So many of our patients seek out Dr. Hilinski because of the natural results he achieves with various cosmetic facial treatments. For example, this middle-aged female desired to look more rested and youthful. Her main concerns centered on volume loss and aging skin changes that were making her look older than she felt. This is an incredibly common sentiment amongst patients seeking facial plastic surgery in 2019. Patients simply feel like they are looking prematurely tired – and loss of facial volume is one of the main culprits. When you combine this with formation of unwanted skin wrinkles and fine lines (we call these rhytids), the aging process can seem like it is just picking up momentum much too early. However, most patients aren’t looking to have a major transformation – largely because they want to look younger but do not want to risk looking fake or surgically altered.
This is where it so important for facial plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists to exercise restraint in terms of what is recommended and done to these patients. As a board certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Hilinski has a wide array of options he can offer when it comes to cosmetic treatment. But he recommended this particular patient undergo just two procedures – fat transfer and laser skin resurfacing.
The fat transfer was recommended to restore lost volume in her mid to lower face region. As we age, loss of fat is a very common issue – sometimes affecting patients as young as those in their 30s. Fat transfer involves taking fat from another area of the body – typically around the abdomen – and transferring it to the face to help plump out volume-deficient tissue. Some people think – erroneously – that fat transfer is only a temporary procedure. The reality is that fat transfer is considered a permanent option to plump out the face. Some fat is lost in the process of transferring it to the face. But much of the fat does survive and continues to live on in its new location – giving patients the needed volume restoration they desire.
Laser skin resurfacing was recommended to help provide her smoother, less aged looking skin. To be more specific, Dr. Hilinski suggested the CO2 laser peel to help target blotchy brown pigmentation (a mix of sun and age spots) and fine lines and wrinkles throughout the face. Laser procedures like this help to remove the older, aged surface skin – allowing fresh, rejuvenated skin to take its place while giving patients a new, brighter complexion.
Fat Transfer and Laser Peel
When you take a look at her before and after photos, you can readily see she looks much improved after the fat transfer and CO2 laser peel. If you didn’t know what she had done, you likely wouldn’t be able to pick out precisely what was made better – but you know she looks better! If you look more closely, you can really start to appreciate how her facial volume has been increased. For example, look at her cheeks. They are now plumped out – especially through the lower eyelid-cheek junction. Her face just looks fuller and plumper – in a healthy way. But she still looks like herself – which is so key.
As a result of the CO2 laser resurfacing, her skin now glows so much brighter! It is not only smoother in texture, it is also less blotchy with more uniform color. It just looks more youthful – as if she recently returned from a relaxing vacation.
Natural Cosmetic Facial Surgery
If you interested in just looking like the best version of yourself – but want to keep it looking natural, contact our office today to schedule a personalized consult with San Diego’s best facial plastic surgeon – Dr. John Hilinski.