One day, while looking in the mirror, you’ll notice a line that wasn’t there last week. It happens to everyone sooner or later. Aging is an unavoidable part of life, and with it comes many small changes that may negatively impact the way you see and feel about yourself.
There are two common reasons patients come to see Dr. Florence Mussat in Chicago, IL, to address typical signs of aging. Firstly, those taking place on the face in the form of wrinkles, cheek depressions, sagging skin, and secondly, those stubborn pockets of fat in various parts of their bodies that don’t respond to a healthy diet and exercise regime.
What you may not realize is that it’s possible to smooth out those pesky signs of aging on your face while simultaneously trimming away unsightly pockets of “donor” body fat from your own body through a process known as autologous fat transfer.
Commonly referred to as fat transfer, fat grafting, or lipofilling, autologous fat transfer is a wonderfully safe and effective procedure that can be used to trim fat from areas of your body with which you’re not happy while enhancing other areas. The end result is a look that is not only permanent, but vibrant, youthful, and a great boost to your self-confidence.
From Where and How Is the Fat Transferred?
During an autologous fat transfer procedure, Dr. Mussat uses liposuction to remove fat from various areas of the body, such as the:
- Inner thighs
- Abdominal area
- Back
- Hips
- Buttocks
- Upper arms
Excess fat cells are extracted through tiny incisions from these areas, spun in a centrifuge, cleaned, and purified before they’re processed and turned into an effective dermal filler.
The entire process of removing and then injecting the fat usually takes 1-4 hours, depending on the size of the areas being treated. Thanks to the small size of the incisions and the minimally invasive nature of the injections, downtime and recovery time are minimal.
If you’re interested in learning how to add shape and volume to areas where it can help you look more youthful while at the same time slim down trouble areas of your body, why not schedule a visit with Dr. Florence Mussat at her Chicago, IL plastic surgery office?
What Areas of My Face Can Benefit From Fat Transfer?
Fat grafting is an excellent way to address visible signs of aging in different areas of the face, including:
Cheeks and Temples
Sunken cheeks and temples are among the most common and most noticeable signs of aging in the face. Our cheeks often start to sag and droop as the skin loses elasticity due to the natural aging process and factors such as weight loss and family genetics. Fortunately, we can naturally add volume to sunken cheeks through facial fat grafting and make them appear more plump and youthful.
Under the Eyes
That hollowed-out, gaunt look under the eyes can cause a person to appear older than their actual age or even look sick and unhealthy. Facial fat grafting can be used to transfer fat into the area under the eyes, correct dark circles, add volume to thinning skin, and reduce other aging signs under the eyes.
Jawline
As they age, many people develop “jowls,” where the skin becomes thinner and less elastic and starts to sag below the jawline. Facial fat grafting to the jawline can tighten and reduce the appearance of jowls.
Are There Any Additional Areas of My Face Fat Transfer Can Help?
In addition to those areas mentioned above, facial fat grafting can also improve the appearance of thinning lips, tear troughs, forehead lines, and lines around the mouth.
With expert fat grafting, you can quickly and safely achieve a rejuvenated facial appearance.
Apart from the face, fat can also be transferred through grafting to other areas of the body that, over time, sag or lose their shape, like breasts, buttocks, hands, and even calves.
Take That Next Step To Looking Younger!
For a complete assessment of how board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat can use fat transfer to help you look younger, schedule a personal consultation in Chicago, IL, or call (312) 751-9000 today!
Over the last decade, dermal fillers have become a staple of medical skincare. These versatile injectable compounds can correct a wide range of cosmetic issues while also improving skin health. The secret to their effectiveness lies in their key ingredient: Hyaluronic acid (HA).
What is HA?
Hyaluronic acid is a safe, natural substance that’s found throughout the human body. Though the word “acid” suggests something caustic to most people, HA is inherently non-destructive. In fact, this carbohydrate polymer is one of the primary building blocks that make up our skin, cartilage, and other connective tissues. HA-based dermal fillers will not damage your skin or cause side-effects, and dermal filler treatments don’t require any downtime.
Understanding the Benefits of HA
When HA is injected into the skin, it stimulates the production of collagen, a protein that keeps the skin healthy, strong, and supple. This process is an important part of cellular repair; it combats environmental damage while working to improve skin texture and tone. HA gel can also literally “fill in” distracting blemishes and act as a facial contouring agent. Some of the primary benefits of HA-based dermal fillers are outlined below:
1. HA hydrates the skin.
HA is a humectant, meaning it has a powerful ability to pull in water molecules from the external environment. HA can hold up to 1000 times its own weight in water.
As new collagen is synthesized, the water molecules attracted by HA are locked into the skin, becoming resistant to evaporation. HA-based fillers are therefore an excellent long-term treatment for chronically chapped lips and areas of rough, scaly skin.
2. Dermal fillers treat and prevent the signs of skin aging.
After age 30, the rate at which the body produces collagen declines by about one percent per year. Over time, this causes the skin to become thinner and more fragile. By age 40, most people notice lines and creases starting to form because their skin has become more susceptible to damage and less able to repair itself. By stimulating the production of collagen, HA can reverse some of these unwanted changes and restore the skin’s tensile strength, making it more resistant to future wrinkling.
HA’s thick gel-like consistency also provides an immediate volume boost in treated areas. Dermal fillers can therefore fill in deep creases and pockets of loose skin created by age-related facial fat loss. Dermal fillers are frequently used to fill in hollows around the eyes and cheeks; they can also restore the fullness of the lips.
3. Dermal fillers can reshape the face without surgery.
The volume-building properties of dermal fillers can do more than just fill in wrinkles and hollows: Fillers can also temporarily reshape the cheeks, nose, lips, and chin. People who want to avoid the discomfort and downtime associated with surgery can elect to have a non-surgical rhinoplasty, chin augmentation, or cheek augmentation performed solely with injectable fillers.
Learn More About Dermal Fillers
If you’re ready to experience the many advantages of dermal fillers, Dr. Florence Mussat will be happy to help you select the right filler treatment to meet your needs. To learn more about dermal fillers, contact Dr. Mussat online or by phone at: 312-751-9000.
The fountain of youth may be something that we only hear in the movies. However, advancement in medicine has led us to expand our life span and battle the visible signs of aging.
If you want to slow down the aging process and age gracefully, it pays to give your body an extra helping hand. Aside from getting anti-aging treatments, make some changes in your lifestyle. They don’t have to be drastic or dramatic, as what other people suggest, because even simple changes can make you feel and look younger.
The simple changes we’re referring to are diet and exercise. Changes may not be apparent immediately once you start diet and exercise, but the effects are long-term. Here are the top three reasons you should include these three important lifestyle changes in your quest to look and feel younger.
- Healthy foods fight wrinkles inside out.
Just like good fuel that will keep your car engine functioning optimally, nourishing food will keep your body functioning optimally as well. When you eat nutritious food, your body will function properly. It’ll be able to produce anti-oxidants to defend itself from harmful free radicals that contribute to a speedy aging process. It’ll also help balance your hormones so the rest of your organs will function at their best.
- Exercise reduces inflammation.
Aside from strengthening your bones and muscles, as well as stabilizing your weight, exercise also helps in keeping inflammation at bay. Age-related inflammation often leads to medical diseases and conditions, such as heart disease. A 10-year study has found that people who are generally active have lower levels of inflammation. Ultimately, this leads to the body being healthy and strong.
- Healthy diet and regular exercise slow down the natural aging process.
With bones and muscles stronger, and the internal organs fully nourished, your body will have a functional immune system that will minimize the onset of any age-related diseases. By boosting your immunity with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, you will be better able to take on viruses floating around in the winter months. Additionally, the state of your body inside will reflect on the outside. Therefore, if you’re eating right, exercising regularly and hydrating your body often, your skin will glow and it will retain its moisture. This will slow down the formation of wrinkles.
Fighting the natural aging process needs a holistic approach. While advances in cosmetic medicine allow us to temporarily “freeze” the formation of wrinkles and other signs of aging in the body, you can do so much more when you add diet and exercise in your efforts.
For more information about anti-aging treatments, consult Dr. Florence Mussat. Schedule a consultation today.
