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BOTOX® INJECTIONS
BOTOX®, stands for Botulinum Toxin, is produced by a bacterium, clostridia botulinum and has been used for many years in medicine, especially neurology and ophthalmology to treat strabismus and facial asymmetry. When used in very small amounts there are no systemic effects, because it remains localized and does not travel elsewhere in the body.
In the early 1990's two Canadian physicians, a dermatologist and an ophthalmologist, began to use BOTOX® for wrinkles in the upper face. Since that time, it has been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment to reduce motion induced wrinkles.
BOTOX® is very useful for the frown lines between the eyebrows, horizontal wrinkles on the forehead, and crow's feet at the sides of the eyes. It has a very low side effect profile, with minimal discomfort upon injection and lasts about three to four months. However, with repeated injection, one does achieve greater longevity. If BOTOX® drifts into the upper eyelid muscle, it can cause a temporary dropping of the eyelid. This complication is rare and can be overcome by having the patient sit upright for several hours after injection (especially when injected into the forehead) and by not maneuvering the area manually for several hours. In addition, having the patient contract the muscle you are trying to affect, allows the toxin to be taken up by the muscle, causing a more complete response. BOTOX® actually attaches to the muscle where the nerve inserts and blocks conduction from the nerve impulse to the muscle, which causes relaxation. BOTOX® usually takes affect within 72 hours, but may take up to two weeks in some patients.
BOTOX® is now approved by the FDA.
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COLLAGEN
Collagen is actually part of the natural support structure of your skin. Wrinkles form when this natural collagen thins. This loss is mostly a factor of aging, but exposure, pollution, health, heredity, and lifestyle also play roles. Without enough collagen, wrinkles and lines start to form wherever the skin moves. Collagen Replacement Therapy replenishes the skin's collagen layer, smoothing lines and wrinkles, and adding definition to lip borders from the inside out. Results are immediate.
Collagen implants are natural products derived from highly purified bovine collagen that is injected just under the surface of the skin. Like your own collagen, your body eventually absorbs this collagen so ongoing treatments are necesary to maintain results.
While healing time varies, many people return to work the same day. People absorb collagen at varying rates, but treatments generally last 3 to 6 months.
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COOL TOUCH II LASER
Cool Touch II is a non-ablasive laser resurfacing can decrease fine lines and increase collagen production without producing a wound over the skin. Any type of skin can be treated using this method. Multiple treatments over several months may be needed for maximal improvement.
- With the Cool Touch II laser collagen production can occur without injury to the overlying skin.
- The treatment does cause some discomfort but a topical anesthetic can be applied preoperatively.
- Afterward there is some redness and swelling which can last a few hours.
- One may experience better results when Cool Touch II is combined with microdermabrasion afterwards.
- If you have a history of herpes, cold sores, accutane use or abnormal healing please let us know.
- Remember that everyone's improvement level is different and no guarantees can be made concerning how much improvement any one patient can expect to see.
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LASER HAIR REMOVAL
The Alexandrite laser removes unwanted facial and body hair. This laser emits a wavelength of 755nm. The laser light emits a beam of light which passes through the skin to the base of the hair follicle where heat is used to destroy the follicle without hurting the overlying skin. This laser also uses a spray of coolant onto the skin prior to the laser impulse which provides decreased pain for the patient and also allows the laser light to selectively target the hair.
The best candidates for laser hair removal are lighter skinned patients with dark hair. The patient should not be tan nor have had electrolysis, plucked, or waxed the hair for about six weeks prior to the treatment. The degree of discomfort varies from patient to patient and on the site, but topical anesthesia can also be used. Immediately following the treatment the area may be red or pink and slightly swollen, which may last a few hours or days.
Multiple treatments are needed for best results, but it is difficult to give an exact number for each individual patient.
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SCLEROTHERAPY
Sclerotherapy, a non-surgical method to eliminate unsightly leg vein, is a simple office treatment. With a very fine needle, the physician injects a special solution, "a sclerosing agent" into the veins that cause it to contract and eventually disappear. Blood is unable to enter the vein and, therefore, the vein is no longer visable, or only minimally visable. The number of treatments needed to improve or clear veins differs for each patient.
While sclerotherapy is a very safe and highly effective treatment, more than one treatment is usually required to clear or improve the unsightly veins to a patient's satisfaction.
Medium-sized veins (blue) and smaller veins (red "starburst" or "spiders") of the legs respond best to sclerotherapy. Unfortunately, there is no magic laser treatment. While lasers are used successfully for a multitude of skin problems, including large blood vessels on the face and elsewhere on the body, they have yet shown to be superior treatment for all leg veins.
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VASCULAR LESIONS
The new V-Beam pulsed dye laser has a wavelength of 595 nm and a variable pulse duration to treat a variety of vascular lesions including port wine stains, facial blood vessels, red cheek and noses due to rosacea as well as redness on the neck. It can also be used for collections of blood vessels in the skin like angiomas. Even red, raised scars will respond to V-beam laser as well as viral warts.
The laser emits a cryogen spray which cools the skin prior to the laser emission, decreasing discomfort as well for the patient. The area may be discolored for several days and there may be some redness and swelling following the treatment.
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Q-SWITCHED RUBY
The Q-Switched Ruby laser is used to treat tattoos, age spots, cafe-au-lait spots, and Nevus of Ota. This laser has a wavelength of 694 nm that is selectively absorbed by the pigment in the skin. The treatment of tattoos requires local anesthesia and multiple treatments for optimal removal. The area may be scabbed or crusty for several days but then will gradually lighten. The treatment of brown spots and age/sun spots does not require anesthesia. The area turns darker brown for a week or so and then a crust forms and later falls off. The advantage of laser is that the risk of scarring or permanent pigment changes are minimal. One treatment usually removes the lesion.
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MICRODERMABRASION
Microdermabrasion is the most natural way to evenly and safely exfoliate the skin without chemicals or laser. Microdermabrasion utilizes crystals to finely resurface superficial layers of the skin. When a more aggressive treatment is necessay, vaccum pressure can be increased or evenly penetrate deeper layers of skin.
MegaPeel maybe right for anyone interested in improving skin appearance and reversing the aging process. A series of MegaPeels will improve: Scarring, fine lines, acne, pigmentation problems, and uneven tones, dull, lifeless, and sun-damaged skin.
Many patients have found procedure to be very relaxing.
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CHEMICAL PEEL
Skin peeling involves an application of a chemical solution to sun-damaged, unevenly pigmented, and finely wrinkled facial areas. The procedure is meant to diminish imperfections by peeling away the skin's top layers. It has proven to be a very popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure. Chemical peels vary according to their specific ingredients and their strength. Depth of peeling action may also depend on factors such as how long solutions remain on the skin and whether they are lightly applied , or more heavily, or vigorously applied.
Generally, the most superficial peels are those using alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), such as glycolic, lactic, or fruit acid. Various concentrations of AHA may be applied weekly or at longer intervals to obtain the best result.
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