Christy, Author at Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery

Botox And Fillers: Which One Is Right For You?

If you’re new to injectables, you may wonder about the difference between Botox and fillers, and which treatment can help you achieve your anti-aging goals. Botox and fillers both have their own unique advantages and can also be used together to reverse the signs of aging. A combination approach can take years off your face, with longer lasting results than Botox or fillers alone.

Botox
Botox offers natural looking wrinkle reduction by temporarily relaxing the facial muscles that cause fine lines and wrinkles. Designed to remove and reduce wrinkles, Botox treatments work by blocking the nerve signals to your facial muscles. Quick and painless, Botox reduces your facial muscle activity and temporarily prevents the contraction of muscles that cause laugh lines, frown lines, and crow’s feet.

Botox treatments consist of a few tiny injections, with very localized effects that will not impact your ability to smile, laugh, or show expression. Effective for a wide range of people, Botox improves the appearance of moderate to severe lines between the eyebrows and can be injected around the eye area to improve the appearance of crow’s feet. With minimal discomfort and no downtime, Botox fits in to your lifestyle and schedule. Most people see visible results in 10 days to 2 weeks, and results last about 6 months.

Fillers
Dermal fillers restore facial volume loss, effectively smoothing lines and wrinkles, restoring your cheek and lip volume, and refreshing your appearance. Adding volume without surgery, injectable gel fillers treat static lines that are visible when your face is at rest. From plumping the lips to lifting your cheeks, fillers add volume, encourage natural collagen production, and prevent the skin from sagging.

Formulated with hyaluronic acid, fillers are injected into the skin with a very fine needle to fill in facial wrinkles and indentations to restore a smoother appearance, or into the lips to add fullness and volume to your smile. Very effective at reducing the early signs of aging, fillers are mostly used on the middle and lower facial areas. Fillers provide visible results you can see immediately and instantly, with effects lasting for 6 months to 2 years. In the cheek area, fillers last up to 2 years. For facial lines and wrinkles, results last 12 to 18 months. Lip fillers typically last 6 months to 1 year.

Botox and fillers
Botox is most effective for superficial lines and wrinkles, while fillers plump the skin and can smooth out even the deepest forehead furrows and marionette lines. Depending on your goals, a combination of Botox and fillers can make the greatest impact on your appearance. The combination treatment of Botox followed by fillers can last twice as long as fillers alone, and the two injectables complement each other by targeting multiple areas of the face simultaneously.

Botox and fillers both require the expertise of a certified medical professional for safe and effective results. Schedule your complimentary consultation with our specialists today to learn more about reaching your goals with Botox and dermal fillers.

Source: calvineaesthetics.com/blog/botox-vs-fillers-which-one-is-right-for-you

Our Staff Picks of the Month

We know that picking out the right skincare routine can be a little overwhelming, so we asked our Med Spa staff, Madi and Danitra, to tell us some of their favorite products!

Madi’s Staff Picks

“PCA’s Active Body SPF 30 is great! It is water and sweat-resistant for 80 minutes, nonaerosol, and is also Reef Safe!!”

“My absolute must-have is the Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum from PCA as well. It has 3 different kinds of HA’s in it as well as boosts the body’s natural response to produce more HA in your body resulting in long-term anti-aging and hydration.”

Danitra’s Staff Picks

“Skinscript SPF 30- The Sheer Protection SPF 30 is a light cream, natural sunblock with zinc oxide that offers broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB exposure. Provides UVA and UVB sun protection and ideal for daily wear”

“Cucumber Hydration Toner– This toner rehydrates the skin while improving the absorption of ingredients. It reduces discomfort and irritations, balances surface lipids, and assists in boosting hydration levels. This toner provides probiotic support to the skin’s acid mantle to support acneic skin. Every skin needs a great hydration toner and this one is perfect for everyone”

PCA Skin And Why You Should Invest In Your Skincare Routine!

We all love the feeling of leaving the Med Spa with glowing, youthful skin. But utilizing the right skincare products at home is just as important, if not, more important as the treatment itself. We’re all tempted to buy cheap skincare products at Target, but unfortunately, those products will do more harm than good, especially if you’ve received any Med Spa treatment.

Think about it, would you throw your expensive clothing in the washer with your regular clothes? Probably not. You would take it to the dry cleaners to be properly taken care of. When you’re investing money in treatments at the Med Spa, you’ll want to invest in proper skincare products (recommended by your licensed Aesthetician).

We asked our Med Spa Aestheticians, Danitra and Madi, to share their thoughts on why investing in a proper skincare routine is important.

“A proper SPF to apply daily is the most important thing you can do for your skin. Wear and reapply your sunscreen YEAR ROUND! The sun doesn’t only come out during the summer on a beach. Even in the middle of winter, you are still exposed to harmful UVA and UVB rays by simply walking to your car or driving in the car. Apply sunscreen to your hands, too!” Madi shares.

“Stop looking to social media and the internet or viral TikToks for skincare advice and see a licensed professional that will help start a skincare journey. Most consultations are free and you can get a detailed recommendation that accommodates your unique skin.” Danitra says.

Our skin is a delicate organ that needs to be taken care of daily. The longer you procrastinate investing in your skincare routine, the more you will regret it in the later years to come.

Schedule a consultation with us today!

What You Need To Know About Laser Hair Removal

There is absolutely nothing worse than constant shaving, expensive and painful waxing, ingrown hairs, and razor burns when it comes to hair removal. With laser hair removal you can say goodbye to all of the pain and inconveniences of shaving and waxing. But is laser hair removal really as perfect of a solution as it sounds? Here’s what you really need to know about the treatment, and what you can expect once you’ve made the decision to go forward with it.

Time

Generally, effective laser hair removal requires 6-8 consecutive sessions with a 4-week interval in-between. This is to accommodate all of the hair follicles in their various stages of growth. Only about 30% of our hair is in the “growth” phase at any given time. Laser hair removal treats the hair that is in the growth phase or the hair that is visible. Keep in mind that each patient is different. The more treatments you receive, the finer your hair becomes. Therefore, treatment sessions will not take as long. Our Med Spa team will carefully note your progression and let you know if you would need more treatments or if you are good to go.

Pain Tolerance

There is a common misconception that all types of laser treatments burn. This is not the case for laser hair removal treatments. In fact, hot wax used for waxing feels hotter than the laser itself. Our Med Spa team will ice the treatment area before and after to ensure you feel no pain or discomfort during or after your session. By the time you come in for your final treatment, you will become accustomed to the feeling of laser energy penetrating your hair follicles. It is said to feel similar to a rubber band snapping on your skin. If your pain tolerance is of concern prior to your treatment, our Med Spa team can suggest different topical numbing creams to ease the pain.

Pre and Post Care

The right time to get started with your laser hair removal sessions is the months that you spend the least amount of time in the sun. For best results, you must avoid sun exposure and spray tanning 1 month before your treatment. This is because tan skin requires a lower laser setting, which can reduce overall results and effectiveness. After your treatment, it is advised to continue avoiding sun exposure so that your proceeding treatments will have the best results. Use a high SPF on areas that you are treating if you do plan on having sun exposure. Our Med Spa aestheticians will provide you a take-home kit that will allow for the most comfortable downtime.

Although laser hair removal is often associated with women wanting to remove unwanted hair, this treatment is common for men as well! Common areas to treat for women are bikini line, underarms, lip, chin, legs, stomach, and arms. Common areas to treat for men are the back, neck, chest, and abdomen.

Always feel free to call our team at (269) 329-0655 to answer any questions you may have about laser hair removal and to set up your consultation and first treatment today!

Can Increased Screen Time Cause Premature Aging?

Has the technology-dominated world we have adapted to and live in today caused premature aging of the skin? Let’s face it, most of us wake up and immediately check our phones, put on our Smart Watches, followed by us logging onto our laptops for the majority of the day, just for us to “wind down” by watching TV or logging on social media after work.

According to a recent article by Laura Brzyski, dermatologists Nazanin Saedi and Margo Weishar explain the effects of blue light on the skin: “Blue light is part of the spectrum of visible light, but it is a high-energy, short-wavelength. When skin is exposed to blue light, we know that it causes the formation of reactive oxygenated species leading to DNA damage and inflammation. Eventually, it can break down healthy collagen, which causes skin aging. Additionally, the oxidative stress our skin undergoes due to increased exposure to blue light can lead to skin discoloration and hyperpigmentation” (The Philadelphia Magazine, 2020).

So what do we do to help prevent premature aging of the skin in a technology-driven society?

While we may not be able to control the amount of screen time necessary for our day jobs, we can use modern-day counteractive technology such as blue light glasses as well as limit the amount of screen time we use in our downtime, in the morning, after work, and before bed.

Here are some helpful tips in reducing your daily screen time:

Stop using your cell phone as an alarm clock

When we rely on our cell phones for things like an alarm clock, we tend to keep our phones near us. Try switching to a traditional alarm clock and set it on your nightstand. This way you can set your phone across the room while you sleep at night, and feel less tempted to grab it first thing in the morning.

Don’t log onto social media past 7 pm

We love to stay updated with our friends and family on social media, however, try to limit your screentime by restricting your usage to just what is necessary for your day job. If you do choose to log onto social media after work, try to hold a boundary with yourself to not log on past 7 pm.

Wear sunscreen year-round, even when indoors

Wearing sunscreen every day is crucial to fight against UVA and UVB rays. Use a sunscreen that has broad-spectrum protection to also protect against HEV light.

At SWMPHS, we want to help our patients look and feel their best. With our MedSpa treatments, we are able to accommodate all skin types and desired results. If you feel like your skin has prematurely aged due to an increase in daily screen time, try micro-needling, which can help stimulate collagen reproduction to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Call us to schedule your appointment today!