Summer Skin Care with San Diego Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abhay Gupta

Get radiant skin this summer with minimally invasive cosmetic treatments and medical skin care!

Now that summer is here, you probably have your workout routine solidified so you feel confident in your bathing suit. (If not, there is still time to pursue a body contouring or breast augmentation plastic surgery procedure to help you reach your aesthetic goals faster!) But, have you thought about how your skin looks? Even if your body looks fantastic, less-than-perfect skin can detract from your natural beauty whether you are relaxing by the beach, lounging by the pool or enjoying a picnic with loved ones.

Remember: Your skin is the largest organ of your body — do not neglect it! If your skin could use a pick-me-up in time for the dog days of summer, San Diego plastic surgeon Dr. Abhay Gupta can help. He offers the following cosmetic treatments designed to give you glowing, younger-looking skin.

Injectable Treatments

BOTOX® works by temporarily suspending the movement of muscles that cause facial folds or wrinkles. It is most effective when targeting the upper face and neck, or when used as an adjunct treatment in the lower face. BOTOX treatment can improve the appearance of: large furrows or wrinkles across the forehead, “crow’s feet” around the outer corners of the eyes and the vertical “frown line” between the eyebrows. The effects of BOTOX typically last about four months.

Collagen, a protein that occurs naturally in the body, is essential for healthy, younger-looking skin. The body produces less collagen as we age. Not only do collagen injectable treatments serve to replace missing collagen temporarily, but Dr. Gupta can use injectable collagen to fill in facial wrinkles or add volume to the lips.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA), a sugar that occurs naturally in the body, is essential for healthy skin because it hydrates, delivers nutrients to and serves as a cushioning agent for the skin. HA-based injectable treatments can be used to fill in both superficial and deep facial wrinkles, or add volume to facial features such as the lips. Results are immediate and can last up to six months. Common HA fillers include Restylane®, Perlane®, Juvéderm™ and others.

Radiesse® contains calcium hydroxyapatite, a substance that occurs naturally in the body. Dr. Gupta uses Radiesse® injectable treatments to plump up facial tissues, reducing deep facial folds and creases. Results generally last from nine to 24 months, and typically benefit from a second touch-up treatment.

(Micro) fat grafting is similar to other procedures involving injectable fillers in that it serves to restore volume to the face. Dr. Gupta uses micro fat grafting treatment to improve facial contour abnormalities, to add volume to hollow facial areas and as a natural alternative to manufactured injectable fillers. Because Dr. Gupta grafts a patient’s own fat cells, there is no risk of allergic reaction or rejection. During treatment, Dr. Gupta removes fat cells from one area of the body then grafts them to a different area by injecting the fat cells into the deep tissue layers of the targeted area. Results differ for each patient, depending on the person’s age, skin quality, genetics and other individual factors. Multiple fat grafting treatments may be required for optimal results.

Chemical Peels

Do you wish you could even out skin tone, eliminate fine lines and improve dark spots on your face? If so, chemical peel treatment may be right for you. During treatment, Dr. Gupta uses a chemical solution to remove outer layers of skin that have been damaged by sun overexposure, acne or aging. This prompts the body to regenerate a new layer of healthy skin cells that look younger and smoother. Those with darker complexions may not be suitable candidates for chemical peel treatment.

Medical Skin Care

Dr. Gupta can address your specific skin care needs by creating a nonsurgical medical skin care regimen that is specifically tailored to your unique skin type and aging concerns. After consultation, Dr. Gupta will give you skin care instructions designed to improve the health and look of your skin dramatically. He may also advise facial cosmetic surgery patients to follow a medical skin care regimen before and after surgery to promote proper healing and help maintain aesthetic results following surgery.

Medical skin care products are more effective than commercial products because they have a greater amount of the active ingredient(s). Commercial products typically use weak active ingredients, and are therefore relatively ineffective.

Gupta Plastic Surgery offers the Vivité® line of skin care products. Developed by the makers of BOTOX® and LatisseTM, these products are designed to help both men and women improve surface hyper-pigmentation, rebuild collagen, smooth skin and reduce blemishes.

Don’t let all the hard work you’ve put in to look great in a bathing suit go to waste because you neglected to take care of your skin. Your face and skin are the first things that people see. Make a splash this summer with healthy, glowing skin!

To schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Gupta to learn more about your cosmetic treatment or skin care options, please contact Gupta Plastic Surgery by calling (858) 408-6100.

Fun Fact of the Month: For healthy skin, you need: vitamin A to treat sun damage and cellulite; vitamin D to reduce spots and growths; vitamin C, an antioxidant, to regenerate vitamin E and provide sun protection; and vitamin E, an antioxidant, to protect against sun damage and aging.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons  Fellow American College of Surgeons