Print Expressions - Fall 2006 - 11-Sep-06: Plastic Surgery Virginia article: contact Jenny Hogan

Awaken the Face
Modern Facelift Procedures Offer Options From Subtle Freshening to Total Transformation

Today, there are many facelift options, and they run the gamut from a simple freshening of the face with minor procedures, to "the works." A basic timeline for some of our offerings at The Austin-Weston Center would begin as early as your twenties! At this age, good skincare and sun protection are a must. Our Medical Aesthetique offers non-surgical aesthetic services including clinical facials,chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Our newest addition of Broad Band Light Services are used to treat conditions including veins, blemishes, age spots and wrinkles.

In your thirties, we start to see bags under the eyes, drooping of the area

under the eyelid and a drooping of the fat pad of the cheeks. The area above the eyelid is also prone to drooping, creating a tired expression. Blepharoplasties, or eyelid surgeries, remove bags and loose skin around the eyes. Also at this age, fillers such as Restylane or paralytics like Botox injections may be needed to plump up wrinkles or erase frown lines. Addressing areas that display false symbols of tiredness or anger around the eyes can really create a harmony between your inner feelings and outward appearance. In fact, we feel that one of the most important functions of cosmetic surgery is to create a ‘truth’ between what is seen on the outside and what is felt on the inside. Often after surgery, patients report they feel happier – because they look happier.

In our forties, we begin to address the areas of the jawline and neck, where procedures such as the facelift become useful. A traditional “facelift” doesn’t actually include the entire face – only the bottom two-third’s of the face, including a portion of the neck, is incorporated. It smooths skin wrinkles and tightens muscles beneath the skin to remove jowls and reduce loose skin along the jaw line. If you pinch the area in front of your ear, you’ll get an idea of the amount of skin that's removed. Another procedure useful in your forties is a browlift. We use this procedure to smooth forehead creases, lift sagging eyebrows and minimize crows feet. At the Austin-Weston Center, we have developed special procedures specifically for the aging mouth. Addressing the mouth along with a facelift is important as an “unfinished” look may occur if it is left out. A mouth with turned down edges is a symbol of both aging and unhappiness and can be a matter of only a few millimeters of droop at the corner of the mouth.

By the fifties, a lifetime of accumulated sun damage often requires skin resurfacing through laser, dermabrasion or chemical peels. Fillers with more volume than Restylene are needed, such as fat from other parts of the body, to restore a youthful plumpness to areas such as the lips and forehead. Facial Rejuvenation is our goal at this age, with the jawline, neck and face being addressed together. We strive for a surgical harmony that gives results that look natural, enhancing your own image and never looking artificial.

Who is a good candidate for surgery? Traditionally, candidates for facial rejuvenation are women ranging in age from 35 to 70 although men often have facelifts too. Patients should understand that their surgeries will enhance their current looks, yet should be realistic about surgical results. Patients should be in good heath, as complications are increased if certain medical conditions exist. Recovery time post surgery can range from two to three weeks, with several weeks for the swelling and bruising to diminish. Having a good skin tone also helps with healing, as healthy skin will respond better to surgery. In fact, our medical aesthetician helps care for patients before and after surgeries, getting their skin in the best possible condition for optimum results and also helping it to heal
afterwards. The Austin-Weston Center performs over 500 rejuvenative procedures per year and has pioneered surgical techniques for many procedures. We invite you to come in for a complimentary consultation to talk about your face – whatever age – with one of our three surgeons.

In April, the Medical Aesthetique was featured in Les Nouvelles Esthetiques magazine, in

a story concerning skincare and exfoliating techniques. In May, Les Nouvelles Esthetiques magazine again featured the Medical Aesthetique in a piece on pre and post operative skincare, detailing how medical aesthetician Wendy Canzanese assists the surgeons by prepping patients’ skin for certain procedures, enhancing results and speeding along healing.

The Spring issue of I Do for Brides, a magazine featuring everything a bride needs, included The Austin-Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery in an article on “Celebrating Beauty.” In the Summer edition of New Beauty magazine, The Austin-Weston Center was featured in an article on facelifts. All three doctors were also featured in “The Power of Three” in which they discuss the importance of inner beauty and how cosmetic surgery often helps change many other aspects of patients’ lives. In July, the skincare publication Dermascope magazine featured expertise from the Medical Aesthetique in an online article on mineral makeup, mentioning Wendy Canzanese’s tips on expert application with her ColoreScience line of cosmetics.

Also in July, ABC TV featured us on American Health Front, a public awareness medical news television program designed to educate viewers about important advances in technique and technology. In September, CNN and FOX 5 News covered our annual blood drive in commemoration of September 11. We collected a total of 22 pints of blood for the
American Red Cross and would like to thank all who helped participate in this
successful event.

Amanda Frazier and Angelique Mason are both new Patient Services Administrators. They both support The Austin-Weston Center’s staff, confirm patient appointments, prepare pre-op charts, verify all patient information and make sure everything is in order for a seamless experience for all.

Amanda has been with us since August and also supports the front desk. Amanda says the best part of her job is learning about medicine: “It’s great to learn about cosmetic surgery,” she notes. She relays that the most challenging aspect of the job is keeping organized with all the paperwork. She has lived in Virginia for five years,
loves sports, music, dancing and has a boxer, Laney and three cats, Simon, Bella and Leo. “The Austin-Weston Center has a really great group of people,” she says. “They are fun, upbeat, friendly and have been very supportive in helping me learn the job. It’s been a great experience!”

Angelique has been with us since April and in addition to her administration duties also supports the Medical Aesthetique. She is a licensed Aesthetician, certified Nurse Assistant and Laser Technician. She helps our Medical Aesthetician Wendy Canzanese with booking appointments, answering patient questions and assisting when needed. Angelique says the best part of her job is the camaraderie here and how well the system works. The most challenging part is working with tight deadlines. She has recently moved from Los Angeles and is enjoying Virginia, saying that it is “absolutely beautiful and I love having four seasons!” Angelique loves drawing, writing, reading classic literature and has a daughter, Eden, age 10. She says of The Austin-Weston Center, “I love being here; it is a fantastic atmosphere.”

Carol Hayes is the Practice Manager for Dr. Sigal and has been here since May. In her position, she does consultations with patients, schedules surgeries, pre-op preparations and finalizes all the details. She answers questions for patients, so they feel comfortable and safe with their choice of having cosmetic surgery. The best
part of her job is the interaction with patients. “I love working with people, being one-on-one with each patient,” she notes. The most challenging part of the job is following through on the many important details. Carol has a degree in marketing and ran her own cleaning business with 200 employees. Her current position seems like destiny – she was a former patient here, loved the environment and gave us a call just as the opportunity was opening up! Carol is a native Washingtonian and has two children, Sarah, age 24 and Tyler, age 21, who is currently living in Honduras. Carol is an artist and paints impressionist-style oils, rides horses and loves West Highland Terriers. She concludes, “I love the staff here. We are one big, happy family.”

One of the reasons the staff here at The Austin-Weston Center is able to be so helpful to patients is that many times, we have been patients ourselves! This allows us to help you with questions or concerns you may have. After all, no one is better able to understand what you are going through than someone who has had surgery themselves. Here are some of our recent staff surgery results:

Safe Tanning

Keep that summer tan far into the fall and winter without exposure to dangerous UV rays from tanning beds. Our Medical Aesthetique has fantastic products for self tanning and mineral makeup to give you a sun-kissed glow. Call us to ask about specials on these products and more: 703-893-6168.

This is the perfect time of year for a series of glycolic peels! These treatments will help reduce pigmentation brought about by too much sun exposure and work to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The exfoliation effect rejuvenates the complexion, leaving you with a healthy glow. Call now to schedule your series!

We are available to speak to women’s groups. If you have a group of 25 or more who is interested in learning about cosmetic surgery, we can accommodate you here at The Austin-Weston Center. Call us for details and availability at
703-893-6168.

We are now using the new VISIA™ Complexion Analysis System in our Medical Aesthetique. This equipment is an imaging
system that captures digital photographs of the patient’s face and measures the amount of aging and sun damage. Using the VISIA™ System instead of traditional skin analysis allows medical aesthetician Wendy Canzanese to better plan individual patients’

skincare treatments and home regimens as well as track the results. VISIA™ measures wrinkles, textures, pores and pigmentation and compares an individual’s skin with others of the same sex, age and ethnicity.

Using the VISIA™ System is fast, easy and painless. The skin is cleansed and the patient sits in the imaging booth where the digital photographs are taken under natural and ultra-violet light. The image is analyzed with a computer program and a unique complexion profile is created. Surface and subsurface skin conditions are recorded in the report, and easy to read graphs indicate areas for improvement and comparison to other peer groups. The results of Botox treatments can also be simulated in the photographs.

After reviewing the VISIA™ results, the patient can better participate in planning for skincare services in the Aesthetique, such as Broad Band Light treatments (BBL), microdermabrasion, chemical peels or clinical facials. BBL is used to treat many skin conditions including veins and blemishes, as well as to lighten age spots and dark patches from sun exposure and to reduce wrinkles.

Once the patient has undergone their skincare treatments they are again photographed in the VISIA™ booth so that the results can be measured. Using this technology allows us to have a completely objective means for tracking the progress of our work, in quantitative measures with no human error. We invite you to come in for a complimentary VISIA™ session with Wendy – call us today for more details at 703-893-6168.