Miami Cosmetic Surgery

Well the first thing I will tell you is that it is highly unusual. So unusual, that I highly doubt that you actually had Restylane placed in your lip. While it is possible that you did develop a granuloma with Restylane, it is highly unlikely. I would go back to the physician or person that placed the injection and discuss this with him or her. Granulomas are typically associated with silicone or biopolymer injections. The other thing to ask yourself and the person who injected it is whether it was an actual granuloma. Was it maybe a small hematoma that developed? This is much more likely if it was actually Rastylane that was injected.

This is a question that many patients ask me on a daily basis. They want a face and necklift, but cannot afford the complete procedure at the current time. In most cases, I recommend that they have a necklift. The necklift corrects the sagging neck skin and muscle. I recommend the necklift instead of the facelift because the neck cannot be improved with non-invasive treatments, such as the injectables like Botox and fillers. The necklift procedure can be done in the office under local anesthesia and takes about one and a half hours. The patient goes home the same day. Once the patient heals from the necklift, he or she can use injectable treatments to help improve the face. Most of the patients that have been in this situation and have gone through this route are very happy with their decision and result.

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

Lipostructure refers to the idea of rejuvenating the face by adding fat. It is well known that as people age, they begin to loose fat. The facial aging process begins with the loss of skin laxity and elasticity as the amount and quality of collagen decreases. The aging process continues with the loss of facial fat. With time, and with the help of gravity, certain areas of the face begin to descend. In the midface, the malar fat pad, or cheek, begins to drop. This is seen in the depth of the nasolabial fold. In the lower face, the jowls become more prominent. The neck muscles, or platysma, begin to hang, as noticed by the two bands that form in the neck. Fat grafting is a procedure that can be used in addition to face or neckilfting to fill in the areas that have loss volume. The fat is typically added in the nasolabial folds. Some surgeons also add the fat to other areas, such as the tear troughs or the pre-jowl areas. Fat grafting to the tear troughs is very delicate and should only be done by someone with a high level of expertise. Even then, there are serious possible complications. The fat is harvested form the abdominal area and then processed, and injected. About 50% of the fat that is injected will survive. It is possible that you may need a second treatment a year later. It has been speculated that the fat cells that are grafted may have a beneficial effect to the overlying skin. The thought is that some of these cells have stem cell qualities that influence the skin cells. Most people that are starting to show the signs of aging are candidates for fillers. Fat grafting is a procedure that can be used to fill in these areas.

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

I think it is perfectly safe to have a facelift performed while the patient's Botox and fillers are still in effect. Botox is used to treat the upper 3rd of the face. Here it is placed to treat the glabellar lines, crow's feet, and the horizontal forehead lines. The facelift procedure treats the lower 2/3rds of the face; therefore the Botox will not affect it. Fillers are used to treat the nasolabial and the marinette lines. While the facelift improves these two areas, the actual areas not touched during the procedure. This is because the facial fillers are placed in the dermis, an area just below the surface of the skin. The surgical dissection is actually deeper than the skin, in the level of the deeper facial tissues. I think that it is perfectly fine to have your facelift done while the Botox and fillers are still there. Enjoy!

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

Cheek augmentation with facial fillers is a very common procedure that I perform in my office. The advantages are many. For example, it is done in the office with minimal downtime, costs, and risks, when compared with surgery. The procedure is done with the use of topical anesthesia in the form of a cream. In addition, most fillers now come local anesthesia mixed in. My favorite filler for the cheeks is Radiesse. It is long-lasting filler which lasts approximately 1 year. It is very safe, as it is FDA approved. It can be mixed with lidocaine local anesthetic, for a painless injection. The filler is injected in the cheeks and used to shape the cheeks in the desires shape. When injected in the cheeks, the filler also provides for a mini-lift, giving a pleasant refreshed look. Most patients that undergo the cheek augmentation procedure are very pleased with the results.

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

What your plastic surgeon's office is actually trying to find out is if you are at risk for MH, or malignant hyperthermia. The most important question is whether you or a family member has had complications from anesthesia in the past. Malignant hyperthermia is a very serious condition that may affect a person during a general anesthetic. Fortunately, it is very rare, occurring anywhere between 1 in 5000 to 1 in 65,000. It is likely closer to the 1 in 65,000. It is caused by a genetic mutation that is inherited. When a patient undergoing a plastic surgery procedure under general anesthesia, it is important that the procedure be performed in certified facility. Part of the certification process makes sure that the facility is prepared to handle an emergency with the proper medication needed to treat malignant hyperthermia.

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

The "ribbon lift" is the name given to a procedure used to elevate the aging face. It gets its name from the use of a ribbon-like device that is placed on the tissues to elevate them. It is a small strip with little pegs that attach to the tissues in order to elevate them. The implant dissolves in three to four months. The procedure is not new and the implant has been around for about three to four years. In reality, procedure can be done with or without the ribbon implants. These ribbons are just a tool that the surgeon can use to sustain or hold the tissues up when they are being lifted. Traditional sutures can also be used and are just as successful in maintaining the tissues elevated while they heal in their new place. I personally do not use them at this point in time. I have used them in the past, but I prefer to use traditional sutures. I think that the same or better lifting can be done with traditional sutures. In addition, the ribbons can occasionally be felt in the neck during the healing process for several months. This can be unsightly and can cause undue stress on the patient.

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

Radiesse is a calcium-based  facial filler which works great on the nasolabial folds. I see many patients in  consultation for a facelift that have recently had facial fillers placed. I do  not think that they need to wait for the filler to "wear off" before proceeding  to a facelift. This is because the fillers are placed in the dermis (the deeper  part of the skin). The facelift procedure works by elevating and working on the  muscles and deeper tissues of the face. The skin in the area of the nasolabial  is not touched by the facelift. For these reasons, fillers placed here are not  affected by the facelift procedure.

Posted by Dr. Bustillo

Confide in someone who has  your best interest
The best resource to go to when one needs guidance  about feeling and looking your best is your best friend or close family member.  It i

There's nothing wrong about  improving yourself
People just need to get over this. There are no  negative stigmas regarding cosmetic treatments; there are just negative people.  One sh