Plastic surgery can be a sensitive issue between significant others. In fact, broaching the subject can be a real challenge for husbands and boyfriends of female patients. Often, a woman wants a cosmetic procedure that her man shuns – sometimes because of financial concerns, other times because he truly loves the way she looks already. Some men, however, fit the exact opposite description, pressuring – even demanding a wife or girlfriend to undergo a procedure she doesn’t want or that is more intense than she wants.

Couples shoud discuss plastic surgery, but the ultimate decision lies with the patient alone.

In a 1997 legal case against one of Hollywood’s most famous celebrity plastic surgeons, actor Sylvester Stallone reportedly burst into the room where then-girlfriend Angie Everhart was undergoing a breast augmentation. The surgeon’s employees testified that Stallone demanded bigger implants than Everhart had agreed to, and the surgeon acquiesced. The couple soon parted ways and Everhart had her implants removed. While this case may sound more like a tawdry Hollywood script than day-to-day reality, you’ll be hard pressed to find a plastic surgeon who has not witnessed such pressure situations in his or her office.

If you feel you’re being pressed to undergo a plastic surgery or other cosmetic procedure that you’re not absolutely sure you want, put the brakes on immediately.

“Undergoing plastic surgery or even a simpler, non-evasive cosmetic procedure is, and should be an intensely personal decision,” says Dr. Phillip Garcia, founder of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery near Jacksonville, FL. “Here at the Garcia Institute, if we have any cause to believe that a prospective patient is being unduly pressured by a husband, boyfriend or anyone else, we will politely decline our services. Any ethical plastic surgeon in Jacksonville or elsewhere will do the same.”

If you are truly interested in facial plastic surgery but your significant other is hesitant, talk it out. Find out what his concerns are and carefully consider your own. A great celebrity example is Lisa Rinna’s recent decision to undergo facial plastic surgery to remove a 22-year-old silicone lip implant. Scar tissue had formed around the implant, giving her lips an odd shape and she arguably endured more than her fair share of public and media ridicule. Actor husband Harry Hamlin felt she didn’t need surgery, but understood why Rinna wanted it.

“My lips started to define who I am,” Rinna told People magazine. “That bothered me.”

Hamlin supported Rinna’s decision and she reportedly is very pleased with the results of the corrective surgery.

“Couples should discuss plastic surgery and carefully consider all the ways it will affect them as a couple,” Dr. Garcia says. “But the decision ultimately lies with the patient.”

If you are considering undergoing a procedure contact us at (904) 247-8522 or via our online email form to schedule a consultation.

If your smile is showing the signs of aging or other youth-sapping factors, consider one of several options for lip augmentation. Jacksonville’s sunny climate means countless days lounging on the beach, boating down the St. Johns River or walking Northeast Florida’s beautiful parks and nature preserves. Of course, most know the importance of using a potent sunscreen to help protect the face, but many neglect the lip area. Resulting sun exposure, as well as aging, is among the main culprits of thinning, drying, lined lips that add years to your appearance.

Three main types of lip augmentation treatments are lip injectables, laser lip treatments and lip implants. At Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery, Jacksonville patients undergo a thorough evaluation of their full facial features, desires and expectations for the outcome of their lip enhancement or lip augmentation treatments and lifestyle choices to determine their best choice for lip augmentation. Jacksonville plastic surgeons Dr. Philip Garcia and Dr. Roberto Garcia specialize in facial cosmetic and restorative procedures and offer multiple options for lip enhancement.

Lip injectables are the most commonly used form of lip augmentation. The procedures involve injecting matter directly into the borders of the lips to plump them up and smooth wrinkles, giving the lips a smoother, younger appearance. Among the numerous injectable products on the market today, Radiesse and Restylane are increasingly popular. Radiesse uses calcium hydroxyl apatite suspended in a gel, while Restylane’s key component is hyaluronic acid. Both occur naturally in your body. Calcium hydroxyl apatite is found in bone and used in prosthetic implants for dental, facial and orthopedic surgery. Hyaluronic acid binds to water up to 1,000 times its volume. Even as the acid is absorbed into the body, the water remains just under the skin’s surface, leaving lips looking full and smooth.

Lip laser treatments are a great form of lip augmentation for Jacksonville patients who may develop allergic reactions to injectable lip fillers, but work best for superficial, rather than deeper lip wrinkles. Laser treatments work by resurfacing the skin, essentially damaging it and forcing it to grow new, healthier skin and tightening the collagen and elastic tissue in the area around the mouth. They are considered preventative treatments rather than restorative treatments and there is a risk of temporary hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin surrounding the lips.

Another form of lip augmentation Jacksonville patients often choose is a lip implant. This surgical procedure involves placing an implant, usually made of silicone, beneath the lip surface. It’s much more permanent option than injectable lip fillers and laser treatments, but can be upsized, downsized or taken out altogether if you are unhappy with the results.

Each type of lip augmentation Jacksonville patients consider have pros and cons. Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery can help you decide which option is best for you, and also offers topical products for maintaining a healthy, youthful smile.