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For years, I have been talking and writing about the aging process and what we as plastic surgeons can do to rejuvenate a face, to roll back some of the ravages of time and to make patients look better. We have discussed how the culprit in the aging process is the SMAS layer under the skin of the cheeks and the platysma muscle under the jaw line – when these two structures sag the face assumes a more pear like appearance with more fullness over the jaw line and upper neck than over the cheek bones where it was in youth. With Dr. Bunkis’ Natural A-to-V Facelift, the SMAS and platysma are put back where they were in youth and the face assumes a more youthful V shape as illustrated in this patient of Dr. Bunkis.

This female in her early 50’s presented with jowls and neck laxity and Dr. Bunkis performed his Natural A-toV Facelift and a lower eyelid blepharoplasty to give her this pleasing result.

We can make people look younger but what about feeling younger? The way we feel is largely controlled by hormones. Hormone imbalance occurs in men and women as part of the natural aging process. Did you know that hormones do a lot more than regulate mood and sexuality? They determine whether you will be at risk for diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and many other diseases. Correcting any hormone imbalance will make you feel better, allow you to perform better sexually and improve the shape of your body by losing stubborn fatty deposits.

At Orange County Plastic Surgery, we can help you look and feel as good as you look with our pellet insertion for bio-identical hormone replacement therapy in addition to your facial rejuvenation. These pellets are custom made for our patients, depending on your deficiencies, by a laboratory in Texas, BioTE. Bio-identical refers to how chemically similar the supplemental hormones are to the human hormones in our bodies. This is in contrast to synthetic hormones taken orally or used as patches which do not have this similarity. The supplemental hormones administered by conventional physicians are not bio-identical. Bio-identical hormones are derived from plants while conjugated hormones are derived from animals. Hormone replacement therapy to restore youthful hormone levels is the purpose of the bio-identical hormones. People who lack these hormones at certain consistent levels or who have too much of a certain hormone may benefit from BHRT.

Are you interested in learning more? You begin by coming in for a consultation, filling out a health questionnaire, and having some special lab work done. You will then return to review your results and have customized pellets placed under your skin in a simple office procedure. We will check your hormone levels a month after insertion. Women usually have the pellets reinserted every four months, men every six.

If your lab tests show a deficiency, we will offer a complimentary pellet insertion to all of our facelift patients in the next six months so that you can feel as good as you will look after your facelift at Orange County Plastic Surgery.

If you have any specific questions about bio-identical hormone therapy or facial rejuvenation procedures, your best bet would be to come in to see Dr. to review your options. Pease feel free to contact our office at 949-888-9700 to set up an appointment with Dr. Bunkis; check out our web site at www.orangecountyplasticsurgery.com to see further examples of similar patients.