New Year, New You

Achieving a Confident Appearance with Aesthetic Medicine

• By Melissa Whitfield
• January 9, 2025
• Health

As the new year approaches, many people consider making positive changes in their lives. For those who have recently achieved significant weight loss, the next step might be restoring a youthful, refreshed appearance, or perhaps getting rid of that stubborn double chin. Maybe there’s a bald spot on your head that is no longer staying hidden. Aesthetic treatments, such as Botox, dermal fillers and other non-surgical procedures can help patients feel more confident and rejuvenated.

Patti May, M.D., family medicine, Texas Tech Physicians Multispecialty Clinic, explained the different procedures available to help older and younger people look refreshed.

“Most people are worried about lines on the forehead, which give the appearance of worry or disapproval,” May said. “For that, Botox works wonderful. It is injected with an insulin syringe to paralyze the underlying muscle, which causes the wrinkles to disappear. The downside is that it lasts only a few months. Touch ups are needed every three to six months to maintain the smooth brow.”

May highlighted the benefits of maintaining healthy skin.

“If you’re an older person, one of the biggest things that you can do is get your skin in really good shape,” May said. “Older skin is often described as dull and dry, while young skin is glowing. A good skin care regimen is essential. Personally, I have been using ZO® skin care products for about 25 years. My skin is healthier and better now than it was when I was 25.”

Other treatments for skin rejuvenation include the use of fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane, platelet rich plasma (PRP), and a micro pin treatment. PRP is also used for stimulating hair growth.

“Fillers are better for the lower face, where the predominant issue is volume loss,” May said. “My favorite is the PRP, which involves drawing the patient’s blood, spinning it in a special centrifuge, and drawing off the clear liquid — which is the platelet rich plasma — and then reinjecting it or used in conjunction with micro pen treatments.”

May said PRP and fillers are used around the eyes and lower face to lift and plump the skin when it’s looking gaunt due to age or weight loss. Commercial fillers are a synthetic material which works instantly and lasts for several months. PRP does not have the immediate, dramatic effect of fillers, but it encourages one’s own cells to wake up and start doing their job and often lasts for years.

“For people who have a bald spot or are starting to have thinning hair, the PRP will stimulate hair growth,” May said. “Treatments are once a month for three to six months and then maintenance once or twice a year.”

For those who would like to have a more refined chin without surgery, there is help for that too.

“We also have the ability to do the under-neck pad (double chin) with Kybella, an injection used to dissolve fat in this specific area,” May said. “When you come in, we ensure you are a suitable candidate for the procedure and then put a little tattoo on the target area to map the position of the injections. Then a fluid that dissolves fat is injected. Most clients require two or three treatments spaced a month apart to reach the desired result, but it normally lasts for years.”

May said in all her years of practice, she’s only seen one bad reaction and it was resolvable. She cautioned that the most painful of the procedures is when it’s done around the lips. For all other procedures a topical anesthetic is used. The worst common reaction are bruises.

While it might be more convenient to go to a spa for treatments, one of the benefits of seeing a physician is that they will schedule the procedures over time to give a more natural look, rather than injecting the entire dosage during a one-time visit.

“My goal is to make you look good,” May said. “If you are happy with your outward appearance, you feel better and are more likely to take better care of yourself!”