Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Surgery

Minimally Invasive Procedures: Choosing the Needle Over the Knife

Procedures include Botox Cosmetic, Restylane and Microdermabrasion

*originally posted in
Long Island Press

Rest and relaxation seem like impossible feats to most Americans trying to balance the demands of family and career. This balancing act could account for the continued growth in minimally invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, with 8.4 million performed in 2005.

Botox Cosmetic and Restylane are among my favorite non-surgical procedures. By relaxing the underlying muscles, Botox reduces wrinkles of the forehead and crow's feet. Restylane is one of the longest lasting, non-surgical procedures to fill wrinkles in the lower half of the face. Restylane is also an excellent product for lip enhancement.

Minimally invasive cosmetic procedures are mostly performed in an outpatient setting, do not call for general anesthesia, require little to no downtime and usually cost less than the more invasive cosmetic surgeries.

The top five minimally invasive procedures in 2005 were Botox (3.8 million), chemical peel (1 million), microdermabrasion (840,000), laser hair removal (780,000) and spider vein removal (590,000).

Micro-dermabrasion Power Peels can restore your skin to a more youthful appearance. You see an immediate improvement with this gentle, non-invasive procedure. I recommend micro-dermabrasion for treating sun damage, skin discoloration, fine lines and acne or large pores. Since 2000, Botox injections increased 388 percent and laser skin resurfacing 59 percent. Also on the rise are newer fillers like Restylane and Radiesse. It is quick, easy and safe to eliminate frown lines, crow's feet and the deep lines that often go from your nose to the corner of your mouth.

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