Just as with any other part of the body, the earlobe will go through the natural ageing process. The earlobe is also constantly exposed to the sun and there are few people who will remember to apply sunscreen to their ears when applying it to the rest of their body!

Earlobes often become elongated over time thanks to a reduction in collagen meaning the elasticity in the skin is reduced. The skin also tends to become elongated, thin and saggy and surface wrinkles may appear. Women who like to wear dangly earrings are particularly at risk as the weight of the earrings may help to pull the earlobe down, accentuating the elongation and sagginess of the lobe.

Given that ear lobes are now known to be a sign to look for as a clue to a woman’s real age, it comes as no surprise that there is a cosmetic surgery procedure to help. The ‘earlobe rejuvenation’, sometimes also known as the ‘ear lobe lift’, is already popular in the US.

Costing around $2,000 for both ears, the cosmetic surgery takes around 40 minutes and uses local anaesthetic therefore can be done during a lunch break.

The earlobe lift involves the cosmetic surgeon making an incision close to where the ear connects to the side of the face. A small amount of tissue and skin is then removed. The incision is precisely made so that it is virtually impossible to see once the wounds have healed. Two internal stitches, which dissolve over time, are then applied and ten stitches are made on the outside of the ear. These are removed after about a week. Invisible surgical tape is then applied rather than standard bandages so that the cosmetic surgery signs are well hidden. The earlobe rejuvenation surgery makes the earlobe look plumper, more rounded and smaller – making the earlobe look ‘younger’.

For those who don’t fancy the idea of cosmetic surgery, facial fillers can also help. Injectable fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse and Sculptra can all be injected into the earlobe to smoothen the skin, plump the ear lobe up and make it look younger. For women who wear earrings and whose earring hole has stretched, it is claimed that dermal filler injections can help make the hole smaller. Because the ear doesn’t move much, dermal fillers in the earlobe will tend to last longer than those injected into the face – sometimes up to twice as long.

It is also possible to have a chemical peel on the ear lobe to help improve the skin’s appearance.

So whether you are happy having cosmetic surgery or not, there is now no excuse for having aged earlobes!

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Naturally there are downsides to this form of cosmetic procedure. There can be swelling after the dermal filler injections, there is the possibility of allergic reaction to the filler itself and the dermal fillers need to be topped up as they wear off.

Restylane

Restylane is made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the skin. Restylane was the first dermal filler to use non-animal hyaluronic acid. Before Restylane, facial fillers were made of animal products such as bovine collagen, silicone or body fat. Hyaluronic acid is a good choice for dermal filler because it is a substance that occurs naturally in the body therefore the incidence of allergic reaction is very low.

Restylane is approved by the FDA for lasting up to 18 months. It is currently the world’s leading dermal filler having been used over 10 million times since it’s inception in 2004. Restylane is most commonly used for the hollows under the eyes, lines around the nose and mouth, and in the lips.

Perlane

Perlane is made by the same company who manufacture Restylane and is also made of hyaluronic acid. However it is only FDA approved to last for up to 6 months. A relative newcomer to the dermal filler market, Perlane has only been in use since 2007.

Juvederm

Juvederm is made of hyaluronic acid and is from the same manufacturers who make Botox. Juvederm is very popular for deeper wrinkles such as for plumping out crows feet and the lines between the nose and the mouth.

Prevelle Silk

Prevelle Silk is made of hyaluronic acid and also incorporates lidocaine, a local anaesthetic to help numb the injection site. This makes it a good filler for use in sensitive areas such as the lips, however it should be noted that some discomfort will still be experienced from the injection despite the numbing sensation.

Radiesse

Radiesse is made of calcium-based microspheres and claims to promote collage reproduction which helps plump the skin out, however this claim is probably not as good as it sounds. The body will naturally produce collagen to wall of foreign substances therefore all dermal fillers will actually see the body producing collagen.

Evolence

Evolence is another relative newcomer to the dermal filler market having been around since 2008. Evolence is made from porcine collagen (from pigs). Porcine collagen is very similar to human collagen hence it’s usage. There is no risk of catching pig diseases from having these dermal filler injections.

Dysport

Touted as a safer and better alternative to Botox, Dysport has only recently been released into the cosmetic market. Dysport uses the same active ingredient as Botox however it is claimed to act more quickly than Botox and also has a much lower risk of the toxin spreading to other areas of the body. Dysport is also priced lower than Botox.

However Botox has 20 years of research and use behind it whilst Dysport is very new therefore little is known about long-term effects ofusing Dysport.

So which filler is best? The answer is there is no one best filler. If you are planning on getting facial fillers it is best to talk through the options with your cosmetic practitioner to discuss what the best dermal filler for you is.

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The eyebrow transplant takes a couple of hours to complete and normally costs in the region of $4,000. Hair is taken from the back of the patient’s head and the follicles extracted. The surgeon will then make tiny incisions in and around the eyebrow to create the new shapes, with the holes specially angled to indicate the way the hair should grow. Follicle by follicle, the donor hairs are planted into these eyebrow holes with up to 350 needed per eyebrow.

Most of the hair will initially fall out, however the follicle will start to produce new hair after about two months. Because head hair tends to grow more quickly than eyebrow hair, the new-look eyebrows will need trimming on a regular basis, perhaps even weekly.

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The problem is this: you may have a slim, toned body but you may find you have a very gaunt looking face, particularly as you get older. The chances are that if you diet and have a svelte figure, your cheeks may be slightly sunken with your skin starting to be a little loose and baggy with some wrinkles. However, if you put on a little weight, your face plumps up slightly, making you look younger.

In today’s world, women don’t have to make a choice between butt and face – thanks to cosmetic surgery, they can have the super-svelte body along with the plump looking face thanks to the latest trend in facial fillers.

Facial fillers tend to be gel-like substances that have several uses. Firstly, they can be injected into wrinkles to help smooth the face out. They can also be used to rebuild or re-contour the face, particularly if the cheeks are a little sunken.

Slightly plumper faces are now being favoured over the stretched skin look because it gives an aura of rejuvenation and looks more natural than some face lifts. Gaunt faces tend to be a turn-off and can make the woman look slightly ill, therefore facial fillers are a good option because they plump up the face, making the woman look younger in a natural looking way. Facial fillers are also not as invasive as the full on face lift, making it an attractive option to many. Facial fillers are also not so dramatic – the look can be achieved over a longer period of time and the fillers can be used incrementally to keep the face looking young.

The History of Facial Fillers

Like so many cosmetic surgery techniques, facial fillers started off in traditional medicine. A common side effect of HIV is the wasting away of fat in the face. To help HIV sufferers, dermatologists started to use fillers to help fill the face out.

Originally, fat from the own patient was used. Normally the fat was harvested fm the stomach or hips and then injected into the relevant areas of the face. Over time, different filling agents have come to the fore as they are longer-lasting, more malleable, and more reliable.

Facial Fillers Today

There are two main kinds of facial filler on the market at the moment – the replacement filler and the stimulatory filler. The replacement filler is a filler that that fills a hole or space. The stimulatory, as it’s name suggests, encourages the body to produce more collagen. As a rule of thumb, stimulatory fillers are used on younger clients with replacement fillers used on older patients who have started to lose muscle and bone density and therefore need more work done.

For the most natural results from face fillers, temporary fillers are often the best way to go. Permanent fillers may cause problems later in life – as the face starts to age naturally, the fillers may start to look odd and disjointed.

Facial Filler Products

There are plenty of different types of filler on the market with Sculptra and Radiesse arguably being the two current most popular types. Sculptra is a stimulatory works well for those who are looking to plump out gaunt looking cheeks. Sculptra aims to increase the body’s collagen output through the use of Poly-L-acid. Sculptra has been on the market for over 20 years therefore has a good track record. Each treatment will last about 12-18 months.

Radiesse has good results in re-inflating minor depressions and wrinkles in the skins as well as giving better definition in the cheekbones and cheeks – if you are looking for a mini-facelift, Radiesse can often achieve the same sorts of results without the need for invasive surgery. Radiesses is a small implant containing a bio-material housed in a gel casing. Once injected, the biomaterial disappears causing soft tissue regrowth and long-term volume. Again, treatments tend to last around 12-18 months.

Nufill is another stimulatory filler that also uses Poly-L-acid. Similar to Sculptra, it is ideal for smoothing the skin and giving a lift to sagging skin. Each treatment will last around 12-18 months.

Treatments using stem cells are the latest thing on the market. One of these is Intercytex which has shown some promising results. Stem cells called fibroblasts are harvested from a (young) donor. These cells are then suspended before being injected into the patient. The stem cells then work as a substitute for the patient’s own skin cells, producing greater quantities of collagen and therefore helping the renew, rebuild and plump out the face.

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‘Radiesse’ was developed by BioForm Medical in 2002 for use in facial reconstructive surgery, but now the calcium based microsphere technology has been approved for other applications.

The new treatment is longer lasting as it not only fills in facial folds and depressions like existing ‘wrinkle fillers’, but also increases the bodies capacity to produce collagen. Collagen provides body to facial tissues.

The drug was also approved for use on HIV positive candidates who suffer from significant facial fat loss (or lipoatrophy).

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/204_beauty.html

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Length: 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Anesthesia: Local with sedation or general.

In/Outpatient: Usually outpatient. Some people may require an overnight stay.

Side Effects: Temporary discomfort, swelling, bruising, numbness and/or stiffness. In jaw surgery, inability to open mouth fully for several weeks.

Risks: Shifting or imprecise positioning of implant, or infection around it requiring a second operation or removal. Excess tightening and hardening of scar tissue around the artificial implants causing an unnatural shape.

Recovery:

• 1 week: Back to work
• 2 to 4 weeks: ‘Normal’ appearance
• 6 weeks +: Strenuous activities, contact sports

Duration of Results: Permanent

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