Want more youthful looking lips? Looking to smooth the deep lines around your nose and/or mouth? Interested in a lower face lift? Now’s the time! Bruising and swelling from any anti-aging treatments can easily be concealed in public with a face mask. As I say to my patients: the mask masks!
Why Get Procedures Done Now
When New York City was the epicenter of COVID outbreaks, we had to halt anti-aging treatments, including injectables and surgical procedures. This allowed for critical supplies like face masks, gloves, and other surgical supplies to be diverted to essential patient care in the hospitals.
Now that elective procedures are permitted, we are scheduling cosmetic surgery procedures like face lifts, breast implants, and eye surgery.
Each anti-aging treatment begins with an initial consultation. As I say to all my patients, if you’re thinking about having anything done, now’s the time! If you’re at home and gyms are closed, you can easily recover without having to take much time off from work and your exercise regimen. What’s more: no one will know that you’ve had anything done because you’ll be wearing a face mask in public!
The same holds true for anti-aging treatments like injectables and non-invasive procedures. Any bruising, redness, and swelling can easily be hidden at home and by wearing a mask.
One question that many patients ask: Will I be more at risk of COVID if I have any surgical procedures done? The answer is: no.
All patients having surgery are tested for COVID-19. We have not had a positive patient yet. Myself and the office staff are tested on a weekly basis. For injectable patients, we are also wearing masks and we are COVID negative, so it is safe for you to remove your mask for your treatment.
Best Procedures to Have Done Now
Wearing a mask in public conceals the lower half of your face, making these anti-aging treatments a good option now:
Lip augmentation with fillers: Hyaluronic acid can be injected along the natural lip line using a fine needle.
I inject half of the upper lip, then massage the area to ensure smoothness. Then I repeat the process on the other side. The Cupid’s bow area is then molded, before I move on to the lower lips.
Augmenting the lower lips is basically the same process, but may also involve injections near the laugh lines to slightly “turn up” the corners of the mouth.
Lip augmentation results are immediate and can last up to six months.
Lower face lift: The lower half of the face is quick to show the visible signs of aging: sagging, loss of elasticity, and wrinkles.
A lower face lift includes everything below the corners of your mouth. This includes the nasolabial folds or laugh lines, chin, and neck if necessary. It can tighten the lower half of the face, including chin jowls.
During a lower face lift, I make small incisions on either side of the face. I then pull back skin on either side of the face, tightening it. The tissues below the skin are also surgically altered to return the contour of the face to a more youthful shape. Before the incisions are closed, the excess skin is removed.
Incisions are small and easily concealable, though it can take several weeks to be fully healed. Swelling and bruising can easily be concealed under a mask.
Fillers: I often use fillers to smooth deep wrinkles that extend downward from the mouth (called marionette lines), as well as nasolabial folds (or smile lines). The cheeks can also be treated to create a soft natural curve. The jawline can be straightened, as can the nose.
There are many different fillers. To get the best result, I select the filler that has the right properties for the area.
In the lower eyelid area, I use a filler that does not swell too much as this will lead to puffiness. This same filler, however, would do very little in the cheeks, which need a more substantial product. I use many different types of fillers including Juvéderm, Versa, and Restylane so I can customize the result for you.
Products like Sculptura, which is a stimulatory injection, can also be used. This is a wonderful treatment because it builds up your own collagen, which means the results are gradual and look completely natural. Best of all, it lasts up to two years.
I use Sculptura all over the face to create a natural, refreshed look. It also works well for those vertical lines that some of us experience in our cheek area.
If you’re thinking about exploring treatment options now—when the mask masks—I would love to talk with you about your goals and what is best for you. The time is right. We will all be glad when COVID is over, but while it is here, we can make lemonade out of lemons!