April 2015

The Facts About Botox®

For many years, the mere mention of the word “Botox®” has evoked a variety of opinions (some negative and some positive), and for a long time, Botox® injections were thought to be a procedure reserved for the rich and famous to maintain their beauty and fight the natural signs of aging. In recent years, however, more and more women (and men) are choosing to have Botox® for a number of reasons.  Botox® has definitely become more mainstream, affordable and accessible for those who are neither rich nor famous, and people are beginning to understand its medical benefits.

Regardless of what you have heard or read about Botox®, keep in mind that not all information out there is factual. For this reason, it’s recommended you get accurate information from a trained professional—a medical doctor who has been educated in Botox® injections and can explain the benefits of this hugely popular cosmetic enhancement/medical treatment.

What, Exactly, is Botox®?

Botox® is actually the trade name for the botulinum toxin type A, which was originally used beginning in the 1980’s to treat facial and eyelid muscle spasms. In recent years, however, Botox® has become a very popular anti-aging tool as it reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

Because Botox® is both fascinating and misunderstood, it’s important that you understand what Botox® can do for you in regard to the aging process. If you’re considering Botox® in Denver, please learn as much as you can before undertaking Botox® injections. Here are some basic facts about Botox®:

  • The FDA approved Botox® for treatment of eye spasms in 1989.
  • The FDA approved cosmetic Botox® for creases in the frown lines in 2002, and it soon became the number one cosmetic procedure performed in cosmetic surgery facilities.
  • A licensed injector must administer Botox® injections.
  • The number of needle pokes necessary varies for each individual, as does how long the Botox® will last. Some patients may require more frequent injections than others.
  • Depending on the depth of your creases, how quickly Botox® works varies, but regardless of how deep your frown lines or wrinkles are, Botox® will eventually work (on most patients).
  • Most people react very well to Botox®; while rare, any adverse side effects will usually subside quickly.
  • Botox® aids in medical problems including migraine headaches, excessive sweating, bladder spasms, cerebral palsy and general muscle spasms.

If you’re looking for Botox® in Denver, please visit the Fante Eye and Face Centre, where a staff of paramedical professionals, certified surgical assistants, and medical technicians work closely with Dr. Robert G. Fante to provide you the best cosmetic treatment in the Denver area.

Upon arrival at your first appointment, your medical history will be taken, and Dr. Fante will consult with you to determine what your goals are regarding injections. If Botox® is right for you, Dr. Fante and his team will schedule injections right away.

What is Otoplasty?

If you’re a parent, you may have had to deal with your child being picked on for having certain physical imperfections beyond their control. How many times has a little boy or girl been teased because their ears were larger than other children’s?

Protruding ears, though quite common, can cause self-image issues and make children and adults feel unattractive. Not only do children and adults with protruding ears have their own insecurities, but in this age of bullying, children, especially, are at risk of being emotionally, psychologically and physically abused because of their differing appearance.

There is a solution that’s rather simple, affordable and growing more and more popular; it’s called, “Otoplasty,” ear surgery that results in re-shaped ears, making them less prominent and removing any form of protrusion. If you’re interested in having Otoplasty in Denver or would like to explore this option for one or more of your children, please read on.

What to Expect with Otoplasty

Otoplasty is a safe and affordable procedure that can correct the problem of protruding ears.  Otoplasty is performed more often during childhood but can be done on patients of any age. Simply put, Otoplasty is the surgical reshaping of the outer ears to make them more to the liking of what the patient wishes. The procedure is performed when the ears are fully-grown, which occurs around 4-5 years of age, but adults are also good candidates for otoplasty.

Not only does otoplasty improve the physical appearance of the ears, it does wonders to improve the patient’s self-esteem and self-image. The psychological benefits of otoplasty in children are countless.

A board-certified cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Robert Fante at the Fante Eye & Face Centre may perform hundreds of otoplasties each year.

Otoplasty can fix these issues:

  • Protruding ears
  • Cupped ears
  • Lop ears—The ear tips bend forward and downwards
  • Shell ear—The outer curve and rim is missing
  • Over-large or stretched earlobes
  • Highly creased or wrinkled ear lobes
  • Spock’s ear
  • Ears that are too large or too small
  • Excessively large ear piercings known as “gauge” piercings

If you’re looking for Otoplasty in Denver, please visit the Fante Eye & Face Centre, where a staff of paramedical professionals, surgical assistants and medical technicians work with Dr. Fante to provide patients the most pleasant and stress-free cosmetic surgery experience possible. Please contact us by phone or fill out our online form to schedule a thorough consultation to discuss Otoplasty in Denver today.

Am I a Candidate for Neck Surgery?

Are you unhappy with the way your neck looks? Do you feel you have too much loose skin and would like a tighter, younger look? If you are considering cosmetic surgery in Denver, you have come to the right place. Dr. Robert G. Fante, a board-certified cosmetic surgeon serving Boulder, Denver and surrounding communities, performs cosmetic neck surgery at the Fante Eye & Face Center.

After our medical team at the Center gets your complete medical history, Dr. Fante will sit down with you to ascertain your current situation, discuss your goals, and explore any surgical options that may help reach those goals. But before performing any cosmetic surgery procedure—no matter how minor or major—you must be considered a good candidate for the particular procedure you’d like to have done.

Are You a Good Candidate for Cosmetic Neck Surgery?

Let’s take a look at who would make a good candidate for cosmetic surgery in Denver performed by Dr. Fante. Because a neck lift is an outpatient procedure performed with either local anesthetic and some IV sedation, or with general anesthesia (anesthesia requirements vary with each patient), you can go home the same day of the surgery; however, you must have someone drive you as you may still feel the effects of the sedation and/or anesthesia when you leave the Center.

Outpatient procedures, like a neck lift, often make the candidate pool greater because they are less invasive, take less time to perform, and the recovery time is often much shorter than procedures that require overnight stays.

If you are over the age of thirty, are in good health and have reasonable expectations for what cosmetic neck surgery will do for your appearance, you are most likely a good candidate for the procedure. Because each patient’s reaction to surgery and recovery is different, Dr. Fante can determine if cosmetic neck surgery is right for you only after a very thorough medical consultation.

In order to be a good candidate for neck surgery, you have to be committed to the recovery requirements, which may include any or all of the following:

  • Changing dressings
  • Using ice as directed
  • Taking pain medication as directed
  • Resting at home
  • Wearing a spandex neck garment for one week
  • Sleeping with your head elevated for one week
  • Avoiding physical activity for a couple of weeks
  • Refraining from all tobacco use for three weeks after surgery
  • Avoiding aspirin, NSAIDs and Vitamin E for three weeks after surgery

Because the final results of cosmetic neck surgery may not appear for several months, patience is a must. If you feel you’d make a good candidate for cosmetic surgery in Denver performed by Dr. Fante, then please contact us today. We also have a convenient online form you can fill out to schedule your initial consultation.

How Smoking Affects Your Facial Skin

We have all heard about the health hazards of smoking our entire lives, but did you know that in addition to contributing to adverse effects on virtually every system of the human body, smoking also affects the appearance of your facial skin? It’s true. Every time you inhale a cigarette, different types of damage is done to your facial skin, and smoking accelerates the aging of your skin, which is something that no one wants to experience.

In an age when most people are doing everything in their power (and with the help of their cosmetic surgeon) to reverse the signs of aging including getting Botox® in Denver at Fante Eye & Face Centre, one step you can take to look younger is to stop smoking today. We realize that’s much easier said than done, but with so many smoking cessation medications, patches, gums, e-cigarettes and the like to help smokers kick the habit, it is possible and maybe a little easier than ever before.

How Does Smoking Affect the Skin?

Did you know that after only ten years of smoking, the facial skin on even young adults begins to become affected in negative ways? Wrinkles become visible because smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outer layers of the facial skin. This, in turn, results in less blood flow and reduces the amount of nutrients and oxygen that get to the skin. Smoking, in a sense, starves your facial skin of the nutrients and oxygen it needs to stay healthy. So, after several years of regular smoking, your skin will certainly start to show signs of premature aging.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “Smoking damages important connective fibers like collagen and elastin, causing permanent wrinkles. This damage doesn’t take long to appear—studies have found that even smokers as young as 20 years old had facial wrinkling that doctors could see under a microscope. And if you smoke 10 or more cigarettes a day for at least 10 years, you’re more likely to develop deeply wrinkled, leathery skin and a yellowish complexion.”

Other ways that smoking adversely affects the facial skin is that when you purse your lips to inhale cigarette smoke and squint to prevent smoke from going into your eyes, you are causing stress to your skin. Crow’s feet around your eyes are one result of inhaling cigarette smoke; another result are deep lines around the sides of your mouth, making you appear older than you really are.

If you’re looking for Botox® in Denver to help repair some of the damage smoking has caused your facial skin, Dr. Fante at Fante Eye & Face Centre can help. Botox® has proven to be a successful tool to minimize the wrinkles, lines and creases caused by smoking. To learn more about Botox® in Denver, how it can help the damage done by smoking, and what to expect during Botox® please contact the Fante Eye & Face Centre, serving Denver, Boulder and surrounding communities today.

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