What is the Vampire Facelift?

Dr. Lorenc describes the newest facial treatment to hit the shelves – the Vampire Facelift. This isn’t really a traditional facelift but is a variation of a dermal filler. It is the latest permutation of new filler which is essentially the patient’s own blood that is used for the treatment. In this procedure, the plasma or a portion of the blood is extracted and drawn out and then processed. The result is plasma with a lot of platelets and this plasma is then injected back into the skin of the patients. This product injected back into the skin stimulates collagen growth in the body.

Does the vampire facelift really work?

This procedure, however, is in its early stages and hasn’t been tested much. Sometimes, the media gets ahead of itself and publicizes techniques that haven’t been properly researched with  catchy names and   a lot of spin and hype.  At the moment, there isn’t much scientific research on the Vampire Facelift, but it certainly looks like a promising technique that should be investigated.    Good  research will tell us whether or not it  has a place in the  treatment of adding volume to the face.

Dr. Lorenc has specialized in facial rejuvenation, breast enhancement and body contouring. He continues to be closely involved in research and development of new advances in aesthetic surgery. He is considered a pioneer in the development of the new generation of dermal fillers and is a leading authority in facial anatomy.  His  practice is based in New York City.

Browse this site for more information on the  vampire facelift and new york plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Lorenc.

The FDA has approved a new dermal filler that contains enough lidocaine to provide nearly instantaneous numbing for patients getting facial wrinkles and folds filled.

“Before the introduction of Juvederm XC, it often took up to 30 minutes for an anesthetic block to take effect,” clinical investigator Dr. Charles Boyd said in a press statement. The product has a similar safety profile as its predecessor, Juvederm, a gel hyaluronic acid dermal filler manufactured by Allergan.

The smooth consistency of the Juvederm gel makes it easier to inject and reportedly provides more natural looking results that last for up to a year. Injectable fillers provide a safe, non-surgical option for women and men who want to smooth facial wrinkles and folds without surgery, such as a brow lift or lower face lift.

The new formulation, Juvederm XC, maintains the same results as its predecessor and also contains a small amount of lidocaine, which numbs the treatment area within seconds, making the cosmetic treatment a more comfortable experience for the patient. The lidocaine is also intended to reduce or eliminate the need for any additional anesthetic.

The results during a double blind test were promising: 93 percent of patients reported less pain when treated with the new formulation of Juvederm compared to those treated with the non-lidocaine formulation.

Juvederm XC is now available nationwide; however, just like other dermal fillers, it should be administered by a trained medical professional.

More and more men may be choosing cosmetic surgery these days, but here’s one procedure they won’t be bothering with: filler injections in the feet.

Harley Medical Group, a leading chain for cosmetic surgery clinics in the UK, recently reported that some women in London are undergoing filler injections to plump up the underside of their feet, and relieve the pain that comes from wearing high heels.

Rather than buying shoes that are kinder to their tootsies,  women ask surgeons to inject dermal filler into the balls of their feet – thus filling them out and providing padding inside the foot.

The procedure,  called a “foot filler,” is a recent innovation. In 2008, most patients visited Harley Medical Group for facial Botox injections, and only one or two women requested anything injected into their feet. But, since its inception, the cosmetic cushioning trend has gained momentum. In 2009, more women requested the foot filler treatment, according to the cosmetic surgery provider, and rates are expected to continue rising in 2010. This despite warnings that the cushioning effects only last up to three months, at the most. The effects of filler don’t last long in the feet because of the pressure that walking puts on them. And the pressure will be even higher if the patient spends a lot of time walking in high heels. According to the Harley Medical Group, each foot filler operation costs at least £240, which is almost $400.

Fillers may be an effective way of making feet comfortable in uncomfortable shoes, but some people have more radical ideas about other injectable items. In 2008, actress Sharon Stone lost primary custody of her adopted son after a San Francisco judge decided she was overreacting to the boy’s medical issues. Among them, court documents said, she suggested Botox injections for his feet to make them smell better.  Botox, in fact, has no effect on foot odor, though some doctors may use it on feet to reduce sweating.

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Look Younger, Get Rid of Laugh Lines: Plastic Surgery Talk Show Explores Fillers (VIDEO)

In our image-conscious world, the natural aging process can be a cause of anxiety. From fine lines around the eyes to deeper creases around the mouth and lips, or the telltale “11″ left by a frequently furrowed brow, our faces leave tell-tale signs of the joys and challenges experienced in years gone by — signs we’d often prefer the rest of the world didn’t see.

“Every patient comes with a different complaint,” says Dr. Haideh Hirmand, a plastic surgeon based in New York City, who frequently sees patients wanting to turn back the hands of time. The answer, in many cases, is to use the newest generation of soft tissue fillers to minimize wrinkles and laugh lines, and restore volume to the face.

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Dr. Hirmand joined host Dr. William P. Adams, Jr. and fellow guest Dr. Christopher Inglefield, a prominent UK plastic surgeon, for a special episode of Plastic Surgery Talk taped at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to discuss the growing popularity of soft tissue fillers.

As we age, the body cuts down on the amount of fat in the face, notes Dr. Hirmand, making fillers an excellent option for restoring a youthful look.

Facial fillers are products injected into areas on the face to give that area more volume. Numerous kinds are available on the market, from collagen-based fillers to silicone to hyaluronic acid gels, and each has its place, depending on a patient’s needs and desired outcomes. The most popular brand names include Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane and Prevelle Silk.

“Every decade the body adjusts, and we preferentially lose fat in our faces,” she said. By using fillers, surgeons can fill in marionette lines around the mouth, crows feet, thinning lips, and hollows around the eyes to make a patient appear younger, well-rested and refreshed.

In the UK, another filler, called Macrolane, is now being used not only on the face, but also for small breast augmentations.

“It’s for a woman who wants one cup size, one-and-a-half cup size increase,” explains Dr. Inglefield. “It is done under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis, as a sort of walk in, walk out procedure.”

Although the use of Macrolane fillers for breast augmentation is gaining popularity oversees, the product has not been approved in the U.S. to increase breast size, and the long-term results are still unknown.

This episode of Plastic Surgery Talk is sponsored by Mentor. Learn more about Memory Gel breast implants at LoveYourLook.com.

Dermal fillers are popular among women who want to minimize fine lines and restore a more youthful look to their face. But, men are also excellent candidates for facial fillers, says Philadelphia plastic surgeon Dr. Louis Bucky, because men have thicker skin and large facial bone structure.

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The type of filler that should be used depends not just on the patient’s age and the evidence of wrinkles or loss of volume in the face, but also on the patient’s gender, Dr. Bucky explains.

“With regard to the type of filler used in men versus women, when we’re really talking about robust or significant volume restoration, I tend to use fillers that have higher particle size,” Bucky said.

In all cases, a cosmetic surgeon has to consider the factors of gravitational changes, skin elasticity and deflational loss before deciding what filler best fits, and how much to use. And, of course, filler alone doesn’t replace a more elaborate procedure when it comes to making a noticeable difference.

“I think fillers are a critical part of restoring an aging face, if you will. But they’re not the sole component,” Dr. Bucky notes.

Facial gravitational changes are best addressed with a skin lift of some sort, he says, while deflational loss is better handled by fillers. For improving skin elasticity, the patient is often best served with dermabrasion, laser treatment, or facial peels.

“When you evaluate the face in toto, you can then determine how much of each component needs to be treated so you get a natural appearance, not one that is overcompensated by one versus the other, and not a distorted look,” he said. The people who are best at this, Dr. Bucky added, are board-certified plastic surgeons, with their deep understanding of those three facial factors.

“They are trained by people who have studied facial aging not for the past five years, but for the past fifty years,” he said. “And therefore there is a perspective that many physicians can’t bring to the table.”

Botox and fillers are as almost as common as department store cosmetics for treating facial wrinkles — but that doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone. Dr. Jennifer Walden, a board certified plastic surgeon in New York City, explains when it’s best to start these types of cosmetic procedures.

“Some people in their teens and twenties start considering and asking about Botox and fillers, because it’s widely pervasive in the media,” says Dr. Walden. “But, that’s really too early, because they haven’t even shown the signs of early facial aging that we’re talking about.”

For women, the fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth and laxity in the jowl area don’t usually become apparent until they are in their 30s and 40s, Dr. Walden notes. She advises patients to wait until at least this age before considering Botox or a dermal filler, like Juvederm or Restylane.

“Botox can be used to paralyze the muscles around the eyes and the forehead, to give you a more rested look, and fillers can be used to plump out the nasolabial fold,” she explains.

Dr. Walden also notes that it is safe to use cosmeceutical products, like an alpha-hydroxy acids and Retin-A, after receiving Botox or filler injections, because the cleansers are only skin deep.

Chef Gordon Ramsay, famous – or infamous – for the reality TV cooking competition Hell’s Kitchen, has ‘fessed up. He admits to having had Botox injections…on his chin.

The grouchy celeb was inspired by another cranky British import to American TV: Simon Cowell.

Simon, whose famous frown doesn’t wrinkle his own forehead due to Botox injections, reportedly told Chef Ramsay that he “had to do something about that” chin.

And after a makeup artist and a few friends also made disparaging remarks, Ramsay was off to get a smoother looking chin. From Botox. Which is a little confusing, because that miracle wrinkle eraser is intended more for eyes and foreheads, where muscle movement creates furrows.

Sure enough, Ramsay says no one has noticed the difference. Well, he actually said something that was bleeped out, but the upshot is that no one noticed.

Cosmetic Surgery Bible suggested he consider using a dermal filler, like Juvéderm or Restylane, but we think that his frown is an integral part of his persona.

After all, who wants to watch Ramsay drop the F-bomb with no expression on his face? We say, ‘Work it, Ramsay!’ Character actors have faces with character… so should reality TV chefs who trade on their anger.

Click the screen below to catch this week’s edition of PSC News!

Organizations in the Episode:

• CosmetAssure (plastic surgery insurance)
• Iscare Lighthouse Clinic Centre
• Josef Woodman
• American Medical Association
• Joint Commission International (JCI)
• Johns Hopkins Medical Center
• Columbia University Medical Center
• Atidim Medical Center (Tel Aviv)
• Aesthetic Surgery Education & Research Foundation (ASERF)
• American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
• Industry Insights, Inc.
• Dr. Jennifer Walden, MD, FACS
• Roland Garros
• WTA Tour

If you’re at that age where you’re starting to notice a few wrinkles and thinking it may be time to consider injectable fillers, you may soon have a new option.

A new study demonstrates that a combination of adipose stem cells combined with micronized acellular dermal matrix (also known as Alloderm), may be a better solution than collagen or fat transfer.

Dr. Jin Soo Lim of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the Catholic University of Korea, who is leading the team that is developing the new filler technology, claims this new mix offers a softer, more natural appearance and may raise the bar in terms of aesthetic outcomes in dermal filler procedures.

Dr. Lim recently told Cosmetic Surgery Times that micronized Alloderm may be useful for the growth and differentiation of human adipose stem cells and provide a good scaffold for the stem cells when constructing fat tissue for fillers.

This concept is still early in development, and more studies to evaluate its safety and efficacy are needed before doctors can determine whether it is a viable treatment option for patients.

We’ll keep you posted on future developments.