Can Plastic Surgery Make You Look Older?
Expert Plastic Surgeon with Tips and Dish on Celebrity Inspiration
According to expert Board-Certified Plastic surgeons, the goal of cosmetic surgery is to make a woman like look a refreshed, enhanced version of herself. While many seek cosmetic surgery to turn back the clock; (a respectable, personal choice) there is a downside. The eerie expressionless, puffy, distorted, look that makes people appear even older than they are. To help us understand and achieve a more maintained, elegant look, we tapped the expertise of Board-Certified Denver Plastic Surgeon Dr. Manish Shah.
Most Common Culprit… Too Much Filler
According to Dr. Shah, the best way to begin is to look at photos of the person decades younger to assess their aging progression and facial symmetry. “You want to look at the facial features to see where there is drooping or volume loss as not to run the risk of over filling the face. When too much filler is used, facial balance is thrown off.”
Dr. Shah explains that today we’re seeing young women in their 20’s trying to look like they’re photo filtered in real life. “They start Botox too young, or overfill their lips, breasts, and derrieres. The odd consequence is that that end up looking older. There are several celebrities who are under 25 and look 30, and 35 due to the work they’ve had done. The lips and cheeks are often the first facial features to be overdone in younger patients.”
Facial Breakdown
Cheeks: Dr. Shah says, that “Over-suctioning cheeks through liposuction can make you look older. Stiffness or "puffy cheeks" can also occur if there is unnecessary fat transfer or filler injections are overdone.”
Brows: A highly arched eye brow, or a brow without any arch can instantly age you. “Getting the eyebrow height perfect to achieve a natural look is one of the most challenging techniques plastic surgeons face with Botox, be sure to find someone who specializes in brow area Botox.”
Chin: “The overall balance of your face can be thrown off if a chin implant is too large,” says Dr. Shah. He adds, “Facial structure goes from more of a heart shape to a square shape. Also, the softness of your face gets lost.”
Neck: Removing too much fat from the neck can result in an excessive deep and sharp angle that gives more of a harsh look.
Midface: Some women get a facelift before it's needed. Think of many of the stars of Bravo’s Real Housewive’s franchise. “When it’s unnecessary or not done properly, the underlying facial tissues give an unnatural fullness in the cheeks that makes the face look aged, explains Dr. Shah.”
Eyes: Fat removal under the eyes is popular in younger patients. The problem is that removing too much fat can really make a patient look hollower rather than refreshed.
Injectable Toxins: The Frozen Look
Botox, Dysport and Xeomin are all effective in reducing lines by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles to stop movement. Problems arise when they are overdone. The face can look very severe and certain facial features can become exaggerated. It is strange to see a woman over 50 with fewer forehead and brow mobility than a pre-teen!
Dr. Shah offers a tip and reminds us that injectable toxins are not permanent, and the result will fade away in time. “It’s best to let the product completely wear off before getting injectable toxins applied to the face again. It’s always best to start off with much less because you can always work your way up to more,” he advises.
Too Large Breast Implants:
Implants that do not fit a woman’s frame and are overexaggerated, are never a good idea at any age. The older a woman gets, the more this is going to scream, “look at me” and be incongruous with the rest of her appearance. Jane Fonda is a perfect example of a woman in her 80’s with implants that match her body in a flattering way.
Ignoring Your Hands and Décolleté:
So many women make the mistake of obsessing over their face, legs, derriere, breasts, and abdomen that they completely forget their hands and décolleté. The latter are a dead giveaway of age, no matter how young the rest of you looks.
Examples of Elegance:
According to Dr. Shah, here's who he feels has “gotten it right” when it comes to aging gracefully whether they have had plastic surgery or not include, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Katie Couric, Raquel Welch, Kathie Lee Gifford, Kris Jenner, Naomi Campbell, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jayne Seymour, Ellen DeGeneres, Sharon Stone, and Padma Lakshmi. Use these celebs for inspiration when contemplating cosmetic enhancements.
About Dr. Manish Shah
Plastic Surgeon Colorado | Dr. Manish Shah, M.D. | Denver
Manish Shah, M.D., F.A.C.S. was born in Canada and raised in the Washington, D.C. area. He graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a degree in biomedical engineering. He then completed his medical training at the University of Virginia, earning his Medical Doctorate. During this time he also completed a one-year fellowship in microsurgery research at the New York University School of Medicine / Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. As a prelude to his plastic surgery training, Dr. Shah completed a rigorous five-year training program in General and Trauma Surgery at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia. His formal training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was completed at the Univ. of Tennessee College of Medicine – Chattanooga Unit. After completing his plastic surgery training, he moved to New York City when he was selected for the prestigious Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. He underwent extensive, advanced training in aesthetic surgery of the face, breasts, and body at the hands of some of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the world. This fellowship is widely considered to be the best of its kind in the world. Dr. Shah is one of only a select few plastic surgeons in the country who have undergone formal post-graduate training in aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Shah’s specialties include revision facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty (“nose reshaping”), and aesthetic surgery of the breast (breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction). He is, however, well-trained in all areas of aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Shah’s aim is to obtain a natural appearing transformation that complements the real you!
Dr. Shah is a past Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center based at Denver Health Medical Center, the Rocky Mountain region’s only academic Level I trauma center. He is a past Chief of Plastic Surgery at Denver Health Medical Center. He also maintains a private practice in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery on the Dry Creek Medical Center campus (DTC/Denver) and up in the Aspen Valley (Basalt – in the office of MDAesthetics – Tim Kruse, M.D.).
Dr. Shah is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Shah is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
