office.
There are So Many Ways to Refresh Your Face this Year and No Better Time to Start than Now!
- Wednesday, 30 January 2019 18:18
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
New Year’s resolutions have a way of creating unnecessary frustration. If you’re already starting to see that your goals may be harder to achieve than you had imagined, there is no time like the present to revamp your strategy. We can help. Here, we point out a few of the treatments you may want to consider putting on your schedule sooner rather than later.
Let’s Talk Fat
When we talk about fat, we’re usually ready to rant about the tissue in hard-to-sculpt places like the thighs or tummy. However, fat holds particular value for the face. Many of the problems that develop on the lower parts of the face – jowls, creases, even a double chin – are the result of fat depletion in the midface. The fat from the cheeks doesn’t die or go away, it migrates to the jawline. If you’re just beginning to notice jowls and other problems, you can nip them in the bud by visiting our Pottsville or Hazleton office for fat injections. Although we have to harvest fat cells from an appropriate part of the body, treatment is relatively short and is very safe.
Rejuvenating the Eyes
Many of the concerns our patients express have to do with the way their eyes make them appear. We like for our eyes to be accurate “windows to the soul,” but they eventually become affected by the “curtains” around them. What many patients tell us is that they can accept the fine lines around their eyes, but they cannot feel their best because they have bags under their eyes or heavy upper eyelids that make them appear tired or unfriendly. Eyelid rejuvenation may involve surgical or nonsurgical techniques.
- Botox can gently lift a sagging brow so the upper eyelids appear tighter and smoother and the eyes open-up.
- Dermal fillers injected into the upper region of the cheek add volume that disguises undereye bags and dark circles.
- Bags, sagging, and a generally tired appearance can be improved for the long-haul with blepharoplasty.
Bring your best self back to life by rejuvenating your face this year. From a lip lift to dermal fillers to a thread lift or a full facelift, the options for facial rejuvenation are virtually endless. Even better, the treatments we offer have been carefully selected based on safety and efficacy. Learn more by calling our Hazleton or Pottsville office.
News Flash: Injectables Aren’t Always Better than Surgery!
- Friday, 15 September 2017 08:13
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
We’ve been living through quite a time of evolution that has touched every corner of the beauty industry. Women today are not using the Pond’s cold cream their mothers used; they are coating their skin with all sorts of substances, from retinoid creams to snail mucin. Aging is a rather simple problem these days, no doubt. However, the plethora of non-surgical treatments should not be taken as an indication that surgical lifting is outdated.
When it comes to wrinkle reduction and facial “lifting,” most people lean toward the power of injectables. Botox and other neuromodulators are, in fact, really good at smoothing out the upper face, and may even be appropriate for lifting the brow that has dropped. Soft tissue fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane may be used for everything from under eye bags to marionette lines to nose reshaping. We offer all of these treatments and more. They work. But not always.
Here’s why injectables shouldn’t always be viewed as an alternative to a surgical lift:
Natural Curves
To layer filler over filler over filler, even though these products get absorbed over time, can lead to an obviously filled look. We’ve seen this play out time and time again in recent history. Actress Courtney Cox is a prime example of overdoing it, and is now outspoken about her A Ha moment and subsequent dissolution of dermal fillers. The whole point of anti-aging is to do so as naturally as possible. Sometimes, a subtle surgical lift and fat transfer is the best way to maintain natural, youthful beauty.
Cost Effectiveness
One of the primary reasons that injectables are popular among adults of all ages (and stages of aging) is that each treatment is affordable. Of course, we cannot argue that, for many people, it is more appealing to pay outright for a rejuvenating treatment than to finance a surgical facelift. However, it is important to look at how often those treatments are being performed. Sometimes, the most cost-effective approach is to tighten and lift the skin with surgery, and to restore fullness with fat injections.
Fall is a great time for facial rejuvenation because we are right in between social seasons. Learn more about facelift or brow lift surgery, eyelid surgery, and injectables when you call our Hazleton or Pottsville office.
Age is a Sneaky Beast
- Sunday, 30 July 2017 06:02
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
Your age is something that you may want to hold close to your chest. Only those whom you know and trust may be privy to certain bits of information such as this. The widespread use of non-surgical and minimally invasive facial rejuvenating treatments allows men and women the opportunity to take their pace with the aging process, and to feel more confident in their appearance as time goes by. If you are part of this group of individuals, you may be unpleasantly surprised if you notice that your efforts are being thwarted by another area of your body.
How Age May Be Inadvertently Revealed
We all know that the face is not the only part of the body that shows signs of aging. Some of the places that are easily overlooked include the:
- Here’s what happens with the brows. You see them every day. The slight fall that occurs over time is barely distinguishable until it’s not. Many people that we meet express surprise at how suddenly their eyes have become hooded and heavy. The reason this happens is that the downward pull of muscles near the eye draws the brow line below the upper orbital rim. Sometimes, this age-related concern can be mitigated with Botox. Depending on severity or desired outcome, we may discuss the value of brow lift surgery.
- It’s interesting how easily we forget to take the neck into consideration when reducing the signs of aging. This area is directly affected by the loss of fat pads and collagen, just as the face is. Here, though, we see indicators such as horizontal lines and a crepey appearance to the skin just under the chin. The appearance of the neck may be improved in some ways, from Kybella to Botox to Thermage and other non-surgical skin tightening techniques. Ultimately, neck lift surgery provides the most noticeable and long lasting results.
- With age, we lose fat on the backs of our hands. This exacerbates the appearance of bones, veins, and tendons, and is a telltale sign of age. It is possible to rejuvenate this area by plumping tissue with dermal fillers. Hyperpigmentation and sun spots can also be diminished with light and laser treatments.
Age is not a facial concern only. Keep your age to yourself, if you so wish, by also rejuvenating nearby features with custom care from the team at Keystone Cosmetic Surgery in Pottsville and Hazleton.
Facial Rejuvenation is more Powerful than you may Think
- Wednesday, 15 March 2017 08:02
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
Millions of men and women around the world have already done it. You may be thinking about it every now and then, or maybe several times a day. We’re talking about facial rejuvenation. There are several ways to go about this. You might choose a cosmetic surgeon near Philadelphia to perform a full facelift. You may visit Keystone Cosmetic Surgery for a surgical brow lift, or for Botox.
Whichever treatment appeals to you, your initial thought could be that your reason for wanting facial rejuvenation is simply to feel better about your appearance. In many cases, there is more to this desire to refresh the face, and that is perfectly ok! Here are some of the career-boosting benefits that people with fresher faces get to experience.
- They are more hirable. You may have heard of a term called “datable.” It’s the idea that a person with certain characteristics – a friendly manner, nice hair, etc. – is more appealing on the dating front. Well, the same thing goes for employers. Did you know that a large percentage of hiring managers have taken to trolling social media to learn more about potential job candidates? This common follow-up isn’t about invading your privacy; it’s about learning more about you. And the better you look in those Selfies (professionally speaking), the better your chances of getting that job.
- They are competitive. The job market is competitive no matter what your age. When you are younger and “the new kid,” you feel as though you have to prove yourself. When you’ve got years of experience under your belt, you may feel as though you have something to prove. Not that you’re savvy; no, that you still have that X-factor, that energy, to get the job done.
- They are confident. Confidence is key whether you are face to face with clients or new customers, or with your colleagues. Confidence isn’t about how you look; it’s about how you feel. And when you feel like you look the way you’d like, this is going to boost your confidence. More confident people are more attractive.
The science is pretty simple, and when you understand it, you can use it to your advantage. Let the team at Keystone help you. Contact us in Pottsville or Hazleton today.
No Worries! Get Your Wrinkles Under Control
- Saturday, 30 July 2016 06:02
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
Getting older is a challenge for men and women of a “certain age,” as the aging process brings with it thinner, less elastic skin, which is much more vulnerable to wrinkles. Time marches on and your aging skin marches right along with it.
The sun is a fine source of Vitamin D but it’s not so fine for your face. The harmful UV and UVB rays of the sun are one of the main causes of wrinkles. How does this happen? The sun’s rays break down your skin’s connective tissues and wrinkles are the result. More importantly, repeated, unprotected sun exposure can cause skin cancer and the affects of the sun’s damaging rays are cumulative over your lifetime.
Wrinkles usually appear first around your eyes, between your brows and around your mouth. Why? Because repeated facial expressions, such as frowning and smiling eventually result in wrinkles. Keep that smile but try not to worry – easier said than done – but your frown lines don’t need extra help.
Taking care of your skin is a good idea at any age, but here are six things you can do to protect your skin against the wrinkling that time may bring:
- Use eye cream and a good facial moisturizer; a retinol cream applied daily may help reduce the appearance of fine lines.
- Don’t scrub, rub or pull at your skin; be gentle. Use an easy touch when applying makeup, especially around your eye area.
- Stay indoors during the time of day when the sun’s rays are at their most damaging, between noon and five p.m.
- Buy a 30 SPF sunscreen that protects against the UV and UVB rays of the sun and use it. Re-apply it often and don’t forget your neck and hands.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking accelerates the aging process and causes wrinkles to appear prematurely.
- Botox, injectable dermal fillers and chemical peels are treatments to consider if your wrinkles are deep and pronounced.
Curious to know more? Give us a call and schedule a consultation. Dr. Kimmel can suggest one of our many facial rejuvenation treatments to give your skin a fresh, youthful glow.
Five Types Of Peels And Five Good Reasons To Try One
- Wednesday, 15 June 2016 06:39
- Keystone Cosmetic Surgery Center
- 0 Comments
Chemical peels are popular, fast and easy. They can make your skin glow!
If you’ve thought about getting a chemical peel and are curious to learn more, keep reading. At Keystone Cosmetic Surgery, we specialize in youthful, gorgeous skin and a chemical peel is just one of the ways we can accomplish that for you.
Dr. Kimmel and his staff offer five types of peels:
- Salicylic Acid Peels
- Mandelic Acid Peels
- Pyruvic Acid Peels
- TCA 25% Peels
- Micro Peels
Each type of peel is different; each has it’s treatment modalities and ways it can improve and enhance your skin. Renewing your skin and reviving how you feel about yourself are two great reasons to schedule a chemical peel. Here are five additional reasons:
- Improve minor acne scars and treat existing acne
- Reveal softer, smoother skin and un-clog pores
- Increase the production of collagen
- Reduce fine lines
- Remove sun spots, freckles, blotches, and other visible other signs of aging
It is a good idea to exfoliate your skin at home or come in for a dermabrasion treatment to prepare your skin before your peel. During your peel, your skin will feel warm. You may also feel slight stinging, or burning. After your peel, your skin will feel a bit dry and tight, and may be red for an hour or so. Your skin will be sensitive to the sun, so you must be extra diligent about sunscreen use.
You will need to slightly modify your lifestyle following your peel to avoid any additional irritation to your sensitive skin. Avoid excessive exercise, saunas or hot tubs for a few days and don’t scrub or pick at your face.
Call for a consultation, today, and let us explain the types of peels we offer and help you determine which one would best benefit your unique skin. You may also want to enhance your peel with another procedure, such as a Botox treatment or a dermal filler.
THE OFFICE