Denver, Colo.— As an injector trainer, one of a handful of surgeon trainers in the state, Dr. Jeffrey Raval has pioneered a new process to make the injections in this liquid facelift painless. He combines fast-acting lidocane, a numbing agent, with the injectable fillers, a practice that the FDA approved in 2009.

Injectable fillers are used on the face to turn back the clock, plumping up the face to look fresh and young, juicy even.

“I liken the face as we age to a grape that slowly over time turns into a raisin,” says Dr. Raval, who is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngologist. He performs surgery on the head and neck only.

One of the greatest contradictions in aging is the loss of fat in the face while simultaneously gaining in the hips and mid-section. Well, there is a solution and it can take years off of one’s appearance, according to Jeffrey R. Raval, MD FACS. The answer is in combining diet and exercise for weight control to retain a firm mid-section with infusions of fat and filler in the face to keep it looking plump and, yes, juicy.

Of the two missions, the one that’s more painful and time consuming is definitely the diet and exercise piece. Dr. Raval explains that around the age of 35 (some studies suggest 30), the average woman loses 1/2 to 1/3 of a pound of muscle each year while gaining an equal amount in body fat. Each pound of body fat burns an estimated 5 calories per day while each pound of lean muscle mass burns approximately 50 calories per day. The result of carrying around fat vs. muscle mass is a drastically slower metabolism. A slower metabolism means weight gain, even when you don’t change eating habits.

“Keeping your physique young looking means an investment of time into regular workouts and it means relentless attention to caloric intake and healthy food choices,” says Dr. Raval, who fits a serious workout session into his busy life a minimum of three times weekly. “Keeping fit and trim as you age means giving up the burgers and fries you might have enjoyed as a teenager. Carbs show up on your waist and hips. Even diet sodas with artificial sweeteners can trigger the cephalic phase response—the sweet taste on the tongue stimulates the brain to eat and overeat.”

On the other hand, successful weight loss will most often result in the face looking thinner, even gaunt.

That’s because our bodies manufacture less natural collagen as we age. The skin loses its elasticity, jowls begin to droop and creases and wrinkles deepen.

At his clinic in Cherry Creek North, the upscale shopping and entertainment district in Denver, Dr. Raval performs several kinds of mini facelifts using a customized combination of facial fillers including Restylane®, Juvederm®, Hylaform, Perlane, Radiesse and collagen in combination with Botox®, Dysport® and PureTox®, three injectable products that smooth away wrinkles and creases by effectively numbing the underlying facial muscles that contract to make natural wrinkles and folds.

Using fillers, Dr. Raval is also able to correct aging jowls, filling in the areas that have receded to create a smooth jaw line, reinserting the definition that is seen on a much younger face. Additionally he can correct aging eyes by inserting filler underneath the lower eyelid where the eye begins to wrinkle and the tissue sometimes appears sunken. Filler plumps up the area, erasing lines and wrinkles and returns the eye to a much younger appearance.

The beauty in the injectable facelift, adds Dr. Raval, is that it can be performed in less than 30 minutes without general anesthesia in his office. The patient may experience a small amount of bruising, but there is no weeks-long recovery as in a traditional facelift.

For information on the One-Hour Facelift, call Dr. Raval’s office at 303-381-3223 (FACE) or read more about age defying treatments at www.ravalmd.com.

The trend used to be if you had a wrinkle, indentation or a sag in your skin, especially excess skin, pull it taut or take it off. Those procedures were just as invasive as they sound. The newest treatment is a lot easier on the face and the wallet: Simply fill it. Call it recession chic. Then call The Filler Guy, Dr. Jeffrey Raval, an expert on injectable fillers and a facial plastic surgeon.

“We all go from a grape to a raisin as we age,” says Jeffrey Raval, MD, FACS, who practices in Cherry Creek North in Denver, CO. “That’s where the fillers are coming in. Instead of pulling and cutting, the newest approach is to replenish the loss of volume with injections of non-invasive fillers. There are so many filler products on the market today that the friendly competition between manufacturers has led to a reduction in price, a reduction we’re passing along to the patient.”

Competition drives down pricing in any product-technology to housing. Until recently, there were not as many players with products in the cosmetic industry, keeping prices high.

Some of the recent price cuts mean beauty comes at a reduced cost. Radiesse now comes in a larger syringe-up to 1.5 cc from 1.3 cc in size. The larger size syringe is sold to surgeons at the same price as the smaller syringe. The size of a Restylane syringe has doubled, from 1 mm to 2 mm and the price of each syringe sold to doctors only increased 70% vs. 100%. The cost savings on materials (in this case filler materials) allows Dr. Raval to pass that savings along to the patient.

The Filler Guy, Dr. Raval, is the top doc in Denver who specializes in this type of cosmetic enhancement.
He first consults with you to put together a tailored solution based on your desired results and your particular skin’s needs. Your skin is unique to you, explains Dr. Raval, which is why a cookie-cutter treatment just won’t work. It is important to carefully select the right product for your face. The Filler Guy, Dr. Raval, uses multiple types of filler injectables to achieve the most natural rejuvenation treatment possible.

Juvederm is the injectable best for the mid-to-deep dermis of the face. This is the layer that contains nerve endings, sweat and oil glands and blood vessels, so it is a product you would like to have injected by a double-board certified doctor like Dr. Raval instead of at your local spa. Results can last up to one year and it can treat nasolabial folds (also known as parentheses lines or smile lines) in the lower portion of the face. Juvederm is also used to fill the back of the hands, restoring the hands, a dead-giveaway of age, to a younger look.

The benefit in Juvederm is its hyper-tenacity. The product, once injected, tends to draw in water creating a nice plumping effect, explains The Filler Guy, Dr. Raval. “That’s particularly nice for the lips and folds in the face. But we don’t use Juvederm around the eyes because can make eyes look puffy. The eye area is where we use Restylane.”

Restylane restores volume and elasticity to the face. It can be used to treat wrinkles, fill lips, shape cheeks and smooth the glabellar lines between the eyebrows. Pumping up your pout or contouring facial features with filler will not only take years off your face, it will safely be absorbed into your skin the way your body’s natural hyaluronic acid would. It is long lasting, but not permanent.

Perlane is similar to Restylane but gives a patient a more robust correction, says Dr. Raval. Perlane is made up of larger particles which take longer than Restylane to naturally absorb into the skin. Perlane can be implanted to add facial volume to wrinkles and folds in any area of the face as well as to the lips. “Each syringe of Perlane contains a little more correction than does a syringe of Restylane,” notes Dr. Raval. It lasts about the same length of time as Restylane, one year.

Radiesse is the best product for volumizing. “It’s great for treating jaw lines, cheeks and under the cheek,” says The Filler Guy, Dr. Raval. Radiesse stimulates your body’s natural production of collagen so it not only creates a younger you, it prompts your body’s natural collagen-producing function to generate more collagen, enhancing the facial fullness even more. Radiesse is a calcium-based product and the injections require little or no downtime.

Denver’s Filler Doc, The Filler Guy, Dr. Raval is the expert of enhancement. Call Dr. Raval at 303-985-8520 for an appointment.

Q: While the optimists refer to wrinkles and creases in their faces as “the marks of a good life,” I want them gone. What causes my wrinkles and is there a way to make them disappear?

A: Over time, sun and other environmental factors cause skin to break down. The skin loses its volume and shape and unwanted wrinkles and fine lines appear. With today’s technology,  Jeffrey Raval, Md, FACS, a leading Denver facial plastic surgeon, one of only a handful in the state who is triple board certified, uses the latest technology and FDA-approved injectible fillers to reverse the signs of aging and eliminate unwelcome wrinkles. A facial filler like Juvéderm can help smooth wrinkles by adding volume and structure to the sunken areas of skin.

Q: I am constantly bombarded with different cosmetic creams and fillers. What is Juvéderm and how is it different from all of the others?

A: The main component of Juvéderm is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural sugar complex that is already present in all living cells. It is one of the main counterparts of the dermis connective tissue matrix as well as with collagen and elastin. Hyaluronic acid is similar to a sponge; it attracts and absorbs water increasing the skin’s volume and density. Because the acid absorbs water, it promotes duration for up to 6 months or longer setting Juvéderm apart from other dermal fillers.

Q: I have very sensitive skin and have experienced reactions to topological creams previously.  Can I still receive Juvéderm injections?

A: In a word, yes! The main component of Juvéderm, hyaluronic acid is a sugar compound naturally found in the body. Since it is already present, the chances of an allergic reaction are eliminated.

Q: I want to get rid of the wrinkles around my mouth and nose but I am squeamish when it comes to needles. Is the procedure painful?

A: Because of its smooth consistency, Juvéderm gel is injected easily and smoothly under the skin’s surface. In some cases, a mild numbing cream may be applied to the area beforehand.

Q: As an African American woman, not all procedures work for my skin. Can I be treated with Juvéderm without adverse side effects?

A: As the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is proven safe for use in different skin tones, Juvéderm is extremely safe for all skin tones and colors. While mild side effects such as redness, firmness, swelling, bruising and itching are common they occur in all skin tones.

Q. I have a bump in my nose that makes me extremely self-conscious of anything that highlights my facial profile. The idea of someone going at my nose with a chisel is unappealing. I guess I am too squeamish to undergo traditional rhinoplasty. Are there any other less invasive options for me?

A. Yes, there are options for correcting your nose vs. rhinoplasty. Referred to as the “15-minute nose job” using the dermal filler, Juvéderm™, Dr. Raval is able to smooth out any imperfections without surgery. Most commonly used to fill facial wrinkles, Juvéderm™ has now been approved to correct nose imperfections.

Q. I have heard Juvéderm™ can be injected into certain places of the nose to disguise odd shapes and bumps. Would the filler move around in my nose over time and the shape become distorted? How exactly does this procedure work?

A. During the procedure, Dr. Raval carefully injects Juvéderm™ into certain areas of the nose to give it a symmetrical shape. The filler is used to fill in depressions and give the nose a smoother, even appearance. To correct a bump on the nose, Juvéderm is injected on either side of the bump to even out the surface. If the tip of the nose is annoyingly fat, filler is added to the tip to create a narrower look. Once the filler is injected into the nose, Dr. Raval manipulates it until the desired result is attained.

Q. I am allergic to collagen. Will I experience an adverse reaction from Juvéderm?

A. Collagen is made from a bovine derivative while Juvéderm is made from hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that is naturally occurring in the human body. It helps to add volume and hydration to the human system. Unlike collagen, there is no chance of an allergic reaction to Juvéderm.

Q.How much of a price difference is there between Juvéderm and traditional rhinoplasty? How long does it last?

A. Juvéderm injections are much cheaper than a traditional rhinoplasty. Injections cost about $500 for one syringe, several thousands of dollars cheaper than rhinoplasty. The procedure is extremely quick and easy, lasting only 15 minutes at the longest and results are immediate. Following the procedure, the nose will be slightly sore and red at the injection site but all the side effects will be gone within a week. The results of the procedure last over a year and when the effects begin to dissipate, they can be easily redone.