Are Your Temples Depressed? Peanut-head: disease of the skinny.

When was the last time you looked at your temples? They play a big role in overall youthful healthy look of your face.

Most injectors fall into 2 categories: wrinkle-chasers (a lot of Dermatologists, sorry, hope I'm not offending anyone; and people who are just starting out) and volumizers (most Plastic Surgeons). I like to have logic behind everything I do and to look at the "big picture": natural results that will look good not only in few months but over time. So I always looked at and tried correcting the cause of the aged look-loss of volume.
Corrected, fuller temples not only make the face younger, they balance entire face, continue the line of the cheekbone upward and even lift the brow somewhat.

Interestingly enough, some patients feel and know it intuitively and request correction, but most are taken completely by surprise when I point it out.
And, of course, I prefer Sculptra for it-collagen stimulator that builds volume over time and lasts; but I'm not opposed to using instantly gratifying fillers like Radiesse and Restylane.
Give your temples some love and it will come back to you :)



 

I Want My Ethnicity Back! On correcting surgical ethnic rhinoplasties non-surgically

My office life sometimes feels like an episode of "Nip/Tuck"-the characters that walk in, the emotional problems people carry affiliated with their physical attributes, the motives behind the desire to look better..-half of what I do is psychology, another good chunk is giving people attention, love, and care (and the rest little chunk, of course, skills and experience).
And so my mission and purpose constantly evolve in accordance with the needs of my patients. Today I was asked to re-build Arabic nose, the ethnicity of which was completely taken away by a surgeon in Saudi Arabia.

 I'm the last one to judge (try to live according to the Laws of Life). Who knows whether the patient failed to express her wishes to the surgeon or the surgeon had his own ideas of beauty?
Objectively (and that's according to another Law, relating to proportions of the face and nose) the dorsum was too asymmetrical and thin, which makes the tip look bulbous. Intuitively I'd think taking out the round curve of the Arabic nose and lifting the droopy tip is what every girl would want, but my patient was so disturbed by losing her Identity after surgery-she has requested the bump, the curve, and "the droop" back. So I did it. My patient still looks like she's got a more refined nose that before the surgery, but now she says she feels more like herself.

It's a fair share of post-surgical noses I treat in the office, most of the time correcting the asymmetry or too thinned out dorsum and tip, but rarely one would ask to get the original nose back.
Every week I get asked to make Jewish and Iranian noses thinner, straight and lifted; Asian noses more European, Eastern European "wavy" noses more straight, Spanish crooked noses straightened, and Indian nose tips lifted.
I like giving people what they want, it's a very satisfying feeling, but I always spend "quality time" explaining how and why to preserve identity and ethnicity. Improving, but not destroying; enhancing but not overdoing it-I'm the most satisfied when I can keep "the personality", both of the nose and of the patient.

 

Boston Botox

Asymmetry of the face caused by paralysis of the facial nerve (here severed in surgery) is due to active side of the face working extra hard. Dysport or Botox can be used to relax overactive muscles and achieve more symmetrical pleasant expression of the face. #botox #boston #dysport #paralysis #palsy #face #facelift #symmetry #beauty #mashabanar #visagesculpture

 

Masha Banar PA-C of Visage Sculpture non-surgical face shaping gives safe alternative to Asian facial features Westernization though non-surgical options.

Masha Banar, PA-C of Visage Sculpture non-surgical face shaping offers non-surgical alternative to Asian face Westernization. Her specialty is non-surgical rhinoplasty (nose job), chin augmentation, cheekbone augmentation, reduction of square jawline, augmentation of supraorbital rim for 3D European projected look. www.visagesculpture.com #boston #rhinoplasty #nosejob #nose #facelift #botox #dysport #chin #augmentation #asian #westernization #mashabanar #visagesculpture

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/11/prweb11350106.htm

 

Resistance to Botox

You can become resistant to Botox over time, read the latest press release by Visage Sculpture here:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb11081078.htm

For tired looking eyes-little filler can go a long way.

Depressions under the eyes are physiologic and most people have them. In 20s and 30s you lose volume of the face. Loss of cheek volume accentuates the depressions under the eyes creating tired look. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane and Juvederm are safe and efficient in correcting this problem. Results last about a year, procedure is quick and painless.

More information at www.VisageSculpture.com

 

Liquid facelift just got safer!

Read press release by Visage Sculpture on safety of Radiesse, Sculptra and Perlane for non-surgical lift of the face.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb11030276.htm

Sincerely,

Masha Banar PA-C

Non-Surgical Nose Job (Liquid Nose Job Boston)

Non-Surgical Nose Job

Eastern European noses often have a "wave" to them, the tip often stands out compared to the dorsum. I love distinct features that help me guess where the person might be from: full Scottish cheekbones, German square jaw, Scandinavian lightness of the features-Nature sure made it very interesting to be of a certain nationality. I try to preserve the "identity" when I treat my patients. Often nobody can even put the finger on what exactly has changed, though overall appearance is more attractive.

Here is before and after non-surgical nose job (or rhinoplasty), one of my most favorite procedures to do! It takes 15 minutes, it's painless and affordable. A lot of people fulfilled their life-long dream of having a better nose without surgery including myself. My pioneer method landed a spot on local ABC news http://youtu.be/YfhRg0m2ScI and continues to draw a lot of attention both locally and nationally.

Consultations are complimentary and can be scheduled at (617)501-7055 or via e-mail info@visagesculpture.com Visit my website for more pictures and information www.VisageSculpture.com See you soon!

The Seven Habits of Highly Attractive People - Features | Improper Bostonian

The Seven Habits of Highly Attractive People - Features | Improper Bostonian

Visage Sculpture, Non-Surgical Face Shaping Cosmetic Practice of Boston, Announces Using Microcannulas to Make Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty Safer

Here is the latest press release by Visage Sculpture on non-surgical rhinoplasty (nose job) in Boston.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10982627.htm

Get the Nose of Your Dreams without Surgery, Now with Permanent Results

This is the latest press release for Visage Sculpture on non-surgical nose job in Boston.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10852961.htm
 

Hollywood Smile-You can have it too!

 

Visage Sculpture Video Blog-Welcome!

Visage Sculpture video blog: Creative Botox Boston

Visage Sculpture video blog: Creative Botox Boston

Visage Sculpture Video Blog: What makes us attractive?

Botox Boston for Neck

Non-Surgical Nose Job Boston

How your face ages

Sculptra Boston

Non-Surgical Chin and Jaw Augmentation (with fillers) Boston

Check out my Video Blog-short entertaining videos with pictures before and after procedures and short description.

http://youtu.be/l8s8GPZm1-8

In this video you will learn that chin plays an important role in making your face proportional and attractive. With the help of temporary fillers you can "try it on" www.VisageSculpture.com





 

Non-Surgical Chin and Jaw Augmentation (with fillers) Boston

Botox used to treat (TMJ) Temporalmandibular Joint Disorder

Hollywood Smile-You can have it too!

Being a little girl I've often dreamt of a white beautiful smile. I bought special tooth paste, was using baking soda and even coal (!) to achieve better color. Back then Hollywood smile seemed hard to attain and was reserved only for people from, well, Hollywood. Since then I tried whitening strips and gels and certaily noticed a difference. Then Zoom came around. I've heard from many people how painful it was for days after the procedure-teeth sensitivity is killing people. Until Boost happened. My dentist Sveta Novak DMD suggested I try it. Contrary to all my believes it only took 45 minutes, didn't hurt, and didn't cause any sensitivity afterwards!
I love Sveta's approach to patients as it's very similar to mine: completele honesty, kindness, and gentle touch. So when she said it's going tobe that easy-it actually was! You can do it during your lunch break, it won't put a dent on your finances.

 

How to choose a cream for your face

My patients ask me for skin care advice every day. Many of them bring multiple bottles they've bought on QVC promising eternal youth. We go through them and most of them miss the most important skin altering ingredients. The science of anti-aging is actually very simple, and it doesn't necessarily come in a very expensive pretty bottle. It usually comes from a medical office that has a medical director or professional who is allowed to prescribe higher concentration potent vitamins. So next time you buy a potion make sure it has these ingredients:

Most important of them: Vitamin A (Retinol, Retin-A, Retinoic acid. Retinol Palmitate or Acetate, etc) It is scientifically proven to stimulate collagen production, diminish fine lines, lighten pigmentation, and repair DNA damaged by smoking, free radicals, tanning, and every day oxidative stres.

Second most potent vitamin is Vitamin C: very strong anti oxidant, skin brightener, but extremely unstable especially in the light. Vitamin C boosts the activity of Vitamin A, this combination is very effective in fighting aging. To stabilize Vitamin C many companies add another anti-oxidant Vitamin E. Skin Ceuticals patented a formula with A, C, E vitamins and plant-derived ferulic acid that makes this combination extra long lasting. Of course, the formula has been stolen and modified, so the cheaper version is available.

Glycolic acid-very mild acid that gently sloughs off dead cells and make your skin extra permeable for other goodies.

Hyaluronic acid (HA)-though not very stable, this gorgeous molecule attracts many many molecules of water and makes your skin glow with moisture. HA also composes many fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane, Belotero) that are used to fill in lines, plump lips, and diminish depressions under eyes (tear troughs).

Kojic acid-natural plan-derived bleaching agent that works on pigment in your skin and diminishes freckles and age spots. I got rid of my post-pregnancy melasma with it!
Hydroquinone-very potent bleaching agent, that I recommend using with caution, it is not approved in Europe but surprisingly FDA approved in USA. I recommend using short bursts of therapy for very stubborn pigmentation.

Peptides-agents that temporarily plump the skin. They don't alter the texture of skin like vitamins, but can make you look better for few hours.

Amazingly, Image skincare has all of those ingredients in most of their creams, serums, and masks! That's why I love that line and use it exclusively.
 

Why do I love Sculptra?

So, I'm pretty well known for using a lot of Sculptra in my practice. The truth is I use a lot of everything, but yes I can say I am a little biased when it comes to restoring the lost volume of the face. Most of you know fillers like Juvederm and Radiesse, they are temporary materials that can add volume where you need it instantly. Couple of complaints about fillers: you can often feel them under your skin (which most people actually don't mind, it looks smooth) and they can only be injected in certain parts of the face. If you know how the face ages it's easier to recreate youth. I always use an analogy of a filled ballon which deflates with time and saggs with gravity. The reason smile lines and marionette lines appear is not just loss of elasticity of collagen of the skin, but really the overall volume loss of the face.

There's also bone resorption with age and remodeling of facial bones. Interestingly, Sculptra can help here too as it can be injected deep to stimulate collagen production around the bone (cheekbones, chin, jawline).

There is a technique of correcting jowles by masking them with fillers. I feel that it makes the face less proportional and more masculine. I don't like using fillers in the lower part of the face for that reason (unless, of course, I'm treating a man or doing chin and jawline augmentation).
The difference between fillers and Sculptra is that the latter can be injected pretty much anywhere. Sculptra can lift jowly lower face rather than making it heavy like fillers. Sculptra is a suspension of chrystalls (that dissolve in few months) in water. It is distributed evenly where the volume was lost. Chrystalls create an illusion of trauma and your skin is "tricked" into thinking it needs to heal itself and produce collagen. The only "catch" with Sculptra is gradual injection: I usually would use a vial per treatment and recommend 2-3 treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart. Collagen comes in slowly (which most people like as they don't have to explain a sudden change to co-workers and significant others) and lasts up to 2.5 years.

I very frequently use fillers and Sculptra together. Instant gratifying change from fillers is backed up by uniform collagen stimulation and lift from Sculptra. But I use both products equally as much, and there is time and place for all of them as I like to say.

What if your Botox "doesn't work"?

You had Botox few times already and know what to expect, you see the same provider over the years, and suddenly just when you need it the most your results are not as good as before.
Botox, although usually predictable, is not an exact science. I personally had couple of cases of variations on the same patient that I've injected more than 5 times, same dose, placement and same Allergan-certified product. The answer is always the same: notify your injector, come in for a follow up so results are properly documented, get your touch up or free treatment provided by Allergan.
Anatomy is almost the same in everyone, almost: men have much heavier bigger muscles and tend to need much more product than women, some people have longer or shorter corrugators (muscles that create "number 11s") which can alter the position of the brows after the treatment.
Metabolism plays a great role in longevity of the product: few patients of mine who are bodybuilders go through the product in few weeks. I've also had a case of a young woman who had Botox done by me several times coming in just a month complaining it was gone. It turned out she was going through a tremendous amount of stress recently and started going to the gym every day, which increased her metabolism significantly. She still had a complimentary treatment and was extremely happy, but we've learned why it happened.
I always advise my patients to take Zinc picolinate (50 mg daily for 5 days prior to the injection of Botox) to prolong the results. Zinc plays a key role in metabolism of Botox, it makes the product attach to the nerve faster and hold on to it longer. You can find it at Whole Foods stores or on Amazon.
Word of caution: it is a good idea to check out your provider's reputation and make sure they only use certified product through Allergan, the maker of authentic Botox. Only then you can be sure your product came from the United States and only then you can count on complimentary treatment in case if your product didn't work.
Lastly: communication is key! Always talk to your provider about your concerns, always come back for the follow up if you are not completely happy, the only way you can count on compensation is by showing your face.

Complications

I'm one of those very lucky people who love their job. I love people in and out: socially and anatomically. I enjoyed every surgical case I participated in: suturing blood vessels under the microscope for muscle flap, breast reconstructions and reductions, tummy tucks, working with intricate tendon systems of the hand and perfect architecture of the bones.

As a student during my surgical rotation at Faulkner Hospital I was lucky to scub in on thyroidectomy case with legendary Doctor Atul Gawande. He wrote a very well known book "Complications" that is a part of curriculum in medical schools. The essense of the book is figuring out how do mistakes happen in medicine and how to prevent them. He described a small hospital that only dealt with appendectomy and quoted their complication rate was many times smaller than the rest of the hospitals. The moral of the story was that very narrow specialization and focus of the practice allows medical provider to almost automate the procedure thus lowering the risk.
At the beginning of building of my practice I offered many services: cellulite treatment, hair transplantation, eyelid tightening, earlobe repairs and many more. Until I sat down to analyze what I'm doing and wrote a business plan. It turned out that I was offering procedures that a) I don't enjoy doing b) not an expert in particular field. I had to be honest with myself and it turned out that I loved working with faces and more of an expert and enthusiast about proportions, esthetics, and anti-aging of the face. And that most people are seing me namely for that.
Thinking of Gawande's example I truly believe narrow focus of the practice allows performing all procedures very efficiently with highest rate of satisfaction and lowest rate of complications.