Lipstick on the Rim: Are Lasers Killing Our Skin Cells? Minimally Invasive Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Kian Karimi, on the Decline of Fillers, What’s Hot and Not in Cosmetic Surgery, Why You Should Avoid Buccal Fat Removal and More!

By Mollysims.com

Dr. Kian Karimi is not only a top facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon but a trailblazer in minimally invasive plastic surgery techniques. After graduating from medical school at 23 with the Alpha Omega Alpha Award, recognizing only the top 10% of students nationwide, Dr. Karimi co-founded the Los Angeles Multi-Specialty Cosmetic Academy (LA-MCA), a renowned platform for aesthetic medicine and surgery. In today’s episode we get into all of the newest, most innovative procedures like the Deep Plane Face Lift, NoseTune®, Fat Grafting with Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF), the signature Micro Neck Lift, and more. Dr. Karimi also breaks down cosmetic trends such as Buccal Fat Removal and Fillers, and why he sometimes avoids them.

[Dr. Karimi] On the Evolution of the Facelift

“The average age for a facelift when I started practice was 50 to 55. It has now shifted to about 45, because we have so many women (80-90% of facelift patients are women) and men, who are burned out from trying to achieve a surgical result with non-surgical modalities. There have been a lot of advances within the facelift procedure, which has been done for at least a century. Back before we really understood the tissue layers, we would literally cut around the ears, peel the skin off of the muscle as far as we could, stretch all that extra skin and tag it back, cut around the ear like a tailor, sew it and be done. That’s what’d happened when you used to see people with stretched mouths and stretched faces. The recovery was months, if not longer. The recovery from any procedure you have depends on how much skin is separated from muscle. I know it sounds kind of invasive, but the less skin you separate from muscle, the faster the recovery. Now, for a deep plane facelift, most of the work is done under the muscle and the skin is left attached to the muscle, removing only the extra skin. You still have the recovery and stitches, but my facelift patients restaurant ready in two weeks.”

[Dr. Karimi] On the Best Age to Start Botox

“I started treating my wife, with botox at the age of 21 because she had a very scowly look, and she wanted to prevent the lines. I think botox can be preventative, when it’s done well.  Again, you should be able to move your face and be able to make expressions. It really all varies face by face, but I think 20s can be an appropriate age to start preventative botox.”

[Dr. Karimi] On the Latest Cosmetic Technique Replacing Filler

One of the most exciting developments in our industry in recent years is PRF (Platelet Rich Fibrin). Platelets are part of our blood system and full of growth factors and exosomes that signal the body to rebuild. This natural healing process is remarkable. I collaborated with companies and oral surgeons to advance platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), which are 100% natural. After your blood is drawn, it’s processed without additives, and the platelets form a gel when injected. In 2016, I launched PRF in the United States. Initially, the results only lasted six to eight weeks, but we developed Easy Gel to extend the duration. Easy Gel involves heating a blood vial to unfold albumin, a blood protein, which helps the results last three to six months. This method (PRF) can replace fillers for the right patient.”

Dr. Karimi’s Must-Haves: