The answer to the above question- none of them.

What?! Are you nuts, I can’t believe you just said that! So what do I mean by this?

Simply put, a builder does not build an entire house out of concrete, just as Michaelangelo did not paint the entire Sistine Chapel in brown.

In my opinion, for an injector/physician/surgeon/artist to properly use a facial filler, he/she must have a clear artistic vision and strategy before even beginning to inject. Filling in a deep line is rarely the solution to an overall effective method of making you look younger in the most natural way. A natural looking, youthful appearance comes down to restoring the contour of a youthful face. The proper contour is well balanced and for this reason looks completely natural.

Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Radiesse, Evolence, etc. are all great products. I can use these products to contour the cheeks, fill in the tear troughs, enhance the lips, soften the chin and all together improve your appearance. (Notice how I specifically did not mention filling in the nasolabial folds- more on that in a different post) However, they each have VERY unique properties that make them excellent for certain goals, yet terrible for others. Without revelaing the secrets, the best, most natural results are arrived at by combining these products in order to achieve the envisioned end result.

Just as in any surgical procedure, I first envision the appearance that I would like to achieve and then I figure out what tool to use. Facial fillers are the tools that help me achieve these results. They each are unique and have their place in my tool chest.

Below is a video of one of our patients who had her Acne scars treated with the fractional CO2 laser. My philosophy on acne scar treatment is based on directing treatment based on the type of acne scar present. Since acne scars come in different varieties (shapes and forms), laser surgery for acne scars works very well on particular types of scarring patterns, but not as well on others. I will often combine modalities at the same time. Treating acne scars in this fashion leads to the best possible results.  

As time goes on, her skin will continue to build new collagen and I am looking forward to the progress.

The decision to have cosmetic surgery is a very personal decision. Understanding exactly what is involved is not only important for making a wise decision, but also makes you more comfortable throughout the process. What people are most apprehensive about is the prospect of the unknown. Today I am introducing a new feature to the website that will allow others to better understand the entire process from start to finish.  These video journeys will document my patient’s experience in the preoperative, intra-operative, and postoperative time periods. I would like to thank my patients who have allowed me to document their experience and share it with others. It will be of large benefit to others.

Below is the first part of this particular video journey. Part 1 documents a patient 5 days prior to a deep plane facelift procedure. Tomorrow I will post the second part of this video journey series, which will document the day of surgery and the day after surgery.

In order to give you the best possible viewing experience, this is documented in high definition. If the video is slow on your internet connection please click here.

Click to learn more about facelift surgery.

The other night I saw the new Brad Pitt movie, The Curious of Benjamin Button. The film is based upon a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald (author of The Great Gatsby), where the protagonist is born 80 years old and instead of aging, he grows younger. This plot line is a fascinating vehicle for examining age related issues, both physical and emotional. These issues are not mutually exclusive, in fact they are closely linked. Positive changes and impacts on our physical appearance certainly affect our emotional state of well being. The opposite being just as true. I see this every day, and it makes what I do extremely rewarding.

In the movie, Benjamin Button struggles with his own identity. Quite the daunting task considering that he has a difficult time identifying with peer groups of the same physical age as himself. Certainly the age in which he is most comfortable is that of his 30’s and 40’s. This is the mid-point of his life, where his chronological age and physical age best match those of his peers. I frequently ask my patients at what age do they think they looked their best. The answer to this question is usually in their early 30’s. I have invested a great deal of thought into that answer, and could easily fill up an entirely different blog with the reasoning. However, I think I should start asking them at what age were they most content emotionally…

Besides the thought provoking nature of the plot line, the move is very well done, as I had expected. I especially enjoyed the makeup and costume design. Other then several minor inaccuracies (IMHO), the artist’s did a fantastic job of portraying Pitt’s physical appearance in the different chronological stages of life. As a face specialist who is attuned to this, I enjoyed their depiction of aging from the reverse direction. In essence, their task in doing so is conceptually similar to that of my profession.

Today I am pleased to launch the new drsteiger.com website. I intend for the website to be a comprehensive source of information for prospective patients, new patients, and my existing patients. In addition, the website will incorporate the principles of web 2.0, making it as interactive and informative as possible.

As you check back here periodically you will notice that new information will be added weekly.  In addition, we are working on new features for the site which I am very excited about. In line with the principles of web 2.0, I encourage interaction on the website.  To the right of every page you will see a link to both this blog and the forum.  The forum will serve as a vehicle to help answer questions regarding facial plastic surgery.

If you have any comments or suggestions please let us know at info@drsteiger.com.  I am excited about the site, and look forward to its future.