Texas—FOF recently chatted with Dr. Charles Wallace, board-certified plastic surgeon in Dallas, Texas, about the latest—and greatest—innovations in the field. “We’re really excited about a couple things that I believe are game-changing advancements,” the doctor believes.
The new implant in town!
“Sientra has introduced FDA-approved, shaped breast implants that come in a broad selection of sizes, profiles, projections, and surfaces, giving women more options for breast augmentation and reconstruction than ever before,” Dr. Wallace reported.
“The new Sientra implant is simply the best we’ve ever seen. In my opinion, it’s the first truly meaningful change in breast implants for decades,” Dr. Wallace explained. These high-strength, cohesive gel implants are made from a more viscous gel than other FDA-approved, silicone gel-filled implants, he said. “They feel natural, yet retain their shape very well and are less likely to rupture and leak. If they’re cut in half, for example, they remain form-stable. The silicone gel inside the shell does not ooze or migrate out of the casing.”
The Sientra implants also minimize the potential for ripples and wrinkles, so the results are more predictable, with fewer potential problems and less likelihood for revision surgery, the doctor added.
Sientra Implant Shape Retention Demonstration. Left: Cut implant with visible gel stability. Center: Pressure induced gel displacement. Right: Gel retraction demonstration shape retention.
A non-surgical lift that really works
Ultherapy procedure performed by Dr. Wallace.
Dr. Wallace is also applauding Ultherapy, an FDA-approved, non-invasive procedure that uses ultrasound to lift and tone loose or sagging skin on the face, neck, chin and brow.
“It jump starts a repair process that stimulates the production of fresh, new collagen—a natural part of the soft tissues that helps keep our skin firm, taut, and toned,” he explained.
“I like everything about Ultherapy,” Dr. Wallace added. “The results are predictable, reliable, and consistent. Usually, all it takes is a single, one-hour treatment, and there’s no downtime. You can literally go out to dinner right after having the procedure.”
While laser skin tightening uses light-based systems delivered only to the skin surface, Ultherapy delivers the energy deep into the tissues via concentrated sound waves. The system simply uses ultrasound, a tried-and-true technology, in a new way.
Note: Dr. Rondi Walker, board-certified plastic surgeon in Washington, DC, performed the Ultherapy treatment on me last fall, at our FOF Beauty Bash in New York. Although the before and after photos were taken in different locations, with different lighting, the results are obvious. Even under brighter lighting, the once-sagging skin below my chin and on my neck looks tighter; my eyes look brighter and more alert and have fewer crow’s feet framing them; the deep lines on either side of my nose that run down to my mouth (called nasolabial folds) are less pronounced, and my face is plumper and fresher looking.
Ultherapy is reportedly 30 to 50 percent as effective as a surgical facelift and about one-third the cost (approximately $5,000 to do a full face). It’s supposed to last about two years, while well-done facelifts can last a decade or longer. While there’s more long-term value in a facelift, there’s no cutting with Ultherapy.