Nip This Tuck That

Dr Francis Palmer a Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon, voted “one of the world’s best” plastic and copsmetic surgeons offers lip augmentation and enhancement for fuller, plumper lips.

In our Beverly Hills office, we offer Restylane, Juvederm, Alloderm and Lip Implants for fuller, plumper Lips. Your Lips contribute to how beautiful your face is perceived, by others, giving the face a soft, pleasant appearance when the lips are plump, full and aesthetically balanced (more on that in a moment).

Conversely, when the lips are thin, asymmetric, mis-shapen or out of aesthetic balance…the face can appear stern, angry or “caricature-like”.

Dr Francis Palmer has determined that the proper lip “aesthetics” dictate that the size of the upper lip should be no more than 75% of the lower lip’s volume thereby allowing the lips to have a relative “pout”. In sharp contrast, the “duck lip” occurs when the upper lip sticks out or has more volume than the lower lip. When seeking fuller, plump lips it’s best to have a plastic and cosmetic surgeon who understands the aesthetics of what “beautiful lips” look like….this increases the odds of you getting those beautiful, pouty, full lips.

No matter what method is used to fill and plump the lips, this basic aesthetic can’t be ignored but unfortuneately these “beauty aesthetics” are not common knowledge and is the topic of my new book “What’s Your Number…the plamer code” that outlines the aesthetics of human beauty of the face and body.

You can also combine lip fillers with Botox or Dysport injections around the mouth to decrease the lip lines and creases.

We offer the full range of lip injections to fill and plump the lips as well as Alloderm and silastic lip Implants for semi-permanent and permanent lip enhancement and augmentation. The Hollywood celebrities have beautiful, plump lips and so can you.

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

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

OK Magazine this month has a section on Extreme Celebrity Makeovers.

It’s no surprise that Hollywood celebrities have plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures like Breast Augmentation with Implants as OK Magazine suspects might be the case for Pamela Anderson, Heidi Montag and Kate Hudson.

OK magazine has what they say are pictures of the starlets before their Breast Augmentations and photos of them after supposedly having their Breasts Augmented. You take a look but it appears that their Breasts are larger and fuller….this certainly does and would occur after Breast Augmentation with Breast Implants.
Heidi’s nose appears thinner which could be a result of a Rhinoplasty and her lips appear more full and plump that may be an indication of a lip plumping filler like Restylane or Juvederm or even a Lip Implant made of Alloderm, soft silastic or one that’s saline filled. On the same note, there’s a set of photos that suggest Jessica Simpson may also have had Lip Augmentation using fillers or lip implants. Take a look at the article and you decide.

More interesting are photos of Angelina Jolie that appear to show string like protrusions in her neck below the ears. This may indicate that Angelina Jolie may have had a thread type Face Lift where threads are placed under the skin and used to hook and then lift and pull back the skin and tissues of the face and or neck. In some cases, these threads, can begin to erode through the tissues and become visible just under the skin. If that occurs, the threads must be removed before they puncture through the skin creating an opening and scar formation. I used these years ago when they first came out and was unhappy with the results and possible complications. Thread Lifts are used when someone is attempting to avoid any incisions in or around the ears when attempting to lift and tighten the skin. Instead of the Thread Lift, I created The Palmer Celebrity Lift in contrast is what I believe is the best Face Lift in the US and the World because it uses minimal incisions (required when removing excess skin), limited tissue dissection and a very rapid recovery. In my opinion, a better way to go than using sutures or threads to try and lift tissue at the risk of the sutures and or threads coming through the skin or becoming visible.

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

***Disclaimer: This information is provided for entertainment and educational purposes only and is not intended to prove that any of the above mentioned person(s) has, had, or will ever have any type of plastic surgery treatment or procedure or any affiliation with Dr Francis Palmer.

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.”

Lip Augmentation and Enhancement can be done to achieve fuller, more aesthetically shaped lips with fillers or lip implants depending on your desires and the existing size/shape of your lips. There are ideally shaped lips that are full, plump and perfectly proportioned as outlined in my new book on beauty and aesthetics “What’s Your Number…the palmer code.”

Lip Augmentation… Lip Enhancement… If you are looking to Enhance the size and shape of your lips with Procedures or Surgery you should first understand what makes aesthetically beautiful, full, plump lips.

lip chin groove illustrated

Ideally proportioned Lips

Men and women’s lips are aesthetically very similar. Both look the best when they’re lips are full and plump. This gives the mouth and entire lower face a soft, balanced and attractive appearance. Fuller lips are perceived as soft and gentle-in stark contrast to the thin or asymmetric lips that exude a sense of being stern, mean or untrustworthy.

As I mention in my book, ‘What’s Your Number…the palmer code”, ideal lips have a certain size and shape. On profile, the lips should have a gentle S-shaped curve between the lips and chin-with a 4mm depression existing between these two structures. The illustration, on the left, shows this relationship. Although, the nose and chin typically set the strength of your profile, Lip Augmentation does have the ability to add balance to this area. Enhancing the size and shape of the lips may aesthetically improve the entire lower 1/3 of the face.

In the same illustration, the arrow indicates the 4mm groove that should exist between the lips and the chin on profile. Lip Augmentation/Enhancement/Enlargement Surgery may help achieve a better balanced more aesthetic profile.

In the illustration on the right, imaginary vertical lines drawn down from the inner colored portion of the eyes delineate the overall size of the lips. The upper lip should be no more than 75% the size of the lower lip as illustrated by the horizontal lines in the same illustration. This assures that there is an overall pout to the lips-no matter how plump or full they are. In my opinion, this aesthetic ratio should not be violated because if it is, the lips look out unbalanced and of proportion making the entire mouth appear oddly shaped.

As we age, it’s common to loose mass in the lips and even in the bones, of the face, giving the illusion that the upper lip, or more precisely the space between the upper lip and the nasal tip, has become elongated. This makes the lower face look aged and stern which is not attractive or aesthetically pleasing. The sole purpose of Lip Augmentation, Lip Enhancement or Lip Enlargement Procedures is to add volume and mass to the lips that otherwise appear to small and thin. However, if done improperly…the lips can be distorted, contorted and mis-shapen. Sadly, we’ve all seen celebrity photos of that very thing portrayed in magazines or on TV.

Ideally shaped lips have other characteristics according to the “Palmer Beauty Principles” , which I developed. These should be the cornerstone for planning Lip Augmentation and Enhancement Procedures or Surgery. If these Aesthetic principles are violated, the lips may appear to large, distorted or out of balance with the your face.

Once you understand these points, you are ready to compare your lips to ideally shaped, beautiful lips…some pictures of which are included below.

Beautiful Lips

If you don’t have perfectly shaped lips-don’t despair. There are several methods to augment and create fuller lips. These can be organized into two types of Lip Augmentation Procedures, ones using injectable filler materials and those requiring a surgical procedure to Enhance the size and shape of the Lips. Let’s look at each of these Lip Augmentation Methods:

1. Fillers.

Juvederm Ultra and Restylane are what we currently use to fill the borders of the lips. These injections are done as an office treatment and take about 10-15 minutes. Most often a topical numbing cream is applied to the lips prior to the treatment. The plumping effects last about 4-6 months.

2. Lip Implants

There are several types of material that are currently available as lip implants. Alloderm, solid Silicone and a saline filled implant that has an outer gortex-like shell. Although the latter two are permanent, I believe they each have significant drawbacks including the ability to move after being placed within the lips. For that reason, I prefer to use Alloderm as an implant. Alloderm being softer than the other two lip implants can be placed just under the red portion of the outer lips. Alloderm is placed below that layer and above the lip muscle through a small incision in each corner of the mouth. This allows all of the augmentation to remain in the front of the lips and mouth where it is needed the most…unlike the other two implants that cause lip augmentation in a 360 degree manner, including the portion of your lips that’s on the inside your mouth. Alloderm lasts about 7 years and can be re-done at that time.

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

***pictures are of models and are included for educational purposes only. No claim is made that these models are patients of Dr Francis Palmer, nor that they have had any plastic and cosmetic surgery treatments or procedures.

If you are like most people, you want to look your very best which, in simple terms means, a naturally, beautiful face…one that appears more youthful and attractive. When Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery accomplishes this goal, the results are truly inspired. In my opinion, this should be the primary goal of all aesthetic plastic and cosmetic surgery treatments and procedures. If it doesn’t make you look better, than why do it?

Trick is to find the least invasive plastic and cosmetic surgery treatment and or procedure to accomplish this goal. For unwanted lines and wrinkles, clearly Botox and now Dysport, as well, both deliver fast and highly effective results with almost no downtime or recovery. Follow this line of reasoning, our “Palmer Celebrity Face LIft”, uses a much smaller incision, with limited tissue dissection all resulting in a naturally, youthful and beautiful face with a recovery that’s measured in hours instead of weeks and months like traditional Face Lifts.

Rhinoplasty can be modified to meet similar goals by using a retrograde tip technique that’s minimally disruptive to the tissues over the nasal tip resulting in a more rapid recovery time. Other plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures can be modified with an eye towards a quicker recovery including Eyelid Surgery, Browlift, Cheek Implants, Chin Implants, Lip Enhancement using Alloderm Implants, Breast Implants for augmentation and enhancement,Radiesse Injections, Tummy Tucks and Buttock Lifts. As you do your research on any plastic and cosmetic surgery procedure you’ll find that the very best, most talented and experienced plastic and cosmetic surgeons are always improving on how they do things…their surgical techniques evolve to accomplish the primary goal: Achieve a more youthful, naturally beautiful appearance with as little bruising, swelling and down-time as possible.

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

Here’s Today’s Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Tip:

The day after the Academy Awards with all the gorgeous and handsome celebrities on the red carpet it’s natural for our thoughts to turn towards our own self improvement through plastic and cosmetic surgery treatments and surgical procedures.

If you are looking to make yourself more attractive, be sure that you understand what facial features are the most important from an aesthetic point of view. According to my new book that defines and identifies beauty, there are three top facial features in a beautiful or handsome face. The Cheeks, Eye Area and the Lips.

Of these three features, the Cheeks are the most aesthetically important and should be considered in all cases of facial rejuvenation, where the goal is to look naturally youthful, as well as younger faces where the goal is a more beautiful face. This should be the main focus of any plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures, treatments or surgery. From Botox, Restylane, Perlane, Radiesse, Cheek Implants, Face Lifts, Eyelid Surgery or Lip Enhancement/Augmentation.

Face Lift techniques that overlook shaping the cheeks to a naturally, youthful shape miss the mark, in my opinion, as they leave the face over-pulled, windswept or otherwise unnatural in appearance. I have found in over 20 years of performing Face Lifts, that tightening and removing just the right amount from the face combined with shaping of the cheeks either with fillers like Perlane and Radiesse or with Cheek Implants gives the face a youthful, natural beauty that is otherwise not achievable. This was my inspiration for creating our “Palmer Celebrity Face Lift”.

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

Hollywood Stars Beauty Fantasy by Dr Francis Palmer

Photo Credit: Steve Granitz Wireimage

Grammy’s 2010 Taylor Swift: Taylor looks beautiful in this blue dress but what if we had a magic wand and could change her appearance to make it a perfect face, what would we consider doing?
1. The eyebrows are low, so perhaps some Botox to the eyebrows or a Brow Lift.

2. The left cheek is a bit more flat than the right so a little soft tissue filler to shape and contour the cheek using either Radiesse

3. The upper lip is thin compared to the lower lip, so perhaps either a soft tissue filler to the lip borders using Restylane or Juvederm or a semi-permanent lip implant like Alloderm that seems to last about 7 years.

4. The nose is a little thick and a Rhinoplasty (nose job) could thin and refine both the nasal bridge and tip.

This is, of course fantasy, and a make believe exercise but still fun and exciting to imagine. So what’s her “Face Number” now: 86 Fantasy Makeover Face Number: 99 with 100 being perfect.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
What’s Your Number…the palmer code book

***Disclaimer: This information is provided for entertainment and educational purposes only and is not intended to imply the above mentioned person has had, or will ever have any type of plastic surgery treatment or procedure or any affiliation with Dr Francis Palmer.

Continuing with our theme of Beverly Hills as a destination for plastic and cosmetic surgery medical tourism, we are now proud to offer IChat, for our Mac clients, with an internet consultation. Our Beverly Hills office has offered telephone consults with e-mai (drfpalmer1@aol.com) evaluation of photos to discuss my findings and recommendations. We find this service a valuable way to communicate with our out of town, out of state and international clientele. You can have a consultation from the comfort of your home or office thus saving the time and expense for your trip to have the surgery. Now we have added IChat as a more personal way of communication during your plastic and cosmetic surgery consultation for Face Lift, Brow Lift, Eyelid Surgery, Breast/Cheek/Chin/Lip Implants, Rhinoplasty, Otoplasty, Tummy Tuck, Liposuction, Botox, Radiesse, Perlane or Juvederm.

Steps for your IChat consult with us:

1. e-mail us at drfpalmer1@aol.com that you are interested in a telephone or IChat consultation and include jpeg photos of the areas you wish to discuss. If your initial e-mail does not include photos or if we believe that other views are required, you will be informed of the type of photos that we require for your evaluation.

2. Schedule a day and time for your phone consultation or your IChat. This can be done via e-mail or by telephone 310-652-9583 (monday through friday 9-5 PST.

3. Send us your AIM account name so we can add you to our buddy list in order to initiate the IChat.

Dr Francis Palmer
Beverly Hills Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
What’s Your Number…the palmer code book