Question: I need several minimal invasive facial rejuvenation treatments. Plastic surgeons seem to have higher fees for Botox, fillers and lasers than other doctors. I’m not having surgery that requires the skills of a plastic surgeon. Wouldn’t it be okay to have minimal invasive treatments from a regular doctor who offers cheaper prices?

Answer: Choosing between credentials and cost is up to each individual patient. It really comes down to how much value you place on your face. With so many overblown lips and “golf ball” cheeks walking around, injector skill, which is closely tied to credentials, is a key consideration for many.

One big difference between a Facial Plastic Surgeon and other “non-core” cosmetic doctors is the Facial Plastic Surgeon’s superior knowledge of the complex facial anatomy that lies just deep to the superficial skin layers. Injector skill won’t help if you don’t know where to inject in order to give natural results but, at the same time, avoid important blood vessels and nerves.

Many patients don’t realize that even minimal invasive treatments such as fillers can result in serious complications and unnatural results when deeper tissues are treated. With the mainstream focus on facial volumization, most injections are being placed in deeper skin and tissue layers to optimize results. Popular areas include hollows under the eyes, sunken cheeks and temples as well as deep wrinkles and grooves. The injection pattern for these areas is much closer to important facial nerves and blood vessels, putting these structures at greater risk for injury.

Avoiding complications while, at the same time, creating a more youthful natural result requires a knowledge of deeper facial anatomy. Even though surgical technique is not part of these minimal invasive procedures, certain key principles of surgical anatomy apply in order to achieve safe and optimal results.

“Non-surgeons” are not trained with the years of knowledge of surgical anatomy as in surgical training programs. When things go wrong, they often lack the knowledge base to correct their own complications or poor results. In the end, these patients often find their way to the Facial Plastic Surgeon for revisions and corrections, at additional expense to the patient. In the long run, you don’t necessarily save money by going with a cheaper priced treatment.

An understanding of deep facial anatomy is just as important with one year fillers, like Restylane, as with Bellafill, the 5-year filler. It is equally important with Botox and laser treatments. However, the best credentials don’t typically come with the best price. You really need to decide if you want the Bentley or the Kia. If you ask how valuable your face is to you, you should arrive at the right answer.

A detailed consultation with a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon is the first step in optimizing your facial rejuvenation needs.

Dr. Anita Mandal is a double Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon practicing since 1998. She exclusively specializes in facial rejuvenation and non-invasive body contouring. In addition to being on the medical staff at Jupiter Medical Center, her offices house both surgical and laser suites. Dr. Mandal is committed to giving her patients the most natural looking results.