Karen Soika MD

09/14/2026

👉 https://www.unilad.com/news/health/doctor-mri-scan-what-happens-filler-face-dissolves-311897-20260327?utm_content=llil&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=facebook =1789048373. How long fillers stay around as shown by MRI

It's truly mind-blowing 😯

09/08/2026

Amen…

09/08/2026

Blepharoplasty timeline:
👀Weeks 3 to 4: Looking More Like Yourself
By three to four weeks, most obvious bruising has resolved. Incision lines continue softening and the eyelids begin looking more natural.
Patients often notice that:
* Upper-eyelid creases become better defined
* Lower-eyelid contours look smoother
* Morning swelling becomes less noticeable
* Tightness gradually improves
* The eyes look more rested without appearing different
* Friends may notice that they look refreshed without recognizing why
Small changes continue from week to week. Patients who had lower-eyelid fat transfer, resurfacing or surgery combined with a facelift may still have more visible swelling than someone who underwent isolated eyelid surgery.
Months 2 to 3: Refinement Continues
* By two to three months, most swelling has resolved and the eyelids begin feeling more fully integrated with the face.
* Upper-eyelid incision lines become softer and less noticeable within the natural crease. Lower-eyelid shadows continue improving as swelling settles and the relationship between the fat pockets, trough and cheek becomes clearer.
* Patients may still notice temporary firmness, numbness or subtle differences between the two sides. These changes usually become less apparent as healing continues.
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* Mild tightness, dryness or sensitivity
* Swelling beneath the eyes after lower blepharoplasty
Some patients feel comfortable running errands or working from home. Others prefer several more days before returning to public-facing activities.
The appearance at one week also depends on the procedure performed. Someone who undergoes upper blepharoplasty alone may look farther along than someone who undergoes upper and lower blepharoplasty with fat transfer, a skin pinch or laser resurfacing.
A one-week photograph should never be viewed as a final result. The eyelids are still swollen, incision lines are immature and the transition beneath the eyes has not fully settled.

08/23/2026

Blepharoplasty Recovery Timeline
Every patient heals differently. The following timeline describes what patients commonly experience, but it is not a rigid schedule.
Days 1 to 3: The Most Visible Swelling
The first several days are generally the most noticeable part of blepharoplasty recovery.
Patients may experience:
* Swelling around the upper and lower eyelids
* Purple, red or blue bruising
* Tightness or pressure
* Mild irritation or sensitivity
* Watery or dry eyes
* Blurry vision from ointment or swelling
* Temporary difficulty closing the eyelids completely
* More swelling on one side than the other Days 4 to 7: The Eyes Begin Settling
During the second half of the first week, swelling usually begins softening and bruising starts changing color.
Dark bruising may become green or yellow before fading. The eyelids generally feel less tight, and reading or moderate screen use may become more comfortable.
Upper-eyelid sutures and any external sutures from a skin pinch are commonly removed during the first week, depending on how the incisions are healing.
The eyes will still look recently operated. Incisions can remain pink, the eyelids may look puffy and swelling is often more noticeable in the morning.
What Will I Look Like One Week After Blepharoplasty?
One week after eyelid surgery, most patients look noticeably better than they did during the first three days, but they should not expect to look completely healed.
At approximately one week, it is common to see:
* Mild to moderate residual swelling
* Yellow or light purple bruising
* Pink upper-eyelid incision lines
* Puffiness that is more noticeable in the morning
* Temporary differences between the two eyes
* Mild tightness, dryness or sensitivity.
* Swelling beneath the eyes after lower blepharoplasty

08/22/2026

Many are asking me this. This is BS. Yes the techniques that he is discussing here are evolving to be added to what is addressed during a facelift. But the deep plane facelift is NOT obsolete. He may need to stop being dramatic 🎭and using scare Instagram tactics for attention while creating apt of confusion to all that see this let alone the 1000’s of patients he already performed a deep plane facelift on and would be very upset to see this and that they over paid for a surgery he deems Obsolete. It evolved. It’s advancing. His issue is he teaches what he knows vs attending as a student other lectures to learn what others like Dr.Dominic Bray have been doing for over a year or longer. I was at a facelift conference in Turkey in June and over 35 leaders presented all of this data. The key is this. The right technique for the right patient’s needs. They all have a place this dr Instagram I used to regard highly. Now he is lowering his standards to be dramatic to stay relevant. Unacceptable and creating concern and confusion for patients unnecessarily. Poll here if you were concerned after his drama post. Here is the definition of obsolete since he doesn’t know it:
Obsolete means no longer in use, out of date, or replaced by something newer and better.Key Definition or primary Meaning:
An adjective describing something that has fallen out of general practice or usefulness. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it applies to items no longer acceptable or useful even if they still exist.Verb Form: To “obsolete” something means to intentionally cause it to become outdated by replacing it with a superior alternative.

08/21/2026

Sculptra for 50lb weightloss and now loose buttocks skin and pronounced hip dip. Sculptra continues to improve so this is only the beginning after four vials on each side. We added two more to buttocks and buttocks crease yesterday. The sculptra timeline is this for results:
1 month and after 1 treatment subtle changes like slight lift session → subtle improvement
After the first session, most people notice gentle changes such as a slight lift or smoother contours. This stage acts as the foundation, giving your skin the initial collagen boost it needs. sessions → moderate, noticeable results
With two sessions, the results become clearer. You’ll typically see more definition, better structure, and a firmer look as the collagen network continues to strengthen beneath the skin.

3 sessions → fuller and longer-lasting results
Three sessions usually deliver the most pronounced and durable transformation. This is ideal if you want stronger volume restoration, better support for ageing skin, or long-term improvement that continues to evolve over several months.

If you’re treating larger areas, such as the buttocks, the number of vials used per session also plays a key role. Bigger treatment zones naturally require more product to stimulate enough collagen, which can influence both how many sessions you’ll need and how quickly you notice results.

08/20/2026

Poorly placed under eye filler looks worse than dark circles. See the top picture of a patient who was injected by someone other than me creating mounds that look grey and elevated to the medial and lateral aspect of the under eye and along the nasal bridge on both sides. I injected 1cc hyaluronidase to completely dissolve that to start her off from scratch. This is NOT a filler issue It is a Bad Injector! I do under eyes all the time and this NEVER happens because less is more and techniques matter!

08/18/2026

Understanding the Aging Face: From the Triangle of Youth to the Pyramid of Aging

The aging process is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that affects us all. While many aspects of aging are beyond our control, advancements in aesthetic medicine allow us to manage some of its visible effects. One of the most notable places where aging becomes apparent is the face. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the concept of the ‘Triangle of Youth’ and the ‘Pyramid of Aging,’ explore the various layers of facial aging, and discuss how injectables can help maintain a youthful appearance.