Jan 24 2008
When it comes to the aging eye area, going under the knife is no longer the only option. According to the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Surgery, surgeons are seeing a more educated patient who is interested in non-surgical options to obtain the best results. One of the most requested aesthetic treatments is wrinkle reduction and tightening around the eyes and the excess tissue of the upper eyelid. For patients who experience sagging, droopy eye lids, wrinkles and puffiness, blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is no longer the only option to obtain a more youthful eye area.
One solution offered by Dr. Brian Biesman, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon of Nashville Centre for Laser and Facial Surgery in Nashville, Tennessee, is a cosmetic combination that helps patients reap maximum benefits from their treatment; blepharoplasty, Portrait Plasma, a novel plasma skin regeneration technology, and injectables such as Botox and fillers.
"Blepharoplasty removes the excess tissue and skin, but Portrait Plasma improves skin quality. It smoothes fine lines and treats both wrinkles and sun damage, which surgery alone cannot do," according to Dr. Biesman. Additionally he indicated injectables may be used to relax the muscles and then, in some cases, filler may be used to enhance volume. Physicians are also combining Portrait with other aesthetic procedures, such as fractionated lasers, a popular treatment that does not meet patient's demands for improvement in the peri-orbital area. Richard Fitzpatrick, MD from La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre combines Portrait(R) Plasma with fractional laser for further results on the face. At times he chooses Portrait Plasma for treating eyes over other devices in his practice remarking, "Eyelid skin is uniquely suited for Portrait because you can heat 100% of the surface and dermis uniformly."
For patients who are not interested in (or good) candidates for surgery, Dr. Biesman recommends Portrait Plasma as a stand alone procedure. "For patients who have moderately droopy, loose, or wrinkled skin, surgery may not be the best option, but Portrait Plasma may be," Dr. Biesman explains. In a study conducted by Dr. Biesman looking at the use of high energy Portrait Plasma skin regeneration compared to blepharoplasty, patients rated their overall improvement with Portrait Plasma as 64%. Dr. Biesman said of his reaction to the initial results, "I am very, very enthusiastic about the changes we are seeing...plasma treatment of the eyelid is a very viable and I think a very exciting technique that can play a nice role in the aesthetic practice." Portrait Plasma now offers patients a number of new treatment options for tightening and significant wrinkle improvement without surgery.
Portrait Plasma harnesses the power of plasma to deliver dramatic skincare results without the risk or down time associated with outdated laser procedures. The hand-piece delivers nitrogen plasma energy that works both at and below the surface of the skin to modify its architecture and generate new collagen for up to two years. Portrait PSR3 has been proven to treat fine lines and deep wrinkles, sun damage and pre-cancerous lesions and dyschromia. It also improves pore size, elasticity, and tone and texture of the face and body.
This in-office procedure takes 20 - 30 minutes for a full face or a targeted body treatment. Localized procedures around the eyes and mouth can be done in as little as 10 to 15 minutes. There is no additional downtime when blepharoplasty and/or injectables and fillers are used in conjunction with Portrait Plasma.