Beverly Hills: the Beauty-Ful

The winds of change breezed through FACIAL REJUVENATION: MEET THE EXPERTS held in Beverly Hills, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), which revealed what’s next for facial plastic surgery For four days, top facial plastic surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists and oculoplastic surgeons convened at the Beverly Wilshire to present the hottest techniques. Gone are the bad old days that gave women the dreaded wind tunnel face of bygone practices to a far fresher, younger, more radiant appearance. Now it’s about cleverly combining power trios of resurfacing lasers, firming radio frequencies and minute amounts of Botox and fillers to make frozen foreheads and fish face lips a distant memory. Complexion perfection is here to stay. Conference co-chair Dr. Theda Kontis shared, “We had an all-star line up that featured Dr. Paul Nassif speaking on the challenges and successes of patients seen on his hit E! TV show ‘Botched’ and Hollywood makeup artistry veteran Michael Westmore discussing the secrets behind creating special effects.” “Several lectures and panel discussions reviewed the most recent advances in facelift and eyelid surgery,” added conference co-chair Dr. Rami Batniji. “A unique addition to the program was "dueling surgeries" which featured two different approaches with experts demonstrating various techniques during live broadcasts to the main ballroom for the attendees to observe, learn and compare and contrast different advanced techniques.” Co-chair Dr. Stephen Perkins shared, “The live surgery sessions were an invaluable component to the program. Attendees were able to learn first hand from some of the best surgeons in the world and left excited to bring the fresh techniques back to their own practices. The injectables course was also hugely popular, drawing over 100 participants, and featured live injections of fillers and neurotoxins.” Here are some of the top trends AAFPRS members are forecasting for the year to come: • Fat Transfers – There’s a distinct shift away from the skeletal, tightly pulled appearance of facial plastic surgery that was favored in the 90s. Patients are savvy and now understand that volume is key to a youthful face. Fat transfers are being combined with face and brow lifts in up to 80% of surgeries to restore that youthful plumpness and lift to the cheeks and mid-face area, including the eyelid region. • Chemical Peels – Complexion-reviving peels have been around for decades, but remain a gold standard for facial rejuvenation, often preferred by some AAFPRS members over resurfacing lasers. Mild peels are used for fine lines, tone and texture, as well as acne scars and uneven pigmentation with minimal downtime. TCA peels are a perennial favorite for retexturizing and wrinkle reduction. • Facelift Surgery & Eyelid Surgery – The aging of the face is inevitable and over time the skin begins to loosen on the face and neck. In addition, droopy eyelids can make one look older and also impair vision. Both rhytidectomy (facelift) and blepharoplasty (eyelid) surgeries continue to be the gold standard for the aging face. Each year new and improved techniques offered to patients allow for quicker recoveries. • Injectables - Understanding how the face ages is paramount to becoming a skilled injector. Injectables differ by composition and function, so injectors must be comfortable with the nuances of each product. Fillers and neurotoxins are used to improve wrinkles and volumize the face, but a new injectable is now available which dissolves fat in the neck. AAFPRS President Dr. Edwin F. Williams concludes, “One of the major themes to come out of the conference is the idea that more is not always more when it comes to plastic surgery. By that I mean we now have the means, ability and technology to implement more innovative, less invasive techniques, and that can lead to overcompensation or overcorrection. Even if it’s easier than ever before to make a lip plumper or cheek more lifted, you still want the result to be subtle.” Connect with us: Facebook: www.facebook.com/AAFPRS Twitter: @AAFPRS Instagram: #AAFPRS ABOUT THE AAFPRS: The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is the world's largest specialty association for facial plastic surgery. It represents more than 2,500 facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons throughout the world. The AAFPRS is a National Medical Specialty Society of the American Medical Association (AMA), and holds an official seat in both the AMA House of Delegates and the American College of Surgeons board of governors. AAFPRS members are board certified surgeons whose focus is surgery of the face, head, and neck. www.aafprs.org