Dr Catherine Bergeret-Galley is an internationally-acclaimed board-certified female plastic surgeon from Paris. Visiting Specialist at Al Garhoud Private Hospital in Dubai she is one of the most sought-after surgeons with an A-list clientele across the Middle East and Europe, and is an expert in Facial Rejuvenation as well as in aesthetic and reconstructive body surgery. Here she elaborates on Facial and Body rejuvenation.
Dr.Catherine Bergeret-Galley has over three decades of experience in addition to the most prestigious degrees from USA and France. Passionate about her work, she said, “Enhancing, and making patients more attractive is my goal. I take the time to listen to their deepest concerns, to evaluate the defect they are worried about and often see as a handicap… ‘I want to enhance the lives of my patients’.”
Facial Rejuvenation not only includes total facial lifting of face, neck and forehead, eyelid surgery and nose surgery but also injection of fillers and Botox. In body surgery Dr Catherine is famous for her tummy tucks and breast surgery including augmentation with both implants and lipo-filling.
One of her other speciality is genital surgery, with reconstruction of vagina and external genitalia after multiple child births.
Facial Rejuvenation
When looking at the ageing face, we sometimes see not only wrinkles, but an excess of skin. It looks like the skin suddenly is two sizes too large for the face.
In mild cases this can be corrected by injection of fat taken elsewhere from the body. This gives more volume to the face in the upper part and fills out the loose skin envelope. At the same time, an excess of fat, accumulated under the chin (a double chin) can be erased with liposuction. This treatment is usually done under general anesthesia. Risks are minimal, but of course a bleeding under the skin (hematoma) is possible, likewise some changes of skin sensibility. This is usually only temporary.
Swelling of the face is normal after surgery, but usually subsides after 2 weeks, when it´s possible to resume a normal life. The final result takes 2 – 4 months to see.
It can be done in all ages but is usually common in 30 – 45 years, and in higher ages only as a complement to a facelift. The cost is around 30 000 AED.
When the skin excess is more severe, fat injection will not alone solve the problem, but can be a useful complement to a facelift, to restore the natural beauty of an ageing face.
Incisions are hidden around the ears and are usually very discrete. The surgery will remove all the surplus of skin in the face and neck. It can be combined with a liposuction of the neck. It’s done under general surgery.
Risks are minimal when done by a professional plastic surgeon, but bleeding and a hematoma is possible, why the patient should stay the first night in the hospital for observation. Sensory changes of the skin are a common side effect of the surgery, and usually disappears during 3 – 4 months. Complete healing takes 4 weeks, during this time the patient should refrain from work and physical activities. Swelling and blue marks subsides after 2 weeks, and social contacts is possible. Final result after 4-8 weeks.
This operation is most common in the ages of 40 – 60. Cost is 40 – 50000 AED.
The result lasts forever! This means that if the patient of 50 years looks like she / he did at 35, she /he will always look 15 years younger than they had done if the surgery had not been done. The gained result will never be lost, but of course the normal ageing process continues. This process can however been slowed down. By proper skincare, avoid sun exposure, smoking and having a healthy diet, the face will stay young longer.
The first area in the face to show sign of ageing is usually around the eyes. The upper and lower eyelids have very fine and thin skin and are usually where the first wrinkles appear, which will later transform into a real excess of skin. The bags of the lower eyelids as well as a double fold of extra skin on the upper eyelids, almost covering the eye lashes, can be corrected by a blepharoplasty . This small and easy surgery, done under local anesthesia with sedation (for comfort), will give the eyes back the magic of communicating to other people, strength and vigor, rather than tiredness and old age.
In the hands of a good surgeon, there are hardly any risks and side effects.
Incisions in the lower eyelid is either done behind the eyelid or in front, right under the eye lashes. In the upper eyelid , the incision is done in the natural fold , which hides it totally with the eye open .When healed ,they becomes almost invisible.
Healing takes 2 weeks, after this, normal work and physical activities can be resumed. Some swelling will still be present, so the full result takes usually 1-3 months to be seen.
Because of the ageing process, this is usually done only after 35 years, but some individuals can have a hereditary look of tiredness, with puffy eyelids and bags, already in the early twenties, that can be cured with surgery. To maintain the result, strong sun without sunglasses is to be avoided, and good skincare is mandatory.
Cost is 10 000 AED for 2 eyelids and 16000 AED for all 4 eyelids.
The best time to do it, is when you start to spend more time in front of the mirror and to complain about less flattering light.
Body Rejuvenation
For women to be pregnant and give birth to children, is a terrible trauma to the body.
Most women heal well and the body goes back to it´s normal contour, but not for all women. For some of them, the body is destroyed forever. Strechmarks of the skin on abdomen and breasts makes the body disfigured and deformed. The breasts becomes ptotic (hanging) and the abdomen can sometimes look like an empty sack.
The remedy of this is an abdominoplasty – a tummy tuck!
With the patient under general anesthesia the plastic surgeon repairs the abdomen through a low incision just above the pubic area –well covered by small panties – The excess of shapeless skin is removed and the abdominal muscles below is repaired, to give back a narrow waistline and a flat smooth tummy.
Although this is a common condition after multiple pregnancies, it is also coursed by obesity followed by significant weight reduction.
This is a major operation and most patients need 2 days in the hospital. The healing period is 4 weeks after which most patients can resume work. Full strength of the abdomen is only after 8 weeks, when the final result is visible.
Risks include slow wound healing and thrombosis of the lower legs, why it is very important for the patient to follow the instructions, given by the surgeon.
This is not age dependent, but rather dependent of the factors above.
Maintenance is by keeping the body in shape, eating healthy, and avoid overweight Cost 40000 AED.
To book an appointment, please call
Anna Sunga on +971 55 523 0933 or email: cbg@wanadoo.fr
Direct SMS (French Mobile Number): +33 609223059
