Five common reasons a dermatologist might refer you

As a board-certified dermatologist in a 100% aesthetic practice with Lindsey Pennington, M.D., a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, I feel uniquely positioned to offer insight about referrals. My focus is on making your skin, hair and nails look better and improving your overall confidence in how you look. I am well trained in non-invasive ways to enhance your appearance, such as the best topical treatments that will protect your skin from sun and pollution, the best lasers for resurfacing, and injections to treat facial volume loss or wrinkles.

Facial volume loss is the main contributor to the changes seen with aging. These changes cause drooping and sagging. So, if you feel like your face is falling, the sad truth is that it is. While you won’t stop aging, looking older and, more importantly, feeling older are avoidable. Understanding the changes at a structural level helps surgeons correct the fundamental causes of aging and restore your natural youthful appearance.

We both use Botox and Dysport to prevent dynamic wrinkles. Dermal fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane replace missing volume in the cheeks, under the eye and lips. There are several minimally invasive options to tighten skin, tone muscle and rid fat, which are excellent options. Despite all the technology, there are a few times when I, as a dermatologist, will have to refer a patient to a facial plastic surgeon.

Sagging upper eyelids – Even Botox has its limitations and cannot lift the peak of your eyebrow to significantly improve upper eyelid drooping.

Prominent bags under your eyes – There is no magic cream for this, and adding filler can make you look puffier.

Unhappy with the appearance of your nose – Although filler can be placed in the nose to alter the appearance, it is limited in its ability, only assisting with profile appearance; it’s temporary and carries risk. This should only be done by someone knowledgeable in anatomy and experienced with injections, like a facial plastic surgeon.

Loose-hanging skin along the jaw and under the chin – Especially in patients over 50, surgical results will give you the most significant improvement, will last you longer and are likely costeffective.

Facial or neck fullness – Any time your face has too much volume in an area, a facial plastic surgeon knowledgeable of the anatomy can remove or transfer fat, glands or other deep structures to define your facial features better.

As a physician who has had to refer these patients to different plastic surgeons in New Orleans, Boston and now Shreveport, how do I decide on which one to trust for my patient’s face?

Like you should do with your injectors, I make sure they are a board-certified plastic surgeon with a good reputation for being safe and paying close attention to detail. In the case of your face, ideally, they also should be board-certified in head and neck surgery and up-to-date and experienced with the best and latest surgical techniques. You only have one face; do it right the first time with excellent, natural, long-lasting results. In recent years, I have seen a drastic improvement in outcomes with the advancing techniques that you don’t want to miss.

To explore options, please call our office at 318-216-5366 to schedule a complimentary consultation. Located in Shreveport at 6030 Line Ave., Suite 110, both Dr. Lindsey Pennington and Dr. Skylar Souyoul are accepting new patients.

Dr. Souyoul is a board-certified dermatologist. She works with Dr. Lindsey Pennington, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Find them in Shreveport at 6030 Line Ave., Suite 110, Mon.-Sat., or call 318-216-5366 to schedule a consultation.