Eric Chang, MD

With the plethora of new technologies in medicine, it is very easy to get confused with what injectables can and cannot do.

Botox is a neurotoxin that paralyzes muscles.  It is generally used by plastic surgeons to paralyze muscles in the face, and softens the wrinkles associated with overuse of these muscles.

Restylane and Juvederm, on the other hand, are synthetic fillers.  They are used under the skin to fill natural lines, or to plump up areas.  The most common areas of use are in the nasolabial folds or "smile lines" and in the lips.

What we call "jowls" are actually the natually aging process of gravity, where the cheek begins to descend in to the neck.  I am sure there are people out there who believe that injecting something, or even performing liposuction alone, can remedy this problem, I personally believe that this is not the case.

A short scar or "mini" facelift can help lift the cheek back to its youthful position.  I can understand that since you're only in your 30's, the idea of a facelift seems rather extreme.  The truth is, with the advent of short scar and "mini" lifts, more and more people in their 40's are having these lifts done.

The one thing to mention about a mini lift is, sometimes a mini lift is so mini that it doesn't do anything.  Make sure that you will have REAL results, as you are having REAL surgery.

Hope this helps!