Yearly Archives: 2019

Working in Three Dimensions

Face Lift,

Faces in paintings are flat. Portraits have only the illusion of contour, thanks to shading and other tricks employed by talented artists. Faces in real life, however, are made up of angles, planes, and curves that can be viewed from a variety of positions. Each view reveals a different perspective of the visible features. When it comes to facelift surgery, Toronto Plastic Surgeon Dr. Wayne Carman emphasizes this distinction: Experienced plastic surgeons think in three dimensions.

A facelift is occasionally likened to pulling a bedsheet tight to smooth out any wrinkles. While this analogy conveys the basic idea of a facelift, it can create the mistaken impression that the face is an even, flat surface. In reality, skin must be carefully lifted and positioned, taking underlying contours into account. In many cases, liposuction may also be employed to reduce volume in the targeted areas—typically the neck and jowls. This further refines facial contours.

Skin pulled straight back and sutured into place to address sagging can give the patient a “windblown” look. Dr. Carman chooses to work with shorter incisions and puts more emphasis on reinforcing deeper layers of the face. This allows the skin to “relax” more, while still appearing smoother and more youthful. Ultimately, these techniques create a more natural look that works with a patient’s unique contours, as opposed to serving as a “one-size-fits-all” approach that tightens each person’s skin the same way.

When considering a facelift in the Toronto area, patients are encouraged to discuss these concepts with their plastic surgeon. Before-and-after photos are also an excellent way to see the results a surgeon is capable of delivering. Do the faces in these photos have softer, smoother features? Or do they resemble celebrities who make headlines for undergoing obvious plastic surgery procedures?

Plastic Surgeon Dr. Wayne Carman can explain more about what makes a natural-looking facelift. Call (416) 322-7108 or 1-888-451-1140 to schedule a consultation, or visit www.drcarmanplasticsurgery.com.

Wrinkles Defined: Not All Lines Are the Same

BOTOX, Face Lift, , ,

When it comes to smoothing facial wrinkles, many people start their search for an ideal solution with BOTOX® treatments. Toronto’s Dr. Wayne Carman regularly hears from women and men interested in the globally popular injectable. He explains that while the neuromodulator is ideal for relaxing the muscles responsible for some wrinkles, not all lines can be treated the same way—because not all lines form the same way.

Known as “rhytides,” wrinkles typically appear as a person ages due to the predictable loss of key chemicals in the skin, but the mechanics behind specific types of wrinkles vary.

Broadly, wrinkles are divided into two categories: dynamic and static.

Dynamic wrinkles owe their existence to repetitive muscle movements, which etch lines deeper and deeper into skin that grows increasingly unable to “bounce back” after being pulled into expressions. Examples of these dynamic wrinkles include crow’s feet that form due to squinting and frown lines that appear after decades of scowling.

Static wrinkles are not directly linked to muscle contractions. These lines may be fine or dramatic, appearing due to aging-related volume loss, damage from ultraviolet radiation, lifestyle choices, pollutants, exposure to the elements, and more.

More significant creases known as gravitational folds develop due to the steady pull of gravity, which exerts force on tissues that gradually lose their ability to remain firm and taut. Fat and skin can droop and sag, creating a deflated look in the midface and jowls and creases lower down.

Fat injection can restore contour to areas of the face where collagen and volume loss have led to visible changes. More pronounced changes may require a surgical procedure, such as a facelift. Procedures such as this improve both contour and surface creases by tightening the skin. Often a tightening procedure is combined with volume restoration to achieve optimum results. Determining which techniques would work best for a given problem is something to discuss at your plastic surgery consultation.

Learn more about wrinkles and other signs of aging from Plastic Surgeon Dr. Wayne Carman. Call (416) 322-7108 or 1-888-451-1140 to arrange a consultation, or fill out an online contact form.