How to get rid of jowls without surgery

The ‘Nefertiti lift’ is an injectable treatment for improving the definition along the jawline, avoiding the need for surgery. In suitable patients,  botulinum toxin type A is injected along the jawline to reduce the size of overgrown chewing (masseter) muscles and relax the downward pulling platysmal muscle found in the neck. As a result the skin which rests along the jawline is released from being pulled downwards and so lifts, giving quite impressive results as early as two weeks after injections.

For more information, please call Riverbanks Clinic on 0800 0 325415.

Many patients who want to have fat removed from their bodies can be confused by the different types of liposuction available today. Usually, people are put off by the vigorous procedures seen on YouTube, or by the tales of horrendous bruising, swelling and pain which can last months. These are generally true for traditional liposuction methods performed under general anaesthesia for a variety of reasons:

1. Because the patients are asleep, surgeons can be more aggressive and work faster, minimising the duration of the general anaesthesia but at the same time increasing the collateral damage to the surrounding tissues and increasing the amount of blood loss. Medical studies have shown that there can be 7 times more blood loss with traditional liposuction when compared to 3rd generation ultrasound-assisted-liposuction (eg VASER Liposelection). However, when having liposuction under GA, one treatment is all that is required as generally you could treat multiple areas.
2. Because of the increased collateral damage and bruising, the healing time is much longer than gentler methods. This is why swelling can take up to 12 months to resolve, although most people will see good results at 6 months. As long as there is swelling, compression garments should be worn to reduce surface irregularities.

In my opinion, one of the best traditional liposuction surgeons in the world is Professor Marco Gasparotti in Italy, and what he can achieve with simple cannulae is astounding.

One of the first ‘newer’ forms of liposuction was laser lipolysis (e.g. Smartlipo). This technique used a fine fibreoptic cable under the skin, in the fatty tissue which then heated up the fat cells to self destruct. Unfortunately this procedure produced inconsistent results and many dissatisfied patients and doctors. The technique was quickly modified to Laser-assisted-liposuction (LAL) where the fat was sucked out immediately after softening with the laser. However, the operations were long and laborious and results were suboptimal compared to normal liposuction in most cases. LAL was fine for very small areas of fat, but not for most of the population who were seeking  help. The laser manufacturers have increased the power of the lasers now and results are getting better, but so are the risks of internal burns.

Ultrasound-assisted-liposuction (UAL), eg. VASER Lipo, emulsifies the fatty cells inside the body into tiny particles which can then be sucked out with gentle techniques. VASER Lipo is fully FDA Approved, like LAL. VASER Lipo minimises collateral damage and by using proprietary probes which focus the energy to fat cells and also, by using unique VENT-X suction cannulae which have no sharp edges and are designed to provide the perfect amount of vacuum for removing liquefied fat only. As a result bruising is minimal and skin architecture is preserved, providing reduced trauma, quick healing and smooth results with excellent skin tightening.

Taking advantage of the high selectivity for fatty tissue and protection of skin, Dr Alfredo Hoyos (Colombia) devised the VASER HiDef technique which allowed removal of the superficial fat layers with VASER to reveal the highly defined musculature beneath, creating an athletic look. Previous attempts to do this with lasers and traditional lipo generally caused major complications such as skin necrosis and irregularities. This is just another example of the versatility of VASER and its safety.

More recently, Radiofrequency-assisted-liposuction (RFAL), eg BodyTite, has entered the market trying to claim some of the market. The manufacturer claims to offer superior skin tightening results compared to UAL and this has yet to be clinically proven. Currently, the technique is NOT FDA approved and so cannot be used in the USA. It is still early days for RFAL and until it gains FDA approval, it will be difficult to compare its results to others.

I’m even more confused now! Which one should I choose?

Trust your doctor! Any experienced liposuction surgeon will have his favourite method for achieving excellent results. And that is the key. All of the above are tools which help the surgeon achieve results. But it is the overall skill of the surgeon which will give you the results you desire.

For more information please visit Riverbanks Clinic or call 08000 325415

Many of my patients have asked me if I saw the TV show by Lesley Ash, highlighting the dangers of poor regulation in the cosmetic industry. The UK is the only country in the western world where anyone can exploit a loophole and inject dermal fillers. Not surprisingly, problems occur. Patient safety is always always always the primary concern of any good doctor. Experienced cosmetic doctors can recognise early warning signs of complications, and also can deal with them so that the patient’s health is preserved at all times.

My patients already value the importance of seeing an experienced doctor and many say that they would never consider treatments from non-doctors. In the interests of patient safety I implore you all to strongly recommend your friends to a cosmetic doctor if you know they are being treated by others. Sometimes it might cost a bit more, but then you will have peace of mind….