Veins carry blood back to the heart from other parts of the body. They use a series of one-way valves to ensure that the blood flows in one direction only.  Sometimes the valves become defective and allow blood to pool or backflow thus creating spider veins and varicose veins. Spider veins are small thin red, blue, or purplish blood vessels seen just under the skin found on the legs and face. While spider veins can be a symptom of poor circulation and can turn into varicose veins, they are usually harmless. Varicose veins, on the other hand, are stretched-out veins where blood has pooled. They often look thick and twisted in a bluish color, and bulge above the surface of the skin.

Although spider veins and varicose veins are not the same, they do have many similarities. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for both types of veins to be seen on the same leg. Sometimes varicose veins cause individuals some problems such as swelling, aching, burning, itching, heaviness, tingling or throbbing in the legs, but not always. Spider veins on the other hand, often cause no symptoms at all. The commonality is that most people agree that both spider veins and varicose veins are unsightly.

Compression stockings and regular exercise may help relieve some of the symptoms of spider and varicose veins, but this rather conservative do-it-yourself approach may not produce the desired results. When this happens, specialized medical procedures may be more effective. Sclerotherapy, a proven procedure in use since the 1930s, is an effective medical procedure that can eliminate the majority of spider veins and some varicose veins. Sclerotherapy requires no anesthesia and can be performed in your physician’s office. The doctor will inject a liquid salt solution into the affected vein, which causes the vein to collapse and fade away over time. Spider veins typically begin to fade within a few weeks, but it may take considerably longer for varicose veins to respond. It is not unusual for multiple treatment sessions to be required.

Don’t put up with unsightly legs due to spider or varicose veins. Whether your reasons for seeking treatment are cosmetic or medical, most experts agree that sclerotherapy is better than ever. The effectiveness of the procedure is high and the side effects are minimal. Call us at Parkway Plastic Surgery for more details.

As we age, we spend a little more time in front of the mirror lamenting the good ‘ol days when we were young. In that mirror we see the tell-tale signs that time and experience are starting to take its toll, so we make a little more effort, use a little more cream and rub a little more gently. We see a few laugh lines around the mouth, a couple of spots near the jawline, a few gray hairs, but overall, time is being quite fair.  Yep, we’re thinking, “I could pass for a good five years younger than I am.” Then we reach up to smooth away the tiny creases around our eyes, and WHAT THE HECK—that hand. Oh my goodness, is that mine? The tendons and veins are protruding so prominently that it appears as if the back of my hand is covered in peaks and valleys. On closer scrutiny, the skin is papery thin and wrinkly, bony and fragile. No doubt from the many years of cooking and cleaning (well that really doesn’t apply to me) but you get the point.

We spend countless hours and many dollars on our face, but our hands are often overlooked. Due to not enough care and too much exposure to water and chemicals and weather, our hands often are the first thing that gives away our age. Luckily, technology has a procedure that can ward off the aging hand syndrome. It’s called Radiesse. This procedure rejuvenates the back of the hands. It is an injectable filler that is placed just under the skin using a fine needle. The filler immediately plumps and replenishes volume to the back of the hands to give a fuller, smoother, younger appearance. Radiesse provides instant and long-lasting results at an affordable price.

Everything requires maintenance as we age. If you have concerns about your hands giving away your age (or even making you appear older than you are), Radiesse might just be a beneficial procedure for you. To learn more about the procedure, visit our plastic surgeon at Parkway Plastic Surgery to discuss the most appropriate maintenance for your aging hands.

The nose has a prominent place on the face. Therefore, if it is bumpy, crooked, too big or too small, the nose can make a person feel self-conscious about his or her appearance. For this reason, thousands of people every year elect to enhance their looks by having nose surgery; it is the second most popular cosmetic procedure performed. While electing to have rhinoplasty surgery to change a person’s looks is a great reason to undergo this procedure, there are several medical reasons for someone to have a nose job, such as breathing issues, deformities and reconstruction.

People who have chronic sinus infections, nosebleeds, loud breathing, snoring or sleep apnea may have a deviated septum. A deviated septum is a condition where the bone and cartilage that divides the nasal cavity of the nose in half is off-center, which makes breathing difficult. It is estimated that 80% of men or women have some misalignment to their nasal septum without even knowing it. In severe cases, though, the offset can cause breathing problems. Sometimes medication can treat these issues, but other times, nasal surgery is required.

Rhinoplasty is a simple fix for birth defects such as cleft lip or cleft palate. This surgery can also correct a crooked nose that hasn’t healed properly after being broken. Cosmetic rhinoplasty is an ancient art that has become a safe and effective modern procedure that can change a person’s appearance which can hugely impact their confidence, self-esteem, and quality of life.

Sometimes rhinoplasty surgery is performed to reconstruct the nose due to an injury. Sports injuries immediately come to mind—catching a softball in the face, taking a nose-dive off a bicycle or a hockey puck to the nose—just to name a few. Maybe a person suffers a broken nose from the air bags deploying in a car accident, or bumping into a door, or simply tripping and falling on their face while walking. Accidents are going to happen and having nose surgery can fix broken noses in a snap.

Having a nose job sounds very involved and even scary for some people, but it is a fairly straightforward procedure. For vanity, or for a medical necessity, having rhinoplasty surgery can drastically improve a person’s quality of life. If you have any of these issues, consulting a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in rhinoplasty is the first step to putting a new nose on your face.