Dermal Fillers

What to expect during and after treatment:         

First of all... try not to worry! 

Dermal fillers sometimes sound scarier than they really are, and most people after the treatment are relieved at how easy it is! I want your procedure to be comfortable and enjoyable as much as you do.

For some dermal filler treatments I routinely use anesthetic, and for other areas it is optional. I can give a topical anesthesia as a cream you apply in advance, or I can inject numbing medicine right before treatment. Our filler products are also mixed with lidocaine, which makes the injection more comfortable.

Everyone experiences pain a little differently, so it is hard to say how painful you will find your treatment with dermal fillers. Some people find them almost painless, others are more uncomfortable, but it is always worth the end result! I will explain everything that happens as we go along, so there will be no surprises.

The most common side effects after a dermal filler treatment are swelling and bruising. These side effects happen about half of the time, but they are not predictable. They vary from patient to patient and procedure to procedure. 

Lips and around eyes swell the most, for example. I recommend having a dermal filler treatment at least a month before a major event (wedding, vacation) or an event where you will have pictures taken. This will give you time to heal after treatment if you happen to get bruising or swelling.

You can use ice immediately after your procedure and for the next 24-48 hours if needed for swelling. 

Over the counter Tylenol is safe and effective if needed for any discomfort. Ibuprofen or Naprosyn are not recommended because it is thought they increase bleeding, and therefore bruising, but I have not found this to be the case in actual life, and personally take ibuprofen if needed for pain after filler injection.

 About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Wrinkles and Botulinum Toxin (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin)

Botulinum Toxins (commonly known as “Botox”, but there are other brand names, so I will refer to them here as BTs) are injectable medicines that we use to temporarily relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles.

At Aponi Aesthetics, we love Xeomin, Dysport and Botox!

Why?

Because they make you look younger in a subtle way that won’t have people wondering if you’ve “had work done”.

Done correctly, BTs take away your wrinkles without making you look frozen. Many patients who ask us about these wrinkle modifiers are afraid that they will look like Hollywood starlets who can’t move their faces. This is not necessary (unless you specifically want that look).

These medicines can make you look completely natural AND younger at the same time. Your friends and family might not even know you’ve been treated; they will just comment on how great you look!

BTs are only used on wrinkles that are caused by muscle movement (Dynamic wrinkles). The most common areas for these injections are:

• the frown lines between the eyebrows – also known as the “elevens”
• forehead wrinkles
• crow’s feet wrinkles around the eyes
• other (non-FDA-approved) areas. 

Wrinkles that are not caused by muscle movement are known as static wrinkles, and need to be treated with Dermal Fillers.
That’s a subject I will discuss on another blog.

Frown lines can make you look mad, even if you’re not. People respond to your face unconsciously; don’t you want them to see the best possible you?

People spend hundreds of dollars a year on make-up, which we have to apply and remove daily. Botulinum toxins are with you every day for 3-4 months (and last even longer if you get them regularly), so they are a cost effective way of making you look better with no effort beyond initial treatment (which is quick and almost painless).

Unlike all the supposed “miracle” creams and lotions on the market, BTs actually WORK, and have been studied and FDA approved.

I use the smallest needles available to minimize pain with injections, and we can administer topical anesthetic if desired, though it is rarely necessary.

Plus: we offer the lowest possible prices on these products. We want everyone to have access to this cosmetic miracle, because we LOVE it, and we know you will too.

What is the difference between Botox, Xeomin and Dysport?

Medically speaking, there isn’t one. Xeomin is slightly less expensive for patients, and works in the same way as Botox and Dysport.

We are members of Allergan’s Brilliant Distinctions Program, which provides rebates on Botox treatments if you join on-line.

About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

What are Dermal Fillers?

The dermal fillers Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane and Belotero are a product made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid.   

Hyaluronic acid is present throughout the body, but we inject a thicker version of it in to creases and wrinkles. 

Dermal fillers are injected in to “static” wrinkles, which are wrinkles not caused by muscle movement. These wrinkles are often caused by the inevitable loss of fat or bone in the aging face, or by long-term “dynamic” wrinkles that have become etched in to the skin (such as forehead lines or crow’s feet that have been there for too long to erase them with Botox or botulinum toxins). 

You can also use dermal fillers on sunken or hollow areas where there has been bone loss due to aging. 

The most common area to treat with dermal fillers is the nasolabial folds which run from the sides of the nose down to the sides of the mouth. We also treat “marionette lines” which run from the sides of the mouth down to the chin. 

Other commonly treated areas treated with dermal fillers include: cheeks, under the eyes, lips, lip lines, along the jawline, chin cleft, acne scars or other scars. These products are not FDA approved for these all of these areas, but it is done. 

Lidocaine is usually added to the filler to make the injection procedure more comfortable. It is possible to dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers if needed, although this is rarely necessary.  

Radiesse is a little different type of filler made up of calcium hydroxyapatite. For our purpose that means a few things: 1. It is a stronger, denser product that lasts longer than hyaluronic acid fillers and 2. It is not reversible, so if you don’t like it you have to wait several months for it to be re-absorbed. 3. There are certain areas where it is too thick to be used, such as in the lips, and under the eyes.

Dermal fillers are amazing at creating a younger, and less-tired look. Most patients are concerned that they will look fake or “overdone”, but this is never the case in my practice. 

With dermal fillers, you will often see how you are going to look right after your treatment, so there is immediate gratification. 

Dermal fillers do not last forever, and duration is often linked to amount of product used, but most procedures last 6-9 months, and if you get a touch up at 6 months your filler can last for 18-24 months.

 About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Microneedling

Microneedling is all the buzz lately! 

Microneedling is a method of stimulating collagen in the skin, which can be used to minimize scars and wrinkles.  

Many treatments in aesthetic medicine involve coaxing skin cells (fibroblasts) to create collagen, and tighten the existing tissue, thereby improving skin texture. At Aponi Aesthetics we use the Rejuvapen microneedling device (www.rejuvapen.com). 

The Rejuvapen device uses very tiny needles to cause microscopic damage to skin cells. This damage causes skin fibroblasts to release healing hormones and proteins which encourage healthy collagen deposition. We numb the skin prior to the procedure, so there is minimal to no pain involved. 

Skin rejuvenation using this method is a process, and it takes from 4-6 treatments (spaced a month apart) to see improvements. There is minimal down time involved with micro needling. Your skin will look a little pink and you may have a few tiny needle marks. By the next day your skin is usually back to normal, and your skin cells are starting the process that will lead to smoother, younger-looking skin! 

In-office microneedling differs from home devices called Dermal Rollers because the depth of the needles is much more precise and easy to adjust. 

Also, Rejuvapen needles enter the skin at a 90 degree angle, which eliminates the tearing and damage that can happen when a roller needle lifts off the skin at varying angles. Our needle tips are disposable so they are sharp, clean and sterile every time you get a procedure, while dermal rollers are re-used and can get dull or damaged with long term use.

About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Patient Appreciation Event

Thank you to all who attended our patient appreciation event at Aponi Aesthetics last Thursday. It was another successful event and we are thrilled to have been able to celebrate the dedication and support our patients bring to us everyday. Each of us here at Aponi Aesthetics love what we do, yet without our patients, we couldn’t fulfill our passions!

We announced 6 raffle winners of amazing prizes such as free syringes of cosmetic dermal fillers, wrinkle relaxer treatments, skincare products and an acupuncture visit. Congratulations to all the winners!

In addition to awesome raffle prizes, patients enjoyed food catered by Stuck Catering of 130 Hamilton Street in Worcester. As always, the food was delicious and the service was outstanding. Thank you Struck Catering!

To continue our commitment in providing our patients with the latest and best aesthetic treatments possible, we have enhanced our list of treatments as well we hired Aesthetician, Susan Eramo Webster, with over 40 years of skincare experience. We are confident that our practice will continue to grow by leaps and bounds and are excited to share the ride with you!

Sculptra: Long Lasting Smooth Skin

We are excited to now offer Sculptra, a facial injectable product that stimulates your skin to produce your own collagen to fill lines and wrinkles. 

Sculptra is different than other dermal fillers in that it does not use a gel-like substance to fill sunken areas so that immediate results are seen. Because it causes new collagen to grow, Sculptra takes 1-2 months to show its full effect. 

This product provides a more natural transition to smoother, less wrinkled skin. And the filling effect of Sculptra is worth the wait because it lasts for over two years!

          

Dr. Jenny injects Sculptra through a blunt-tipped cannula, which is safer and much more comfortable than needles, and greatly reduces the likelihood of bruising.

What to expect during and after a Sculptra treatment: 

Before your treatment, the doctor will clean and sterilize the skin. She will make a small numb area using lidocaine, and make a small needle hole in this area. Through this hole, she will pass the cannula, and the product is injected through the cannula in to the cheeks, temporal area, nasolabial folds, chin folds, etc. Sculptra is not used in the lips. If you have a history of cold sores, we will pretreat you to prevent these, as we do with any injection around the mouth. 

Sculptra is mixed with a few teaspoons of sterile water per vial of product. The volume of fluid injected with Sculptra is more than you get with hyaluronic acid fillers (e.g. Juvederm, Perlane, Restylane), so your face may look a bit swollen immediately after your treatment. Because the swelling is just due to salt water, it will dissolve very quickly, and you will wake up the next day with minimal to no swelling. The area treated will be massaged immediately following the treatment and the patient is educated on how to do this at home in the days following treatment. 

After your treatment, you will have to be patient, while this amazing product does its work. For three days following injection you will be asked to massage the facial skin for 2-3 minutes 3 times a day, which helps to distribute the Sculptra evenly in the face and allows the product to improve the skin all over the face. For the next two months, your skin will produce collagen; saggy areas will lift; creases will diminish; and wrinkles will fade. Every patient should be seen again 2 months after the initial injection, at which point you can do another treatment if necessary. Some people need more than one treatment to reduce lines and wrinkles effectively.

What makes Sculptra unique?

          
Unlike other dermal fillers, Sculptra can be injected to affect almost every area of the face so your wrinkle filling is very natural looking. Your skin quality will improve as it gains a more youthful amount of collagen. Because of its unique affect on natural skin tissues, Sculptra filling lasts longer than hyaluronic acid fillers. It does an exceptionally good job improving the skin under the eyes. We do not inject Sculptra directly in this area, but when it is used in the cheeks, it also indirectly improves the skin under the eyes.

What does Sculptra cost?

          
Sculptra is comparable to hyaluronic acid fillers. It costs approximately $600 a vial. A patient can use as few as 1, or as many as 8 vials (there is a two vial maximum per office treatment) depending on the areas being treated.

Bottom line is that Sculptra is the ideal treatment for patients not looking for immediate results, but rather slow, less obvious results with long-term smoother skin!

 About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Family Wellness Center is now Aponi Aesthetics

Dr Jenny Weyler and her staff are thrilled to announce their new practice name. Weyler Family Wellness Center is now operating as Aponi Aesthetics. Dr Jenny will no longer practice family medicine and dedicate 100% of her time to her passion of Medical Aesthetics. Dr Jenny’s focus has quickly blossomed as a medical based cosmetic practice that offers procedures such as non invasive body contouring and skin tightening, facial injectables, skin rejuvenation, laser therapies and more.

Along with the name change announcement comes the addition of new treatments. First of which includes the ThermiTight system designed to treat sagging skin and skin laxity. Dr Jenny is one of few providers in the Worcester to now offer ThermiTight treatments, the perfect alternative to invasive surgical procedures for tightening skin.

Another addition to the portfolio of treatments includes the Aerolase laser for various skin conditions such as warts, nail fungus, pigmentation, redness/rosascea, unwanted hair and veins, etc.

We invite you to come and meet Dr Jenny and learn all about the medical aesthetics treatments now available. And for those curious about where the name ‘Aponi’ came from, it is a Native American girl name for’ butterfly’.  Dr Jenny’s other passion, animals, helped guide her to the new name!  

ThermiTight Event

Dr. Jenny is first in the area to offer skin tightening using injectable radio frequency

Unfortunately, the signs of aging are inevitable. We all know that. But the question is: do you want to do something about it? Luckily for those who do, there is a recent innovation in the medical aesthetics field that has patients seeing dramatic, surgical type results, without going under the knife. Sagging and wrinkled skin is going to be a thing of the past! 

Some of us know that if skin tissue is heated to a certain temperature, amazing outcomes can happen. Skin tightens, sagging and laxity diminish, skin tone improves, etc. The amazing revolution of this process now involves inserting a small probe into the skin tissue, so the heat is transferred below the skin where the action needs to take place. The procedure is called ThermiTight and Dr Jenny Weyler is one of the first practitioners in the area to offer this exciting new treatment. 

Patients looking for skin tightening of the neck, jowls, abdomen or above the knees should consider ThermiTight. Only one treatment is typically needed for a single area and each treatment takes less than one hour. The patient remains comfortable using a local anesthetic and only slight swelling and redness appears post op. Compression garments are given to assist with healing. Patients experience slight tenderness in the area treated once the numbing sensation subsides. 

Results begin to appear after 2-3 months and will be noticed for 7-8 years following the procedure. Just think... surgical results, without going under the knife! 

We invite anyone interested in learning more about this amazing technology to an informational day/night at our practice on 73 Hamilton Street in Worcester. The event details are as follows:

Thursday, January 15, 2015

12-2 or 5:30-7:30

Listen to Dr. Jenny present on ThermiTight and its benefits while enjoying snacks and beverages. Each attendee will receive a complimentary gift bag for joining us and exclusive discounts will be available that day only. Seating is limited, so please RSVP to info@familywellnesscenter.biz. 

We look forward to seeing you on the 15th and to share with you all that ThermiTight treatments can do for you!  

ThermiTight and ThermiSmooth

We are so excited to offer ThermiTight and ThermiSmooth treatments at Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester MA. There are only two trained ThermiTight providers in Worcester, and Dr. Jenny is one.

ThermiTight

ThermiTight is a revolutionary procedure for skin tightening and wrinkle reduction. 

The treatment uses radiofrequency heat delivered under the skin to stimulate collagen growth and tighten the overlying skin. 

For many people ThermiTight gives results that are equivalent to surgical neck lift, but the Thermi device is less invasive, less traumatic and gives you almost no down time compared to surgery! 

The patients I have treated have returned to work or their usual activities the next day with almost no swelling or bruising. 

ThermiTight can be used on abdominal skin looseness, arms, knees, and treats cellulite as well as the face. This is an amazing new frontier in cosmetic treatments, and it is going to increase our options for many cosmetic areas of concern.

ThermiSmooth

ThermiSmooth is a topical radiofrequency treatment that is less invasive than the Thermitight. 

ThermiSmooth is a comfortable, 15-20 minute treatment using a heat probe topically on the face, usually around the eyes or nasolabial folds. It feels like a warm stone massage. 

After 3-5 treatments, spaced 1-2 weeks apart, you can see improvement in skin thickness, decreased wrinkles, and tightening of loose skin. 

ThermiSmooth can be used anywhere on the face, including the forehead and neck. After your ThermiSmooth procedure your skin will be pink and a little puffy for about an hour, and then you will look normal with virtually no down time.

Book your free consultation today to learn how you can look better, younger and less tired with one of the newest, safest, and most effective tools available today!

About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Preventing and treating wrinkles

Before I go into the medical cosmetics that we use to improve our skin health and looks, let's review what can we do for ourselves to maintain the collagen and hydration of our skin? 

It’s never too late to take these simple preventive measures for your good looks!

1.      Protect your skin from the sunThe single biggest factor for skin damage is UV light exposure. I cannot recommend strongly enough: WEAR SUNSCREEN!  You are getting UVA rays even through your car windows, so wear sunscreen even if you aren’t outside.

2.      Quit smoking if you smoke cigarettesCigarette smoking is the second biggest environmental cause of premature aging. I realize quitting tobacco is not an easy thing to do, but if you are serious about your skin care, this is a huge cause of wrinkles and poor skin texture. It should go without saying that there are other, much more serious health issues that cigarette smoking causes, but I have to say it anyway, because it’s a doctor thing.

3.      Exercise!
There was recently a great study that proved that regular aerobic exercise reduces wrinkles in the skin and promotes collagen growth. It’s also good for your overall health and heart, not to mention your life expectancy…

4.      Eat healthy foodThere are NO supplements or vitamins that have been shown to improve your skin health, so please don’t waste your money on that. In general, eating food with anti-oxidants and high in vitamins, and low in refined carbohydrates (yes, that means sugar) will give you the healthiest body and therefore the healthiest skin.  I like to quote my favorite food writer Michael Pollan, who recommends three basic things: Eat food [i.e. real food, not processed food]. Not a lot. Mostly vegetables. Following that simple plan will improve your skin health as much as diet can.

Now for a brief overview of medical treatment of aging skin:

 There are a several major facts of aging skin that we can correct with medical aesthetics. I will discuss the main causes below, though there are other issues going on as we age as well.

1.      Loss of collagenWe stimulate natural collagen growth with topical retinol creams, growth factors and other collagen-boosters. Laser, ultrasound and radiofrequency energy treatments are one of the most effective forms of collagen boosting known to doctors. Some fillers also work to stimulate collagen. Ultimately, loosening of the skin by loss of collagen can be corrected by surgery, which will pull the skin tighter although it does not increase the amount of collagen or improve the baseline skin tone.

2.      Fine wrinkles caused by constant muscle activity (so-called dynamic wrinkles)
These are reduced by relaxing the muscles with botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport or Xeomin).

3.      Fat and bone loss
Over years we lose a lot of the fat padding in our face, and our skull bones begin to shrink back some. This can be corrected with dermal fillers.

4.      Fat deposition
While our middle face and cheeks is losing fat, our jowls are putting it on! It’s just unfair. To a certain degree you can mask this with dermal fillers by erasing the shadows caused by the jowels, but after a certain point this has to be treated with either laser lipolysis or surgery.

5.      Hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage
There are brightening creams to correct dark discolored spots. Lasers are the gold standard treatment for these. Direct superficial damage can cause sloughing of hyperpigmented areas temporarily, such as Thermo-Lo cautery or Cryotherapy (I use a Cryogun in my office, which is a very versatile liquid nitrogen applicator).

If you would like to discuss your own aging issues and concerns, and how you can correct them simply and subtly, please call for an appointment with Dr. Jenny!

Micro Botox (or Meso Botox)

What is Meso Botox?
 
This is a relatively new way to inject Botox in to the very superficial layer of skin so that it does not affect the major muscles that control facial movements, yet it still works to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also reduces pore size and oil production, even helping with acne. Micro Botox gives your skin a smooth, shine-free appearance, and no “frozen” look.

Where do you use Meso Botox?
 
You can have it injected in your forehead, around your eyes, on the nose, and in certain areas of the cheeks.

How much does it cost?
 
It takes 40-80 units depending on how many areas you are treating, so $400-$700.

How is it different than regular Botox?
 
Meso Botox works in the superficial layers of the skin. It takes more injections, but less Botox is injected with each injection. Because there are more injections, it is a little more painful, so we can use topical anaesthetic to make it more comfortable.  You may get redness of the face after the injection for a day or two, which doesn’t happen with traditional Botox injections.

How long does it last?
 
It lasts the same amount of time as regular Botox: 3-4 months. 

 About Dr. Jenny

Dr. Jenny Weyler is a board certified physician and specializes in non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring  procedures.

Her practice, Aponi Aesthetics in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a patient-centered medical aesthetic practice that uses the latest technology and medical advances to rejuvenate your skin and restore your body to a more youthful appearance.

Acleara Laser For Acne

If you have ever even considered taking Accutane for your acne, it is time to make your appointment for Acleara laser treatment.  Acleara is a safe, non-systemic laser treatment for acne that works as well as Accutane WITHOUT the dangerous and uncomfortable side effects.

Acleara is a 15 minute laser procedure that costs $250 (and can usually be covered by a flexible spending account). The Acleara machine uses suction to clean oils and sebum from pores and cysts, and laser light to kill the bacterial that causes acne, and to stimulate new skin cell growth, which causes increased cell turnover and leads to clear skin replacing damaged acne-prone skin. Acleara works for “routine” adolescent acne as well as more serious, scarring cystic acne.

The procedure is NOT painful, and the side effects are minimal. Some patients will get some pink discoloration or dryness of the skin following treatment, but generally they leave the office looking just like they did when they walked in. It takes 2-3 Acleara treatments, given one month apart, for best results.

If anyone you know suffers from this socially debilitating disease, please let them know about this safe, affordable, and highly effective treatment.

Accutane works very well in some patients with severe cystic acne, so I don’t disapprove of it, BUT it has a lot of potentially very dangerous side effects such as rectal bleeding, depression, violent or suicidal thoughts, weakness, numbness, liver disease, pancreatitis, muscle disease and severe fetal abnormalities if you become pregnant while taking it. ACLEARA has NONE of these dangerous side effects. Your choice –and your skin - should be clear. 

Latisse Tips from Dr. Jenny

Latisse (bimatoprost) is wonderful and it works beautifully. If you haven’t tried it, you should absolutely consider it. There is really no truth to the rumor that Latisse changes eye or iris color – no scientific evidence supports this with eyelid use, and millions of people have used it without any reports of this effect.  I have come up with some information about and tips for using Latisse that will help you extend the life of your bottle, and give fewer side effects:

LATISSE (BIMATOPROST) FAQs:

HOW DO I APPLY LATISSE?

First of all: don’t use the brushes that come with your Latisse; use a thin eyeliner brush. You will use less of the product, and can get the Latisse on to your eyelash line more accurately.

Second: Apply at bedtime when your skin is clean and you have finished applying all skin care products.

Third: Put a drop of Latisse on your brush

Fourth: Paint a thin line of fluid along the UPPER eyelid at the base of the eyelashes.

NOTE:  I like the Sephora bent eyeliner brush (Pro Bent Liner Brush), but any well-made thin make-up brush will do. The Sephora brush comes with a little plastic cap that you can put a drop of Latisse in to, then dip your brush in the Latisse and paint it on to the top lid right at the lash line.
If you do not have a Sephora brush lid, use a small plastic container, like a water bottle cap, to put a drop or two of Latisse in (one of my patients said she uses the dimple in the top of the Latisse cap). Rinse and air-dry your brush and your container after every use. Do not leave it out open in your bathroom where toilet bacteria can get on it! Cleanliness is important when using any product on your face, especially near your eyes.

HOW LONG WILL A BOTTLE OF LATISSE LAST?

If you use a small brush, you can often paint both eyelids with just one drop of fluid, which will save a significant amount of product so a 3 ml bottle will last longer: 2-3 months. Buying a 5 ml bottle is even less expensive and will last longer, obviously.

CAN YOU USE LATISSE ANYWHERE ELSE?

If you want to use Latisse on your eyebrows, it WILL increase brow hair growth. One drop is usually enough to paint on both brows. Try to avoid getting Latisse anywhere you don’t want hair to grow. Wipe off any Latisse that gets outside the brow or lash area you want to treat.

Technically you are NOT supposed to use Latisse on lower lids. This is because the product is more likely to leak in to the eye itself, which it will not do if you are using it on the upper eyelid only.

IS IT DANGEROUS IF YOU GET LATISSE IN YOUR EYES?

No – it was originally developed for use in the eyes for glaucoma, and is not going to harm your eyes if you get a little in by accident.

HOW LONG DOES LATISSE TAKE TO WORK?

You may notice an effect in as little as a month. Full growth usually comes 3-4 months after starting. Once your lashes are as long as you want them, you can start use Latisse every other day or even every 3 days to maintain your lashes. This will make your bottle last longer.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I STOP USING LATISSE?

Your eyelashes will go back to normal. You can use Latisse indefinitely as long as you don’t have any side effects.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?

Side effects of Latisse:
1. It can cause some itching and occasionally dry skin. Applying before bed will reduce itching. If it causes flaking or irritation of the skin, reduce use to every 2-3 days. If it still irritates the skin stop using it.
2. Some people get a darker color (reddish)  of the skin where they paint the Latisse. Sometimes this just looks like eyeliner, and is not necessarily a problem (some people like how it looks). Using a thin eyeliner brush so less skin is exposed to Latisse can reduce this. Wipe off any excess Latisse that gets on the skin around the eyes. If that doesn’t help, decrease frequency of use to every 2-3 days. If you stop using the product the effect will go away. It is not permanent.

Sun, Vitamin D, sun damage, and sunscreens

       At this point in the season we absolutely need some sunlight! We’ve probably all had a low grade Vitamin D deficiency during our long winter, and the sun’s UV B light will help us make Vitamin D through the skin, and fix that deficit. Sunlight is good for people and makes us happy. I want everyone to get out there and get some of that good stuff with this great weather. However, we should all know by now that excessive sun exposure causes skin cancer, premature aging, dark spots and wrinkles. So what IS excessive sun exposure? The answer to that depends on so many variables that it is not really possible to tell any one person exactly how long he or she can spend in the sun safely. However, I found interesting formula on-line, which calculates how much unblocked sunlight you NEED to make your daily requirement of vitamin D, based on wearing t-shirt and shorts. I found it fun to do, and it gives you an idea of the factors that affect your sun exposure: 

http://nadir.nilu.no/~olaeng/fastrt/VitD-ez_quartMED.html

         You have to look up your latitude/longitude, and add some other information: the date, your surroundings (lawn, concrete, old snow or new snow?), and other non-intuitive and intuitive factors. I plugged myself in to real winter: mid-January, partly cloudy skies, Worcester, MA and came out with 52 minutes of midday sun needed (on face, hands and arms) to make the necessary Vitamin D. Then I plugged in today’s actual date March 27, and found I only I needed 8 minutes of midday sun to make my daily D. To be generous, I could double that and say that’s all I need without sunscreen (especially since I’m not wearing shorts and a T-shirt just yet). And since I’m likely to spend more than 16 minutes outdoors just walking my dogs, it is absolutely time to start wearing sunscreen.

         I spend my time trying to improve the wrinkles and signs of age in people with some of the most amazing medical cosmetic products around, but I would rather prevent them, by teaching people to use good sunscreen. You may be young and think you will never have to worry about these things, but you’ll thank me later in life. Sunblock works. People who use it have less signs of aging, and less skin cancer.

        

         So what’s the best sunscreen to use? First of all, you need at least an SPF of 15, but don’t need more than an SPF of 30. SPF means sun protection factor and an SPF of 15 means you can spend 15 times longer in the sun before you burn compared to when you have no sunblock on. How long is that? As I described above, it’s different for everyone. I recommend a water resistant “physical barrier”, which is something with either zinc oxide alone or zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  These are safe for everyone, because the skin does not absorb them, so they’re non-toxic, and they really block out dangerous rays and prevent cancer, brown age spots and wrinkles. There are 15 other FDA-approved chemical barriers that work to block UV A and UV B light, and you want to make sure your sunblock blocks BOTH UV A and UV B, because they are both responsible for skin cancer. Remember that UV A can cross glass, unless it’s tinted to screen out UV light, so you are getting sun exposure even when you’re driving in your car. It’s important to wear your sunblock on long car rides even in the winter! And re-apply that sunblock every 3-4 hours, or if you are swimming or sweating every 2 hours.

        But what if you already have sun-damaged skin from your carefree youth? Well, there are lots of medical and cosmetic products to improve the wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and tiny spider veins that come with sun exposure and time. I would be happy to discuss them with you as well. In the meantime you can prevent further damage for the cost of a bottle of good sunscreen (I’ve got that too, and would be happy to provide you with some!).

-Dr. Jenny

Skin Medica Skin Care Products

I am very excited to be carrying the Allergan brand Skin Medica line now! If you are taking care of the wrinkles in your face with Botox and Dermal Fillers, it only makes sense to treat the superficial sun damage and fine wrinkles that come with aging as well. Skin Medica is a proven, scientifically based product line, which, when used regularly, reduces signs of aging, making you look and feel wonderful.

            The Allergan product line feeds your skin with

1. Growth factors, which stimulate collagen growth and nourish skin cells
2. Retinols (a less drying form of Retin-A), which increase cell growth and turn-over, and reduce wrinkles and age spots
3. Anti-Oxidants, which prevent damage from sun and toxins in the environment
4. Specialty preparations for particular skin conditions such as age spots, redness, acne, and others.
5. Sunscreen, which is the most important product you can use to prevent aging of the skin!

Allergan’s TNS Essential Serum has anti-aging components that are ONLY found in Skin Medica line. It won the New Beauty - Beauty Choice Award, and InStyle Editor’s Pick for Best Beauty Buy in 2011.

• Lytera gives you brighter, more even skin tone in as little as four weeks.
• Dermal Repair Cream moisturizes and hydrates your skin.
• Retinol Complex creams reduce age spots and fine lines and wrinkles.
• Skin Medical facial peels (Illuminize, Vitalize, Rejuvenize) brighten your skin, and make it glow.
• Skin Medica products improve the skin to the same degree as expensive laser treatments, without the pain, time commitment or expense.

Come in today and start an amazing skin care regimen!