Contents

Thermage for the Eyes

Revolutionary facial treatment for the eyelids.

A Letter from Dr Hodgkinson

Blepharoplasty

Eyelid surgery to rejuvenate you!

When you need a facelift...

Dr Darryl Hodgkinson explains the different lift procedures

Rhinoplasty can improve your breathing

Operation Restore Hope's new mission

April mission ready to roll, 106 children screened already

Thermage for the Eyes

Revolutionary facial treatment for the eyelids.

Over the last 18 months, I have become increasingly impressed about the advantages of “non-surgical facelifting” using Thermage; especially for early jowls, neck and cheek sagging in the 35 to 45 year old age group.

In the last Newsletter, we showed you the applications of Thermage for the abdomen and arms. Thermage has now come out with a new product, an extra small thermacool tip used for the eyelids!

At first I was somewhat sceptical about this new technology but my experience has been very gratifying for those patients with fine wrinkles and early sagging of the skin in the upper and lower eyelids. Less passes are required than for other parts of the body with this 5 mm head. The treatment takes about 45 minutes to one hour and is not painful. Patients feel a firm pressing and warmth only.

Thermage for the eyelids offers a big advantage to patients in the 30 to 50 year old age group, especially those patients dedicated to BOTOX® but, who would like more rejuvenation and are not ready for surgery.

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Before Thermage

After Thermage

Before and After Thermage

If you are undergoing BOTOX® treatment now, an assessment regarding whether Thermage may give you a more permanent result, is certainly worthwhile. “Thermage Eyes” might be your non-surgical answer for tightening and firming of wrinkles around the eyelids.

Dr. Darryl Hodgkinson

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A Letter from
Dr Hodgkinson

In this edition we will highlight other recent results of rhinoplasty (nose surgery), blepharoplasty (eyelid rejuvenation), facelift, Thermage and injectible fillers.

Sincerely yours,

Dr Darryl J. Hodgkinson
M.B. MS. (Hons) F.R.C.S.(C) F.A.C.S.

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Facial Rejuvenation

Looking Good is focusing our first 2007 edition on the many procedures for facial rejuvenation offered at our Double Bay Clinic. Newer surgical and non-surgical procedures are evolving constantly.

Thermage for the Eyelids provides tightening through radio-frequency of loose skin of the eyelids, reducing wrinkles and forming a crisper more youthful appearance. Restylane Sub-Q, a thicker naturally occurring hylauronic product adds volume to sagging cheeks and can be used to enhance the jawline or chin. Juvéderm is a smoother hylauronic product recently approved for use in Australia which offers promise of a softer lip enhancement. The Julia Roberts “duck-lip” is definitely passé.

The coming months are ideal for skin resurfacing procedures with the reduced exposure to the sun. These include: laserbrasion, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, skin peels and laser for facial veins.

Surgical facelifting continues to evolve using smaller incisions and more precise tissue modeling, especially for sagging neck and jowl areas. The combination, ‘New York’ and ‘French’ techniques which I employ are resulting in dramatic but still natural results from facelifting in the 50-65 year age group. Facelifting procedures are becoming more popular with men as well.

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Blepharoplasty - Eyelid Surgery to rejuvenate you!

Upper Eyelids

With ageing, excessive skin forms in the upper eyelids (blepharochalasis) which can lead to sagging of the eyelid, impeded vision and for women that impossible task of where do you put your eye makeup. While Thermage for the upper eyelid is appropriate for mild laxity, some patients will require surgery to obtain the desired result.

Lower Eyelids

Besides wrinkling, fat protrusion from behind the eyelids, leads to fatty bags or “extra baggage”! This problem can occur in the early age groups, twenties to thirties, giving the patient a “sleepy”, “dozy” or even a “self-abused” appearance. This is often worse in the morning and exaggerated by salty foods. Patients who are prone to allergies and hay fever often have this problem and this is associated with dark circles around the eyes.

The reason for this fatty protrusion is somewhat like a hernia. Our eyes have about 6 cc of fat around them, which allows the eye to move very smoothly. This weakness of the tissues around the eyes allows the fat to protrude through. There were some illnesses especially Grave disease (thyrotoxicosis) which causes the fat to swell.

This ‘extra baggage’ can often be removed without external scarring using the transconjunctival approach or if there is a large amount of loose skin a small incision just below the eyelashes might be necessary.

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Two patients who have had heavy eyelids improved by blepharoplasty procedures performed by Dr Hodgkinson

Quite a striking change in a patient who has had both blepharoplasty and a facelift procedure performed by Dr Hodgkinson

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When you need a Facelift

Dr Darryl Hodgkinson explains the different lift procedures

There comes a point in every person’s ageing where non-surgical techniques, injectibles such as BOTOX® and Restylane or Thermage cannot counteract the progression of sagging and wrinkling of the facial and neck structures. While skin care is beneficial at all times in our lives, significant sagging, jowl formation and hollowing of the face requires the surgical procedure of a facelift.

My facelifting procedures are individualized to the patient’s wishes, taking into account their motivation, their general health and the nature and severity of their ageing problem. Therefore, the ‘S-Lift’, the ‘Max-Lift’, the ‘X, Y & Z Lifts’, are quite meaningless as ageing of each portion of the face is different in every single patient. There are an infinite variety of lifts used, but it is only when the appropriate lift is chosen or in combination for the particular ageing features that a natural, long lasting and appropriate result can be achieved. The same lift performed on two people with different hallmarks of ageing could appear natural on one and tight and abnormal on the other patient.

Over the past 30 years, I have developed techniques which are safe, effective, with a minimum possible complication rate and with the most rapid recovery possible. No proper facelift can be performed that will not require at least 7 to 10 days of recovery before the patient would be confident to go back into circulation.

My usual technique after years of experience is platysma (neck muscles) lifting using the ‘Fogli Method’ (named for a French plastic surgeon) and the ‘Baker Technique’ (likewise named for a New York plastic surgeon) to lift the jowls and mid-face.

All cases are performed on a day only basis at the fully licensed and accredited Double Bay Day Surgery. Patients are accompanied on the night of their surgery with one of the clinic’s highly specialized post-operative care nurses for monitoring and individualized care.

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Rhinoplasty can improve your profile -
and your breathing too!

I have always had a special interest in rhinoplasty. Having been trained at the famous Mayo Clinic by Professor Gene Kern, President of the American Rhinological Society, I was inspired by his artistic ability and his attention to improve the breathing function of the nose in conjunction with its appearance.

My rhinoplasties are customised to the ethnic background and artistic desires of the patient. We use digital imaging to communicate with prospective patients so that both surgeon and patient agree on what is to be achieved with their “new look” nose.
In patients who have breathing difficulties due to problems with their nasal septum or turbinates, simultaneous correction can also be achieved.

Complications and excessive swelling are rare and to the surprise of most patients, there is only minimal discomfort after the surgical procedure.
A small nasal splint is worn by the patients for a week and after removal, they can return to work, school or university lectures within seven to ten days.

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Operation Restore Hope Australia getting ready to roll again

A team led by Dr. Hodgkinson is getting ready to leave for Manila in April where there are already 106 children pre-screened, as well as the need to review the children from years past.

It will be a busy mission that will also see the charity working with its local partners to include speech pathology for the first time.

Always a long-term goal

This has been a long-term goal of the charity in trying to provide all necessary medical services such as speech pathology to children with cleft lip and palate. We already offer paediatric care, dentistry and orthodontia.

Another team, coordinated by Maureen Eddison (pictured right) now in her 10th year with the charity, has just returned from Cebu where they performed over 60 cases. This team included a surgeon from New York, Dr. Robin Dyleski who has been with the charity since 1999, other surgeons, anaesthetists, dentists, nurses and volunteers.

The charity began in Cebu in 1994 and is now working in three Philippine hospitals throughout the year. This increased commitment means a need for increased support. Please take a moment to visit our website and make a donation, become a member or a volunteer. Everyone can help make a difference.
If you do not receive Operation Restore Hope’s newsletter ‘Smile’ and would like to be on our mailing list please call us on 02 9362 7480 or email us at: orha@operationrestorehope.org