Dear Dr. Tim,

I just turned 40 years old and I've been thinking about plastic surgery.  I don't want to look different, just younger or more refreshed.  My friends often tell me I look angry or tired when I am happy or well rested.  Some have even suggested that I get Botox.  What are some less expensive ways to look younger without major surgery?

-Mary

Dear Mary,

Good question and congratulations for crossing the 40 year old threshold!  Much of the facial aging we see develops in the early thirties.  Just looking back at your photographs 10 years ago likely shows a fuller face with more volume, bigger cheeks, fuller lips, and little or no wrinkles. 

It is true that Botox® is a wonderful way to get subtle yet significant changes to the frown lines between the eyes, the crow's feet on the side of the eyes, and the forehead.  Botox® is usually charged per unit or facial region and can run typically anywhere from less than two hundred dollars to much, much more depending on the amount used and areas treated.  It takes several days for Botox® to work and often lasts just over four months.  Botox® has an excellent safety profile, particularly when administered by a well trained plastic surgeon or aesthetic provider, and is a great 'starter' for someone looking for a little beauty boost.

Other ‘quick fixes' include volume enhancers to fill in deeper wrinkles, deflated lips, or deficient cheeks.  I'll be discussing fillers in an upcoming piece entitled, Beauty Recession?  Stay tuned!  But to summarize, plenty of products are available that can easily be administered in the office setting ranging from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the volume necessary for optimal correction.

And then there are lasers and peels, and creams, and tonics.  Many of these work very well and can reduce fine wrinkles or skin color changes seen with aging.   Some require just one treatment; others require two or many more.  However, many of these products or services cost a lot for little results.  I'll be writing on this soon enough since many patients often ask about these devices.  Although I recommend them frequently, they're often not the best ‘bang for your buck.'

Perhaps one of the most remarkable rejuvenation tools comes from you own tummy.  Facial fat grafting is a wonderful way to restore the volume in your face lost with aging.  Your own fat can be removed from an unwanted area and placed into the cheeks, lips, around the eye sockets, and jaw line to give you back your face of youth, with no visible facial incisions.  Facial fat grafting doesn't always require general anesthesia (some people are awake), and it can actually cost less and last longer than many of the injectables on the market today.

So in summary, the list is long, Mary.  The best advice is to visit a plastic surgeon you like and trust, and go over your desires and budget.  In addition, it is important to discuss with him or her realistic expectations, duration of product, risks of procedure, and reasonable alternatives ranging from surgery to doing nothing at all.  

I hope this helps, Mary. And happy 40th!

Story by Timothy Neavin, MD.

Timothy Neavin is a plastic surgeon and Director of Artisan of Beauty Plastic Surgery, in Beverly Hills, California. He has written and lectured nationally on the topics of plastic surgery's influence on one's sex life, body sculpturing, and lectured nationally on the topic of injectables, and the safety of outpatient surgery.

For more information on Dr. Neavin, visit:

ARTISANofBEAUTY.com

P: 310.858.8811
9615 Brighton Way, Suite 303
Beverly Hills, California, 90210

Dr. Neavin is not a shareholder, paid consultant, or employee of any product companies mentioned in this article, nor does he holds no financial interest in any product mentioned.  Photos are pictures of models for illustration purposes and are not of his patients.