Here’s what you need to know about the procedure to help you decide if it is right for you.

What Is Buccal Fat?

Buccal fat is a fat pad located between your jaw and cheekbone. The amount of buccal fat someone has is determined by their weight and genetics. If you have an excess of buccal fat, it can make your face look fuller, even if you are thin and in shape.

What Can Buccal Fat Removal Do?

Removing just the right amount of buccal fat can help chisel your cheekbones. In addition, it can also:

• Help you achieve a more sculpted profile.
• Boost your self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Correct a baby-faced appearance by slimming your cheeks.
• Enhance weight loss results.

How Is Buccal Fat Surgery Performed?

The first step towards buccal fat removal is a consultation with Dr. Trussler. He will examine your facial structure and discuss whether buccal fat removal is the right choice for you. Once cleared, small incisions are made under local anesthesia in the region of buccal fat. Dr. Trussler then presses on the fat pads and excises a small portion. The incisions are then closed with absorbable sutures. The entire procedure takes less than one hour to complete.

Best Candidates for Buccal Fat Removal

Patients who have rounded cheeks or heaviness in the lower face are the best candidates for the procedure. They also have realistic expectations of what buccal fat removal can accomplish.

Buccal Fat Removal in Austin, TX

If you are ready to say goodbye to full cheeks and hello to sculpted cheekbones, Dr. Trussler can help. His vast experience in facial anatomy makes him the perfect choice for buccal fat removal in Austin, TX. Contact the office today at 512-450-1077.

The post Is Buccal Fat Pad Removal Right For You? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

There are several reasons why people choose to have surgery in Austin, including the city’s reputation for excellence in medical care, the availability of experienced surgeons, and the city’s relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. 

Facial plastic surgery can be a great way to improve your appearance and your self-confidence. Make sure you choose a qualified surgeon who you feel comfortable with if you are considering surgery. 

Keep reading to learn more about facial plastic surgery in Austin and to find out if it is right for you!

The Benefits of Facial Surgery

Despite the risks, many benefits can be gained from facial surgery. Some of the most common benefits include:

Improved Appearance

One of the most apparent benefits of facial surgery is an improved appearance. This can lead to an increase in confidence and self-esteem.

Improved Function

In some cases, facial surgery can also improve the function of the face. For example, rhinoplasty can improve breathing function, and blepharoplasty can improve vision.

Corrective Surgery

Face surgery can sometimes help to correct congenital disabilities or deformities. This can improve both the appearance and function of the face.

The Risks of Facial Surgery

As with any surgery, there are always risks involved. Some of the risks associated with facial surgery include the following:

• Anesthesia risks: There are always risks associated with anesthesia, such as respiratory problems, nausea, and vomiting.
• Bleeding: There is always a risk of bleeding during and after surgery.
• Infection: There is also a risk of infection at the surgical site.
• Nerve damage: Facial surgery can sometimes cause damage to the nerves in the face, which can lead to paralysis or numbness.
• Scarring: All surgery will result in some scarring. The amount and visibility of the scarring will depend on the type of surgery, the incision placement, and the individual’s healing process.

Plastic surgery can be a great way to improve the appearance of your face. Give Dr. Andrew Trussler in Austin a call at 512-450-1077 to get started!

The post Thinking of Getting Facial Plastic Surgery in Austin? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

Most people are familiar with the more common facial plastic surgery procedures, such as facelifts, brow lifts, and nose jobs. But many other lesser-known procedures can have a dramatic impact on your appearance. 

If you are considering facial plastic surgery, it’s worth researching to learn about your options. This blog post will introduce you to three facial plastic surgery procedures you may not have heard of before. You can use this information to make an informed decision about your aesthetic goals.

Chin Augmentation

Imagine feeling self-conscious about a double chin or poorly defined jawline. If that’s the case, this procedure can depart you looking slimmer and stronger while enhancing the appearance of strategic contours in the face’s center region. One effective implant material is Medpor® because it blends smoothly into soft tissue without the risk of shifting or visible edges that can occur with other types of implants.

Cheek Augmentation

Reduction in unwanted fat can make the cheeks look thinner, contributing to a more aged appearance over time. Autologous fat grafting is frequently used for cheek augmentation because it uses excess body when available and results in natural-looking long-lasting effects. Restoring volume in this area may also restore youthfulness by creating a firmer foundation beneath sagging skin for an uplifted appearance.

Dermal Fillers

Though not quite as comprehensive as certain surgical procedures, the minimally invasive application of dermal fillers is ideal for those who want to maintain a roughly youthful appearance through individualized touchups that may require periodic retreatment to achieve desired enhancement levels. Fillers can temporarily smooth away lines, wrinkles, and folds while adding definition and contours where they appear lacking, such as hollows under sunken eyes or slackness along the jawline.”

Consult with an Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon

If you’re looking for facial plastic surgery in Austin, TX, you’ve come to the right place. Dr. Andrew Trussler offers various facial plastic surgery procedures to help you achieve your desired look. From rhinoplasty to facelifts, we can help you achieve the results you’re looking for.

So how do you schedule a facial plastic surgery procedure in Austin? It’s easy! Call us at 512-450-1077, and we’ll be happy to help you schedule a consultation with one of our experienced surgeons. During your consultation, you’ll be able to discuss your goals, and we’ll develop a personalized treatment plan just for you. So don’t wait any longer.

The post 3 Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures You’ve Probably Never Heard Of appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

Facelift surgery accomplishes a lot for those who are ready to get serious about the signs of aging. This procedure has been popular for many years, though we’re seeing a few significant changes in how people approach their facial rejuvenation. First, we are performing facelift surgery on younger patients these days. Studies have found that a person who has a facelift in their forties or fifties tends to enjoy longer-lasting results. This isn’t because they have surgery sooner but because, when they have surgery, they also still have relatively good skin elasticity. The firmness and stretchiness of the skin support long-term rejuvenation. Another trend we’re seeing is to combine other treatments with a facelift. Here, we discuss a few, and why they can be advantageous to your facelift outcome. 

Dermal Fillers

After your facelift, your jowls may be gone, and those stubborn nasolabial folds, too. So, why would you want dermal fillers? Aren’t these products supposed to be an alternative to a facelift? No! They are a great complement! A facelift repositions deeper layers of tissue to recreate a more angular, youthful jawline and lower face. Dermal fillers can enhance what has been achieved by boosting the volume of your cheeks, temples, or lips. All of these areas can deflate or become slightly hollow with age. With dermal fillers, your facelift can look better for longer. 

HALO Laser Skin Rejuvenation

Aging isn’t all about the lines and wrinkles and sagging jawline. It is also about the sun damage that can accumulate over the years. Issues like fine lines, spots, rough skin, and enlarged pores all contribute to looking older. A facelift cannot eliminate these concerns, but lasers do a great job of it. Most people achieve outstanding improvements with 1 or 2 HALO treatments, enjoying a revival of radiance and softness that can last years. 

Kybella

A softening, sagging jawline is only one of several ways in which facial deflation and descent affects appearance. Submental fullness is also a common complaint. The accumulation of fatty tissue beneath the chin has relatively little to do with overall weight. It has a lot to do with the changes in the skin and underlying tissue. Kybella injections target fat cells for full and permanent destruction. This treatment, combined with your facelift, can restructure the frame of your face to look slimmer, firmer, and younger. 

Your Austin, TX plastic surgeon can develop a unique treatment plan to address the various ways in which your face has changed due to aging. Call (512) 450-1077 today to schedule your consultation for facial rejuvenation.  

The post How to Get the Most From Your Facelift appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

What a Facelift Can Do

Facelift surgery is a procedure in which the tissues that make up the deep plane of the face, those that lie over the bony structure of the cheeks, are manually repositioned. It used to be that a facelift was a facelift. That’s not the case anymore. Today, facelifts are tailored to the individual to correct age-related concerns such as:

• Jowls
• Double chin
• Neck bands
• Marionette lines
• Nasolabial folds
• Loose, sagging skin in the mid-face area

What Injectables Can Do

Injectable products are used to reduce dynamic wrinkles that develop on the upper face and smooth tissue in the lower face. Some work by releasing muscle tension and others by adding volume to superficial tissue.

Injectables are beneficial for the subtle correction of:

• Frown lines
• A mildly drooping brow line
• Nasolabial folds and marionette lines
• Thin, deflated lips
• Undereye bags
• Flattening cheekbones

The whole idea of rejuvenating the face with periodic injections is genius, really. However, it is important to know what the limitations are. Just as we’ve seen the potential for a facelift to go wrong, we’ve also learned that it’s possible to over-do it with Botox and dermal fillers.

What we’ve found in many cases is that injectables and facelift surgery go together. A facelift cannot do everything that injectables can do, such as filling in the cheeks. Conversely, injectables cannot do what a facelift can do, such as getting rid of excess, loose skin. To discover more about what a facelift and injectables can do for you, call (512) 450-1077 and arrange a visit to our Austin office.

The post Facelift or Fillers? Is This Really the Right Question? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

The appearance of the eyes may change for a few reasons. The muscles around the eyes are frequently in use throughout the course of the day. Every day. For many, many years. You see where we’re going with this. When we use the muscles around our eyes so frequently, the skin in at the temples, brow line, and forehead changes. This can lead to the eyes looking tired and sad. Another way that the eyes may begin to look differently than we feel has to do with the position of the eyebrows on the forehead. Some people have naturally low-lying eyebrows, where others notice that their upper eyelids look heavier as time passes and age affects their face. Here, we look at the two most common procedures for rejuvenating the eye area.

Brow Lift

Brow lift surgery is appropriate for men and women who are troubled by creases on the forehead. It is natural for lines to develop on this part of the face at some point; but for many people, the reason that creases become noticeable is that they are trying to raise their eyebrows to keep their eyes from looking heavy and tired. The more we use the muscles on the forehead to raise the brows, the more creases we will see. A brow lift can address both issues at once by repositioning the tissue from the brow line to the hair line. Precision technique can even restore a nice arch to the brow to enhance the general appearance of the eyes.

Blepharoplasty

While a brow lift will have a slight effect on the appearance of the upper eyelids, that doesn’t mean that everyone who notices heaviness around the eyes should have a full upper-facelift. In some instances, the problem literally lies in the skin on the upper eyelid. Without sufficient collagen to keep tissue firm, the eyelids can change dramatically over time, even obstructing the field of vision due to laxity. Blepharoplasty removes the excess sagging tissue on the upper eyelids to the eyes appear more open and rested. Eyelid rejuvenation can also correct dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, if necessary.

Cosmetic procedures are tailored to your particular needs. For full rejuvenation, some patients elect to have blepharoplasty and brow lift surgery. Discover if a brow lift is the solution you’ve been seeking. Call our Austin office at (512) 450-1077.

The post Are you a Candidate for a Brow Lift? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

Do I even need plastic surgery?

Here’s a big one, thanks to the many, many injectables now used to smooth lines and wrinkles. Because we can fill lines and fill in the cheeks with dermal fillers, the idea that this is always appropriate has developed. Let’s take a step back for a moment and look at how this works.

Dermal fillers and neuromodulators are great for the reduction of mild to moderate complaints such as frown lines and deflated cheeks and lips. Facial aging is, by and large, related to the atrophy of tissues in the mid face. However, there is only so much filler that you can inject into the cheeks, temples, and undereye bags before the face starts to look, well, filled with filler! In the past few years, we saw actress Courtney Cox open up about the way that fillers deteriorated her natural look, and saw her natural features take on new beauty as her fillers were dissolved.

The point: Sometimes, a surgical lift is a better option for facial rejuvenation.

Just Take the Fat Out, Please

A common request from women we meet is that we perform liposuction on their midsection so their taut figure can be seen. Liposuction is an excellent method of removing excess fat, that has been proven. However, what surprises a lot of women – and even some men – is that their stomach needs a little more help if it is going to be flat and tight as they imagine. This is especially true among women who have had children because it is only natural that the abdominal muscles have been stretched beyond the norm.

The point: Liposuction is appropriate for fat removal in a number of areas of the body. However, if anything more than mild laxity in skin and underlying tissue exists in the midsection, a tummy tuck may also be warranted.

These are just two examples of misperceptions related to what may really be necessary to obtain the desired outcome from cosmetic care. To fully understand what is needed to help you love your look, schedule a consultation with Dr. Trussler in our Austin office. (512) 450-1077.

The post Surprise! Here’s What You Really Need! appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

If you’ve become stuck in your decision regarding facial rejuvenation, and injectables are not providing you with the same results they used to, or that you’d like, we want to encourage you to consider what a surgical facelift can do. The performance of this procedure has evolved quite a bit in recent years. Paying close attention to a few key nuances, your experienced cosmetic surgeon can restore youthfulness without impeding natural appeal. Here’s how . . .

• Less lifting can lead to a better overall result. Surgeons have realized that taking too much skin is simply too much. The facelift technique that is applied today focuses on where tissue should be, not on minimizing the effects of future aging. For example, a facelift lifts just enough tissue to reposition the eyebrows along the upper orbital rim, not inches above that. Minimal skin removal also leaves room for the next key point in staying natural.
• The filling is as important as lifting. When you look at a naturally youthful face, you don’t see extremely tight skin. What you see are firmness and contouring. Aging often flattens our features, especially the cheeks. To restore balanced beauty, a facelift may also involve fat injections or dermal filler injections in key areas such as the cheeks and or temples.
• Attention to individuality. The facelift procedure, when approached by an experienced surgeon, is anything but cookie-cutter. Every face has its structure, and aging occurs differently in all of us. Planning is a precision process that allows us to fully customize this surgical procedure to each patient.

If you are in the Austin area and want to know more about facial rejuvenation, with or without surgery, we’d love to speak with you. Call 512-450-1077 to schedule your consultation with our friendly team.

The post Why a Facelift May Not Be What You Think appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

All facelifts are not created equal and there are numerous described techniques performed that often confuse patients when searching for a facelift specialist. High SMAS, Deep Plane, Skin Lift, Extended SMAS, MACS lift, Short Scar Facelift, Mini-facelift, Omega lifts, and SMASectomy are all common facelift techniques which differ in numerous ways but all have a common goal of rejuvenating the face

Facelift techniques differ in the incision patterns, the plane and depth of the facelift, and ability to rejuvenate the neck and the cheek.

• Facelifts typically do not affect the brow, upper eyelids, lower eyelids, and perioral region (around the mouth) and a browlift, blepharoplasty and midface lift may all be additional components of facial rejuvenation surgery.

Facelift incisions can include: an incision under the chin, in front of the ear, behind the ear, into the hairline or down the hairline behind the ear, and in the temple region.

• The incision under the chin or submental incision gives access to the platysma muscle for a midline platymaplasty, which brings the two central edges of the platysma muscle together with suture techniques. This will typically help eliminate central neck bands and help refine the angle of the neck. This incision allows for skin release and fat excision to help define the neck and jaw-line.
• The incision in front of the ear helps to release the skin from the jawline and cheek and can vary with male and female facelift techniques.
• The incision behind the ear may be limited in a short scar facelift, but is necessary to give access to the post-auricular region where the neck skin is released and the SMAS may be sutured.
• The incision in the post auricular hairline is variable and helps to eliminate excess neck skin. There are advantages and disadvantages to post-auricular scar patterns but they are necessary to eliminate excess skin.
• The temple incision is designed to accommodate for a vertical lift of the lower face and cheek

The planes of the face include: the skin, the subcutaneous plane, the SMAS layer and the sub SMAS plane

• Skin has a significant amount of elasticity and has limited efficacy in face-lifting as it will typically relax and reform.
• The subcutaneous plane is utilized in the SMAS plication and MACS lift techniques, which gathers the mobile SMAS with sutures.
• The SMAS is the Superficial Musculo Aponeurotic System, which is a fibrofatty layer above the facial muscles. It is a durable facelift plane to rely on for repositioning and lifting the face because it is not as elastic as the skin.
• A sub-SMAS plane helps to release the deep attachments of the face and helps to reposition the face without tension.

A sub-SMAS facelift plane does take significant experience to develop safely especially as the elevation of the SMAS is beyond the parotid gland and into the cheek.

A central platysmaplasty helps to unify the platysma and break up the central neck bands. A defined angle of the neck can be created and a release of the jawline can be performed through this access. When the central neck is stable, the SMAS and the skin can be repositioned behind the ear to give a smooth jawline.

Low facelifts will not have any effect on the cheek. The cheek can be lifted with a SMAS plication to the lower eyelid or through a High SMAS facelift, which will re-position the cheek vertically after a horizontal SMAS release.

There is no right or wrong facelift technique. It is important to discuss which technique your facelift surgeon utilizes and it will be evident how comfortable they are with their technique during this conversation. Facelift specialists should have a primary technique that they utilize, but should be able to alter techniques to individualize facial rejuvenation for their patients. Facelifts should be individualized for the patient and the techniques may be altered in secondary facelifts to accommodate for scarred facial planes.

Andrew P. Trussler MD is an experienced plastic surgeon in Austin Texas with advanced training in facelift surgery including High SMAS facelifts, lower facelifts and necklifts.

Dr. Trussler’s Austin plastic surgery office can help guide you in correcting commonly seen facial aging complaints. Facial rejuvenation with a facelift can help you improve your jawline, cheek, and neck with a natural, long-lasting result.

The post What Are The Different Types of Facelifts? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

The best age to consider a facelift is younger than what patients think, and the more extensive procedure provides a more effective and more natural result.

Facial aging can be affected by sun damage, smoking, genetics and hormone changes. Facelifts can be more effective before irreversible damage to the skin and facial soft tissue. The optimal physiologic time for a facelift may arguably be in patients’ 40’s.

Younger patients wanting neck rejuvenation are being bombarded with promises of minimally invasive neck contouring. Younger patients generally believe the misconception that the “smaller” procedure is all that is needed. Typically smaller procedures do offer less downtime, less incisions, shorter recovery, though they have less longevity, less result with substantial cost. Many patients present in their 40’s after having these procedures done, and are often disenchanted and underwhelmed with their results, or appear worse after their procedures.

• Facial rejuvenation in the 40’s is optimal because of skin quality and soft tissue strength to help hold the result.

The components to neck rejuvenation are skin tightening, through skin re-draping and removal, muscle repositioning with a midline platysmaplasty with lateral SMAS flap (corset platysmaplasty) and fat contouring with direct fat removal, and/or liposuction.

There are many potential options for the correction of a sagging neck though most only address one component and therefore are applicable to only a minority of patients.

The minimally invasive and/or non-invasive neck procedures offer limited recovery though all deliver limited effects with limited longevity.

• Noninvasive fat loss includes Cool Sculpting which involves cryolipolysis
• Injection lipolysis like Kybella
• Liposuction removes fat through subcutaneous suction techniques
• Botox® has been applied to the neck platysmal bands with limited efficacy
• Laser skin tightening
• Ultherapy® or focused ultrasound to help tighten deeper neck tissue
• Radiofrequency either transdermal or transcutaneous to help tighten skin or soft tissue
• Mini-necklifts typically involve skin tightening only

The younger patient will typically have at least 2 out of the three components and with adequate skin elasticity and strong subcutaneous tissue they will hold their neck lift longer making the procedure more effective.

• The satisfaction rate in open neck procedures is very high in the younger patient.

An open neck lift procedure will help to re-contour and rejuvenate the neck and jawline by addressing all 3 components to neck rejuvenation (skin, muscle and fat).

Optimal results incorporate skin tightening, contour improvement and elimination of bands and sagging skin

Neck lifts could be also referred to as a lower facelift. The procedures are typically performed in the operating room with general anesthesia .

• The incisions are under the chin and around the ear extending along the hairline.
• The SMAS layer is elevated and released along the jawline. The SMAS is secured behind the ear and platysma is tightened centrally for neck contour correction
• Fat removal is performed above and below the platysma and along the jawline (jowls) in needed.
• Central Platysma muscle repositioning to eliminate neck bands
• Skin re-draping behind the ear to help tighten and contour the neck
• All of these steps help to provide a natural effect to help refine the jawline and deliver a long lasting result.

Procedure is done in the operating room and recovery is approximately one week.

The scientific answer for the best age for a facelift is in the 40’s, however the real answer is when a patient is ready for the procedure.

Andrew P. Trussler MD is an experienced plastic surgeon in Austin Texas with advanced training in facelift surgery including lower facelifts and necklifts.

Dr. Trussler’s Austin plastic surgery office can help guide you in correcting commonly seen facial aging complaints. Facial rejuvenation with a necklift can help you improve your jawline and neck with a natural, long-lasting result.

The post What is the Best Age to Consider a Facelift? appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.