Ah Aging! The biological process of getting older sure doesn’t come easily to most people. Not only does aging cause the skin to get loose, but the older we get, the more fat we lose from the face, too. At some point, the bones around the eyes and cheeks even start to decrease. These changes affect appearance in many ways. One is to cause jowls to form. Jowls are the sagging bits of tissue that form at the jawline on each side of the face. Once we see them in the mirror, they are difficult to ignore. At the same time, they seem impossible to treat.

What Causes Jowls

We get jowls because we age, yes. But there are a few factors related to this problem.

Vital Skin Proteins Break Down

For the skin to stay smooth, firm, and elastic, it needs a steady amount of collagen and elastin. As it turns out, the body doesn’t produce as much of either of these chemicals when it reaches adulthood. Some studies suggest that this has to do with a lack of vitamin C, which is involved in collagen synthesis. Others suggest that sun exposure breaks down the matrix of fibers in the skin. Whatever the cause, collagen and elastin breakdown are inevitable for most of us.

Our Genes are At Play

Our genetic makeup dictates quite a lot about how we may age. If you look back through your family line, you may notice that your parents and older relatives have the same, sagging skin that you’re beginning to notice. This could have something to do with the influence genes have over skin thickness (thinner skin will sag more quickly) and collagen production.

Lifestyle

It should be said that, even with a healthy lifestyle, jowls may develop. However, we know that certain factors contribute to loose skin and loose skin means jowls. These factors include smoking, sun exposure, and weight changes.

While a few factors may be difficult to control, there are several that can be. These include lifestyle factors such as:

Now for the Good News

Jowls have historically been difficult to treat because we cannot infuse the skin with collagen. Well, we sort of can thanks to treatments like microneedling and laser resurfacing, but those provide subtle results. Today, one of the best ways that doctors can treat jowls is to left them using absorbable, biocompatible sutures. We do this with Philadelphia facelift surgery, as well as the Silhouette InstaLift procedure.

The Silhouette InstaLift is performed in the office with a local anesthetic to achieve complete comfort. Every treatment is customized to address specific concerns, including jowls and nasolabial folds. By inserting coned threads, Dr. Claytor installs a foundation to hold the skin in a tighter, higher position. The threads dissolve over time, but not before stimulating increased collagen remodeling.

Revive your look without surgery. Call 610.527.4833 to schedule your InstaLift consultation in our office near Philadelphia.

Modern society has a way of placing a youthful appearance and attractive physique on a proverbial pedestal. The standards of appearance are something that we try to both live by and resist. For those in a competitive field or with a high standard of personal excellence, this can be particularly challenging. When appearance conflicts with self-image, it is beneficial to take action. One way that many people do this is with plastic surgery.

Of the many plastic surgery procedures, the tummy tuck is quite popular. It is one of the crucial aspects of the ever-popular Mommy Makeover. This should give you a clue as to why so many men who could benefit from a tummy tuck don’t even recognize it as an option. The misconception that abdominoplasty is only for women has existed for quite some time. However, for the man who has lost a fair amount of weight, this procedure can be profoundly beneficial.

Candidates for Tummy Tuck Surgery

Men who are interested in improving the appearance of their midsection should consult with a plastic surgeon. A consultation visit includes both discussion and an examination of the abdomen to analyze how much fat and loose skin are present. The performance of this examination helps determine if abdominoplasty can help at all and also if the tummy tuck would achieve more if combined with liposuction to remove small pockets of fat.

Abdominoplasty is appropriate in most situations. Where it may not help is when large fatty deposits exist in the intra-abdominal area, beneath the abdominal muscles, and near the intestines. Fatty tissue here can only be eliminated with diet and exercise or with weight loss (bariatric) surgery.

Abdominoplasty Options for Men

Men who are good candidates for abdominoplasty have options that are recommended based on the findings of their consultation. Common tummy tuck techniques include:

• Mini tuck. This technique focuses on the area beneath the belly button, down to the hip line. A mini tuck tightens loose skin only. No muscle tightening occurs.
• Standard tuck. A standard tummy tuck is performed through a horizontal incision above the pubic line. The surgeon may remove fatty tissue to create smoothness. Loose abdominal muscles are also stitched together for tightness. Excess muscle and skin are trimmed.
• Extended tuck. The most comprehensive tightening procedure, this technique corrects a protruding abdomen and also the flanks. The belly button may also be repositioned for the most natural appearance.

Men should not count themselves out of looking as good as they feel. To learn more about tummy tuck surgery for men, call 610.527.4833. We are proud to serve the Philadelphia area.

The medical community has complicated technical jargon for every ailment and condition that could develop. These terms provide clinical information to healthcare providers but typically mean very little to the patient. Gynecomastia is one of them. You may have never heard this term before. We’d bet, though, that you’ve heard the term “man boobs.” They are one and the same. Because so many men have this condition, we must discuss it using whatever terms are necessary.

Why Does Breast Enlargement Occur in Some Men?

We often think of women as the ones with breasts. The truth is we all have breast tissue. Men just don’t have as much as women. Generally, men have more muscle on their bodies and women have more fat stored on theirs. Fatty tissue stores in the breasts partially because the sex hormone estrogen tells it to. Even this can create confusion when trying to understand why a man would develop breast tissue. Men don’t typically have estrogen, right? Wrong.

Both men and women have breast tissue. Both men and women have sex hormones, including testosterone and estrogen. It is the levels that differ between them. Sometimes, a man may experience an imbalance between estrogen and testosterone. This can happen with age as testosterone levels naturally decline. It can happen as a result of medication, supplements, or drugs. It can also relate to weight, though this isn’t always the case. When weight is involved, breast enlargement may be what is called pseudogynecomastia. The condition would go away when a healthier weight is reached. If weight loss occurs but breast tissue remains, or if enlarged breasts are not associated with weight, we need to look at what matters most: correction.

In our office near Philadelphia, gynecomastia is corrected with male breast reduction. This approach is better than nonsurgical options because it is not limited to fat reduction alone. In addressing gynecomastia, a plastic surgeon can customize treatment to include:

• Removal of fatty tissue using liposuction.
• Removal of the breast gland to prevent puffiness or a recurrence of enlargement.
• Tissue lifting, which trims skin that has become loose and saggy.

Male breast enlargement is a troublesome problem to have. Reduction surgery can resolve the issue for good. To learn more about male breast reduction, call 610.527.4833.

As we inch ever so close to the holiday season, we may be looking at the weeks ahead more than the present moment. There are gifts to buy, which means malls to visit. There are parties to attend, too, which means we may be slightly more aware of our appearance. As it would go, what this means is that we may become more self-conscious about the problems we see with our face or body. It is because looking good translates to feeling good that we suggest a pre-holiday beauty treatment for anyone who wants the brightest possible month ahead.

Holiday gatherings mean lots of pictures. They give us the opportunity to dress up more than we would on a normal day. Holiday obligations, though, can also run us somewhat ragged. Many people forego the sleep that they need so they can keep up with the added tasks on their to-do list. Therefore, there’s a stronger chance of looking tired coupled with a stronger desire to look fabulous. Here’s what can be done about it.

Revive the Eyes

The eyes are one of the biggest indicators of how we feel. The eyes are also the first part of the face to age and the first sign that we aren’t sleeping as well as we should be. The good news about the eyes is that they can be easily revived with minimally invasive treatments like:

• A few injections can smooth frown lines, making the face friendlier. Botox can also lift the brow so the eyes look more open and energized.
• Dermal fillers. The most common dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid. They draw water into the skin, which increases plumpness. Used under the eyes, dermal fillers can correct both hollowness and puffiness.
• Fractional skin resurfacing is the treatment that smooths away the ultra-fine lines that appear when we smile.
• Want long-lasting results? Schedule blepharoplasty now to be fully rejuvenated before the holiday season kicks off.

Our Bryn Mawr practice offers several nonsurgical treatments that can be great for pre-holiday pampering. Learn more about them and which would serve you best this holiday season. Call 610.527.4833.

In our last post, we focused on what a patient can do to begin her mommy makeover journey on the right foot. While patients benefit greatly from specific preparations, what many women want to know is what they can expect during recovery. A mommy makeover typically involves multiple surgical techniques, which means at least two areas of the body will be operated on in the same day. Understandably, this sounds like a lot. Here, we want to discuss recovery in a little more detail so the process doesn’t feel so stressful.

After a Mommy Makeover

1. The first 24 hours may be a blur. Not only are patients groggy from their anesthesia, but they will also begin taking prescription pain medication within the first hours of their recovery period. Couple the effects of medication with the physical toll of surgery and you have the perfect situation for sleep. Patients can expect to be moderately to extremely tired for at least the first day after surgery, if not a few days. This is normal and needs to be honored.
2. Back pain is likely. Patients expect soreness and tenderness in their breasts and belly after a mommy makeover, but back pain may come as a surprise. The reason that the low back, in particular, may ache is that posture will be slouched for a week or so due to tightened muscles. Once it becomes possible to stand up straight and lie flat, back pain eases.
3. Emotions may be all over the place. Knowing that it is quite possible to go from a sense of elation to unprovoked crying in the blink of an eye, a woman can transition through mommy makeover recovery with a little less stress and a lot more compassion for herself. It is not uncommon for any patient who has undergone surgery to experience a range of emotions. Roll with it and you’ll have something to look back on with a smile.
4. Prepare for a little back-up. By back-up, we mean constipation. Many patients have this reaction to their prescription pain medication. You may mitigate these effects by drinking plenty of clear fluids and eating fresh vegetables. If constipation does occur, talk with our staff about taking a stool softener.
5. Commit to taking meds. Even with the constipation effect, prescription pain medication is your BFF after a mommy makeover. Do what you have to to ensure no doses get skipped. Set an alarm or have a loved one administer your medication to you as directed. Within a week or two, it will be possible to switch to over-the-counter medication. In the meantime, don’t tiptoe the line of comfort.

Schedule a mommy makeover consultation in our Bryn Mawr office to see what’s possible for you. Call 610.527.4833.

There is no hiding the fact that a mother’s body is bound to change. Sometimes, enormous physical changes happen during the very first pregnancy. Regardless of the timing, changes to a woman’s breasts, tummy, and other areas may feel unpleasant. This doesn’t diminish the joys of motherhood, but it can alter the sense of self that is so important for every person. Mommy makeover treatment provides an opportunity to regain the utmost satisfaction with physical appearance, but the journey can seem long and stressful. Here, we want to lay out the road to a mommy makeover to ease the uncertainty.

Your First Step

The very first step in the mommy makeover process is to find the right plastic surgeon. Don’t rely only on friends or loved ones. Experts recommend that patients research a few different plastic surgeons and consult with at least two before deciding which will have the honor of helping them achieve their desired look. Only board-certified plastic surgeons are qualified to perform the customized series of procedures aimed at treating the Mom Bod.

Once you have selected your surgeon:

1. Look at habits. If you smoke, stop. In fact, if you use any nicotine product, do what you can to stop. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, preventing optimal circulation to tissues that need to heal. Habits such as alcohol consumption should also be curtailed before surgery to decrease bleeding and bruising. Talk to your doctor about all supplements, vitamins, and medications you are taking. Some may need to be stopped or switched before surgery.
2. Stock up. Before the day of surgery, have prescriptions filled. Also, stock the fridge with nourishing foods that can be heated up for easy meals. Finally, stock the house with entertainment that will make the recovery period much more pleasant. Think movies, music, and magazines.
3. Prepare for recovery. It is no secret that recovery from mommy makeover treatment can be pretty intense for the first week or so. Patients should expect to need help. More than that, they need to assemble that help and discuss what will be needed during the first days of recovery. This may include getting help bathing, even getting to the bathroom, help with medications, and help with meals. Let’s not forget that some good old-fashioned supportive company goes a long way, too.
4. Schedule enough time off. It can take a full ten days for sufficient energy to return after a mommy makeover. To ensure readiness, patients are encouraged to schedule about two weeks off work (this includes Mommying!).

Mommy makeover treatment can be totally worth it. With awareness and planning, the entire process can also be relatively stress-free. If you’re ready to schedule your consultation, call our Bryn Mawr office at 610.527.4833.

Throughout history, there has been a prevalent misconception that most men simply don’t care much about how they look. Interestingly, as men began to express their desire to have more sculpted bodies, sharper jawlines, and smoother pecs, words like “metrosexual” and “manscaping” became common. We believe that any man, like any woman, deserves to enjoy their appearance; to feel confident in how their face and body are portraying them and making them feel about themselves. In our Bryn Mawr office, we conduct several treatments that address the vital aspects of men’s appearance.

Facial Dynamics

The face is a critical area of appearance because it is what most represents our personality. Years of conditioning have caused us to look for certain attributes on the male face, such as the strong, angular jawline and sharp chin. Though men have been given a bit of a pass on lines and wrinkles, more men are showing an interest in maintaining smoother, younger-looking face and skin as they age.

Some of the ways that men can improve their facial aesthetic include:

• Getting their teeth whitened
• Reducing undereye bags with dermal fillers
• Smoothing frown lines with Botox
• Eliminating a double chin with Kybella
• Correcting severely sagging facial skin with a neck lift or lower facelift
• Silhouette InstaLift treatment offers subtle jawline improvement without surgery

Learn also about facelifts for men.

Body Contours

Contouring is an aspect of the male physique just as much as it is the female shape. Men come to our Bryn Mawr office with concerns like the telltale Dad Bod, a little spare tire around the middle, or excess breast tissue, to name a few. Each of these concerns may be addressed with a customized treatment plan.

Some of the ways we help men improve their bodies include:

• SmartLipo laser liposuction on any area where fatty tissue won’t budge with exercise
• Liposuction may be an ideal technique for male breast tissue
• Tissue excision and lifting may be necessary for male breast enlargement that involves glandular tissue

There are so many ways to support your best appearance that there’s no reason to accept any of the concerns mentioned here. Learn more about how you can feel like your best self by exploring treatment options with us. Call 610.527.4833 to schedule your consultation.

Breast augmentation has been one of the top cosmetic procedures for many years. Women all around the world have turned to this surgery to enhance their shape and their self-confidence along with it. As common as this breast surgery has become, it has not been without certain disadvantages. Some women who undergo breast implant surgery need to or want to have their implants removed at some point. When they do, they may want a secondary option that will revive their shape without the same risks presented by the implant route.

There are several reasons why breast implants may be removed. Outside of personal choice, some breast implant revision procedures are necessary due to leakage or rupture of an implant. Capsular contracture, the formation of firm scar tissue around an implant, is another complication that may require revision surgery to restore the supple, soft curve of the breast. Breast implant removal doesn’t always mean that implants have to be removed altogether. Often, revision surgery involves the replacement of one implant type with another.

What if I want another option?

More and more in recent years, we are meeting women who want an entirely different option for breast enhancement. As a solution, the fat transfer technique has been developed. Fat transfer is not a new type of treatment, doctors have been using harvested fat tissue for years in reconstructive procedures. The first major cosmetic use of harvested fat was the Brazilian Butt Lift. Over time, we began to use small quantities of pure fat cells to reduce wrinkles in the face, add shape to the cheeks, and even to shape the lips. Now, it is finally possible to increase breast size using the same concept.

Fat transfer breast enlargement is an excellent solution for women who are interested in a one- to two-cup size increase in breast size without the use of breast implants. The draw to this natural breast enlargement technique ranges from wanting an entirely natural look and feel to wanting a lower risk process. The minimally invasive procedure is two-fold, beginning with liposuction and ending with the insertion of fat cells into the breasts. Even with the extra step, patients typically recover more quickly from this technique than from traditional augmentation surgery.

Fat Transfer After Breast Implant Removal

There may be additional factors to consider when reshaping breasts after implant removal. Depending on tissue elasticity, the implant-free breasts may sag. Fat transfer cannot correct this. However, a breast lift can. For optimal results after breast implant removal, a combination of lift and enhancement with fat may be ideal.

Are you considering a change in your implant situation? Visit our Bryn Mawr office to explore your options. Call 610.527.4833 to schedule your consultation.

Breast enhancement is a popular area of treatment for many women. It is easy to assume that enhancing the breasts means to add volume to small breasts. This isn’t true in every situation. Here, we discuss how breast augmentation and breast lift surgery differ to achieve specific results.

Breast Augmentation for Increased Volume and Size

Breast augmentation is the surgery in which breast implants are inserted beneath breast or muscle tissue. This procedure is the most popular breast surgery in our country. It also is one of the most sought-after of all cosmetic surgeries in general. What breast augmentation seeks to achieve is symmetrical, proportionate size. This procedure is suitable for women who:

• Would like larger breasts
• Want to improve the shape and symmetry of their breasts
• Have breasts that are relatively firm and perky

Breast Lift for Rejuvenated Shape

With age, one of the changes that most women experience is a loss of firmness in breast tissue. The ongoing decline of collagen results in lax, loose skin and connective tissue. These are what hold breasts higher on the chest wall. When breasts sag, the nipple may point downward or the breast crease may elongate. In this situation, breast augmentation alone will not achieve an optimal outcome.

Breast lift surgery is performed to reposition the existing tissue. This procedure does not increase the size of the breasts. However, it can result in the breasts looking slightly larger because a lift allows them to sit higher on the chest wall like they did years ago. Breast lift surgery may be ideal for the woman who:

• Has drooping, sagging breasts
• Is happy with her current volume and general size

The Common Choice

What many of our breast lift patients do is choose to combine the two procedures. This can be advantageous because a lift will naturally decrease volume ever-so-slightly. When the two are combined, a woman can choose the implant size that best suits her frame and her preferences and enjoy younger, perkier breasts.

Schedule Your Breast Surgery Consultation

Explore your breast enhancement options. Schedule a consultation in our Bryn Mawr office at 610.527.4833.

At some point, many people wish to shave a few years off their face. Historically, this has been accomplished with a surgical facelift. Because surgery is involved, there may be a tendency to postpone treatment as long as possible. Today, we approach the aging process much differently. In our office, a fair percentage of our patients visit us for nonsurgical treatments. While injectables are great for smoothing wrinkles, they can’t tighten the skin. What can is PrecisionTX^TM.

PrecisionTX is a laser treatment that focuses on the effects of aging on the lower face and neck. You know them, the jowls that droop from the sides of your face, the thin and crepey skin on the front of your neck, that double-chin. These issues all relate to the loss of firmness and elasticity in the dermis. And that loss relates to collagen depletion. One of the reasons why PrecisionTX is revered as a knifeless facelift is that the 1440 nm YAG laser energy targets the cells that produce collagen for substantial change from the inside out.

These Targets are No Match for PrecisionTX

There are three particular signs of aging that are targeted by the PrecisionTX laser.

• Fine Lines and Wrinkles

The customizable settings built into the PrecisionTX treatment platform allow us to monitor and adjust as needed to improve facial contours and common areas where wrinkles develop, such as around the nose and mouth.

• Skin Texture

Elasticity is vital to smooth, soft skin. As the skin loses this trait, lax tissue begins to look rougher. Pores may appear larger, as well. These concerns are often worsened by dehydration in the skin due to a lack of collagen. The energy absorbed by the PrecisionTX laser stimulates collagen and elastin and also encourages accelerated cell turnover in superficial layers of the skin.

• Jowls and Sagging Neck Skin

One of the benefits of the PrecisionTX laser device is that it features a small cannula that can be inserted just beneath the skin. The exposure of problem areas to the YAG laser results in immediate constriction and continued improvement for up to six months.

Look and feel like your younger self again. Call 610.527.4833 to learn more about PrecisionTX in Bryn Mawr.