Social media and phones equipped with cameras have given rise to an avalanche of picture sharing. For example, in 2015, over 2 billion photos were shared on Facebook alone. That’s a lot of picture taking and a lot of people looking at faces - their own and others people’s. All this sharing is fun. Snapping close ups of yourself with friends and family, taking shots of yourself in different locations and against great backgrounds has been one of the real advantages of having a smartphone.

However, all these shared photographs of our special moments come with one singular downside; as we age, many dread the close-up as it can highlight the aspects of aging in our faces that we don't love.

How many times have you found yourself taking one look at a selfie and rushing to hit delete? How often have you seen a photo of yourself online, taken by someone else and cringed seeing a little double-chin or creases next to the eyes?

As you might expect, the digital age of selfies, and the increase in time people are spending on social networks like Instagram and Facebook has led to an increase in facelifts and non-invasive facial cosmetic procedures.

The good news is there are plenty of treatments available to correct sun damage, reverse the signs of aging, and help lift the face, chin, and neck, helping selfie takers and others who enjoy sharing pictures online look great in every photo.

Non-Invasive Facial Cosmetic Procedures

For those who aren't ready take the plunge into surgical options, there are less invasive facial cosmetic treatments that still offer incredible results.

Some of these cosmetic treatments are:

Botox

 Injections of Botox blocks certain specific muscular nerve signals, causing them to weaken and not contract. This action diminishes unwanted wrinkles and helps smooth the skin.

Botox (or similar formulations) can be used to help smooth:

Frown lines Forehead lines and furrows Crows feet Skin bands around the neck

Kybella

Kybella is a recently approved injectable treatment for reducing the fat under the chin.

Over 80% of people with double chins are worried about the situation and the effect it has on the overall looks.

Kybella injections are an alternative to liposuction or surgery for treating and eliminating the fat that creates this appearance of a double chin.

Kybella is identical to something called deoxycholic acid, which your body makes to help absorb fats. The facial cosmetic procedure works by destroying fat cells in the target area, reducing or eliminating a double chin and lifting the entire look of the face.

Cool Mini

The Cool Mini process sculpts away a double chin.. The treatments involve simply applying a specialized applicator to the fat beneath the chin. The Cool Mini system pulls the fat snugly into the applicator cup where cold plates reduce the temperature of the fat to its unique freezing point. Fat cell breakdown begins and over the next 12 weeks the fat is eliminated by the body’s natural sweep mechanism.

Once gone, the fat stays gone. The cells aren’t shrunken, they’re destroyed by the process and unlike liposuction, no incisions are made and no surgical risks are involved.

Chemical Peels

A chemical peel is one of the non-invasive treatments used to improve the appearance of the skin. Sun exposure, acne, or just getting older can leave the skin tone uneven, wrinkled, scarred, or spotted.

A chemical peel can help improve:

Age spots Acne and acne scars Fine lines and wrinkles Scars Sun-damage Rough skin Scaly patches on the skin Irregular pigmentation (coloring) Freckles

Dermal fillers Dermal fillers are used to diminish facial lines and bring back volume and fullness in the face.

As we age, our skin stretches and our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat (the fat immediately beneath the skin). With the facial muscles now working closer to the skin surface, smile lines and crow's feet become more apparent.

Dermal fillers can be used to:

Plump thin lips Soften facial creases and wrinkles Improve the appearance of recessed scars Enhance shallow contours of the cheeks and other facial areas

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing, also know as a laser peel, can reduce facial wrinkles, blemishes, and scars.

Laser skin resurfacing can improve minor facial flaws, such as:

Fine lines or wrinkles around or under your eyes, forehead or mouth Birthmarks Enlarged oil glands on the nose Aged or sun-damaged skin Liver spots Scars from acne or chickenpox Improve your complexion if you have yellowish or grayish skin tones Warts

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion and Dermaplaning involve a method of controlled surgical scraping to “refinish” the top layers of the skin. These treatments can help soften surface irregularities and give the skin a smoother and more regular appearance.

These cosmetic techniques are most often used to improve the look of facial skin left scarred by accidents or previous surgery, or to smooth out fine facial wrinkles.

Dermaplaning is also commonly used to treat deep acne scars.

Both dermabrasion and dermaplaning can be used alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as facelift, scar removal or revision, or chemical peel.

V-Line or K Surgery

Popular in the Asian community, the V-Line or K-Surgery makes changes to the jaw line, mandible and chin, narrowing and tapering the lower part of the face, creating the desired V shape.

This change in facial contours can be performed surgically, but can also be done with non-invasive techniques, such as Botox and fillers.

Frequently requested traditional cosmetic surgeries for the face are:

Facelift

The most complete alteration and rejuvenation of the face can be produced by a traditional facelift. During this facial cosmetic procedure the plastic surgeon will address and improve problems like:

• Deep creases below the lower eyelids
• Forehead wrinkles
• Sagging in the middle of the face
• Deep creases along the nose, extending down to the mouth
• Fat that has fallen or disappeared due to aging
• Loss of tone in the lower face area, creating jowls
• Loose skin and excess fat under the chin and jaw that create the appearance of a double chin

Necklift

A necklift may be just right for patients not ready for a full facelift but who have begun to see excess wrinkling on the neck skin causing a “turkey neck” or double chin, or jowl lines.

A necklift can address:

• Muscle banding in the neck, which created abnormal contours Excess fatty deposits under the chin
• Loose neck skin
• Excess fat and skin relaxation in the lower face that creates jowls

Chin Implants

The shape of the chin has a remarkable influence on the overall appearance of the face and neck. Improvements in the shape of the chin can have positive effects on other areas that you might not have realized.

A chin augmentation is a facial cosmetic procedure to reshape or enhance the size of the chin. It may be done either by inserting an implant or by moving or reshaping bones.

Rhinoplasty (nose job)

Rhinoplasty has always been one of the most sought after facial cosmetic procedures. For people who feel that their nose is too large for the face or in other ways misshapen or disproportionate a rhinoplasty can feel like a miracle.

Eyelid Surgery

With eyelid surgery you can improve the appearance of your eyelids (upper lids, lower lids, or both), giving you a brighter and more youthful look in photographs and in person-to-person contact.

Eyelid surgery is used to treat:

• Bags under the eyes
• Excess skin, and fine lines and wrinkles of the lower eyelid
• Sagging skin that creates folds or disturbs the natural contour of the upper eyelid
• Drooping lower eyelids that reveal white below the iris
• Excess fatty deposits that appear as puffiness in the eyelids

If you are tired of looking tired in your selfies and are considering the prospect of rejuvenating your facial appearance and want to talk to an expert in facial cosmetic procedures, give us a call here at San Francisco Plastic Surgery and Laser Center, the offices of Dr Usha Rajagopal, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with 20 years experience. We’ll be happy to schedule an appointment.