Nip This Tuck That

Radiesse, Perlane and Juvederm are just a few of the fillers that can be injected to shape the face and lips but what makes the outcome, of these fillers, the “best” or “top”?

I think everyone would answer “the results” obtained by using the fillers. More specifically, this means, the ultimate shape of the face and lips after the Radiesse, Perlane or Juvederm was injected.

In order to obtain the desired, aesthetic shape the plastic and cosmetic surgeon has to know what aesthetic shape is ideally attractive in a nam or a woman. Yes, they are different and no, we as plastic and cosmetic surgeons are not taught, during training, what is or is not a beautiful face because no-one until now has even defined what makes a face beautiful. Silly as it may seem, millions of people all over the world are undergoing plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures and treatments, including fillers to shape the face and lips without the understanding of what they are trying to accomplish…which is a more attractive face! Worse yet, the plastic and cosmetic surgeon may not have understanding of the same issue.

Fillers like Radiesse, Perlane and Juvederm Ultra XC are fantastic at augmenting and shaping the cheeks, chin, jawline and even the nose but if placed in the wrong place or in the wrong amount can create a mis-shapen face. Juvederm in the lips can give a beautiful, soft pouty look to the lips if done correctly but when it’s not…the result can be “fish-mouth” which is hardly attractive. So, the question remains: “how do you get the best, top results from your fillers?” Simple, choose a plastic and cosmetic surgeon that can show you he/she understands the aesthetics of facial beauty as outined in my new book which defines the subject “What’s Your Number….the palmer code”

If you want the “Best”, “Top” results, don’t have Rhinoplasty, Face Lift, Eyelid surgery, Rhinoplasty, Cheek Implants, Chin Implant, Breast Augmentation with Implants, Botox, Radiesse, Perlane, Juvederm or any other plastic and cosmetic surgery or procedure until you know what does and does not make your face more attractive.

Trust me, buying this book is the best money you’ll ever spend on yourself. The only way to get the “best”, “top” results is to follow the principles, of “What’s Your Number” and “The Palmer Code” describing beauty and its component parts. That’s what we have done in Beverly Hills (Los Angeles) and in London over and over for more than 2 decades. If a celebrity looks good after plastic and cosmetic surgery, these principles were follwed. When celebrity plastic surgery looks hideous, these principles were ignored.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

When you’re traveling to the United States, why not have a quick, easy and highly effective office treatment so you can “look your very best”, as you travel on vacation….

Have ‘World Class” fillers like Botox, Dysport, Radiesse, Perlane, Restylane and Juvederm to fill out those nasolabial lines, plump the lips, or add a youthful contour to your Cheeks and Jawline all with a quick and easy set of injections that can be performed as an office visit. There’s very little downtime and you’ll be able to continue on your vacation without restrictions. Why not have “one of the World’s Best” plastic and cosmetic surgeons help you travel in beauty and style? When you’re in Hollywood, why not look as great as the Hollywood celebrities/ Now you can.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

Augmenting, or improvong the size and shape of the chin with a Chin Implant.

Just stepped out of the OR where I removed a small, button-style chin implant from a tall rugged-looking man. He came to me seeking a more augmented and defined chin then what he had obtained from the button chin implant that had been placed by another surgeon elsewhere.

This story illustrates my two basic principles of aesthetic plastic and cosmetic surgery, including Chin Implants.

Rule # 1: The Aesthetics of Beauty must be followed. In this case, the small button-style chin implant was not consistent with the aesthetics of beauty and was incapable of making his chin more rugged and masculine. In a word, the procedure, in my opinion, was doomed to failure, from a purely aesthetical sense, once that size and shape of chin implant was selected. At that point it didn’t matter how technically gifted the surgeon was or how much experience the sugeon had with chin implants….the patient’s appearance was not going to be improved, nor was this chin implant capable of increasing his “Number”.

Rule # 2: You, as the consumer have the responsibility of selecting the best, even the World’s best plastic and cosmetic surgeon that you can find…making certain that the surgeon follows the aesthetics of beauty in a way that will improve “Your Number”. Here are four simple steps. on how to choose your plastic and cosmetic surgeon, that will help you in your search.

Never, never and oh, did I mention never use price as your determining factor for sekecting a plastic and cosmetic surgeon to perform your plastic and cosmetic surgery procedure whether it’s a Chin Implant, Rhinoplasty, Face Lift, Breast Augmentation with Breast Implants, Lip Enhancement, Eyelid Surgery, Browlift, Cheek Implants, Tummy Tuck, Botox, Dysport, Radiesse, Restylane, Juvederm or Sculptra. Select your plastic and cosmetic surgeon as if you were a celebrity and you had to have the world’s very best.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

Patient Testimonials

The “Palmer Celebrity Face Lift” on The View

More Media on Dr Francis Palmer

Chin Augmentation using Chin Implants for an Ideal outcome.

Let’s talk a little bit more about Chin Augmentation using a Chin Implant and what would make this an ideal situation, maybe even the World’s Best.

First and foremost is the proper aesthetic evaluation of the face and chin that allows the plastic and cosmetic surgeon to correctly identify the chin as being weak. According to my new book “What’s Your Number…the Palmer code”, a man’s chin should meet an imaginary vertical line drawn down from the lower lip when looking at the face in profile. If the chin falls behind this aesthetic line, the chin appears weak and the face may look out of balance…even making the nose falsely appear to large for the face. In women, the chin should reach just about 5mm’s behind that imaginary line for the profile to appear balanced.

If after using the Palmer Code method, your chin is indeed found to be weak, then a Chin Implant may be the answer. The next aesthetic judgment would be what size, shape and implant material is best suited for the chin augmentation.

There are various types of Chin Implant materials but I exclusively use and have used silastic Chin Implants for over 20 years and believe these to be the gold standard. I do not like to use Chin Implants that become incorporated into the bone or that integrate into the superficial tissues as I feel both situations can become problematic for patients in the long run.

If your Chin Implant becomes integrated into your bone after a month or so, you’ll never…..never….ever be able to have that Chin Implant removed no matter what. I believe this is a mistake and takes away a useful option for you in the future.

Silastic implants can always be removed even decades after they are placed and I think you should always have that option. Similarly, Chin Implants that become integrated with tissue may be difficult to remove and might result in some tissue loss creating a contour irregularity….once again, not your best option.

I have used Chin Implants for over 20 years and do not have to use sutures or screws to secure the implants…..and I do not believe that either becoming integrated into the bone or tissues is necessary to keep the implants from moving. I feel that performing the Chin Augmentation with Chin Implant properly, creating the appropriate sized pocket during surgery and following some simple and logical post-operative instructions will ensure that the Chin Implant does not significantly move.

Parting note: In the last month, we have been contacted and or have performed numerous Chin Implant removals and exchanges for patients, from all over the world, that had their Chin Implants placed elsewhere. In my humble opinion, these patients found themselves in this situation because the size and/or shape of the Chin Implant used was aesthetically incorrect and therefore incapable of improving their appearance. After all, isn’t that the point of plastic and cosmetic surgery?

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

Patient Testimonials

Dr Francis Palmer TV Appearances

Dr Francis Palmer in Magazines/Newspapers

If I had to define the world’s best Cheek Augmentation Surgery using Cheek Implants, I could do so with a single phrase “naturally beautiful”. I have been using Cheek Implants, for over 20 years, to shape and contour the face in a subtle, natural yet highly effective manner to create soft beautiful faces in women and rugged, angular faces in men. Yes, quite a few men have Cheek Implants top create a ruggedly handsome face.

I believe, that more than any other plastic and cosmetic surgery procedure…Cheek Implants must be just the right size and shape to create the proper aesthetic contour. If the Implants are to small, large, wide, thick or the wrong shape….the facial aesthetics will be off and the face looks odd and sometimes downright deformed. Hardly the naturally beautiful or handsome look you wanted to achieve.

When I see patients who have had, what I believe are, an incorrect size and or shape) Cheek Implants there always seems to be a lack of aesthetic understanding on the part of the plastic surgeon and the patient. In many cases, the Cheek Implants were placed in an ill-advised attempt to plump up and fill sagging facial tissues resulting in massively over-sized implants and a deformed face.

Here are my important take away points for anyone seeking Cheek Implants as a way to shape and improve facial appearance.

1. Cheek Implants must be subtle in shape and size….they should enhance not overwhelm the face.

2. Not everyone is a good candidate for Cheek Implants and this is based on the actual shape of your existing cheek bones.
The entire cheek bone should have an ideal aesthetic shape, as outlined in my new book “What’s Your Number…the palmer code. However, it’s quite common for one or both cheek bones to have sections that are ideally shaped and parts that are not. When the majority of the cheek bone is properly shaped, adding a Cheek Implant is likely to make the cheeks and face appear to broad or large and this is something that obviously should be avoided. In that case, fillers like Perlane, Radieese or Juvederm Ultra Plus can be injected to fill and enhance just the deficient segment of the cheek. This is a temporary solution but one that is highly effective and avoids disfiguring the face.

3. When using Cheek Implants, a little augmentation goes a long way.

When augmenting the cheeks with Cheek Implants, using a subtle implant makes the cheek and the entire face attractive…but once the implant is even slightly to large, small or thick…the cheek and the face appear deformed. “A little is good, more is terrible.”

4. Not every Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon is comfortable using Cheek Implants.

Just this week we had a person contact us via e-mail to say she visited a well known plastic and cosmetic surgeon about possible cheek implants to which the surgeon gave a less than supportive opinion about the merits and benefits of using Cheek Implants to improve the facial appearance. This position, with which I completely disagree should make that patient realize she must seek another plastic and cosmetic surgeon who believes in Cheek Augmentation with Cheek Implants.

Cheek Implants can, will and do alter the facial skeletal shape and as such may be daunting to some plastic and cosmetic surgeons…it’s OK, not everyone has to perform every type of plastic and cosmetic surgery procedure. You do need to find a plastic and cosmetic surgeon that does many Cheek Augmentations with Cheek Implants and who gets a consistently great aesthetic result with Cheek Implants. Why would you go anywhere else?

5. You always, always, get what you pay for.

The best, the top Cheek Implant surgeons will charge accordingly. Beware of discount prices as these may indicate a surgeon with little or no experience.

6. Do be open to adjunct procedures along with your Cheek Implants.

If the tissues of the face and or neck are loose and have sagged, Cheek Implants should never (in my opinion) be used to lift these tissues as this requires an implant that is very large, thick and aesthetically incorrect. When used in this scenario, the Cheek Implant is inconsistent with a naturally youthful and beautiful face. Instead you may wish to tighten, lift and remove excess fat and skin for a face that is shapely and more attractive using our “Palmer Celebrity Facelift.” Think of this as re-draping the tissues over the improved cheek structure once the Cheek Implants have been placed.

Of course Rhinoplasty, Eyelid Surgery, Breast Augmentation with Breast Implants, Botox, Browlifts, Tummy Tucks, Chin Implants and Lip Enhancements can also be done at the same time as Cheek Augmentation.

7. Celebrities are no stranger to Cheek Implants.

I’ve seen numerous pictures of celebrities before and after their alleged plastic and cosmetic surgery and they may have had Cheek Implants to fill and shape their cheeks.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

Media Comments on Dr Francis Palmer

Patient Testimonials

Dr Francis Palmer on TV

Dr Palmer in Print Media

The best Face Lift in the US and the World must, in my opinion, not only lift and tighten tissues while removing excess fat and skin but must also shape the cheeks in order to achieve a more aesthetically, attractive face. Our Palmer Celebrity Facelift is designed to all of the above. Shaping the Cheeks can be done in minutes using either Radiesse, Perlane or Juvederm Ultra Plus.

Before the Palmer Celebrity Face Lift begins, the cheek area is marked outlining where the filler will be injected. Once the patient is asleep and the Palmer Celebrity Lift has removed the excess fatty tissue, trimmed the SMAS muscle layer, lifted and trimmed the excess skin…the fillers are injected and massaged into the proper shape.

Based on the filler that’s used, the results last between 8 and 12 months at which time the filler can be repeated as an office visit. You can think of this as a yearly maintenance in order for you to maintain a soft, natural and attractive look. Men, the filler can be used in the Cheeks, Chin and Jawline to create angularity and a more ruggedly handsome look.
Of course, Cheek Implants can be used as a permanent method of enhancing the shape of the cheeks.

Botox to decrease unwanted wrinkles, Restylane or Juvederm to enhance the lips or additional plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures like Breast Augmentation with Implants, Eyelid Surgery, Rhinoplasty, Chin Implants, Lip Implants, Tummy Tucks, Thigh Lifts and Buttock Lifts can be performed at the same time.

The take home message when it comes to Face Lifts is to be sure that the Facelift addresses the SMAS layer through elevation, trimming and suturing and not merely folding upon itself or suspension with sutures as these may come apart. The Face Lift should also have the ability to create a soft and naturally feminine face for a woman or a ruggedly handsome face in a man. The Face Lift should NOT create an overly pulled, distorted, stretched mouth or eyebrow distortion as these are not aesthetically pleasing facial characteristics. The best Facelift surgeons may not be in your area and you may need to travel to reach the top Facelift surgeons but the trip will be less expensive than the cost of a revision Face Lift. Read what the print media what the media says about Dr Francis Palmer and his face Lifts. Watch Dr Palmer on TV presenting his face Lift procedures.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

Whether you are here in Beverly Hills, across the US or around the world, you should take a look at our “Palmer Celebrity Facelift” which just may be the World’s Best Face Lift.

I designed The Palmer Celebrity Facelift is to have the following features, that in my humble opinion, make it highly effective at making the face look more naturally youthful and beautiful.

1. Small incisions that are about 20% the size of those used in traditional Face Lifts.

2. No incisions inside the hairline, as found in traditional Face Lifts, which eliminates the risk of loosing hair from the incision.

3. Limited tissue dissection that decreases potential swelling, bruising and recovery time.

4. SMAS muscle layer tightening by elevation, trim and re-suturing. (I believe that this is more effective than merely folding or suspending the SMAS which could come undone allowing the SMAS to re-sag.)

5. Ability to tighten and remove excess skin.

6. Contouring the Cheeks with Cheek Implants or filler (Radiesse or Perlane).

7. Shaping the face by decreasing excess fat in the NLF or lower face.

8. Removal of excess fat and skin from the neck using a small incision under the chin.
9. Takes 1 1/2 hours not 5, 6, 7 or more hours that’s required for traditional Facelifts.

10. Far less surgery time means way less anesthesia.

11. Because the surgery time is only 1 1/2 hours, other procedures like Breast Implants, Rhinoplasty, Eyelid Surgery, Cheek Implants, Chin Implant, Abdominoplasty, Arm Lifts, Thigh Lifts or Buttock Lifts can be performed at the same time.

11. Can be performed under a local anesthetic.

The combination of all of these factors allows the Palmer Celebrity Facelift to give you a natural, youthful and attractive face. The Palmer Celebrity Facelift creates a look that is aesthetically pleasing….not the wind-swept, overly-pulled, Joker look that we’ve all seen on celebrity faces in magazines and in the news.

Patients travel from all over the US, London, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Kuwait, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, Russia and all around the world for this facelift not only because of the aesthetic benefits of how their faces will look but for the 3-day recovery. Most patients fly back home 3 days after their Palmer Celebrity Facelift….there’s no need to avoid air travel for 10-14 days as is required for traditional Facelifts. If you don’t need all that surgery, dissection, larger incisions that can take months for you to heal, then why have it? You may want to check out what the media says about “The Palmer Celebrity Face Lift” and it’s creator Dr Francis R Palmer. Watch Dr Francis Palmer present his groundbreaking Palmer Celebrity Lift on ABC’s “The View”.

In the last several weeks, I have have had numerous patients that presented with quite a bit of excess fatty tissue in their face. The excess fat was all over the face including the neck such that there was very little shape in the face. The premise of The Palmer Celebrity Facelift is to create a natural, youthful and attractively contoured face. In order to accomplish that goal, the fat must be removed and re-shaped. Something that may not be done in traditional Facelifts.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

An american doctor who had his license revoked in 2003 was posing as a top American Plastic Surgeon in Dubai. This bogus physician was operating on people on his kitchen table.

What was the lure for these innocent victims to have a completely inexperienced person cut them open? The oldest one around…A CHEAP PRICE. This is a tragedy as these people will no doubt spend countless thousands of dollars to correct the damage that was done and in some cases it may never be fixed or look right.

How many times must this type of disaster occur before the public wakes up and realizes that price has no business as the driving factor in who performs your plastic and cosmetic surgery procedure: whether it be a Face Lift, Rhinoplasty, Eyelid Surgery, Cheek Implants, Chin Implant, Breast Augmentation, Tummy Tuck, Arm Lift, Buttock Lift, Botox, Radiesse or Perlane. There is no substitute for experience and talent in a plastic and cosmetic surgeon and you will pay top dollar for the best US plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon…however, “you get what you pay for”..as this article sadly illustrates.

About once a year I am contacted by a Hospital, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic or businessman wishing to have me consult and perform plastic and cosmetic surgeries in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE including Dubai. In fact coincidentally, I received just such a communication by e-mail yesterday. For almost a decade, I traveled to London and performed consultations and plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures as an overseas consultant, so I am well versed with the theory of importing the top, the best US (American) plastic and cosmetic surgeons to go to the middle east. The trouble is, the time required to go such distances and the time it takes away from my practice here in the US (Beverly Hills).

Instead, I believe that the patient is much better off making the journey to the top, the best US plastic and cosmetic surgeons. I remember telling quite a few international patients that if given the choice of one of us being tired after the journey, “who do you think it should be, the patient or the plastic and cosmetic surgeon.” Everyone of these patients said ” The patient because I want my plastic surgeon fresh and alert.” Right answer!

We have patients that travel from all over the world to have plastic and cosmetic surgery here with us in Beverly Hills. If you want the top, the very best that the US (America) has to offer, you will have to travel. Whatever the cost, it will surely be less than what these poor people will spend for corrective surgery after trying to save money with this bogus physician and there’s no way to place a price tag on their pain and suffering.

Having said all that, I’m not saying that when I am sent a private 747 by a super wealthy patient who’s flying me to their location with adequate compensation and a fully staffed and equipped hospital or clinic that I would decline to go. I have made many such special arrangements for royalty, business tycoons, socialites and celebrities and will continue to do so. We frequently have 3-5 international patients at our Beverly Hills clinic at any given week and we are used to making their journey here easy and as effortless as possible and have for many years.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”
TV Appearances

Radiesse injections can be used to shape the face in mere minutes and is performed as an office treatment. I use Radiesse to shape the Cheeks, Chin and Jawline. Below is an example of 2 men with a weak jawline with very little flare. The lower face appears off balance instead of angular and ruggedly handsome. Next to them is a women with a flared jaw and flat cheeks who appears to have a more masculine face then these two men.

I describe Jaw “Flare” as the width of the angle formed by the jawline as it goes from the chin to the vertical junction near the ears. Think of this as forming a triangle where the chin is the apex and the base is formed by drawing a line through the head from ear to ear. Flare is the angle of the lines from the apex to the base. The larger the angle…the more the jaw appears to be flared and the more masculine it appears.

If your jawline has a small angle without flare, Radiesse can be placed along the mandible junction to create the illusion of larger muscles at this location making the jaw appear wider and more flared. As a result, the face appears more ruggedly handsome. This usually takes 1 syringe of Radiesse per side and the effect lasts about 1 year. Implants can be placed here but these have had complications of shifting, bone erosion and discomfort making them less of an option, in my opinion.

Weak Jaw with little “Flare”

weak jawline

flared jawline

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”

Plastic Surgery Blog “Tip of the day”: the Cheeks make the face appear young, old, male, female, attractive or less so. In a word, WOW…Cheeks have more influence over how attractive you are than any other facial feature…not the eyes or nose as is widely believed.

As a Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon for over 20 years, I have spent my career making people, from teachers to royalty and heads of state, more attractive. I have learned that the Cheeks are the most aesthetically important facial feature in defining just how attractive you really are. A fact that unfortunately seems lost on many patients and surgeons alike in the field of aesthetic plastic and cosmetic surgery as witnessed by the wide, swollen, sometimes mis-shapen faces we see on TV and the tabloids stories of celebrity plastic surgery.

As people strive to look their very best, I believe that an aesthetic analysis of their cheeks should be the first priority when looking to make any face more attractive. For women, the cheeks should be full and round to give the face a soft, feminine and youthful appearance. For men, the Cheeks should be more narrow adding angularity and a more ruggedly handsome, chiseled look to the face.

Ideal female Cheeks

Ideal male Cheeksarrow shows a more narrow cheek shape.

These principles are discussed in greater detail in my new book defining beauty “What’s Your Number…the palmer code.”

Now that we have defined the proper cheek shape for men and women, let’s take a look at ways that you may be able to achieve the ideal shaped cheek.

1. Cheek Implants are a permanent way to alter the shape of your cheeks in a precise and consistent manner. One word of caution “do not try to use implants that are too large and over power your face as these will make the face appear odd and mis-shapen.” Cheek Implantation must use subtle but aesthetically correct shaped implants in order to achieve balance and harmony with your other facial features. These can be done alone or in concert with a Face Lift when loose skin and tissues are an issue.

2. Fillers like Radiesse and Perlane can be used to shape the Cheeks….the procedure is performed as an office treatment and takes just a few minutes. Perlane seems to last about 9 months and Radiesse 12 months, after which it must be repeated. The good news is that using these shaping fillers, any cheek can be made more attractive as the injections can be modified to fit any shape, size and configuration of cheeks. I have to remind you however, that there’s no inherent magic in these fillers and if they are injected in the wrong amount or in the wrong place, the cheeks can and will appear deformed…and will remain so for many months unless something is done to get rid of the material. All of this can be avoided by knowing what shape your cheeks should be and avoiding injections that don’t seem likely to give you that shape.

***these fillers can also be used to shape the chin, jawline and even the nose (Rhinoplasty).

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
“What’s Your Number..the palmer code.”