Face Forward

Perfect your vacation glow with the latest innovative treatments and the best doctors to perform them.

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Wellness in Southwest Florida extends far beyond the beach. The region is earning a reputation as a haven for pedigreed aesthetic doctors. And thanks to new techniques and technology, cosmetic and medical procedures can be quickly performed with minimal downtime—meaning you’ll be looking fresh-faced and ready for dinner in a flash. Here is what some of the top specialists see trending in the market.

Despite the uptick in plastics, board-certified plastic surgeon Paul Gardner, a specialist in advanced facial cosmetic surgery and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation techniques at Naples Plastic Surgery, says there is a lot of demand for minimally invasive procedures, like a mini facelift, where recovery is closer to two weeks instead of six, and a single surgery can last five or more years. Laser treatments can also cut downtime in half so that a procedure normally requiring seven to 10 days of recovery may now only need four or five days. With facial plastic surgery, Richard Maloney, a facial plastic surgeon at Aesthetic Surgery Center in Naples, says doctors have been able to fine-tune surgical parts of their practices so they’re more patient-friendly. He has spent the last 40 years working with a variety of laser treatments and facial fillers, and says the endoscopic procedure (which requires fewer incisions), developed in the early 1990s, has undergone technological changes in past years, so it’s less invasive and results are increasingly more natural.

Pedigreed aesthetic doctors—such as Irene Gladstein of Project Glammers in Naples—perform cosmetic procedures with minimal downtime. (Photo By Brian Tietz)

(Photo By Brian Tietz)

Facial rejuvenation ranges from minimally invasive (injectable fillers) to energy-based devices and surgery. Double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Stephen Prendiville in Fort Myers is working with one of the newer radiofrequency microneedling (collagen induction therapy) tools, the Virtue RF, which utilizes 36 gold-plated microneedles to stimulate collagen production, followed by a soothing, microcurrent dual mask that helps seal in the treatment.

To brighten, tighten and stimulate collagen, board-certified plastic surgeon Kiran Gill, who has her own practice in Naples, is also incorporating microneedling, or a combination of microneedling with radiofrequency treatment, along with a series of peels called the VI Peel. A blend of five acids, the VI Peel is designed to help with pigment discoloration, a common issue in Florida due to sun exposure.

Another popular product is the newly FDA-approved Restylane Kysse, a longer-lasting hyaluronic acid lip filler that’s been in international markets for some time now. Most fillers last six months, but this lasts a year, and Gill says it looks natural while adding fullness or contour.

For both medical and cosmetic procedures, Naples recently welcomed a new resident, Project Glammers, on Fifth Avenue South. Run by aesthetics doctor and oculoplastic surgeon Irene Gladstein, the stylish space offers a mix of surgical procedures and med-spa services—including expert injectables that use the latest (and safest) tools and proprietary facial cocktails—that will have your friends commenting on how well-rested you look when you return back home.