The Undetectable Era on Long Island

This shift is all about natural-looking results that make people appear refreshed and youthful—only you can’t quite put your finger on what they did.

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When actress Lindsay Lohan recently stepped onto the red carpet looking radiant, refreshed, and years younger, the internet erupted with speculation: What had she done? Surgery? Injectables? Lasers? Of course, it was likely a mix of many things, but even top experts had difficulty determining exactly what she had done. The one thing everyone could agree on? She looked great—a refreshing change when talking about a celebrity aesthetic transformation.

Welcome to the undetectable era!

The term “undetectable” in aesthetic treatments and procedures has been trending on social media and in top publications. It marks a new shift in the aesthetics industry, and some experts who have been doing it all along, including Huntington-based plastic surgeon Meredith Vandegrift, MD, FACS, say it’s about time.

“It’s what I’ve been waiting for,” she says. “We’re returning to the basics of elevating beauty without leaving a trace—I’ve always been on this train.”

A Healthier Outlook

You may think, ‘well, shouldn’t that have always been the goal?’ Dr. Vandegrift would agree, but years of social media images of women with overfilled lips, pillow-face filler, and unrealistic waist sizes, tell us that hasn’t always been the case. Why the sudden shift toward a more natural look? Dr. Vandegrift points to the current focus on health and wellness. “Health is on the forefront more now than it’s ever been. I think people want to feel better about themselves—and look healthy and fit, too.”

An Evolution of Techniques

New injectables, devices, and lasers have undoubtedly played roles in achieving a more natural-looking aesthetic, but Dr. Vandegrift says professionals are using these tools differently, too. Take filler, for example. “Years ago, we weren’t fully aware of the natural course of filler,” she says. “Some people thought that you had to maintain it like you do Botox and were coming in at six months on the dot to redo their lips or cheeks,” she says. “But we’re realizing now that filler hangs around much longer than we thought.” She points to MRI studies that have shown tear trough filler sticks around for years and years. So now we’re filling less often, resulting in a less, well, filled face.

Because of the longevity of fillers, Dr. Vandegrift advises her patients to wait until their results entirely wear off before adding more. “If you never go back to your normal anatomy, you lose the natural landmarks of your face, and that’s when you can start to look weird.” It’s a phenomenon called perception drift. She favors using filler to maintain your natural anatomy and filling only where there’s volume loss—not filling to change your bone structure. And only adding more once the volume loss becomes apparent again.

A Healthy Body Image

Surgical treatments are following a less is more trend, too, says Dr. Vandegrift. She points to Kim Kardashian-inspired women who got two or three liters of fat grafted and transferred to their bottoms. Years later, they’re left with sagging or cysts. “We’re realizing there’s a limit with some of these things. You can’t just take a liter of fat that you harvest in it from one place and throw it elsewhere and expect that to have longevity,” she says. “The tiny waist and the big butt was a huge thing 10 years ago, and, thankfully, that’s falling out of favor.”

Trending Treatments

What treatments are in high-demand at Vandegrift Plastic Surgery? Dr. Vandegrift is doing a lot of Renuvion. This treatment combines liposuction and radiofrequency to tighten the neck's submental area for those wary of going under the knife. “It’s not a surgical result, but a significant improvement, and my patients have been really happy with the results.”

As an alternative to filler for fine lines that Botox can’t treat, Dr. Vandegrift likes Skinvive by Juvéderm, a hyaluronic acid microdroplet injectable treatment. “It’s a nice option for people with fine lines where we’re not looking to put more volume,” she says. “I like it for the crow’s feet lines that go beyond where Botox will hit.”

A Quiet Luxury

This new era of aesthetics redefines what it means to age gracefully—with help. Whether you’re ready for a full-on facelift or looking to dabble with injectables to rejuvenate your skin, the undetectable era of aesthetics means subtle, not shocking, results. Sure, people might wonder, “What has she done to her face?,” but in a positive, sign-me-up-next way.

About the expert: Dr. Meredith Vandegrift, MD, FACS, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, believes that everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin.  Her expertise and facial, breast, and body aesthetics, as well as her use of cutting-edge technology and attention to detail, will leave you feeling your absolute best.  Dr. Vandegrift resides and practices in Huntington.  Outside of her career, she enjoys giving back to her community as a board member of the Junior Welfare League of Huntington, and as a member of the 100 Women of Huntington.  She has two children—Ryland,10, and Delaney, 7, who keep her on her toes both at the beach during summer, and on the slopes in winter.   

 Vandergrift Plastic Surgery is located at 100 E Main St in Huntington