Skin Quality Treatments Episodes

Sometimes you don’t need a full makeover, but rather just a smart tweak. Dr. Bass introduces the idea of “beauty tweakments,” the small, low-downtime treatments designed to quietly keep aging in check without dramatic change. He explains how tweakments fit into a bigger beauty plan, depending on your stage of aging, what you’ve already done, and what stands out most right now. From Botox and light-based treatments to subtle filler in overlooked areas like earlobes, hands, and the neck, the...

In light of the FDA’s October 2025 warning about RF microneedling, Dr. Bass explains what it actually means for anyone considering the treatment. He explains that RF microneedling isn’t your average facial, but rather a medical procedure that uses tiny needles to deliver radiofrequency energy beneath the skin. Done incorrectly, it can cause complications like burns, scarring, or nerve damage. The FDA warning is worthwhile but provides a single point of view about a very broad range of devi...

Looking your best isn’t just about quick fixes—it’s about a plan that lasts, not just one round of correction but a sequence of just the right things. Dr. Bass shares his “infinity plan,” starting with the essentials: fundamental products like sunscreen and skincare, and universally effective treatments such as neuromodulators and fillers. He also spotlights the long-lasting game changers, from eyelid surgery to tummy tucks. The right mix of consistent care and durable procedures keeps you lo...

Your beauty plan should be tailored to you—your goals, your timeline, and what you're comfortable with when it comes to recovery and results. Dr. Bass explains his idea of “right-sized beauty planning” and why having a personalized approach makes all the difference in plastic surgery. Whether you’re looking to address one specific feature, maintain your look over the next year, or map out a long-term transformation, having a clear plan helps you prioritize, budget, and coordinate treatments mo...

Drs. Bass and Edinger break down what a facelift can and can’t do. Facelifts are great for tightening loose skin, lifting jowls, and restoring volume in the face and neck—helping you look more refreshed and youthful. But they don’t address everything. Wrinkles, sun damage, and changes around the eyes and brows usually need other treatments. There’s a big difference between how facelifts are described online and how surgeons talk about them. The doctors break down that language gap so you know ...

If you want better results from your anti-aging efforts, planning ahead is key. Teaming up with a plastic surgeon can help you restore right when it's needed, not when it's screaming to be done. While restorative treatments become more essential with age, prevention and maintenance are crucial at every stage. Dr. Bass explains the importance of creating a personalized anti-aging plan that works with your budget. Find out how to know when it's time for surgical interventions like facelifts or n...

Reaching your 80’s is a special time in life. This decade is different for different folks: some are preoccupied with health issues and spend most of their time at home, while others are still very healthy, active, and social. In this seventh and final episode of our mini series “Decades of Face,” Dr. Bass shares the top cosmetic procedures for people in their 80’s and how to find a new surgeon if yours has retired at this point. This is the time to reinforce whatever work you've done previous...

Cellulite can appear as dimples, ridges, or waves on the thighs and buttocks, affecting anyone regardless of age, body type, or skin type. It's not the same as laxity or crepiness, and it’s a tough issue to tackle. Subcision-based treatments like Avéli and Cellfina are effective for cellulite dimples but come with bruising and recovery time. Less invasive options like hyper diluted Radiesse or Sculptra injections can help but still fail to treat the entire area. Energy based treatments can trea...

In the past, looking younger usually meant surgery. But plastic surgeon Dr. Julius Few believes that dramatic results are possible with less invasive methods. He uses a “treatment ladder” to combine nonsurgical procedures to improve skin texture, volume loss, and sagging skin all at once. Stacking nonsurgical treatments, namely giving multiple treatments in a single sitting, used to be seen as too risky. Now, doctors see that combining them can often be done safely, delivering more complete rej...

For people in their 60’s, Dr. Bass reports that this is the time for big beauty projects. Even with a legacy of good preventive and restorative treatments, surgical rejuvenation is almost always needed to avoid looking worn out and tired. Dr. Bass shares the options in this fifth episode of our mini series “Decades of Face.” In this prime decade of business success and social events, the improvements from facelift and necklift will be seen by more of your friends and colleagues than when you ar...

In this fourth episode of our mini-series “Decades of Face,” Dr. Bass guides people in their 50’s who want to take appropriate and immediate action to avoid looking “old.” This decade is an active time for facial aging, requiring thoughtful effort around a beauty plan with larger and more frequent treatments. For many people at this age, skin laxity, dull skin, volume loss, wrinkles, jowling, muscle banding in the neck, and droopy eyelids are moderate to severe. While a surgical face and/or ne...

Guest expert dermatologist Dr. Vic Ross joins Dr. Bass to review technologies that have come to market in recent years and preview the pipeline for the future of aesthetics. Looking back on the history of aesthetic medicine, a pivotal breakthrough was the ability to precisely target abnormal areas of skin rather than damaging the skin globally. As this advancement transformed aesthetic treatments, researchers continued to find ways to make these technologies more powerful, cost effective, and ...

Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Julius Few joins Dr. Bass to discuss why skin care is not a one size fits all industry and debunk common myths surrounding skin care. Good skin care is a necessary adjunct to plastic surgery and beauty as a whole. There are thousands of product options out there, but it’s about finding a routine that’s easy to follow and works for you. According to Dr. Few, the secret to great skin is good cleansing (but not over-cleansing), good hydration with protection of that hy...

In this third episode of our mini-series “Decades of Face,” Dr. Bass advises people in their 40’s actively fighting signs of aging and determined to take the best care of their skin. With volume loss and wrinkles becoming increasingly visible in this decade of life, Botox and fillers are almost universally part of the beauty plan. This is also prime time to take advantage of energy based treatments for skin changes such as wrinkling, pigment irregularity, age spots, rosacea, and skin laxity. F...

Although relatively small, the eyes are the first area of the face to show changes, and have a big impact on one’s appearance. When considering which procedure to have for the eyes, first identify your specific concerns: is it volume loss, crepiness underneath the eyes, crow's feet, low brow position, or fat bulging causing bags beneath the eyes? There's no meaningful substitute for eyelid surgery, but non-surgical treatments are useful for certain concerns around the eyes. Botox and fillers, ...

Starting early with minimally invasive treatments postpones the need for more aggressive treatments. Dr. Bass and special guest & dermatologist Dr. Joel Cohen share their expertise to bring us the definitive anti-aging treatment plan. Spoiler alert: the key to facial rejuvenation is combining laser and energy treatments with other treatments such as Botox and injectables. Regular maintenance treatments help you target the whole package, from skin texture and pigmentation to volume loss and wrin...

In the second installment of our mini-series “Decades of Face,” Dr. Bass advises people in their 30’s who want to be proactive and have an effective facial rejuvenation treatment plan in place before aging signs appear. Find out which treatments are best for the common skin concerns of this decade, including Botox, injectable fillers, radiofrequency microneedling, and lasers. Learn which treatments you should be doing right now and which products you should be using to look your best. Hint: if...

Working on the fabric of the skin itself does a lot to improve and rejuvenate our appearance when we're in our fifties, sixties, and seventies. Preventive measures when we’re in our twenties, thirties, and forties delays when we have to address the big aging features and preserves our skin at its youthful best. As we age, the metabolism of the skin slows down slowing renewal of skin materials. Collagen and elastin, the structural proteins in the skin, diminish and become less organized. Ground ...

Until the 1980’s, doctors used a small set of lasers as a continuous wave for every medical and cosmetic skin condition, heating and burning off the surface of the target. Dermatologist Dr. Vic Ross characterizes this approach as being like “napalm in the forest,” Then, Harvard researcher and dermatologist Dr. Rox Anderson recognized these treatments would be much more selective if they were delivered in short pulses and tailored to each condition. From there, researchers in laser medicine bega...

Many people are interested in treatments that have a significant positive impact on appearance without a big investment in recovery time or money. Dr. Munique Maia joins Dr. Bass for a deep dive into the most powerful minimally invasive treatments and minor surgeries, and reveals which small aging changes can make a huge difference in appearance when addressed. Everyone has a busy schedule and a budget, and it’s a good idea to think about what procedures will truly make a difference. Drs. Bass...

In the first of our mini-series “Decades of Face,” Dr. Bass shares his advice for people in their 20’s who want to both look their best and have a solid anti-aging treatment and skin care plan. Learn which procedures are most popular for preventing aging and maintaining skin quality at this age, including retinoids, energy treatments, microneedling, and micro Botox. Don’t miss Dr. Bass’ sage advice about chasing the small issues which can manifest during your 20’s. He also discusses ways to op...

With any surgery, it’s normal to be concerned about the scars you'll be left with and whether they heal properly. In this episode, Dr. Bass covers the different types of scars and what to do if you find yourself with an unpredictable scar during your recovery. Two conditions which sometimes occur with scar healing are hypertrophic scars and keloid scars. A hypertrophic scar is red and thick, caused by inflammation combined with your wound healing biology and how your skin behaves. Keloid scars ...

To help you find the best laser or energy treatment for your goals, dermatologist Joel L. Cohen, MD, joins Dr. Bass for a conversation about the devices which have changed the aesthetics game and how treatments can be modulated to fit your goals. Finding the right device means first consulting with and building a relationship with an expert dermatologist or plastic surgeon, who will help you select the treatment that will best address your concerns. Getting to your goals requires an entire too...

Needles are everywhere in medical aesthetics, from injectable treatments to needling treatments that use tiny sterile needles to create tiny punctures and energy based microneedling. Creating a lot of punctures in the skin is microtrauma that the body recognizes and responds to biologically, creating biostimulatory effects such as neocollagenesis, the formation of new collagen in the skin, and neovascularization, the formation of new blood supply in the skin. Some needles are big, some are tiny ...