Gabrielle is a 38 year old Executive Assistant in Covina, California who's always cared about her appearance but had never given much thought to facial rejuvenation procedures. While on vacation, she looked at herself in the hotel's magnification mirror and was surprised by what she saw. She remembers, "When I saw the wrinkles around my eyes and looked at everything up close, I was shocked - it was like someone smacked me upside the head. I thought, 'Where did this come from?'"

Gabrielle realized that her earlier days as a working student, combined with poor nutrition and sleep deprivation, had taken their toll. She says, "When I looked in the mirror, even if I'd had a good night's sleep, I was starting to look tired every day." So she decided to take action. Gabrielle recalls, "I wanted my outside to match my inside."

I wanted my outside to match my inside.

Doing Her Homework

Gabrielle spent a lot of time researching her options by visiting doctors' Web sites and reading cosmetic surgery blogs, medical journals, and magazines. She found Dr. Wang's site to be the most informative and consulted it to find out which procedures provided the longest-lasting results and gave the most "bang for the buck." Gabrielle knew she wanted to stick with non-invasive treatments. She says, "I wanted to do the healthiest thing and then think of it as maintenance in order to head off bigger problems down the line."

After meeting with 3 doctors, Gabrielle chose Wang Plastic Surgery because Dr. Wang seemed to have the most holistic view. Gabrielle says, "He has wide knowledge and experience. By listening to him, I could tell he was looking at the big picture, and that made me feel very comfortable." Initially, Gabrielle was exploring various options, including a ThreadLift. She says, "I told Dr. Wang, 'I want this, this and this.' He responded 'no, no, and no.'" During her consultation, Dr. Wang educated Gabrielle on how certain procedures can work against each other and helped her set more realistic expectations.

Dr. Wang was looking at the big picture and helped set realistic expectations.

Her Treatment Choices

Over the past year, Gabrielle has had several treatments to gradually improve her tired appearance and enhance her skin tone. She started with BOTOX® Cosmetic to treat a few forehead wrinkles and lines around her eyes. Then, Dr. Wang used JUVÉDERM® Injectable Gel for the "nasolabial folds" that ran from the sides of her nose to the corners of her mouth. It turned out that Gabrielle experienced an added bonus from her BOTOX Cosmetic treatments. As a self-proclaimed "tense person," she found that BOTOX kept her muscles relaxed, which actually helped her feel calmer.

Next, Gabrielle returned to Dr. Wang's office for a Thermage® skin rejuvenation treatment. She found the experience relaxing and enjoyed having time to lie down and not do anything for an hour. There was no pain, just a sense of warmth on her face, and when the procedure was completed, she just put on sunscreen and was able to proceed with her day.

Gabrielle's most recent visit was for a light chemical peel. She originally asked for a heavy peel, but Dr. Wang advised her to go lighter, since her skin is fair and thin. Knowing her skin would be peeling and unattractive for awhile, she took some time off from work. Gabrielle recalls, "I definitely got a couple of strange looks out in public!" During this recovery time, her routine changed a bit. She didn't wear makeup for a couple of weeks and made sure she wore a hat to protect her skin from the sun. The experience actually reminded her of how much she likes to wear hats - something she has continued to do since. Most peeling was gone after 3 days and a week later she could fully enjoy her smooth, rejuvenated skin appearance.

I finally look like I got a good night's sleep!

Loving Her Look

Gabrielle is very happy with her results and continues to visit Wang Plastic Surgery to maintain her revitalized appearance. She notices that her skin tone has evened out and the fine lines on her face have diminished. Gabrielle says, "It's kind of like making amends to my body for the things I did in the past. The cosmetic stuff is the last frontier. I feel younger now and my outlook on life is better now than when I was 18. I finally look like I got a good night's sleep and I just feel better - it's been such a positive experience."

Louise is enjoying her life to the fullest. As a registered nurse in her 60's, she has regularly assisted Dr. Wang for the past 3 years at an outpatient surgery center that serves many Riverside, California plastic surgeons. Although she enjoys quilting and spending time with her young grandchildren, Louise sees no reason to look like a grandma. "I'm not ready to look old yet," she explains. "Baby boomers are enjoying better health and longer lives. We deserve to look as good as we feel."

Repeat Customer

Her first experience as Dr. Wang's patient was when he performed traditional liposuction on her lower abdomen the year before. Because the entire experience was so positive, Louise returned to him to see what he could do to correct her double chin. She had thought about having it fixed for several months before deciding that the time was finally right. From her past experience, Louise assumed that liposuction would be the solution, and she was correct. But, Dr. Wang had a modern twist. He suggested a new type of laser liposuction that had many Pasadena and Riverside patients excited – the AccuSculpt™ Laser Lipo-Sculpting System from Lutronic®.

Dr. Wang took the time to explain everything. He also answered all of my questions, which made me feel completely at ease about the procedure.

Liposuction Made Better

Dr. Wang explained how laser technology enhances the results of liposuction by making the procedure more precise, safer, and gentler on the body than the traditional method. The laser selectively liquefies the fat cells while leaving the surrounding tissues unaffected. Because laser liposuction is performed much like traditional liposuction, Louise knew what to expect. "Although I had already had liposuction performed, Dr. Wang took the time to explain everything. He also answered all of my questions, which made me feel completely at ease about the procedure." She made an appointment to have him perform laser liposuction under her chin and along her neck to restore a youthful, sculpted look to her jaw line and neck.

No Pain, Big Gain

Dr. Wang began Louise's procedure in his office with a few quick injections of local anesthesia. He performed the laser liposuction through 3 tiny incisions that he concealed under her chin and in the fold of her neck. "I was shocked because I didn't feel anything," she recalls. "When I had my abdominal liposuction I did feel some pain near the end of the procedure. I think it was because that procedure was more time consuming and most of the numbing solution had been extracted by the end of the surgery. This time I was very surprised to feel nothing."

Louise felt no pain after the procedure as well. After taking prescription pain medication for the first couple of days she realized she felt fine without it. She had very little discoloration and swelling as well. To ensure proper healing, Louise wore a foam pad under her chin along with a compression wrap 24 hours a day as Dr. Wang directed. After the specified 2-week period, Louise continued wearing the wrap at night for a couple of months to ensure the best results. "Even though Dr. Wang said it wasn't necessary, I decided to keep wearing the wrap when I was sleeping because it was easy to do."

If I don't act old, why should I look old?

A Wonderful Thing You Can Do for Yourself

With a firm, sculpted chin and neckline, Louise looks as vibrant and full of life as she feels. She couldn't be happier with the results of her procedure.

When asked if she felt vain about having her neck done, Louise emphatically answered No. "At my age it's a wonderful thing you can do for yourself. If I don't act old, why should I look old?" Louise understands that everyone has their own reasons for choosing plastic surgery and everyone has a right to feel good about how they look.

Her advice to others considering the procedure is simple, "Do it! Don't hesitate!" She also doesn't hesitate when asked if she'd recommend Dr. Wang, "After seeing his work and working with him for years, I wouldn't go to anyone else."

As her 60th birthday was rapidly approaching, Andrea looked for a reason to celebrate. What better way than with a party? But, she wanted to look great for that big event. "Since my face looked fantastic after Dr. Wang's chemical peel," she recalls, "I knew I could count on him to perk up my neck and upper arms. My chin reminded me of a bullfrog and there were pouches of fat above my elbows." As a retired airline employee, Andrea enjoys traveling with the friends she's made across the country. She was determined to keep herself looking as vibrant and youthful as she felt.

My chin reminded me of a bullfrog and there were pouches of fat above
my elbows.

No Need for Neck Lift Surgery

"I went for a consult with Dr. Wang to find out about getting a neck lift," said Andrea. "But, he talked me out of surgery. He told me I wasn't there yet." Andrea appreciated how Dr. Wang wasn't pushy about doing surgical procedures. "He wanted to do what's right for me, not what would bring in the most money." Instead of neck lift surgery, Dr. Wang suggested laser liposuction in Pasadena with his new AccuSculpt™ system. Because this new technology can tighten skin as well as remove unwanted fat, it was the perfect way to improve the appearance of Andrea's neck and her arms.

Dr. Wang performed Andrea's procedure in his office using injections of local anesthesia, as he does with the majority of laser liposuction patients from Pasadena to Riverside, California. "The procedure itself I don't regret," Andrea explains, "it's just that I'm squeamish around needles. I felt OK for the neck procedure, but when he got to my arms I felt terrible. I was so nauseous," she recalls. "His staff was really sweet to me through the whole thing and I got through it. But, if I could do it over again, I'd choose to be asleep."

Easy Recovery

After she returned home the day of her procedure, Andrea took pain medication only for the first day or two. "The areas felt sore to the touch, but otherwise I felt fine," she said. She returned to Dr. Wang's office at regular intervals so he could verify that she was healing properly. "One of the best things about Dr. Wang is his follow-up care. He put my mind at ease by seeing me often and letting me know that I was healing properly."

When it comes to laser liposuction, I'm a believer.

Although Dr. Wang had explained that the skin tightening could take some time, Andrea was shocked with her appearance initially. "The first week after surgery, I freaked out. The fat was gone from my arms, but they looked like bat wings." While wearing compression wraps continuously, each week the loose skin tightened, looking better and better. "The outcome is great," she said. "You just have to be patient."

Results Worth the Wait

The day of her special birthday party Andrea felt as wonderful as she looked. "People ask if I've lost weight and they say I look younger. I think I look better overall, but still natural." She is also thrilled with being able to expose her arms again. "It had been 15 years since I'd worn any top with sleeves that came above the elbow. When I went on a recent trip to Hawaii with the girls, I went sleeveless. When it comes to laser liposuction, I'm a believer," says Andrea.