We have a wide array of treatments at our disposal for common aesthetic concerns. Many a line, wrinkle and saggy patch of skin has met its match with dermal fillers, wrinkle relaxing toxins and lasers. There are, however, some areas of the face whose common problems do not respond ideally to these treatments. For example, we sometimes see irregularities or complications in the tear trough area when using fillers or lasers. A treatment utilizing your own tissue can provide a smoother and more aesthetically pleasing result.

Yesterday I taped an interview that will be aired shortly on Good Morning America. A week ago there was an article in the New York Post about "Revenge Plastic Surgery" which cited a British study that claimed a high percentage of divorcees that seek out make-overs to get back at the spouse that jilted them. I think this "high percentage" is overstated as, in our practice, we see patients seeking "revenge" only infrequently. More commonly we see patients who are recently divorced who find themselves suddenly, and often unexpectedly, thrown back into the dating pool. Not that these same men and women didn't maintain their looks or care about their appearance, it's just that much more important to their self esteem now. When a patient comes for a consultation in the midst of a divorce, or just after a spouse has walked out, the anger and bitterness will often cloud judgement about their appearance, confidence or need for surgery. It's one of those times that a few months "cooling of

With the explosion in non-surgical cosmetic procedures, particularly the injection of botox and skin plumpers, the focus on facial rejuvenation has, for many, shifted from the operating room to the office. While these injectibles modify the muscles and deeper soft tissues of the face they have little to no effect on the skins surface. Treatment of the outer covering was left to the patient, the cosmetics industry and the dermatologists. But with a younger population now seeking cosmetic improvement and fewer of these patients being surgical candidates, office treatments must include both subsurface enhancements and surface rejuvenation. Lasers have been in the limelight over the past several years for skin rejuvenation, but often have been limited in what skin types they could be used on or were simply less effective or more dangerous than advertised. With the cost of laser procedures often reaching into the thousands of dollars many aesthetic surgeons are still searching for

To understand volume loss in the facial aging process think of a balloon that begins to lose air. Without the air, the balloon sags and droops adding to the already deleterious effect of gravity. Stretching the balloon tighter helps to only a small degree, but re-inflating the balloon with air restores the smooth contour of the balloon and makes it look new again. If the balloon represents skin then the air is the underlying fat and bone structure of the face. Radiesse, an injectible filler that has been on the market for 7-8 years and has a very high safety index, is composed of hydroxy-apetite, the building block of bone. Using Radiesse, in the office setting, the bone structure of the face can actually be enhanced. Higher, fuller cheek bones and a stronger jaw line can be achieved in minutes with the Radiesse Lift. Radiesse is well tolerated by the body, does not need to be overcorrected, lasts 1-2 years and is minimally painful to inject. Results are instant with minimal s