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Archive for October, 2006

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Dear Dr. Seckel, I had Restylane injected under my eyes to treat dark circles under the eye 1 year ago. I had dark circles but I did not want a blepharoplasty. My eyelids got swollen + puffy + discolored like black + blue. My doctor said it would go away, it has not. Will it go away? Every 3 months I go to the doctor, she cannot figure it out. I feel like I am getting the run around. Please help me!!!!!!!!! Thank you, what should I do? Thank You, Janis, New York, NY

Monday, October 23rd, 2006

Dear Janis,
I am sorry to hear of your experience after filler injection around the eyes. Most likely the injection with the needle ruptured blood vessels and caused bleeding. The blood underneath the eyelid caused the black and blue.
Usually the black and blue goes away in 3-6 weeks. However the eyelids are so thin even tiny [...]

Posted in Bags and Dark Circles Under The Eyes, Unhappy Results | No Comments »

Dear Dr. Seckel, I am in my early 50’s with sun damaged, lax skin. After reading through the topics on this forum, I believe my choices are a facelift with some Erbium laser resurfacing or a deeper CO2 laser peel. I have heard that a facelift “generally” has a shelf life between 5-15 years. What is unclear is how long does deep laser resurfacing results generally last? Is it common to have the facelift & laser resurfacing done at the same time? And once I have a younger looking face, I worry because I also have sun-damaged skin from my elbows to my hands. Is there any treatment for this area so they will blend in? Thanks, Ivy Jones San Diego, CA

Sunday, October 22nd, 2006

you must be thoroughly informed and choose the best doctor-there are many “wannabees” out there marketing as plastic surgeons and you want to get what you pay for. Please read Chapter 10 of my book.

Posted in Face Lift | No Comments »

Dear Dr. Seckel, Would it make sense to see an ocular plastic surgeon for blepharoplasty surgery and fillers around the eye area. After consulting with cosmetic surgeons for facelift procedures, many seem to get insulted when I tell them I will be seeing an ocular surgeon to address my eye rejuvenation issues. Thank you, Karen, Boca Raton, FLA

Friday, October 20th, 2006

many doctors who call themselves “cosmetic surgeons” are not surgeons at all but dermatologists. There is no “board of cosmetic surgery” and a dermatologist is a skin doctor not a plastic surgeon.

Posted in Eyelid Rejuvenation | No Comments »

Dear Dr. Seckel, I believe a prior blepharoplasty has left me with “weakened” lower lids. Now my eyes have kind of a “floating” look to them. Is there anything that can be done to “tighten” up my lower eyelids? I have had a laser resurfacing done and it didn’t pull up my lower eyelids at all. Also. What can be done about a “hollowed” look under my eyes Thank you, Donna, Pekin, IL

Sunday, October 15th, 2006

Unfortunately a weakened lower eyelid is a common problem after a traditional “cold scalpel” lower blepharoplasty

Posted in Blepharoplasty, Unhappy Results | No Comments »

Dear Dr. Seckel, I’m a very faired-skinned Irish lass of 42 and I’ve literally been annoyed with my dark circles from as early in life as I remember. I have always had dark circles under the eyes. I now also have a more defined Nasojugal fold than ever before to go along with it. I’ve gone to many a consultation with plenty of plastic surgeons over the years and blepharoplasty has been discussed but this is the first time I’ve come across any type of procedure that addressed the problem without a blepharoplasty. Yesterday, however, I had a consult with a reputable certified surgeon who suggested administering a dental block and injecting Radiesse filler into the trough area through the top inside cheek area from inside my mouth. He was so into the idea of filling the depressed area, that no matter how I tried, I couldn’t get him to actually say if it would take care deep blue color in the area, as well. I’m skeptical that it could. Now I’m seeing postings online about hardening and bumps and lumps and warnings that the manufacturer of the filler suggests not using it in that area of the face. I’ve just come across your website today. Can you help? Is the filling procedure safe? Will it work for my kind of problem or will it just puff the area a little still leaving me with the deep blue that I hate? Is the procedure you use best? Thank you, Gina, Dallas, TX

Friday, October 13th, 2006

Don’t let anyone inject a filler around your eye

Posted in Bags and Dark Circles Under The Eyes | No Comments »

Dear Dr. Seckel, I have had a series of fraxel treatments for melasma.I am very faired skinned and have melasma on both sides of my cheeks and down the jawline. After 5 treatments, a study, and 2 others at a higher strength with more pass, the result is worse than what I originally had. Skin is darker and the where the laser treatments were performed, the miasma appears to have spread. What do I do now, out of money and have worse darkening than when I started this treatment. Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks, Tracy, Vancouver, BC

Friday, October 13th, 2006

Tracy,
I am surprised to hear of you difficulty following Fraxel laser treatments–Melasma has been the one condition that Fraxel laser skin rejuvenation has been most successful with. There is a reported 15% incidence of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentaion that is brown spots, after Fraxel, but that usually occurs on darker skin. Hopefully your Fraxel post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation will [...]

Posted in Laser Skin Rejuvenation, Unhappy Results | Comments Off

Dear Dr. Seckel, I had the Contour Thread Lift procedure 2 days ago. During the procedure after I had received the Lidocaine and Epinephrine, and just after the last thread was placed, I fainted on the table. just before this happened, I started to feel like I was going to fall asleep but could not keep myself awake and told the Dr that I felt like I was going to faint. Just at that moment my arms and hands started to heat up and sweat and then the next thing I remember is waking up with an oxygen mask on my face, my feet being held up in the air, a pulse meter on my finger and my blood pressure being taken. The doctor told me I had fainted and that my pulse rate had also dropped. I was SO FRIGHTENED! The Dr said it was due to the epinephrine, and that I have to be careful to tell any Dr or dentist the next time lidocaine or novacaine is used, to be careful using epinephrine as well. Question 1) Are you familiar with anything like this happening to anyone? My recovery so far has been ok, but it’s only been a couple of days so far. I can tell you that it is not what I expected so far, as there is no way I could return to normal activities right now. I have no bruising, but my entire face is swollen like a pumpkin and I can’t talk or eat easily. I have to keep my head up at all times (even when sleeping, sort of in a sitting up position) I’m taking antibiotics, and a pain medication as needed, and I have a bandage over my head and face along with some steri-strips on my cheeks. I could never walk into work looking or feeling like this, and I doubt many people could. I don’t know why this surgery is presented as one that is a “lunchtime” procedure. Now, because I had swelled up so badly during the procedure, the Dr gave me a choice of having the contouring done right then, or after the swelling went down in one week. I asked her what she thought would give me the best results, and she said that if I waited, the results would be slightly better than doing it right then. So, I opted to wait a week, but am worried if the contouring aspect should actually be done a whole week after the barbs have already been inserted and my face somewhat healed. Question #2) Do you have an opinion on waiting till the swelling goes down? Ms Concerned about my Contour Thread Lift, FLA.

Monday, October 9th, 2006

epinephrine would speed your heart rate-I am surprised your doctor didn’t know that—is he/she a surgeon?

Posted in Face Lift, Unhappy Results | Comments Off