Can hair removal work on someone who is on levothyroxine for hypothyroidism?

January 24th, 2010

Yes laser hair removal can work on someone with this issue and condition. The question is whether you thyroid state is affecting your hair at all.  If you are well controlled the likelihood that your hair is not growing well is low.  Some patients with hypothyroidism have loss of hair and this could mean that some of the hair that you would like to remove may not have enough activity and pigmentation to be targeted by the laser.  But for the most part, if there are hairs that are showing and are not desired laser hair removal can reduce the amount of unwanted hair.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Can corner of the lip lift correct an asymmetric appearing lip?

January 24th, 2010

The corner of the lip lift is done on the skin portion next to the corner of the lips.  With this procedure their will be an incision that will be visible at the junction of the white and red portions of the lips.   It can elevate the corner of the lips to make the lips more symmetric. A lip lift under the nose is another way to make the lips more symmetric with a less visible scar as opposed to the corner lip lift.  Also, sometimes the asymmetry can be due to the decreased appearance of the red lip area.  To evert the red lip sometimes mucosal advancements are needed to show more of the red lip and volumizing procedures may be needed as well to create more symmetry.  All of these options are more permanent than the temporary fillers.

Sometimes the lips are asymmetric due to the connection of the lip to the surrounding bone.  More specifically it can be due to the way the lip is attached to the area around the nose and the bone in this area. When the attachment of the lip to the nasal bone area is asymmetric the lips can appear different on each side.  This condition may require attaching the lip and the muscles of the lip higher around the nasal bone area.  This is a more complex situation.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Can chemical peels and photofacials be done every 2 weeks alternating?

January 22nd, 2010

Yes you can do this but you need to be careful and not be too aggressive. Chemical peels that are combined with photofacials need to be light and superficial. It all depends on what condition you are trying to treat. If it is melasma, being to aggressive can sometimes aggravate the condition. This same principle also applies to hyperpigmentation. It also depends on your skin type too. If you have darker skin, being more cautious is important. chemical peels that are done every month should be more superficial. Deeper chemical peels require a longer interval otherwise scarring could occur.  The benefit of doing chemical peels and photofacials together is that chemical peels work on more superficial elements of the skin while the photofacials can concentrate on deeper structures.  The combination of the two however is rather in its infancy stage and there are not a lot of solid scientific evidence regarding using them. The research however will continue to find new ways to benefit our patients.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Heidi Montag’s recent 10 procedures in one day topic

January 19th, 2010

Its big news that Heidi Montag had 10 procedures in one day.  In my opinion, that might be a little too much surgery in one day.  Although all of this information may be false. Who really knows but her and her doctor and the people in the room that day how many surgeries she really had.  I think based on looking at her pictures that she did appear to have had chin reduction, a rhinoplasty, possibly a browlift, and cheek enhancement.  Based on the pictures, I think she looks better before all of her procedures.  The chin reduction surgery has made her face actually look more square and more masculine. Although she mentions that she was teased as a child about her chin, I think the chin gave her lower face a pointier appearance which as an overall affect made her face appear more pear shaped.  Now that the chin is reduced, the face has lost the pear appearance and has been squared off like many male faces.  Her changes in her nose, possibly due to a rhinoplasty, has actually lengthed the appearance of the middle part of her face.  With that change, her face looks longer and less proportionate.  the distance between her eyes, nasal tip and lower lip should all be separated by equal distances and ideally 3 iris widths.  Her nose looks longer and I think her face has loss some beauty points. I think she might have also has her cheeks augmented.  This appears to have made her cheeks look wider.  I think that has also masculinized her face.  The cheek augmentation should have been more anteriorly closer to the eye and just outside (or lateral to) the eye.  The browlift, if it was done, is questionably needed at best.

When I see patients that request things that I don’t think needs to be done, I will tell them exactly what I think.  If I feel strongly enough, I refuse service to them.  If the procedure they are requesting is not consistent with my beliefs of what would enhance their aesthetics, it takes a lot of influencing for me to do what they request.  Although, I always have to balance my aesthetic beliefs with the desire of the patients.  Ultimately, what the patients wants is still very important.  But I have a long discussion with them if their desires are quite different then what I think will help them.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Asian Double Eyelid Revision Surgery

January 18th, 2010

This topic is addressing perhaps the most difficult procedure to do. First of all, anything done around the eyes has the smallest margin of error. You can have a tiny variance of less than a millimeter and have it become very noticeable when anything is around the eyes.  That is why, procedures around the eyes have to be done with the utmost accuracy.

This is why Asian Eyelid surgery is so difficult. Some reasons for revision are ptosis.  This is a condition where the eyelid margin is lower than it previously was before.  When you do eyelid surgery for Asians and the goal is to recreate the eyelid crease, you have to work on the muscle that pulls up the eyelid.  It is essential to attach the skin edges, or elements of, to this muscle called the levator aponeurosis.  Sometimes work on this muscle can damage this muscle and lead to different affects on its function.  This can result in differences in movement and thus ultimately the height of the eyelid margin. Very small degrees of ptosis, or eyelid margin being lower than normal, can be noticeable to people  The way to treat ptosis is to expose the aponeurosis and shorten it through sutures.  This is done by grabbing the levator and attaching it to the tarsus which is the cartilage near the eyelid margin.

Other reasons for revisions include asymmetrical eyelid creases / folds, too much fat taken out of the eyelids, discontinuous creases, multiple folds, round eye deformity, etc.

For asymmetrical creases, if it is a lower eyelid crease that is desired, one needs to find what the height is desired and then the new crease is incised and the old crease needs to be released.  To prevent adhesion, you can place a fascia graft (tissue from muscle covering), or fat graft from another source into the area that is released and also to prevent readhesion.  Another way of doing that, is to lower the fat inside the eyelid over the area of adhesion.  But in the case that the eyelid fat is lacking, you need to use fascia grafts or fat from another source as noted above.  The best option is to use the free fat grafts.  Of all of the tissues that helps to prevent adhesion, fat is the best tissue to use.

For multiple creases, this situation is essentially like a crease that you want to remove.  This requires elevation of the crease and prevention of readhesion with the techniques that were just mentioned with tissue grafts as above.

For discontinuous creases, you have to recreate the crease which may entail a new incision and redoing the crease forming sutures that were done before.  Some variations of this can be done to cause longer lasting fixation. Some recreation of the creases can be done with longer lasting sutures that are placed below the skin level and allowed to absorb on their own.  Other techniques can be done to improve the fixation.

Taking too much fat entails adding fat grafts.  This can be done with free fat grafts through an incision technique or through harvesting with a cannula.  Here is video on Asian Blepharoplasty and Medial epicanthoplasty.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Nasolabial Fold Grafts are another option to improve the Nasolabial folds by Dr. Philip Young of Bellevue | Seattle

January 18th, 2010

Nasolabial Fold Grafts are another option to improve the Nasolabial folds by Dr. Philip Young of Bellevue | Seattle: Nasolabial folds are a very common structure that develops as one ages and it is one of the most common structures that people want to get rid of.  I’ve learned a lot of things about improving this structure.  Facelifts have been experimented with over the years and most people believe that the deep plane facelift when the SMAS is lifted over the smiling muscles is the best way to improve the nasolabial folds from a facelift prospective.  Others find that a midface lift does this better.  Others find that volumizing the cheek in certain ways improves the fold as well.  Fillers have been used in the nasolabial folds to improve them and this is a very common option that people have chosen. Here is a video explaining the  differences between deep place facelifts and mini facelifts:

My opinion is dependent on the person’s anatomy.  If the person has a lot of tissue and has some extra weight that they have gained.  Volumizing might make the face a little too big.  In this case a facelift can help improve the nasolabial folds.  One thing that can help the folds is too fill the volume up with a nasolabial fold graft.  This graft can be taken from the SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurosis system) which is the layer of tissue that is connected to all of the facial muscles. The SMAS is convenient because this the layer that the facelift uses to pull the face and can be easily taken to use for the nasolabial fold graft.  This graft can be placed in the nasolabial folds through the nose and can help improve their appearance along with the deep plane facelift.

If a person is against such a surgical procedure than I think volumizing might be the best choice for them.  This can be done with essentially no incisions.  The YoungVolumizer is great for this.  If undergoing a procedure like this is too involved for the particular person, then volumizing with fillers such as restylane, radiesse, juvederm, and perlane are options.  Sculptra is another long term permanent filler option that can also be used to improve and volumize the face to improve the nasolabial folds.  In terms of fillers and volumizing, there is a special location, an area that contains a deep fat pocket that really helps to decrease the nasolabial folds when it is volumized.  It takes a lot of experience to learn how to fill up this fat pocket with fillers and other volumizers, like the “The YoungVitalizer” procedure.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Reducing forehead wrinkles

January 18th, 2010

The aging that occurs in the forehead entails a volume loss and it also entails some loosening of tissue and ligaments that hold structures in place.  As the eyebrow descends, we tend to elevate them to improve our vision and this can lead to wrinkling in the forehead area. This situation is coupled by our loss of volume (fat, collagen, bone loss).  This loss of volume places the vicinity of our skin closer to our muscles in our face.  Hence when we move our muscles in our face, like our forehead muscles, the muscles exert more action on our skin just by the fact that they are closer to the skin.   Through volume we can create a distance between the muscles and our skin and hence decrease the influence of the muscle on creating wrinkles. The question is then does the volume make us look weird.  The answer is simply “no”. When we were young, we had more volume all throughout our face.  If you take a look at pictures of yourself when you were young, you will notice a lot of loss of volume in your face.  Take a look at your temples, forehead, and your cheeks.  It will take a little time to adjust your thinking but you will see the difference. This loss of volume places your muscles closer to your skin. This is one of the main reason for forming wrinkles.  The amazing thing is that through volume, you can actually affect your skin change it for the better.  With the volume, the skin is allowed to remodel itself.  Your skin is in fact always turning over the cells and tissue within its structure.  With the decreased influence of the facial muscles on the skin, the cells within your skin begin to remodel and decrease the wrinkles that it has created all of those years.  This process of skin rejuvenation after volumizing can take many years and the change will be gradual.  This is a couple of reasons why the YoungVitalizer is my procedure of choice for facial rejuvenation.

In terms of the forehead, the volume can elevate your eyebrows to a state that you were a long time ago.  The volume again will also improve your wrinkles as well.  Volumizing is the most natural way to rejuvenate your forehead.  When I do forehead rejuvenation and rejuvenation of the upper eyes, I place the volume deep below the eyebrows, inferior to the eyebrow and within the upper eyelid, above the eyebrows and also in the temple and forehead areas.  This volume helps lift the eyebrows and can brighten the appearance of the eyes better than any other form of facial rejuvenation.

Browlifting is another way to do so.  You can elevate your brows and this can decrease your need to lift your eyebrows and ultimately your wrinkles can improve.  Also through browlifting some of your muscles can be altered to weaken them.  This is useful in the area in between your eyebrows and eyes.  Browlifting however can lead to less than a natural appearance.  Your eyebrows can be elevated to a point that is higher than they use to be. Also the removal of the muscles in between your eyes, although it will help decrease the movement there, the volume loss can make this area look worse.  If you want your eyebrows higher than they used to be, a browlift might be the better option.  But this is probably the only option that is better than volumizing in my opinion.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Earlobe reduction can markedly improve the aging looking earlobes.

January 17th, 2010

Otoplasty (ear shaping, ear pinning, ear reshaping, ear plastic surgery, ear cosmetic surgery, earplasty) is the art and surgical procedure of shaping the ears to a desired shape. As one ages, your earlobe can lose volume and also ligaments within the earlobe can be stretched to ultmately give you a larger earlobe, with creases that can make your ears look aged.  Also, the enlarged earlobe can be distracting in and of itself from an aesthetic standpoint. Otoplasty can be done on the enlarged earlobe to acheive a shape and size that is more desirable in appearance.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

Chin Reduction Surgery

January 15th, 2010

Some people are born with more prominent chins.  In the case of Jay Leno, it is a distinguishing characteristic and enhances his appearance.  For most women, however a prominent chin can be a very undesirable trait.  For those women, and men, a chin reduction procedure (chin cosmetic surgery, chin reshaping, chin shaping, chin plastic surgery) can be essentially a life changing thing.  Chin reduction surgery is actually very safe to do.  A small incision can be made under the chin and the chin is exposed.  With different instruments, you can shape the bone down to a much more pleasing contour.  The procedure can be done as an outpatient and takes about a couple of hours or so.  It can be done under oral sedation, iv sedation, totally asleep as with general anesthesia or with just local sedation for the really brave.  This would all depend on your comfort level and your desires.  Here is a link to watch a video(s) on this procedure where you can see a live demonstration.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington

The balance between the major units of the face dictate the ideal location of other objects on the face

January 15th, 2010

My last blog set a foundation for further refinement of my theory.  Once I determined that the major units were the eye, nose and mouth and the most important objects that were within each unit were the iris, nasal tip and lower lip. I then discovered that other things began to fit together more clearly.  The more and more I looked at these relations, I began to elucidate many questions that have perplexed surgeons and theorists alike.  One of the questions regarded the ideal location of the arch of the eyebrow.  If you look at the major textbooks out there, the ideal location of the arch of the eyebrow is not exactly known.  Most theorists believe that the arch should be located at the same vertical location as the lateral canthus or lateral corner of the eye.  Some others say the lateral limbus or the lateral part of the iris.  All previous rules were dependent on external landmarks that really didn’t make sense for viewers of a face.  I didn’t explain why the arch was ideally located in one place or the other.  You see, many previous theories focused on external landmarks that did not play a prominent role in a person’s assessment of beauty.  Beauty has to be dependent on what we spend most of our time looking at.  The iris occupies the attention of the viewer of a face the most.  Then it is the nasal tip and the lower lip.  The importance of the nasal tip and iris create a relation with one another that dictates a strong influence on our perception of beauty.  Other elements of the face need to be in order, or in line, with this relationship.  When you look at the eyebrow and the highlights that it creates, you will see that the arch of the eyebrow is really an by product of something else that is important.  The highlight under the arch is really what is most important.  This highlight should line up with the iris and nasal tip in order for the highlight to be in order with this relationship that the iris and nasal tip creates.  With this in mind, take a look at the most beautiful people in the world and you will notice how these things line up: iris, nasal tip, and the lateral eyebrow highlight (the reflection of light under the arch of the eyebrow).  It is this relationship that secondarily determines where the arch of the eyebrow is most ideal.

This relationship of the iris and nasal tip also dictates where the cheek shadowing should markedly darken. See my paper for a diagram.  This cheek shadowing should continue posteriorly and superiorly to eventually dictate where the top of the ear is most ideally located. Up to this point, no one has been able to figure out where the ear should sit.  My theory, breaks down and elucidates just where that ear most ideally sits.

More to come….

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Dr Young specializes in Facial Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery and is located in Bellevue near Seattle, Washington