Ulthera Receives FDA Clearance for Eyebrow Lift

Men and women interested in getting an eyebrow lift no longer have to rely solely on plastic surgery to achieve results. An innovative device has recently been approved by the FDA for use by doctors, and clinical studies show that this eyebrow lift device has no adverse side effects and hardly any downtime. The Ulthera System is designed to deliver ultrasound energy deep into the dermis, treating the skin at a deep level. The energy waves help to firm, tighten and lift the skin tissue, and can produce noticeable results after just a single treatment.

According to the research studies backing the device, the DeepSEE technology used in this system allows the physicians to see and treat deep below the skin without a single incision. Ultrasound imaging is used to target different areas of the skin, and the device is safe enough to use around the delicate eye area. The highly focused and targeted ultrasound energy triggers the body’s natural healing response, triggering collagen growth and tightening and lifting the skin over time.

There is no anesthesia required, and the upper layers of the skin are left untouched. The patient will not feel any discomfort throughout the procedure, since the energy waves from the applicator deliver very small, controlled amounts of energy into the soft tissues of the skin. The medical professional delivering the treatment simply moves the applicator over each area of the face to deliver the energy waves deep into the skin’s surface.

The entire procedure takes only about 30 minutes, and some people will need to undergo a series of treatments in order to see desired results. The Ulthera device may be an attractive alternative for people who do not want to undergo facelift surgery or get a Threadlift to correct sagging skin around the eye area.

Oralift Offers Alternative to Facelift Surgery

Dr. Nick Mohindra, a London dentist, has invented a plastic mouthguard called the Oralift that’s designed to help patients look younger by sculpting the facial tissues and increasing the strength of the jawline and facial muscles. The Oralift mouthguard is placed in a microwave to soften the plastic and then fitted to the lower teeth. The mouthguard helps to prevent the grinding of teeth and also helps to stretch the freeway space between the back teeth so that the facial muscles become stronger.

According to the Oralift website, this ‘dental facelift’ offers an alternative to facelift surgery and promises to shift the facial tissues to creates a rejuvenated appearance. The Oralift ‘exercises’ help the facial muscles become stronger passively, and the mouthguard is worn all day long, even while eating. However, Dr. Mohindra recommends that the patient using the mouthguard should not allow their back teeth to rest on the Oralift’s platforms, and they should refrain from talking and eating while wearing it.

Some of the key benefits of the Oralift include reduced lines around the mouth, eyes and around the face, more prominent cheekbones, increased fullness of the lips and strenthing and firming of the jawline and neck.

The Oralift is currently available for £575 in London, and is cheaper than both surgical and non-surgical facelift surgery.  The dentist who is completing the fitting shows the patient how to train their mouth to accommodate for the mouthguard, and provides a recommended schedule for times that they should wear it. Most people need to wear the mouthguard for two 15-minute sessions for the first few days, and then build up to half an hour and then two hours as the facial muscles become stronger. The dentist performing the fitting will also monitor progress at several intervals to ensure that the mouthguard is still fitting properly.

More information about the Oralift can be found at www.oralift.com

Dubai Surgeon Performs 45-Minute ‘Silhouette’ Facelift

One of the most effective ways to get rid of lines and wrinkles, tighten up sagging skin and maintain your youthful appearance is to get a facelift. However, traditional facelift surgery can be expensive and typically requires a few weeks of downtime and recovery. One Dubai-based plastic surgeon is offering an alternative for people who want to get a facelift without the extensive recovery time with his Silhouette Lift, a 45-minute procedure that can be performed under local anesthetic.

According to a recent article in TradeArabia.com, the Silhouette facelift technique does not require any hospitalization and is performed by making a very small incision above the hairline. The surgeon then uses a special threading technique to lift up the tissues and inserts sutures along the hairline that secure the lifted tissue into face. TradeArabia.com reports that the Silhouette Lift can help to tighten up skin around the neck, jawline and the nasolabial area, and promises immediate recovery. Most patients can return to normal activities within 48 hours, and their face is fully reovered after just two weeks.

Dr. Luiz Toledo, the surgeon who is now offering the procedure, states: “The Silhouette sutures are the most innovative sutures to date. They are not barbed which avoids any tissue damage and thanks to small re-absorbable cones which anchor themselves in deep tissue, a tension is produced which lifts the sagging tissue. The fibrosis around the suture produces a much stronger suspension mechanism than the traditional methods I have used over the past six years”. (Source: TradeArabia.com)

Even though this procedure does not require extensive surgery, Dr. Toledo claims that it is effective enough to postpone the need for a ‘real’ facelift, and offers great results for both male and female patients. With little risk of tissue damage and almost immediate results, the Silhouette Facelift could be one the procedures of the future.

Forehead Lift May Alleviate Migraines

Chronic headaches and migraines are often the result of nerve imbalances and stress, and when chiropractic treatments and over-the-counter medications aren’t helping to alleviate the problem, Botox injections may be an option. Botox has already been used to treat severe migraines and help people who suffer from frequent, debilitating headaches, but new research shows that forehead lift surgery may offer a permanent solution for getting rid of the pain.

According to the results of a study published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal, doctors have found a permanent solution for treating migraine symptoms, using a procedure that is similar to a forehead lift. This surgery involves removing certain parts of the upper facial area completely so that the nerves that are triggering the headaches can no longer function.

Results of the study show that of the 49 patients that had the surgery, almost 84% showed a significant improvement in migraine frequency, duration and intensity.

The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, and is typically completed within two to three hours. Almost all patients could go home immediately after the procedure and return to their regular activities shortly afterward. The scars from the incisions heal quickly, and are hidden strategically around the hairline.

While the forehead lift procedure for migraine relief offers several benefits, it may not be for everybody. The patients that underwent the surgery for this study were selected based on their response rates to Botox injections, which according to some doctors, is not necessarily a ‘typical patient.’

Researchers will continue to review this procedure and methodology to determine if migraine sufferers truly can benefit from cosmetic surgery, or if they may be better candidates for frequent Botox treatments. Whatever the case may be, some migraine sufferers may soon be able to enjoy a permanent solution for getting rid of migraine pain.

Lifestyle Lift Fined for Posting Fake Reviews

Lifestyle Lift, a cosmetic surgery franchise that offers a branded facelift procedure, has been fined $300,000 by the State of New York as a result of accusations that the company had been posting fake reviews about its products and services on its own website.

This is the first case in the United States to be made against a company that has been taking advantage of website promotions by posting fake testimonials and reviews, and the results of the case show that the company went as far as having employees create personal websites that also contained false testimonials and reviews about Lifestyle Lift and its procedures.

The company has over 40 locations in the United States, and did not formally admit or deny being guilty during the course of the settlement case. The company has now removed all web content that serves as a testimonial or review, and is reportedly enforcing policies that will no longer tolerate this type of behavior.

LifestyleLift.com serves as the central hub for all of its franchises, and includes detailed information about the Lifestyle Lift facelift procedure, as well as a free online consultation for prospective patients. The company has posted a highly-visible “Lifestyle Lift Code of Internet Conduct and Assurance” badge on its home page, that states:

“Lifestyle Lift® pledges that all Internet communications accompanied by the trademarked Lifestyle Lift® logo are fair and accurately represent the latest in medical information about facial firming procedures. The comments and photographs are from actual patients and fairly represent the results and opinions of thousands of our patients. Lifestyle Lift® is proud to take a leadership role in establishing new standards of Internet conduct and communications. We promise that any Internet communication accompanied by our logo can be relied upon as true and accurate; and all communications originating from our practice will be clearly identified with the Lifestyle Lift® logo.”

Consumers are warned to review all websites outside of LIfestyleLift.com in detail to ensure that the Lifestyle Lift logo is visible.  Websites such as LifestyleLiftLetters.com and other sites that do not bear the official Lifestyle Lift logo or trademark may not be legitimate review sites.

MACS Facelift Offers Promising Results for Aging Skin

A unique European facelift technique has already transformed thousands of faces, and is now making waves in the United States.  The MACS facelift is an innovative facelift procedure that promises little recovery time and a reduced risk of scarring.  It was designed by two Belgian surgeons to address the problem of scarring and discomfort associated with the conventional facelift, and so far, has shown some dramatic results.

In a traditional face lift, the skin and facial tissue is pulled up at an oblique angle, and the tension creates very unnatural results.  Many patients who undergo the conventional facelift procedure notice that their eyes and sides of their mouth are now turned up at a peculiar angle.  In most cases, the patient also looks like they had surgery done.  The MACS face lift in contrast does not use extensive incisions or deep tissue manipulation, and will not pull the skin upward with such an angle.  So far, it has shown impressive results that look natural and still last as long as conventional procedures.

Dr. Donald Kress, a board-certified cosmetic surgeon in Maryland, recently shared his thoughts about the procedure.  “Older approaches to face lift were problematic and time-consuming for both the surgeon and the patient. In some instances those techniques are necessary, but they often posed additional problems because they can compromise the integrity and shape of the face. You only have to look at celebrity photos in the checkout lane of the supermarket to see the kind of unnatural results associated with some of these older techniques.” (Source: eMediaWire.com)

The MACS lift uses suspension sutures that are embedded into the skin so that when the skin heals, the sutures naturally tighten the facial tissues and create a more contoured appearance.  MACS techniques are already widely used in Europe, and are slowly trickling into plastic surgery centers around the United States.

Surgeon Supports Facelifts for Under 40 Crowd

Complete facelift surgery is often the right choice for seniors and individuals who are seeing extreme signs of premature aging.  Sagging skin around the cheeks, baggy eyelids and loose skin around the mouth can add several decades to the appearance, and facelift surgery corrects all of these problems by tightening up the skin and removing excess tissue.  The result is a healthier, rejuvenated appearance, and today’s innovative facial surgery techniques promise fast recovery times and dramatic results.

Dr. Bruce Connell, clinical professor of plastic surgery at the University of California, Irvine is one of several surgeons that believe people under 40 are also good candidates for a ‘facelift’, especially if they are seeing fine lines and wrinkles developing, or noticing patches of sagging skin.   Many of today’s innovative techniques for facial rejuvenation do not even involve extensive surgery and incisions.

According to Dr. Connell, those who are under 40 years of age can benefit from ‘liquid facelifts’ that involve the application of dermal fillers into different facial compartments.  Brow muscles can be tightened and lifted using simple blepharoplasty techniques that do not require a complete facelift.  Many people who are appear angry or sad because of sagging skin around the brows benefit from this procedure, and it the surgery does not involve manipulating any tissues in the middle or lower parts of the face.

Another option for the under-40 crowd is the Contour Threadlift.  This procedure does not involve extensive incisions and is a progressive tightening of the skin using innovative ‘threads’ that are placed into the skin tissues.  Touch-up treatments with Botox, Juvederm and Restylane are other options for those who do not want to go under the knife but still want to rejuvenate their appearance.

Dr. Connell believes that individuals who begin their anti-aging treatments before reaching the age of 40 may see the most significant results and can enjoy long-term benefits of a rejuvenated, youthful appearance.

24K Gold Thread Facelift – Your Next Spa Treatment?

A Japanese beauty company has unveiled a unique facelift treatment designed to reduce wrinkles, tighten up the skin and even boost collagen production – all with the power of 24 Karat Gold.

The facial treatment costs nearly $3,000, and involves inserting permanent gold threads directly under the skin.  This encourages the facial tissues to produce more collagen as a result of the injury to the skin.

The threadlift technique is already used as a mini-facelift, but this treatment is different than the conventional facelift because of the golden threads used to create the ‘mesh’ framework.  Gold threads are implanted into the skin to create an invisible net; this helps support the skin tissues while strengthening the skin fibers.

The gold facelift only requires local anesthetic, and the procedure can be performed in a few hours. TrendHunter.com reports that the same process can be used to tighten up the skin on the hands, legs, abdomen and buttocks.

(Source & Picture Credit:  TrendHunter.com)

Demand for Facial Transplantation Donors on the Rise

Maybe you’ve been considering facelift surgery to regain your youthful looks, or a facial rejuvenation procedure that helps get rid of fine lines and wrinkles for good.   Heading to the plastic surgeon’s office to improve the contours of your face and tone up the skin is an option for hundreds of baby boomers looking for the ultimate anti aging solution.  Still, some surgeons are trying something different with facial transplants.

Facial transplantation is a controversial procedure that involves transferring facial tissues and compartments from another person to the patient.  The procedure was first performed in France, and is slowly gaining interest in the United States as more surgeons outline the benefits of fresh facial tissue and skin for facial reconstruction and correcting deformaties.

The procedure is already used for patients who have severe disfigurement or have suffered a major injury, but now some plastic surgery and medical centers may soon be offering the procedure as an option for general plastic surgery.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Lloyd Krieger reports that there are several misconceptions about the procedure and a significant level of public resistance.  While it is a fairly extensive procedure, it does not involve replicating the donor’s face and structure; the patient’s original facial structure and contours are preserved and enhanced, and the only transfer is the actual facial tissue. (Source: Los Angeles Plastic Surgery blog)

Still, the only way this procedure would gain waves in the United States is with enough donor participation.