Dr Mosser, Author at Scott Mosser M.D.

Lip fillers that work best to pass “the kiss test”, or essentially ones that have a natural look and feel, are hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane. While there may initially be a few days of swelling, the result of Juvederm and Restylane to the lips is very natural looking and feeling when it is properly injected.

Another option to consider is fat injections. These can also pass the kiss test, but should only be performed by a highly experienced cosmetic surgeon. And the fat must be taken from your own body, so that can be a downside. However, fat injections can be permanent when done properly, so that is something to consider.

It’s best to stay away from fillers such as Radiesse, Sculptra, or collagens. Collagen is hard to find these days, and the other two are just not meant for the lips.
Juvederm is a great product for lip augmentation. Because of its fine texture and consistency, Juvederm gives patients a natural looking result to create a fuller and more aesthetically pleasing look. It is also readily absorbable and has a fairly small risk of morphing into permanent granulomas. Restylane is also an excellent choice and has similar consistency and potential risks.

Lip augmentation is good for people whose gums show when smiling, to plump up wrinkles surrounding the mouth, and to increase volume in thinning lips. However, remember to be conservative and don’t go overboard with too much filler. Less is more in this case, in order to achieve the most natural results possible. And always remember to go to a highly experienced injector for any cosmetic enhancement.
The number of stitches required for a facelift is largely unimportant. More important is having a discussion with your surgeon to discuss where the incision areas will be and what you can expect in terms of healing and long term results. For instance do you use sutures or staples that will need to be removed, and what is the estimated removal time, or do you use stitches that dissolve on their own? As to the actual number, most doctors will just tell you as many as it takes to do the job properly, with minimal scarring.

Keep in mind, incisions for facelifts generally hide along the hairline or behind the ears and do not show anyway. I also use mostly absorbable stitches which dissolve on their own so my patients do not need to have stitches removed during their healing process. This increases your overall comfort.
It’s Been a Good Trip…

I just recently returned from a very successful medical mission in Ecuador. As a part of my non-profit organization, Destination Hope I do two of these medical missions each year. These missions are undergone to help and treat children in Third World countries suffering from facial deformities. I am passionate about helping children in need, and am so pleased with the success of this most recent venture.

People who are born with deformities often go through life in a constant struggle. They find themselves lonely, and fighting for acceptance from those they interact with every day. And for people in Third World countries, they often lack even the most basic of medical care. That means that despite how painful the deformity may be, they are forced to live with it.

This mission we traveled to Baeza Ecuador, which is in eastern Ecuador just at the entryway to the Amazon Basin. There were two plastic surgeons, and one otolaryngologist, and we ended up able to treat 52 patients in all.

The primary surgeries undertaken were cleft lip, cleft palate repair, and microtia repair. A microtia repair is a procedure involving the placement of a new external ear for patients that are not born with one, or who are only born with a small remnant of an ear. Correcting a cleft palate can mean a child no longer being seen as ‘dumb’ because of a speech problem.

Often times though, these aren’t the only types of needs of these children. Sometimes there are burn victims, or car accident victims, and often times both children and adults will walk for miles just for the chance to be seen by the doctors who visit.

All in all, this was a very successful mission, and very safe for our patients. And the feeling of truly helping someone in need just can’t be topped. I eagerly await the next mission.
I am not a proponent of the “quick lift” or “thread lift” facelift methods for my patients. Usually there is simply more that needs to be done than can be rushed through in an hour, and if your surgeon doesn’t do the full procedure, then you certainly don’t get the full result. Also the long terms results are not as beneficial as the modern day, or SMAS facelift.

Patients deserve the very best for themselves, and making the decision to undergo a surgical procedure is not an easy one. Once a patient has decided to pursue a procedure, it is important to make sure you are getting the most you can in the way of long term and natural looking results, as well as a board certified surgeon who is highly experienced in the facelift procedure. When looked at this way, the “shortcut” of doing something like a one hour facelift is not recommended.
A facelift, like any decision to have surgery, is a big decision. But it can be very beneficial a procedure to restore the appearance of youth to your face, and tighten skin and underlying fatty tissue and muscles beneath the neck and face. Typically, a face lift is a good option when you have sagging or excess skin along the jaw line and lower face. A facelift can help to rejuvenate these areas and turn back the clock.

But if you don’t wish to have surgery, there are at least some alternatives that can help. If you are seeking a facelift simply to alleviate lines around the mouth, fill hollows, and create fullness where there is currently excess skin, filler options may work well for you.

One popular filler is Juvederm, and there are also fillers like Restylane, Perlane, Sculptra, ArteFill and others. Another option is a combination of Botox and a facial filler. Obviously the type of filler you choose will depend on your unique issues, as each filler is not a fix all for everything. It’s also important for you to take care of the A,B,C’s of proper skin care. That includes hydration, sunscreen, proper eating and exercise, and hygiene as well.
There is really no such thing as “poisoning” from silicone. Over the years there have been extensive studies and research done by respectable universities that show medical grade silicone is nontoxic. This was following intense debate on the risks associated with silicone and silicone implants, and as a result the topic has been thoroughly examined and the fears proven to be unfounded.

Another thing to remember is that silicone is actually found in the body in small amounts, and it abounds in modern day products such as foods and lotions, just to name a few.

However it is possible that if silicone leaks, the body can react to the silicone and get inflamed in the region where the silicone has leaked. This inflammation is not common but is possible, and seems to be more common with older implants. If there are any questions about silicone leaks in your implants, or you fear the possibility see your doctor.
Non-surgical facelifts are simply alternative options used to increase volume and reduce wrinkles in the face. It is not a true facelift. Usually this is achieved by Botox, fillers, and lasers, or a combination of these methods. A true facelift however requires surgery in order to adjust the underlying structures of the face back to their original positioning, and remove excess skin.

Non-surgical facelifts using fillers can be a good solution for patients who are experiencing lines and sagging of the face who would prefer to wait a bit longer to have a facelift procedure done. They work best as ‘camouflagers’ early in the aging process and in some patients can work wonders. Generally speaking, though, non-surgical alternatives to facelifts do not get the long-term results of surgical facelifts, so the patient needs to decide what is best for them. Each person’s situation is unique.
The FDA has approved silicone breast implants as safe for implantation (in November of 2006) after being off the market for several years due to fears they could be linked to autoimmune disorders, cancer, and other health issues. These issues were shown in large good studies to be unsubstantiated, and so silicone is once again being used for modern day implants. Some of the greatest risk factors seem to be capsular contracture, or hardening and scarring of the breast tissue.

Silicone implants since being allowed back on the market are generally the top choice over saline implants because they tend to feel more ‘real’ than saline implants. Regardless, it’s always best to have a detailed discussion with your doctor during a consult so you understand the pros and cons of silicone, and can make an informed and educated decision on what type you’d like to go with.
This is an intensely debated question without a simple answer. Some doctors suggest a rupture may happen in 10-15 years. Others remind us that for many patients a rupture may never happen. The FDA cites a rupture rate of about .05% at 3 years. Because of these figures the implant companies have recommended an MRI to scan for ruptures 3 years after implantation, and every two years following.

The rate really depends on what generation of implant you are using, as it will vary with each. Like all human made objects, implants keep getting safer and more advanced all the time. Regardless, for whatever the reason the life of an implant is not indefinite. For modern implants today, the rate of rupture is probably around 2-7% within 5 years.