About Face

Get A Fresh Start This Spring!

The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and the sun is shining brighter!  These are signs that spring is officially here.  I know I am definitely feeling pressure to break out of my winter hibernation and get my face looking fantastic for all the fun outdoor activities that are coming up soon. So here are some tips to shed your winter blues and get fresh-faced for spring.

Science Suggests New Signs of Aging

We all know that our faces appear older when wrinkling and sagging starts. I also frequently tell my patients that our faces lose volume as we age, eventually resulting in a more skeletal look as that "baby fat" we once had disappears. Sun exposure can lead to damaged, irregular skin with patches of hyperpigmentation. 

Cosmetic surgeons and scientists have also used terms such as "facial contrast" to describe the contrast in color between the eyes and their surrounding skin, as well as the lips and the skin surrounding them. Facial contrast has been studied before, and plays a role in making those with higher contrast appear more feminine. Makeup, which heightens these differences by accenting the lips and eyes while smoothing out the skin of the face, helps make women appear more feminine. 

And, according to a new study done and published in PLS One, your facial features lose color contrast with age...and people can tell. In younger women, the lips are darker compared to the skin around them. For older women, the color of the lips fades, while the surrounding skin becomes redder, blotchier, and provides less contrast.

Fortunately, the part of the solution is simple, and one you may already have in your purse! 

Lipstick and other cosmetics help provide this youthful contrast to the face. Simple, effective, and inexpensive.

In addition, excellent skin care to prevent or treat damaged, blotchy, or irregular skin will do what makeup alone cannot. Facials, appropriate moisturizers and facial serums, plus medical aesthetic treatments such as peels, lasers, and even dermabrasion can make all the difference. And always remember to wear sun block to minimize sun damage!

A Study Shows Combo Chin, Nose Surgery is Effective

Get the perfect nose and chin combination

A new study from Italian researchers shows that having chin augmentation with nose surgery is stable over time. Facial plastic surgeons will often recommend having a chin implant to enhance a weak chin (called microgenia). This allows for a superior cosmetic outcome with appropriate proportions to the face. 

(See before and after photos here)

At the Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, you can choose between surgical and nonsurgical options to enhance the nose and chin. Some patients opt for the in-office rhinoplasty and chin enhancement as a "try-out" before choosing to proceed with surgery for the nose and chin. If you think such enhancements might be right for you, be sure to speak with a qualified facial plastic surgeon to learn more about your options.

Introducing the New Brilliant Distinctions Mall

If you get Botox, Juvederm, Latisse, or skin care products such as Vivite and SkinMedica, you should ask to be registered in the Brilliant Distinctions loyalty program. You earn points towards future savings each time you receive a qualifying treatment or product. 

Now, a good program just got better. You can earn points towards your next treatment just by shopping at your favorite retailer online! See below for more details.

 

You can select from hundreds of retailers online. Each retailer will tell you how many Brilliant Distinctions points you can earn based upon how much you spend with them. The graphic below shows just a small sample of the hundreds of top retailers involved in the program. Now, shopping online for everything you need, from clothing to home improvement to travel and leisure can literally earn you FREE money towards your next purchase of any Allergan product, including Botox, Juvederm, Latisse, and Vivite Skin Care. The more you shop, the more you earn!

The Chow Center for Facial Plastic Surgery participates in Brilliant Distinctions. Simply let us know you are a member when you join or sign up (for free!) during your visit. We can help you sign up, or you can simply click this link to sign up online. This is an offer too good to pass up!

Not All Botox is Created Equal

Almost everyone has a strong impression about the minimally invasive injectables and cosmetic procedures that are available today. Unfortunately, misconceptions about aesthetic procedures abound. Many people believe that almost all plastic surgery results in an “overdone” appearance, but the opposite is actually true. For example, over 2.6 million people received Botox last year in the United States alone, and 1.6 million received some type of facial filler.

Simple Skin Care How-To Guide

Taking the time to take care of your skin will really pay off as your get older.  Great skin equates to youthfulness and beauty.  As with many things, it is always best to prevent a problem before you have to fix it.  For example, it is much easier to try to prevent dark spots on your skin than it is to try to get rid of the ones that you already have.  So if you are taking the time to take care of your skin, you will find yourself with at least a handful of skin care products.  A question that I frequently get from patients is how and when should they apply their skin care products? 

Get Rid of Summer Skin Damage

Labor Day weekend is bittersweet, as it marks the end of summer and the beginning of the fall season.  Before you know it, you’ll have to start getting ready for the busy holiday season! So for now, we should all be taking advantage of the month or two we have to get ready to look fabulous just in time for the holidays.  The first step is to get rid of the summer damage that you may have inflicted on your skin!

The Dark Side of Tanning

If you haven’t already heard the steady stream of news about skin cancer these days, tanning is very damaging to your skin.  In fact, it causes wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots (known as hyperpigmentation), skin cancer, and more.  A nice tan might look great when you are in your twenties or thirties, but it causes irreversible damage and premature aging to your skin.  The last thing anyone wants is premature aging.  Not to mention the fact that tanning causes your risk of skin cancer to increase (which yes, can spread to your vital organs and become life threatening!).  According to a new study, those who use indoor tanning machines face a twenty percent increased risk of skin cancer.  If you started using tanning beds before you turn 35, your risk jumps to eighty seven percent!  So don’t chance it!  Follow these tips and tricks to get a healthy glow without the damage.

Hair and Makeup Tips for Summer

Summer is one of my favorite seasons, especially in Southern California.  You get nice hot days for outdoor activities such as lounging at the pool or beach, and wonderfully cool nights for barbeques and hanging out.  However, with all the busy activities that summer days and nights provide, it’s hard not to make a couple beauty blunders along the way - especially when you need to make your look last from day to night.  So here are some issues that I have had to deal with because of the hot weather and long days; hopefully it will help you to avoid and prevent them!

Tips For An Acne Breakout

It always happens when you have something important coming up.  When you wake up all excited for your first date, or you have an important meeting or presentation at work, a pimple will appear in the most conspicuous place.  You never know whom you are going to run into or meet, so you always want to look your best and cover up and get rid of imperfections. So what are some tips and tricks to cover up an existing blemish and keep your skin clear and blemish free for the future?

Don’t pick at it.  Your first natural instinct when you wake up with a pimple is to mess with it.  Squeezing it and picking at it will irritate it more and can cause scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation to occur (which will make the pimple appear to last longer).   If you must mess with your zit, do it the right way.  If the pimple has already broken the surface of your skin, you can put a hot towel or compress on it, and then pop it.  However, make sure you push up because you don't want to force the bacteria down deeper to cause a bigger zit! 

The Most Popular Cosmetic Procedures in 2012

Each year, around this time, the most popular plastic surgery procedures are totaled.  Usually the most popular procedures such as Botox, breast implants, or rhinoplasties, continue to stay high in demand.  However, there are some unexpected new increases in other procedures as well!  Read more to see what plastic surgery procedures have been increasing in popularity.

Get the Right Look for Your Next Job Interview

Graduation ceremonies mark the beginning of summer, and for all the new graduates (or if you are back on the job market), it means tons of job applications and interviews.  For existing employees, it means you have an influx of new competition heading your way.  Whether you are a new graduate looking for a job, or an existing employee trying to gain competiveness in the workplace, you want to give a good impression to your current or future boss.  Trying to get through all your job applications and thinking about what to say during interviews is stressful enough, the last thing you want to have to do is worry about the way you look. Here are some tips and tricks on how to keep yourself looking professional and interview-ready in the workplace!

Rejuvenating the Neck

When striving to maintain a youthful appearance, many of us forget the neck. Very often we apply moisturizer to the face and hands, and then neglect the neck.  I am certainly guilty of this, as it just comes naturally to not apply product there, and many of us overlook this part of our body.  But your neck is like all of the other parts of your body: with time, the skin will lose elasticity and begin to sag (hence the saying “turkey neck”).  Without proper care, the neck can become a glaring indicator of old age.  Your face may remain youthful, but wrinkles and hyperpigmentation will blotch your neck, revealing your true age.  So what are some tips and tricks to keep your neck looking youthful like the rest of your face?   

Grow Younger With Age

Have you tried to look more refreshed and awake, only to still have people think you are tired all the time?  No matter what you do, your face still seems sunken or drawn, and those under eye bags just won't go away.  Makeup won't cover it, and skin care products just don't seem to be giving you the results you desire.  When you get to this point, you may need to start exploring other more effective options besides just trying to cake on more concealer. What are some culprits that cause you to look worn out and tired, and how can you fix it?

Look Less Tired

After the nice long Memorial Day Weekend last week, many of us were exhausted when we headed back to work. With the modern hectic lifestyle, everyone gets tired. Whether it’s working long hours, spending time out with friends, or staying up all night with a sick child, sleep deprivation seems to be more and more common every day. So grab a caffeinated beverage and try these suggestions on how to look brighter and more energetic despite the lack of sleep!