Top 6 Plastic Surgery Questions And Answers: A Conversation With Dr. Sharon Giese

What are the best options for a saggy neck and jowls?

Good question, as this is the biggest giveaway of an FOF’s age. Traditionally, FOFs have gotten facelifts as a solution to this problem. However, facelifts can be invasive and have a long recovery time. For the past four years, I’ve been performing a procedure called the “Natural Lift” as a way to avoid or postpone a facelift. I remove a teaspoon of jowl fat and 2 tablespoons of neck fat. It’s a 45-minute procedure, done with local anesthesia and requires minimal recovery time. Consider it the ultimate cheat and prevention for aging.

What are the latest innovations in liposuction? Can you have liposuction anywhere and everywhere?

Yes, you can. This past year two new non-invasive devices have come onto the market that melt fat away when you use them over the skin. They allow you to shrink even the thinnest layers of fat cells in parts of the body that used to be difficult to reach through liposuction cannulas (tools). The device I use is called VASER Shape which feels like a hot stone massage.

What type of implant is better or which do you recommend: Saline or silicone?

I prefer silicone and implant them in my patients 99% of the time. With silicone, the deflation rate is low and they feel more natural. Most women getting augmentation have very little breast tissue and the breast is made up of mostly the implant. In the rare cases where someone with bigger breasts (for example a size B) wanted to go to a size C, then I might use saline.

I’ve heard of a “vampire facelift,” what is this?

Despite its name, the vampire facelift is actually a non-surgical cosmetic procedure, rather than a facelift. It uses the patient’s own blood, which is rich in antioxidants and collagen, to make the skin more radiant. Often times, people combine this treatment with fillers for the ultimate facial rejuvenation. The vampire facelift is the same treatment top athletes such as Tiger Woods have had done to their joints to promote healing and increase vascularity. The way it works is blood is drawn, then the Platelet-Enriched Plasma (PRP) is separated and concentrated. The PRP is essentially tattooed back into the middle layer of the skin to promote radiance. My favorite protocol of this procedure uses the Dermapen. (For more about Dermapen, read below.)

As a teen, I had very bad acne and now I have scars, pitting and large pores. What do I do?

My favorite new device to reverse damage from acne, is the Dermapen. It stimulates collagen in the middle layer of the skin, plumping acne pitting. It’s the only therapy that helps with deep pitting. It can level the top edge of the pit to the bottom. Also, it’s great for fine lines and wrinkles on the upper lip. It can be used on all skin types, is much less expensive than laser devices and does not cause heat damage to the surrounding, healthy skin.

Do you build up resistance to Botox to the point that it stops working?

First of all, there are 3 neuro-modulators on the market today—Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, and Xeomin—each have their own unique properties. You cannot build up a resistance to neuro-modulators. However, the more you use them, the less you need them because you train your face not to make certain movements. For this reason, it’s important to get treatments regularly. I have been using neuro-modulators on myself for 12 years and now I only need to get it done twice a year, whereas when I started I was getting four treatments a year.

Dr. Sharon Giese

114 East 61st Street
New York, New York 10065

Tel:  (212) 421-3400
Fax: (212) 421-3435
www.drsharongiese.com

Click here to view Dr. Giese’s patient before and afters.