Dr. Stephen Prendiville

Injectable wrinkle fillers are all the rage these days, but Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stephen Prendiville said they are not a solution for everyone.

Prendiville said he sees patients who come to his office for Botox or one of the other facial fillers when what they really need is a facelift.

“There is fake news that fillers and injectables are all you’ll ever need to keep looking your youthful best, but nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. “The gold standard for facial rejuvenation is – and always has been – a facelift.”

Prendiville will separate fact from fiction at a free seminar he is hosting Friday, April 8, at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, 5951 Silver Key Blvd. The seminar begins at 11:30 a.m. with a light lunch. The seminar is free but reservations are required by calling 239-437-3900. Space is limited.

According to the most recent data available from the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons, there were 2.3 million cosmetic surgery procedures such as facelifts and eyelid lifts in the U.S. in 2020. The number of non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers dwarfed that number with 7.8 million procedures in 2020.

“Fillers and injectables work well as stand-alone treatments for women in their 30s and 40s, but cannot be considered the best treatment available after this period in life. Women in their 50s, 60s and 70s will require more substantial treatments to achieve spectacular results. Results obtainable with surgery aren’t possible with fillers and injectables and people need to be honest about that,” Dr. Prendiville said.

There is a cost factor involved. A facelift or eyelid surgery cost more than fillers, but there is a disadvantage to fillers, too.

“A filler will only last about six to eight months and then you’ll need to keep repeating it to maintain the same look. A facelift may be more expensive initially but it can last 10 or more years,” he said.

Prendiville said a patient in her late 60s commented to him recently that she has done fillers for seven years. She realized that for the amount of money she spent on fillers, she could have paid for a facelift. And it would have been permanent instead of temporary.

Using before and after pictures of actual patients, Dr. Prendiville will discuss the latest advances in facelifts, eyelid lifts, nose surgery, lasers, and reconstructive surgery. He also will review injectable wrinkle fillers.

Prendiville is the only Fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon in Fort Myers who is certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He has performed more than 3,000 surgical procedures.

Prendiville graduated with his M.D. degree with high honors from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and served his residency at Georgetown University.

He was awarded a Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at St. Louis University in Missouri, where he was a clinical instructor in the St. Louis University Department of Otolaryngology.

All surgeries are performed at Prendiville’s state-of-the-art Surgical Center adjacent to his office in South Fort Myers at 9407 Cypress Lake Drive. The Surgical Center is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), which is the largest accrediting body for outpatient surgical facilities in the United States. For more information, visit www.TheQMedSpa.com or www.drprendiville.com.

About Quigley Eye Specialists

Quigley Eye Specialists is a network of leading multispecialty optometry and ophthalmology practices specializing in cataracts, laser cataract surgery, glaucoma, LASIK, dry eye, eyelid surgery, facial plastic surgery, retina, cornea conditions, optical and routine eye care. Headquartered in Florida, with locations throughout the state, Quigley Eye Specialists physicians provide superior care while improving patient lives through innovation and treatment. For more information, visit www.QuigleyEye.com.