Restylane and Sculptra: youthful beauty without surgery

Have you been looking at the mirror and feeling quite unhappy about what you see? Are you seeing wrinkles, fine lines, folds and creases? We all dread to think about or actually see these undesirable features on our faces. What’s unsettling is the thought that you may need a fortune to restore your youthful looks and you have to go under the knife, too. Now that Restylane and Sculptra are available right here in Concord and north Charlotte, you can look as young as you think you are. Let’s admit it, deep inside we don’t really feel our age.

As we age, our skin goes through many changes. Other factors can also speed up these changes. Smoking, exposure to the sun (or use of tanning beds), air pollution, heredity and other factors can cause age-related signs to appear earlier than we expect. As much as we want to age like wine, our bodies do not work that way. On the average, wrinkles and lines on adults’ faces start appearing when they are in their late 20s and these become deeper and more obvious through the years. You don’t have to feel guilty of wanting to look younger; everybody wants that.

Without resorting to cosmetic surgical procedures, you can get rid of wrinkles and folds on your face. Sculptra and Restylane are US FDA approved injectable solutions for age-related skin problems. What’s more, you can have any of this right here in Concord and north Charlotte. Cosmetic injection has become a popular alternative to cosmetic surgery because it is less invasive, faster and has little or no recovery time. Unlike other cosmetic techniques, it does not also have undesirable side effects like scarring and pigment changes.

Restylane, dermal filler made of hyaluronic acid, is injected into facial skin to add fullness and volume. As a result, your wrinkles and folds are flattened. It is so effective in treating mouth grooves, forehead lines, frown furrows, lipstick lines and crow’s feet that it is has been injected over 11 million times worldwide as of 2010. You can go to your local Restylane specialist and see a younger looking you right after treatment. It has been clinically proven to provide results that last up to 18 months, with only one follow-up treatment at either 4.5 or nine months.

Sculptra Aesthetic works differently to correct shallow to deep wrinkles and folds. Your Sculptra trained doctor will administer this injectable filler every three weeks until you complete four sessions. Gradual replacement of lost collagen gives you a more subtle transformation. In this case, patience is a virtue that gives you young-looking skin for up to 25 months!

In Concord and north Charlotte, you have the two most effective and longer lasting answers to the problem of aging facial skin. No need to dream of costly and potentially risky plastic surgery. It’s time to find out from your local Restylane and Sculptra specialist the difference these options can make for your looks and self-esteem. Visit your cosmetic doctor now.

Age-Defying Solutions and Beauty Restoration at Cabarrus Eye Center by Dr. Gary T. Raflo, M.D. FACS

Dr. Gary T. Raflo, M.D. FACS

Cabarrus Eye Center is truly your one-stop shop for vision correction as well as cosmetic restoration in Concord, north Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas. As one of the board-certified and fellowship-trained doctors, Dr. Gary T. Raflo takes the eye center concept to a new level with cosmetic procedures like Botox, Restylane and Sculptra Aesthetics that restore beauty diminished by the waning years.

Dr. Raflo, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, is a trusted surgeon for refractive as well as eyelid reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. For a more refreshed, youthful look in the eye area, you can ask Dr. Raflo to expertly remove excess skin, bulging fat, and lax muscle or give you a brow lift. Those who want to have a permanent eyeliner also go to the eye center to avail of his quality of care.

What’s more remarkable is that Dr. Raflo is also an expert in cosmetic procedures that restore your younger looking beauty without performing surgery. Some people call surgery “going under the knife” for reasons that have nothing to do with the skill of the surgeon or the possible risks of the operation. They may want solutions that they can afford financially and physically. Meaning, they want to pay less and have faster or no recovery time.

At Cabarrus Eye Center, your trusted specialist in non-surgical cosmetic procedures can give you Restylane, Sculptra Aesthetic or Botox to renew your beauty which is somehow compromised by wrinkles and folds due to age. If you’ve heard about Botox (a muscle-relaxing protein) which provides rejuvenated facial appearance up to four months, you’ll be amazed at how the other two procedures can give you excellent results that last four to six times longer. And these are available right in Concord, north Charlotte and surrounding areas.

For a faster route to regaining youthful looks, you can have Restylane done at the eye center. Immediately after treatment you will see amazing results that lasts up to 18 months. All it takes is an injection of FDA-approved hyaluronic acid filler to your sub dermal facial tissues, smoothing your skin to diminish wrinkles and aging lines of the face. If your problem is nose to mouth lines, sad mouth corners, crow's feet or frown lines, visit Dr. Raflo in Concord to know first-hand how Restylane can correct these age-related problems.

For those who want subtle transformation or solution to almost the same age-related issues but with a longer lasting effect, Dr. Raflo offers Sculptra.  Instead of instant beauty rejuvenation, it provides gradual collagen replacement in four sessions with an interval of three weeks. Loss of collagen is one of the main reasons why the shape and volume of our faces change as we age. Depressions on the facial skin can be corrected by strengthening loosened collagen fibers. What you get is restored crease-free beauty for up to 25 months or two years. 

Cabarrus Eye Center does not only take several years off your age with non-invasive cosmetic procedures but also $100 off your second Sculptra or Restylane treatment. With an offer like this, you can stop worrying about the cost or risk of surgery and start reclaiming your younger-looking beauty.

Overall, Dr. Gary T. Raflo and Cabarrus Eye Center provide options to meet your needs and suit your preferences for solving cosmetic or vision problems. Surely, you will find that you can’t possibly be wasting time when you visit because of the wide range of services they offer in Concord, north Charlotte and surrounding areas.    
(* image above is not an actual patient)

Youthful, refreshed eyes restored with eyelid surgery in Concord and north Charlotte NC

Droopy, wrinkled puppy dog eyes are really cute…on puppies. On adults, drooping, puffiness, bagging and wrinkling around the eyes are seldom called cute. Instead, these problems around the eyes can add years to your face. Do well-meaning friends often ask you if you’re tired? Do you look in the mirror and wonder why you look older than you feel? The problem could be in the tissue around your eyes which is giving you a tired, older appearance. Don’t despair; there are solutions to restore youthfulness to your eyes.

Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that involves removing excess skin and fat from the eyelid while strengthening and reinforcing the muscles. When performed on the lower eyelid, blepharoplasty can take away the puffiness and bags that appear under the eyes. When this eyelid surgery is performed, the incision can be made on the inside of the eyelid preventing visible scarring. Before and after pictures of people who have had this procedure are quite dramatic. 

Eyelid surgery can also be performed on the upper eyelids. For some patients, the surgery can involve repositioning tissue to create a crease in the eyelid. For others, removing tissue and strengthening the muscles of the eyelid can alleviate drooping or puffiness. The result is an eyelid restored to its youthful suppleness. After recovery from this surgery, patients often look years younger as well as looking energetic and refreshed.

Blepharoplasty is also performed for functional reasons. Specifically, some patients have eyelids which droop or fold over the eyelash line. This can affect peripheral vision. Driving and reading are both impacted when peripheral vision is impaired. Eyelid surgery can correct this problem and restore a full range of vision to the patient.

Whether you are considering eyelid surgery for cosmetic or functional reasons, it is important that you consult an expert in blepharoplasty. You need an eye surgeon in Concord and north Charlotte that is experienced and one you can trust. You need an excellent ophthalmologist who will evaluate your medical history and current condition, take photographs of your eyes and discuss the procedure and outcomes with you. If blepharoplasty is an option that is right for you, the surgery can be performed at your Concord eye doctors’ office in an outpatient procedure. If blepharoplasty is not the best choice for you, other non-surgical options may be suggested. 

Call today to discuss the possibility of eyelid surgery with an experienced, highly qualified doctor in Concord, north Charlotte area. Our eye doctors at Cabarrus Eye Center are ready to answer all your questions. You have nothing to lose except years off the appearance of your eyes.

Eyelid Surgery at Cabarrus Eye Center Restores Youth and Beauty to Eyes in Concord

Are your eyelids looking different? Have you flipped through old photos and yearbooks recently?  If you have, you probably laughed a little and wondered where the years have gone.  Maybe you even marveled at how young you looked in those photos.  Signs of aging sneak up on us gradually and certain parts of our faces show the effect of years more than others.  The tissue around our eyes, for example, is especially susceptible to wrinkling, “bagging” or appearing puffy and tired.  Cosmetic eye surgery at Cabarrrus Eye Center in Concord, North Carolina can help reverse those effects helping to give you a younger, more energetic appearance.

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is usually performed for cosmetic reasons.  Our lower eyelids can show signs of aging.  Puffiness, the appearance or bags under the eyes and wrinkling can make eyes appear heavy, tired and aged.  Blepharolplasty involves removing or moving excessive skin and fat from the eyelid to restore it to a more youthful appearance.  In addition, the muscles and supportive tissue of the eyelid are strengthened.   On the upper eyelid, eye lid surgery can be performed to remove or move excessive skin or fat which results in drooping, tired looking eyes.  Some patients, including those of Asian heritage, often choose to have blepharoplasty to create a crease in the upper eyelid. 

Eyelid surgery may also be performed if a patient is suffering from poor peripheral vision due to excessive skin on the upper eyelids.  When excessive skin folds over the eyelashes or the actual eye, vision is compromised.  For these patients, eyelid surgery is functional as opposed to cosmetic.  After the surgery, these same patients have restored peripheral vision which is important for driving and reading.

Whether you are considering blepharoplasty for cosmetic reasons, functional reasons, or both, it is important that you receive treatment from Cabarrus Eye Center, the best eye care center in Concord and north Charlotte NC.  In order to determine if blepharoplasty is right for you, an initial appointment is made to review your medical history, conduct a thorough examination, take photographs of your eyes and discuss the procedure and outcomes.  If you and the doctor decide you could benefit from the surgery, your eye surgeon will explain the process and procedures in more detail.  If blepharoplasty does not seem like an option, the ophthalmologist can discuss other options available to you.  In either case, at Cabarrus Eye Center, you can rely on our experience and expertise. As the best eye doctors in Concord and north Charlotte, NC we can help you make that decision.

If you’re tired of looking tired and aged, make an appointment with Cabarrus Eye Center, your local Concord and north Charlotte eye center. If blepharoplasty is right for you, your eyes and face may be looking refreshed, energetic and more youthful sooner than you can imagine.