Stem Cells Give Plastic Surgery A Facelift

For those looking for a new solution to looking younger, a local plastic surgeon is suggesting a different type of facelift — stem cell facelifts.

“Standard facelifts are pretty two-dimensional,” says Scottsdale plastic surgeon Jeffrey Ptak. “They pull the skin tighter, but that doesn’t necessarily make it look younger.”

Stem cell facelifts are three-dimensional, and they give the face volume, which is the key to looking youthful, according to Ptak.

“Aging is the loss of face volume,” Ptak says. “Each decade, we lose fat in our face, and continually filling the face can help you keep volume.”

According to Ptak’s research, 50 percent of the fat transferred to another part of the body lasts permanently.

“It has been proven that it is better to use body fat rather than commercial fat,” Ptak adds.

These stem cells come from fat and are produced in the bone marrow. Fat can be removed from the patient through liposuction, harvested and then replaced into the body where needed.

Researchers are even hopeful that stem cells will be able to replace scars or engineer new body parts in the future.

Stem cells have also proven beneficial in forming new blood and fat cells — acting as building blocks for collagen.

“When you combine this with good skin care,” Ptak says, “it has a profound effect.”

Stem cell procedures can also be done safely in the privacy of an operating office, but Ptak says to interview doctors for a safe, proper procedure.

“Very few [doctors] have fat transfer experience because it’s still not common here,” he adds.

According to Ptak, one should also review the surgeon’s facial surgery complication and success rate. Trained surgeons can produce enhanced, long-lasting effects.

As stem cells continue to make its way into surgical offices, more and more people will be able to enjoy revived skin.

“It’s a whole new approach to looking at the face three-dimensionally,” Ptak says.