Dermabrasion is an adjunct to peels when used for Acne scars and on its own helps to diminish pigmentation and scars. In principle it is a lot like sandpapering off the irregular bits. In fact, the 3M Company makes sandpaper especially designed to give skin that special glow. The flipside is that when a large area of skin is involved, General Anesthesia may be required. Also, the procedure must not be repeated too many times. Microdermabrasion is a milder form of Dermabrasion that requires no anesthesia and requires more than one session.
Lip Augmentation
This is one procedure with a plethora of choices; the commonest options are Restylane and Fat Autograft. Restylane is explained above.
Fat auto graft involves taking 5 to 10 ccs of Fat from the tummy or side of the thigh and slowly introducing it into the lip. The procedure may be done under local anesthesia, technically called tumescent anesthesia with or without sedation. The results are great and last for an unpredictable amount of time, from years to forever. The biggest plus is the safety of the procedure as your own fat is put into your lip. Plus the cost is economical as compared to Restylane, which lasts about 6 months.
This includes removing excess fat or shaving off extra bone when required. Liposuction is done under Local Anesthesia, called Tumescent Anesthesia and involves a tiny 1 cm nick in the shadow of the chin. Shaving of excess bone is done from the inside of the mouth, so the patient does not have a scar. Sometimes people want prominent chins or cheekbones, in which case various types of implants are introduced and held on to the facial bones with a screw. The entire procedure is done from the inside of the mouth so there is no scar. General Anesthesia is required, and a typical procedure lasts for 1-1 ½ hour. Dimple creation involves simply putting a stitch onto the major muscle that makes you smile and is done from inside the mouth.
The jaw bones are unique in that they harbor islands of diverse tissue and are prone to tumors or fluid containing cysts which may not be seen elsewhere in the body. The complete removal is crucial to ensure that the lesion does not come back after sometime, and the surgery must be carefully planned so the patient’s look is not affected. A variety of reconstructive options may be required in case the tumor is very large; including Bone grafts, Hydroxyapatite blocks, Stainless steel or Titanium plates, local and distant soft tissue and later, Implants. The procedure usually requires approach from the skin, and every effort is made to ensure an inconspicuous scar. Jaw joint problems have so many causes that they cannot be listed on a single page! The therapy is equally varied and ranges from wearing a nightguard made of soft acrylic, to small injections in the joint, to surgery. For a small child whose jaw joint does not exist or is fused / ankylosed, we offer a rib graft with cartilage attached to it, that grows as the child grows and is the cutting edge therapy. Submucous Fibrosis is unique to the Indian Subcontinent, and is caused by Betel nut chewing. The range of mouth opening gradually decreases and the lining of the mouth as well as the muscles are affected. A range of medical and surgical options are available. These include weekly injections for 6 weeks, and in severe cases, grafting of neighbouring soft tissue such as the cheek fat. Results are amazing.
