Threads, Kybella, and ‘Liquid Facelifts’: A Few Things This Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Won’t Do

How does the face age and why are treatments like filler not the long-term solution? According to double board-certified plastic surgeon Amir Karam, aging isn’t just loss of volume, which fillers are often utilized for. Dr. Karam notes that many injectors offer liquid facelift options where filler is used to lift in certain areas, but because it’s meant to replace volume loss, it can make the face look puffy and distorted. Additionally, as someone who sees underneath the skin, he explains that filler can cause an inflammatory response and in turn scar tissue. 

Collagen loss, how the skin stays hydrated and pigmentation contribute to facial aging, too. The skin becomes dryer, which accentuates fine lines and wrinkles. There’s loss of tone and integrity which makes pores look more prominent. And pigmentation from the sun and age spots make the skin appear older as well. 

He also discussed what aging changes are preventable — yes, there are some — and what is inevitable, so if you’re flabbergasted as to how some celebrities seem to defy gravity, chances are a scalpel was involved. 

“The reality of the matter is, let’s take somebody who is in their 50s. Most likely, if they don’t look like they have jowling or neck laxity, 99% of the time it’s because they've had a procedure to correct it. Because the normal aging process really starts setting in the late 40s and manifesting in the 50s. Unless you’re super rare and blessed with awesome genetics that will eventually catch up anyway. The denial of [cosmetic surgeries] – if you have in fact done it – is sort of dangerous and in some ways unethical, especially if you're selling something.”

We ask Dr. Karam more about facial aging in today’s episode, along with the treatments he would avoid as a longtime plastic surgeon. Shop this episode of Gloss Angeles. 

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