You’re not the only who’s noticed that the stars of Desperate Housewives—with the exception of the young and vibrant Eva Longoria, look better now than they did 10—even 15—years ago. Demi Moore and Heather Locklear are as gorgeous as they ever were. And we all know it’s not by sheer luck. While there’s something to say for taking care of your skin, chances are a plastic surgeon (or two) played a part in helping these stars stay looking youthful, even though they’ll deny it.
In our society, growing old “gracefully” is seen by some as a euphemism for choosing to accept and live with what the ravages of time dish out. Public opinion is inching closer to being more comfortable talking openly about cosmetic procedures but it’s still somewhat of a taboo topic—depending on your audience.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery recently conducted a consumer survey, which revealed that cosmetic surgery is something only 6% of the adult population has done, but that almost 20% of the population aspires to do at some point in their lifetime.
Some other interesting revelations from the study:
- An overwhelming 5 out of 6 consumers believe that personal appearance is key to professional success.
- When asked how open they would be about a cosmetic surgery procedure, 33% of consumers said they would tell only those who asked, while 18% said they would tell only close friends and family.
- The two most wanted celebrity features, according to the survey, are Jennifer Aniston’s eyes for women (46%) and Nick Lachey’s abs for men (51%).
While you probably wouldn’t chat up the cashier at the grocery store about your desire to get a lipo, you’ve probably spent your fair share of hours watching stars who’ve had work done, or at least done exploratory research of your own. We all know about facelifts and Botox. But science has come a lot way in creating minimally, or non-invasive, procedures that require little or no downtime at all.
Ooh La La – Get those pouty French lips you’ve always wanted
You know what we’re talking about--deliciously plump, kiss-me-now lips. French Lips™ is an innovative new lip augmentation technique developed by Dual Board Certified Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon Dr. Andrew Jacono to deliver sexy, pouty, bee-stung lips that look
completely n
atural and totally kissable.
Using Restalyne®—a Hyaluronic Acid-based dermal filler–Dr. Jacono’s customized technique targets some 15 different anatomic zones of the lip versus the standard lip line (vermillion border) site currently favored by plastic surgeons and dermatologists worldwide
By injecting the Philtral columns (the two vertical lines above the lips), the center part of the cupid’s bow (to accentuate it’s curvature) and the outer half of the lips, towards the corners (which rolls the lip out ever so slightly), Dr. Jacono’s technique delivers the pouty, sexy lips which have come to define classic beauty and youth. Cost: $1,000. Results last 4-5 months.
“The lips are an essential component of facial symmetry and aesthetics,” says Dr. Jacono. “Anthropometric studies have shown that wider and fuller lips in relation to facial width, as well as greater vermillion height are a mark of female attractiveness.” Thus, full lips have become increasingly desirable and are considered both youthful and beautiful. This is precisely why the demand for lip augmentation procedures continues to skyrocket. In fact, The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Annual Survey ranked lip augmentation as the #1 most popular cosmetic procedure in 2005.
“As we get older the lips age with the rest of the face, resulting in atrophy of the lips,” says Dr. Jacono. “The lips thin out. Tiny vertical lines appear and the graceful cupid's bow of the upper lip begins to flatten.”
Others may have been born with thinner lips, and simply want a more defined cupid's bow and greater lip volume to balance the other features of their face. “Using this new technique, I can strategically refine, enlarge and reshape the lips to deliver a natural looking pout that is far more desirable than the ‘overstuffed’ look which currently plagues a host of high profile women from Hollywood to Park Avenue.”
What beautiful (fake) eyelashes you have
Eyelash transplantation was originally developed years ago as a reconstructive procedure for trauma victims, but just recently became a hot new "must-have" cosmetic s
urgery for image-conscious women. The surgery allows women to create Hollywood-style eyes (e.g., J Lo) by transplanting real hair follicles from the back of the scalp into the upper eyelids.
Only a handful of doctors around the world are qualified to perform eyelash transplantation. Dr. Alan Bauman is one of them. Recently featured on Extra and Access Hollywood for his pioneering work in this field, Dr. Bauman has seen the number of eyelash transplants he performs go up by 300% in the past few months.
Artefill®
Cosmetic injectable dermal fillers are extremely popular right now, however they are temporary, usually lasting about 6-9 months, meaning that repeated doctor visits are necessary to keep up the appearance. ArteFill is a synthetic filler like the others but it doesn’t biodegrade over time.
Three to six months following an ArteFill injection, the bovine collagen is gradually absorbed and replaced by the body’s own newly-created collagen, which forms to encapsulate the ArteFill microspheres in a natural biologic process. 
ArteFill’s microspheres provide a permanent support structure beneath the skin to fill out wrinkles and to prevent further wrinkling in the treated areas. The microspheres do not migrate nor are they degraded by the body, therefore, they remain surrounded by your natural collagen, providing permanent volume to keep your skin smooth and wrinkle-free in the areas you were treated.
Dr. Mirabile, a leading plastic surgeon and founder of Best Impressions Medical Spa and Surgical Skin Rejuvenation Center is one of the only plastic surgeons in the nation currently trained and approved to administer ArteFill. While offering a permanent solution to deep wrinkles and lines, there is some controversy surrounding Artefill.
Doctors such as Dr. Stuart Kaplan, a Beverly Hills cosmetic dermatologist and surgeon, raises the point that the face doesn’t hold a permanent position over time (hence one of the reasons we need cosmetic procedures), so what happens when the face shifts? Some patients have experienced lumps that don’t go away (after all, the procedure is permanent), so be sure to do your homework and thoughouly investigate your doctor before committing to having a procedure done.
LiveFill
LiveFill is live fat and fascia (a flat band of tissue below the skin that covers the underlying tissues and separates different layers of tissue). tissue that is used for filling in deep facial wrinkles and augmenting lips. It is harvested from fatty areas of your body and placed in the target areas during a minor surgical procedure. According to Dr. Brent Moelleken, LiveFill is fully alive unlike fat injections, which are approximately 20% live tissue. Estimated cost: $4,000 - $10,000.
Fraxel Laser
Fraxel is a second-generation, non-ablative skin renewal laser treatment that reaches dermal layers without damaging the surface skin. The laser goes beneath the skin’s surface to trigger new collagen production and regenerate healthier tissue
that replaces damaged cells. The surface layer of skin remains unaffected by the new “fractional” laser technique, resulting in reduced healing time.
Fraxel is designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, brown patches, and acne scars. Fraxel is supposed to deliver the results of traditional, more ablative lasers but with a downtime of only a couple of days.“In the past, I have shied away from non-surgical treatments,
such as Thermage and CO2 lasers, because they did not yield results I would endorse,” he says.
“Fraxel is the first non-ablative laser procedure I will offer my patients because the technology is something I truly believe can meet expectations.
Juvederm
Fraxel provides excellent results alone, but accompanied with the other facial rejuvenation techniques I offer it enhances the overall outcome.” Another advantage of Fraxel is that it is safe on pigmented skin to allow
Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans to benefit as well. Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, a facial plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, actively practices and advocates Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing.
Juvederm is a dermatologic filler made of hyaluronic acid, the same substance in our joints that help them move more smoothly. It recently received FDA approval for nasolabial folds and other wrinkle correction.
“It is good for patients who have vertical lip lines from aging and smoking, lip augmentation for patients who want a little more pout, or those whose lips have lost volume from aging, mild laugh line wrinkles and at the corners of the mouth,” says Dr. Diana Nguyen. “It’s also great for patients who have sunken tear troughs.
“Juvederm works very well in combination of treatments to give the best results for patients. For example, in combination with Botox and Thermage to the forehead, the eyes can appear more youthful from raising the brows subtlety, smoothing out fine lines and softening under eye circles.”
The benefits of juvederm include the fact that it is biodegradable, doesn't need skin testing, and lasts for an average of 6 months. In fact, due to its cohesive nature, Juvederm lasts longer than Restylane and is easier to inject, and less painful to patients. This is very good, because I personally don't believe in permanent fillers, since our skin is an organ that continues to age and move with gravity. A permanent filler may make a person's face look awkward, different, unnatural.
Juvederm is not for anyone who has had allergic reactions to any form of hyaluronic acid, including Restylane and the like. Juvederm is not meant to correct deep wrinkles or restore large areas of volume loss.
Triple Crown Facial
Not all facials are the same or provide the same results--celebrities understand this tip well. Joanna Vargas, the highly respected senior aesthetician at the Tracie “Facialist to the Stars” Martyn Salon for the past five years, recently opened her own skin care studio on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan where she offers her signature anti-aging and anti-wrinkle Triple Crown facial, which combines treatment from a micro-current machine with the revolutionary healing and skin renewal powers of a hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
“The micro-current actually stimulates the face muscles like a gym workout – which is why some of my clients refer to me as their ‘personal skin care trainer,” says Joanna.
The oxygen machine Vargas uses is brand new to the industry and advances the oxygen facial technique of years past. Infusing the skin with pure oxygen, green tea, hylaronic acid and Vitamin A, C and E serums hydrate and regenerate new skin cells, as well as promotes elastin and collagen production—in turn reducing lines and wrinkles.
For first-time treatment customers, Joanna always does one side of the face and then takes delight in showing the client the difference in the mirror.
“It is both exciting for me as an aesthetician as well as for the client,” Joanna says. “Most people had no idea they could get their skin to look so youthful without going under the knife.”
Walk towards the light
I bet you never thought lightbulbs could help you look younger. Unlike those harmful tanning bed bulbs, LED (Light Emitting Diodes) treatments are beneficial. LED treatments (also called LED Photo Rejuvenation and photofacials) consist of cold laser light therapy that rejuvenates the skin by producing collagen and new tissue. The best part? There’s no down time and can be done on your lunch break, which is great news for the woman on the go.
With no down time or discomfort, Osmotics LED treatments are offered at-counter in select Nordstrom stores or at your local Medi-spa. Unlike micro-dermabrasion, lasers or chemical peels, LED treatments are non-invasive and offers instant results, although you may need a few to achieve optimum results. Osmotics LED Photo Rejuvenation stimulates the skin's fibroblasts to produce collagen and elastic proteins. Unlike laser technology that relies on high-powered coherent light to create heat energy, LED triggers the body to convert light energy into cell energy without thermal injury to tissues.
Osmotics Cosmeceuticals Signature LED Treatments retail for $75 or a series of six treatments for $375 and are available at select Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor stores, visit the Osmotics website.
Know before you go
As more consumers look to define beauty, the need continues to grow for education on cosmetic surgery to ensure all patients are safe and in the right hands.
With so much information on cosmetic surgery floating around on the Internet (this article included), how do consumers know what's best? The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is spearheading this patient education campaign to arm patients with the facts about cosmetic surgery, patient safety and the qualifications of practitioners so they can make informed decisions about cosmetic enhancement. The Be Wise About Beauty campaign offers consumers a bevy of resources at their fingertips, including information about specific procedures
and an interactive ‘Beauty Monitor’ quiz that can help patients determine whether cosmetic surgery is the right choice.
The Web site is great, and is a resource your readers should know about. It cuts through all the clutter, and tells prospective patients exactly what they need to know when seeking cosmetic enhancement.
Here’s a rundown of some of the newest and most innovative minimally or non-invasive cosmetic procedures available right now at a doctor (or dermatologist or accupuncturist or esthetician) near you.
So now you know how to clear up the occasional bout of adult acne, prevent fine lines and wrinkles (or at least try), and use makeup to hide imperfections (see Celebrity Beauty Secrets Part I and II). Now what about the rest of you? With warm weather knocking at our formerly frost-bitten doors, a girl has got to look golden. Say goodbye to pasty skin, lifeless hair and those extra winter pounds with these celebrity beauty secrets.
