To Infinity and Beyond
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 looking your best at every age… to infinity and beyond.
About Dr. Lawrence Bass
Innovator. Industry veteran. In-demand Park Avenue board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Lawrence Bass is a true master of his craft, not only in the OR but as an industry pioneer in the development and evaluation of new aesthetic technologies. With locations in both Manhattan (on Park Avenue between 62nd and 63rd Streets) and in Great Neck, Long Island, Dr. Bass has earned his reputation as the plastic surgeon for the most discerning patients in NYC and beyond.
To learn more, visit the Bass Plastic Surgery website or follow the team on Instagram @drbassnyc
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Summer Hardy (00:01):
Welcome to Park Avenue Plastic Surgery Class, the podcast where we explore controversies and breaking issues in plastic surgery. I'm your co-host, Summer Hardy, a clinical assistant at Bass Plastic Surgery in New York City. I'm excited to be here with Dr. Lawrence Bass Park Avenue plastic surgeon, educator and technology innovator. The title of today's episode is To Infinity & Beyond. Of course, I've heard that phrase before, but what does it mean in this context, Dr. Bass?
Dr. Lawrence Bass (00:30):
I'm talking about a few things here. First, things that are part of the beauty plan for infinity. That is always, regardless of age. Also, I'm talking about things that are going to be potentially part of everyone's beauty plan. They're universal. Next, there are things that will help you look good for the long term. They're really, really durable things, or the most worthwhile or necessary options to the extent that anything in aesthetic plastic surgery is necessary to keep you looking your best to infin to the end beyond. And finally, a little bit about thinking the other way. Nothing will last forever. Since we never get to infinity and there is no beyond, we have to have a little reality check because we'll always keep aging because of that. We always need some maintenance prevention and restoration.
Summer Hardy (01:36):
Thanks for breaking that down. So let's hit these one at a time. What are some examples of things that are always needed?
Dr. Lawrence Bass (01:43):
So there are a bunch of things that are always needed, even when you're young, even when you haven't aged yet, and these are just good care that help you always look better, help you slow aging. Sunscreen is a big thing, and the two biggest things for beauty preventable causes of aging are sun and smoking. So those are huge. And some basic skincare with a basic skin enhancing product is probably a good idea regardless of whether you're young or older, what your skin is like. It could always use with a little bit of protection and a little bit of enhancement.
Summer Hardy (02:33):
That makes sense. And what are some medical treatments that are always part of the plan?
Dr. Lawrence Bass (02:37):
The big medical treatments, in my opinion, are neuromodulators and fillers. They're definitely part of this. Some kind of exfoliation or skin blending treatments, both for texture and pigment are an important part of the plan. These are basic and tend to benefit in all stages. When you're young, they clean out oily, blocked pores. When you're older, they help eliminate built up skin debris. So things like these kind of treatments or chemical peels that are superficial or epidermal, microdermabrasion, and a variety of laser light-based and energy-based treatments. Some individuals may benefit more from one option than another, depending on exactly what's manifesting on their skin. But something in this category is part of the plan pretty much for everyone.
Summer Hardy (03:39):
Got it. Okay. Now what about things that are long-term solutions?
Dr. Lawrence Bass (03:44):
So these are mostly surgical things or recovery based things. So there's a little more commitment and investment, but there's also more return. One of the most durable things in aesthetic plastic surgery is the eyelid plasty procedure. Some patients are lucky, they never need a repeat. Some patients may create a little bit of new skin or a little bit of new bulging fat and need a secondary procedure after typically 20 or more years. Sometimes that's less, but that's a very long period of time for a procedure to last. There are also very durable changes with procedures like facelifts and neck lifts, liposuction, which permanently removes fat cells from the body. Tummy tuck, which is the big reset for the tummy after having children or just with aging changes or sometimes after big weight changes. And laser resurfacing again, can really make a dramatic long lasting change in the character of skin if it's become aged looking and full of wrinkles and that can iron things out for years and years. So these are the procedures that make the biggest changes and the longest lasting changes so that you don't have to circle back and be on the constant merry-go-round there. Almost everything we do for body maintenance, whether it's beauty or health, is a constant merry-go-round maintenance. But on the big items, we don't want to have to do that frequently. And so for these procedures, we get tremendous durability and tremendous degree of improvement that really gives us the longevity to put it as part of our infinity plan.
Summer Hardy (05:52):
Okay, and just to clarify, the durability is when the procedure wears off?
Dr. Lawrence Bass (05:58):
Well, everything is going to fade as we continue to age or to put that more properly and precisely the features that we've addressed are going to slowly recur and become more and more pronounced. However, having done the procedures we just talked about in the last question, we're never going to look as bad as if we'd done nothing. So we've permanently changed our appearance for the better compared to if we had decided not to have the procedure.
Summer Hardy (06:34):
Okay. Thank you for clarifying. So after laying all this out, what takeaways would you like to share with our listeners, Dr. Bass?
Dr. Lawrence Bass (06:42):
So most of all, this idea is just another way of thinking about your beauty planning. Why do we make a plan? So that at any stage of life we look our best, project the image we want, and show aging changes as slowly as possible. Separate from what we do in plastic surgery that changes who we look like or what we look like, these anti-aging and rejuvenation items are about helping us look our best for the long term and judicious use of at least some items really make a big difference to help us look better. Put in the always items, at least in some measure, and don't overlook the large benefit of the long-term items because they go a long way to get you to infinity and beyond. Time is always working its changes on us, but we have more and more great options to help us look our best as we age.
Summer Hardy (07:51):
Thank you, Dr. Bass for sharing your perspective on beauty planning and how we can look our best for infinity and beyond. Thank you for listening to the Park Avenue Plastic Surgery Class podcast. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, write a review and share the show with your friends. Be sure to join us next time to avoid missing all the great content that is coming your way. If you want to contact us with comments or questions, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email at podcast@drbass.net or DM us on Instagram @drbassnyc.