Posted on August 2, 2010 in Board certification, Botox Cosmetic(R), Dermal filler, Plastic surgeon
In an article posted on June 21st, I discussed the risks that people take by seeking cosmetic surgery south of the border (Don’t Seek Plastic Surgery South Of The Border). Attempting to save money, too many patients expose themselves to substandard and poorly regulated medical care that results in disappointingly inferior outcomes for the “fortunate”, permanent and irreversible severe scarring and deformities for many or even death for the very unlucky. Expenses for corrective surgery, which doesn’t fully resolve the deformities, can far exceed what the aesthetic procedure would have cost to be performed by a board certified plastic surgeon in the United States.
A variation on this theme involves cosmetic surgery being performed in this country by individuals who are unlicensed, may not even be formally trained or who may be enterprising illegal aliens individuals who exploit their own ethnic community in order to make money. At times, this can be a difficult deception to discern especially for those who are not well educated or at least versed in what to look for or inquire about. These practitioners often lie about their credentials, licensure and experience and may even operate out of a store-front or their home and under the radar.
Such was the case involving two sisters of Mexican descent who were running an illegal cosmetic filler practice in Sylmar, California. Their injection of liquid silicone into the buttocks of a perfectly healthy 22 year old Hispanic female in July lead to her needless death – a horrific but not rare tragedy that can be perpetrated by these illicit operations. The women who performed the injections fled to Mexico.
Deciding where to seek plastic surgery is very important and should be taken seriously – and not just for a breast augmentation, tummy tuck, rhinoplasty or even liposuction – but also for injectables such as Juvederm®, Radiesse® and Botox®. Your decision should be based primarily on qualifications and reputation and then secondarily on price. Though there is never any guarantee of outcome, make sure that the physician that you are considering is either board certified or board eligible by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) which has rigid ethical standards. (I am both board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and am a member of the ASPS.)
If you have any questions regarding my qualification or certifications in plastic surgery or on any cosmetic surgery procedure that I perform or to schedule a complimentary consultation with me, please call my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
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Posted on March 29, 2010 in Dermal filler, Juvederm(R), Juvederm(R) XC, Lip Enhancement, Restylane(R)
Lip enhancement is a very popular procedure that can transform understated or deflated lips into more youthful, attractive and even alluring ones. Unfortunately, not everyone can realize equal benefits regarding their ultimate results due to basic structural differences of their lips. Women who can expect the best outcomes are those who already have or had anatomically fairly large lips in a vertical dimension. Their lips can be expanded considerably with injectable hyaluronic acids such as Juvederm® or Restylane®, allowing for more latitude in obtaining the desired contour and enhancement. Many just want even more fullness than they were blessed with; others have lost volume as part of the aging process and them to be rejuvenated for a more youthful appearance.
Women who have very thin lips with little show of the colored part can also benefit but their anatomy restricts the extent and quality of the potential enlargement. No matter how much filler is injected, they will never have a very full and pouty contour. However, their lips will still be larger, fuller and more visible.
As long as you can appreciate the individual limitations, lip enhancement (enlargement) may be just right for you. Injectable agents like Juvederm® and Restylane® can provide you with a simple and affordable way to transform your understated or small lips into more attractive, alluring ones. With advances in techniques and the recent introduction of Juvederm® XC which contains a local anesthetic, the treatments can be quite comfortable with virtually no downtime.
Lips before treatment
Lips 6 months after treatment with Juvederm(R)
If you would like to obtain more information on lip enhancement, Juvederm®, Restylane® or on any plastic surgery procedure that I perform or to schedule a consultation with me, please contact my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
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Posted on March 15, 2010 in Dermal filler, Juvederm(R), Juvederm(R) XC
Juvederm® is a very effective hyaluronic acid dermal filler that I use to treat facial lines and creases, for lip enlargement and to provide volume enhancement and highlighting in strategic areas. It is the only dermal filler of its type that has been approved by the FDA to last up to one year. Most of my patients prefer it over its competitor, Restylane®, and the results seem to be longer lasting.
Juvederm® is the most common injectable that I used for lip enlargement. Because of the discomfort associated with injecting fillers into the lips, I do nerve blocks to anesthetize the lips so that my patients don’t feel anything. The flip side of this is that the nerve blocks can be slightly uncomfortable and the ensuing numbness will persist not just in the lips but in surrounding areas of the face for a few hours. This can make speech, enunciating and eating more difficult until it wears off.
Fortunately, now there is a great solution to this dilemma. Allergan, the manufacturer of Juvederm®, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) at the beginning of February to market a new formulation of this product that contains the preservative free local anesthetic lidocaine. It is being marketed as Juvederm® XC and contains a powder form of the anesthetic so that there is no dilution of the concentration of the hyaluronic acid.
I have used this Juvederm® XC on my patients including for lip enlargement without any nerve blocks. My patients unanimously found the injections to be very tolerable and comfortable whereas before without a nerve block, they would have been quite uncomfortable. Not only were they relieved in not needing the initial blocks but they also noted that there were no significant effects on their speech or enunciation.
If you would like more information on Juvederm® XC, Radiesse®, Botox® or any plastic surgery procedure that I perform or to schedule a free consultation with me, you can contact my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona
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