IN Sewickley Area Spring 2014 | Page 18

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Plastic Surgery SPONSORED CONTENT PONSORED Fat — It’s a Good Thing DID YOU EVER LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VIBRANT, YOUTHFUL PERSON YOU USED TO SEE? This is a common reason for patients to make appointments to see their plastic surgeon. As the natural aging process progresses, most people can have dramatic changes to their facial features. What normally happens as people age is the layer of fatty tissue lying just beneath the skin starts to shrink. When our underlying collagen and elastin begin to break down, wrinkles emerge, giving us a more haggard, hollow or even skeletal look. As this layer of support gets thinner, your face shape can change. Your cheeks may flatten or wrinkles may develop around your eyes or mouth. Often, this is when a facelift may be recommended by plastic surgeons. Injecting a filler material can be another option for these patients, as it augments the fat layer and can provide support for your skin. But, there is a newer approach that can solve this problem in a more natural way. This procedure is called fat grafting. The great part about this particular procedure is that we all have fat somewhere on our bodies that we want to get rid of, so here is a great recycling remedy. So, now plastic surgery is going green! Fat grafting is a natural approach to restoring a youthful look to the face that does not involve removal of skin, or stretching of the skin. Fat grafting can be combined with a facelift, if that is what you need. You can also perform stand-alone stem cell facelifts using fat grafting. Essentially, you are replacing the missing fat tissue that was present when you were younger with other fat tissue from your own body. This is a natural and 16 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Sewickley Area quite successful way to treat these cosmetic problems that can deliver amazing results. Fat grafting requires less surgery than the other options and offers a quicker recovery time with similar results. This procedure can correct a number of facial issues, including wrinkles, hollow cheeks or jowls, nasolabial folds and some lower ey [YY