Plump, pouty lips are a symbol of attractiveness for women and a highly desired feature in cosmetic practices across the country. Volume loss in the lips is a common sign of aging, but you can find many ways to add volume and achieve youthful lip contour with the help of an experienced plastic surgeon.

Lip augmentation is a procedure that is gaining popularity thanks to the many innovative materials and techniques that have made this treatment accessible and affordable. Choose from noninvasive injectable options, or opt for a more permanent enhancement with lip surgery. This procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia. Depending on the treatment type you choose, recovery can range from one day to one week.

Here are some of the ways you can achieve fuller lips:

Injectable Fillers

Injectable fillers use bovine or human collagen, hyaluronic acid, and synthetic substances to replace depleted collagen and create a fuller lip appearance. Injectable fillers such as Restylane®, or Juvederm®,have been shown to produce very natural-looking results, but they are temporary solutions that require regular repeat injections.

Surgical Collagen Replacement

During a surgical procedure, AlloDerm® is inserted into the upper and lower lips. AlloDerm achieves dramatic results using actual sheets of collagen that can last up to one year.

Permanent, Synthetic implants

These advanced medical materials create safe, biocompatible lip implants that can help patients get permanent plumpness. Material choices include GORE-TEX®, SoftForm®, or ePTFE (Perma Lips).

Find out which treatment can give you the full lips you desire. Dr. Robert Aycock offers a variety of lip augmentation options, along with other facial rejuvenation procedures like facelift, cheek implants, and chin implants. For more information on these and other advanced cosmetic treatments, please contact Dr. Aycock at his state-of-the-art Bay Area facility.

Facial cosmetic surgeries have become increasingly popular as new technologies and techniques have made these procedures safer, less invasive, and more affordable. Many people have heard of popular anti-aging procedures like the facelift, eyelid lift, neck lift or a brow lift. But if you are unhappy with your underlying bone structure, facial implants may be the best plastic surgery option for you. High, well-defined cheekbones and a pronounced chin have always been recognized as features of beauty and distinction for both men and women.

Improve Facial Structure With Cheek Implants

Few are born with strong, chiseled cheekbones. And for those who are lucky enough to have genetics on their side, the aging process can cause full, plump cheeks to loose muscle tissue and volume over time.

Cheek implants are a wonderful way to enhance beauty and rejuvenate facial appearance. They are also often recommended to add symmetry for people with structural imbalance in the mid-face area. Cheek implants come in a variety of styles and sizes so you can get precisely the look you want.

Add Balance With Chin Implants

A weak chin may put unwanted focus on the nose, or make the mouth area seem to protrude. While some people try to de-emphasize a weak chin by growing a beard or using makeup, only a cosmetic chin implant can help you achieve permanent improvement.

Chin implants can be used to create a strong chin appearance, effectively balancing out the other facial features and adding a confident, assertive element to one’s facial personality.

If your goal is to enhance the contours of your facial structure and emphasize (or de-emphasize) certain features, facial rejuvenation through cheek and chin implants can get you the dramatic results you seek.

Are Chin and Cheek Implants Right for You?

Get all the details on the facial cosmetic surgery options available to you during a one-on-one consultation with one of the Bay Area’s most respected and experienced cosmetic surgeons. Please contact Dr. Robert Aycock to set up your confidential, no-obligation visit.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

BOTOX® Cosmetic has been making headlines since it’s FDA approval for cosmetic rejuvenation in 2000. Performed by a certified plastic surgeon in as little as 30 minutes, BOTOX is the popular choice for the temporary reduction of facial lines and wrinkles. Here is some basic information you need to know before moving forward with this treatment.

BOTOX Basics

The patented BOTOX serum is a safe dose of a protein found in the neurotoxin Botulism A. The paralytic effect of this protein helps muscles to relax, counteracting the wrinkling that happens as a result of certain facial expressions. As an anti-aging solution that involves no incision and no long-term commitment, BOTOX delivers noticeable results. Maintaining your more youthful skin appearance involves a few short visits per year.

BOTOX can be used to treat:

• Laugh lines
• Frown lines
• Brow furrows
• Crow’s feet
• Neck bands
• Squint lines

The Procedure

A BOTOX session is quick and convenient, and patients love the fact that they can get right back to their day with no downtime. There may be a bit of slight discomfort during the injection, but the effects are extremely mild when compared with other surgical and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation options. Over the next several days, you will see a smoothing of the treatment area. Patients can expect the results to last around 3 months.

BOTOX Risks

As with any cosmetic treatment, there are risks involved. Because BOTOX is a nonsurgical option, the risks of negative side effects are considerably less than other procedures. BOTOX patients may experience:

• Minimal bruising
• Temporary headaches
• Injection site tenderness
• Slight and temporary drooping of the eyelids or eyebrows

Your facial rejuvenation team will fill you in on all of the risks and benefits during an in-depth consultation. BOTOX is also a wonderful option for patients who want to enhance their facial plastic surgery procedures like face lift or eyelid lift.

Would you like to hear more about the multi-faceted benefits of BOTOX? Please contact Dr. Aycock today to set up your consultation and get information on patient financing.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

Want a natural, nonsurgical solution for areas of the body that have lost that youthful, full appearance? Fat transfer (or autologous fat transplantation) is a wonderful way to combat the loss of volume that occurs with the aging process.

What is involved with a fat transfer?

Fat transfer, as the name implies, involves removing cells from an area of the body with ample fat (such as the stomach or thighs) for implantation in an area that has lost volume. At the start of the fat transfer procedure, your plastic surgeon will numb both treatment areas. Using a thin needle, the doctor carefully removes a specific amount of fat from the donor site. Then, after the fat cells are purified, the doctor gently implants them and re-contours the area for a flawless, natural appearance. The transfer process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours, depending on the patient’s needs.

What can a fat transfer correct?

The fat transfer procedure can have a very positive effect on areas of the face and body that are showing signs of aging. Popular treatment sites include the cheeks and buttocks. Also, fat transfer may be used to create balance in body areas that are asymmetrical or deformed. Results can last for many years and may even prove permanent for some.

What is the recovery like?

Healing after fat transfer is quick, and results can be seen almost immediately. Every patient’s experience is unique, depending on factors like the treatment area chosen and how much fat is being transferred. In general, fat transfer recipients can expect to be back to work in one to three days (for small fat grafts) and resume light exercise at the one-week mark. Touch-ups are often recommended to achieve ideal, even contours.

Fat transfer is a great procedure to do in combination with other anti-aging options, such as the Brow Lift, Eyelid Lift, Facelift, Botox^®, Restylane^®, Hydrelle™, or Sculptra™.

If you are searching for a way to restore lost volume and fight the signs of aging, learn more about the safe and effective fat transfer procedure. Please contact Dr. Aycock today to set up your consultation and get information on patient financing.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

Over time, sun exposure, environment, and aging can combine to cause physical changes in the facial area. While some men and women age gracefully and enjoy a more dignified or wise appearance, most of us are not too happy with the differences that occur. Radiesse^® dermal filler, also nicknamed the “nonsurgical face lift,” is a wonderful option for people who wish to restore a youthful glow.

What Is Radiesse?

Radiesse is a patented gel made up of biocompatible calcium microspheres and water. Radiesse, when performed by a skilled plastic surgeon, can be highly effective at minimizing the signs of aging, without the surgical invasiveness or healing time required with the facelift procedure.

How Does Radiesse Fight Signs of Aging?

Radiesse wrinkle filler works by restoring volume that has been depleted during the aging process. The special formula actually stimulates collagen growth (called collagenesis). As the new collagen is created, tissue becomes more supple, youthful, and wrinkle-resistant. The results can last significantly longer than other wrinkle fillers — up to one year or longer!

What Are the Benefits of Radiesse?

· Radiesse can be used to enhance contours in all areas of the face.

· Radiesse is minimally invasive with no surgery needed.

· There is no risk of scarring with Radiesse.

· The body’s own collagen is produced after Radiesse treatment.

· Wrinkle correction begins immediately.

· Treatment is painless and quick, and there is no downtime.

· After injection, Radiesse continues to build volume over time.

· Radiesse is FDA-approved and has undergone numerous clinical trials.

Another Safe Anti-Aging Solution

Hydrelle™ is a new dermal filler that uses hyaluronic acid to fill in lines and wrinkles. Because the formula also includes lidocaine anesthetic, these injections involve less discomfort. Patients also enjoy a smaller dosage of filler than typical with other brands. Dr. Robert Aycock is currently the only provider in the North Bay to offer Hydrelle.

If you are searching for a nonsurgical solution to combat the signs of aging, learn more about Radiesse and Hydrelle. You may even qualify for patient financing. Please contact Dr. Aycock today for a personal anti-aging consultation.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

As the years roll on, you may notice signs of aging making their mark on your face, such as wrinkles, grooves, and sunspots. But growing older doesn’t have to mean compromising your appearance. Cosmetic surgery can help people over age 40 gracefully enhance their look with safe facial procedures tailored to individual needs.

With state-of-the-art techniques, experienced cosmetic surgeons are able to take years off your appearance. Surgical facial procedures like facelift and eyelid lift can dramatically reduce the signs of aging that tend to make men and women self-conscious or less confident.

If you’re looking to minimize premature aging or evidence of your true age, visit a San Francisco plastic surgery practice about procedures like these:

Facelift — A facelift is the most popular anti-aging facial surgery for 40+ patients. During this procedure, the facial skin is tightened around the scalp, creating a smoother, younger-looking appearance all around.

Mid Facelift — The mid facelift offers results in the central facial area with less invasiveness and downtime than the full facelift.

Neck Lift — The neck lift is perfect as a complement to the facelift or a stand-alone procedure to improve the look of sagging neck skin.

Brow Lift — A brow lift is a great choice for men and women who want to minimize forehead wrinkling, frown lines between the eyes, and eyelid sagging.

Eyelid Lift — Choose an eyelid lift to correct drooping eyelids and/or bags under the eyes.

Cheek Implants — Because aging involves a loss of volume and fullness in the cheeks, a cheek implant can be used to restore that youthful contour.

Lip Augmentation — Lip augmentation (or lip implants) combats the loss of volume in the lip area common in people over 40.

Discover the amazing transformations that are possible with cosmetic facial anti-aging procedures. From subtle to dramatic, you can choose the options that are just right for you. Take a look at a few  before and after images to explore the possibilities, and then contact Dr. Robert Aycock today for a personal facial cosmetic surgery consultation.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

The summer can be great for the body, as the wonderful weather tends to provide energy and make you more active. However, all those extra hours in the sun can take a toll on the skin around your face, neck, and chest and encourage early signs of aging. Cosmetic surgeons who specialize in facial rejuvenation offer a wide variety of surgical and nonsurgical solutions to sun damage.

If you are looking for a nonsurgical solution to sun effects, these reasonably priced cosmetic facial enhancement options offer great results with little or no downtime:

• Laser skin resurfacing combats wrinkles, sun damage, and facial discoloration.

• Chemical peels and facials can work wonders on sun-damaged, blemished, or wrinkled skin.

• Sciton laser treatments (including the MicroLaser Peel™ Profractional, and Skin Tyte™ Photofacial Therapy) are an effective way to get noticeable results.

If you have cumulative wrinkling (sun damage plus signs of aging) that needs a more powerful solution, you should consider these highly effective surgical options:

• Facelift – uses tightening of the facial skin to create a younger appearance and eliminate wrinkling
• Mid facelift – concentrates on elevating the middle face, with less downtime than a facelift.
• Necklift – improves the appearance of sagging skin around the neck
• Eyelid lift – combats sagging upper eyelid skin with a tightening technique
• Brow lift – minimizes wrinkling in the forehead area

To fight summer sun damage with safe, FDA-approved cosmetic solutions, contact Dr. Robert Aycock in the San Francisco Bay Area to set up your personal skin evaluation. After a thorough skin evaluation, the experienced team will recommend a skin care procedure (or combination of procedures) designed to fight early signs of aging caused by sun exposure.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

The sun can be a sneaky enemy to your skin, causing damage little by little. With every exposure, your delicate facial skin can suffer gradually until signs of premature aging become hard to ignore. Thankfully, there are state-of-the-art cosmetic procedures designed to minimize the various signs of sun damage like fine lines, creases, pigmentation problems, and more. When you meet with an experienced anti-aging cosmetic surgeon, you can discuss the issues that bother you most and develop a personalized sun damage treatment plan together.

Here are a few of the options available to fight the signs of sun damage:

• Facelift — The facelift procedure is a powerful anti-aging tool, successfully erasing deep creases and wrinkles through a time-tested skin-tightening technique.

• Necklift — Choose a necklift if you have noticeable bands around the neck or loose skin that could benefit from tightening.

• Brow Lift — A brow lift is designed to rejuvenate the forehead area, minimizing wrinkles, furrows, and creases left by years of expression and worry.

• Eyelid Lift — The eyelid lift targets the area most likely to reveal aging first. By removing excess skin, eyes will look refreshed and more youthful.

• Laser Resurfacing — Laser skin resurfacing uses laser technology to remove skin’s worn top layer and reveal fresh, new skin underneath.

• Nonsurgical Facial Fillers — With procedures like BOTOX^® Cosmetic, Juvederm™ Radiesse^®, and Restylane^®, you can “fill in” wrinkles and folds, add volume to certain facial features, and rejuvenate your facial appearance.

• Chemical Peels — With chemical peels and other skin care services, you can improve skin tone, diminish acne, and get a healthy glow.

If you are interested in these incredible treatments to rejuvenate the skin, but you are concerned about cost, patient financing is available to help you get the look you desire.

Want to learn more about the many skin-saving procedures available to help combat sun damage? Set up a consultation with San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Aycock and find a solution that’s just right for your skin type. 

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

As the years pass, the telltale signs of your true age can creep in and attempt to steal youthful traits like smooth skin and a flawless complexion. Forehead wrinkling, frown lines between the eyes, brow furrows, or sagging eyebrow skin can be a shear indication that your 30s, 40s, or 50s have arrived. Whether they are caused by genetics, aging, stress, or sun exposure, these signs of aging can be corrected with help from an experienced plastic surgeon. If you want to minimize the annoying problems areas for a more youthful appearance, brow lift surgery might be the right cosmetic surgery choice for you.

How It’s Done

Performed as an outpatient procedure, the brow lift procedure can be completed in just a few hours.  Your plastic surgeon will make small incisions hidden above the hairline, and then skillfully remove excess muscles responsible for furrowing between the brows and forehead using an endoscope.  An endoscope allows the surgeon to see what he is doing through very small incisions.

The eyebrows are slightly raised in the process and the forehead area is smoothed. The incision site is closed with sutures, and your surgeon will go over the healing process with you to make sure you know what to expect. Generally, activity is limited for about a week after surgery, and strenuous activity is restricted for two weeks. The result is a refreshed facial appearance and a more youthful forehead and upper eye area.

You May Be a Good Brow Lift Candidate If…

• You have a tired or angry look when your face is relaxed
• Your eyelids have begun to droop
• You notice lines and furrows in the forehead area
• Your forehead shows signs of aging

For Dramatic Results

To complement the results of your brow lift, consider additional procedures such as a facelift, eyelid lift, or laser skin resurfacing. There are also non-surgical medspa procedures such as Botox^® Cosmetic, Juvederm™, or Restylane^® available to help you achieve just the right look.

For more information on the effective and affordable brow lift procedure, and how to finance your surgery, contact Dr. Robert Aycock in the San Francisco Bay Area region.

—Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant

Spring is a season of reinvention. If you are ready to reinvent yourself, body contouring and facial rejuvenation from a skilled San Francisco plastic surgeon can help you see the incredible, positive changes you’ve been desiring. If you’re considering procedures like facelift, eyelid lift, liposuction, or breast enlargement, the first step is to choose a physician you trust with a practice that has earned a great reputation in the community.

Choosing a plastic surgeon to enhance your appearance is a highly personal decision. However, there are some general guidelines you can use to point you in the right direction. Review the tips below before you start your search.

• For amazing body contouring results, you want to choose a plastic surgeon who can show you a variety of before and after photos reflecting his or her results.

• Ask if center offers MedSpa treatments in addition to body contouring and facial plastic surgery.

• Choosing a state-of-the-art facility is an important factor in finding the right center. Remember to visit the practice and evaluate the surroundings before you make a decision.

• If you’d like to pay over time, ask about patient financing and make sure the center you choose allows flexible payment plans.

• To get a good idea of the level of care a physician delivers, ask to read several patient testimonials.

• Ask about the surgeon’s background, training and credentials. During your first consultation, you can ask the team any questions you may have about specific procedures, treatment fees, financing and experience.

If you are ready to meet with an experienced body contouring team, talk to San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Aycock about your personal body goals. Dr. Aycock, as seen in Forbes Magazine, was voted one of “The Most Dependable Plastic Surgeons of the Western United States” and “Best Plastic Surgeon and MedSpa of the Northbay” with his center being named “Best Health Care Surgery Center in Marin County.” There’s no obligation during your first consultation, so come visit the center and learn about your many options for safe appearance enhancement.

 —Lindsey Kesel, Cosmetic Surgery Consultant