Americans are impatient—even when it comes to improving their appearance.
“Ladies and gentlemen have very active lifestyles, and they don’t want to be out of commission,” says Dr. Abdollah Malek, a cosmetic surgeon with offices in Newark and Lewes.
Fortunately, many cutting-edge treatments meet these fast-paced patients’ needs. “Services are going toward what’s known as minimally invasive or noninvasive,” Malek says. “Minimally invasive procedures have small incisions. You can calibrate the treatment and create gradual changes rather than a big huge change.”
Admittedly, some quick procedures—including minimally invasive and invasive procedures—follow more of a hurry-up-and-wait approach. You might be in and out of the office lickety split, but the recovery period can last a few days to a week. Or, it takes awhile to see results.
In both cases, it pays to visit a practice or spa that has a medical practitioner on site, whether he or she is a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse or nurse practitioner. Malek handles about 99 percent of his practice’s filler injections. Dr. Jonathan Pontell, who has a Media, Pa., office that specializes in facial procedures, performs them all himself. “There are advantages to having medical training,” he notes.
Here are some cosmetic treatments to consider that run about an hour or less. (You may need more than one session for some.) Talk to the practice or spa about fees, which can vary widely depending on the type of anesthesia required, promotional packages, product discounts and the amount of a product, such as Botox or Restylane, needed to get the job done right. Many offer discounts if you get more than one treatment at a time. Remember, cheaper is not always better. Ask for references.
