Skin Treatment Archives - 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

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!

Sarah’s Winter Skin Fixes!

Winter is a particularly challenging time for skin, but it’s a perfect time to fall in love with your skin! Here are four tips to perfect your healthy glow!

Try a Topical Retinoid

Topical retinoid and vitamin A products, like Avene Retrinal 0.1% Intensive Cream, increase cellular turnover, which means that younger cells are replacing older, duller looking cells at a faster rate. These younger cells absorb moisture better, and contain more of the skins healthy, natural oils to maintain a youthful appearance. You may also find that continued use lessens the appearance of dark spots from scarring or excessive sun exposure. (Just be sure to use a sunscreen, as retinoids use can increase your sensitivity to light!)

Stay Hydrated

Especially with winter still upon us, skin is thirsty more now than ever. Not only does drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated impact total overall body health, but it helps the health of your largest organ: your skin! As a rule, try to drink half your body weight in ounces daily! Additionally, investing in a humidifier for use at home (or anywhere you spend a lot of time) balances the air and soothes dehydrated, itchy, cracked skin.

Set the Scrubs Down

Since dehydrated skin is more likely to have crack and microtears, exfoliating scrubs and brushes. However, this doesnt mean that you can’t exfoliate. Using a leave-on AHA or BHA exfoliant, such as Obagi Nu-Derm Exfoderm or Exfoderm Forte, or a exfoliating moisturizer, such as Glytone Age- Defying Antioxidant Night Cream, naturally helps shed unwanted flaky skin without causing excess irritation!

Don’t neglect you body either! Try an exfoliating body lotion, such as Obagi KèraPhine™ Body Smoothing Lotion.

Always Remove your Makeup

Let your skin breathe after a long day by remembering to remove the dirt, oil, and makeup that has settled in your pores. Using a gentle non-soap cleanser, like Obagi Nu-Derm® Gentle Cleanser, provides modest hydration and a perfectly prepped canvas for your professional serums and hydrators to do all the work during your beauty sleep!

As a fulltime aesthetician, it’s my honor and privilege to offer you the best products and services to give you glowing, soft, youthful skin! Schedule a time to come and visit with me to discuss your skincare needs—my consultations are free! Email me with questions here: sfrost@swmphs.com.

Understanding Your Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation Options

Next to facial plastic surgery, nothing makes as big a difference in my patient’s facial appearance as injectables.

What are injectables? They come in three categories: (1) Muscle Relaxers, like Botox®; (2) Wrinkle Fillers, such as Juvéderm, Volbella, Vollure and Voluma; and (3) Kybella, which melts fat to eliminate a double chin.

What are they made of, what do they do, and how long do they last? I’m glad you asked! I present to you: Injectables 101.

Botox®

Botox, technically known as BOTOX Cosmetic®, was originally created by scientists to treat eye spasm. Once it was discovered to relax the muscles that create wrinkles, it became a cosmetic classic.

What Is Botox® Made Of?

Botox® is made from a highly purified, cosmetic form of botulinum toxin, a neurotoxic protein produced by bacteria. Injecting it into the muscles beneath your facial wrinkles will cause those muscles to relax, creating a smoother skin surface. These two products are most frequently used around the eyes, forehead or mouth. Because they are very thin liquids, a very tiny needle can be used. Most people experience little to no discomfort from the treatment, but those who express any concern are pre-treated with numbing cream. It lasts 4-6 months.

How Long Do The Results of Botox® Last?

Although it varies from patient to patient, results last from 3-6 months, on average. Of note, however, is this: the longer you use injectable relaxants, the less frequently you need them. In other words, once the muscle becomes “used to” being relaxed, it tends to remain relaxed.

Three Times Not To Get Botox®

You are pregnant or nursing. Although there have not been any documented cases of damage caused by BOTOX® Cosmetic injections during pregnancy, better safe than sorry, right?
Right before a big event: you won’t look better (yet) but you may have visible injection spots or even some slight swelling. Not a good look.
You have sagging skin and/or volume loss. Without fillers, you’ll still have them after the Botox® injections.

Fillers

Maximum improvement is achieved when Botox® is used in conjunction with a filler, so that the Botox can relax the muscle that created the wrinkle and the filler can soften its appearance. It’s a match made in Heaven, you might say!

Volbella, Vollure, Voluma and Juvéderm are hyaluronic acid fillers used to plump wrinkles throughout the face, including the nasolabial folds (the lines that run diagonally from the nose to the mouth), the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows) and the wrinkles around the lips and around the eyes. These fillers are composed of a laboratory-created protein called hyaluronic acid, similar to the natural hyaluronic acid in your skin that contributes to youthful skin’s volume and fullness. The lab-created hyaluronic acid in these products has been modified slightly to last longer than your own hyaluronic acid. The differences in the products have largely to do with how long they last.

Hyaluronic acid is hydrophilic, which means it’s “water loving,” and as such, it attracts many times its own weight in water. Even as the hyaluronic acid begins to disappear, each molecule attaches to more water, which means it will maintain its volume and effect for between four and six months. Numbing creams are applied to minimize pain, and fortunately, the products can also be mixed with a bit of Lidocaine to minimize discomfort during the injection.

Juvéderm is a soft gel made of hyaluronic acid, used to restore your skin’s volume and smooth away facial wrinkles and folds, like your “smile lines” or the creases that run from the bottom of your nose to the corners of your mouth. It’s also been found extremely effective for plumping lips. It can last up to about 12 months.

Voluma is another hyaluronic filler, most often used to fill the mid-face, particularly the cheeks, giving a lovely “lifting” effect that lasts up to two years!

Vollure helps add volume and treat nasal labial folds and marionette lines and lasts up to 18 months.

Volbella treats lips and peri-oral lines (lines around the mouth) and lasts up to one year! It’s especially popular for the lines above the mouth, commonly called “smoker’s lines” even if the patient isn’t a smoker.

I know it can feel confusing with all these products to choose from. The biggest difference between the “V” injectables (Vollure, Voluma and Volbella) is the amount of hyaluronic acid included in each one. Rest assured, I’ll make the right choice to correct your facial concerns!

How It’s Done

Filler injections take only about fifteen minutes to half an hour, and the results of fillers appear immediately. The final results of BOTOX® injections generally occur after 48 hours, with the majority of the improvement found in about a week.

Recovery

After injecting, we apply a cold compress. Some redness may be present for the first few hours, and you may have slight swelling around the injection sites themselves. However, this fades quickly, and by the time you leave the office, you will be unlikely to have any discomfort.

After receiving BOTOX®, you should not lay flat for four hours to avoid “spreading” the botulinum toxin beyond the desired area(s). You might have a slight redness around the injection site for the first two hours. The results of BOTOX® injections usually last about 4 months. It will be obvious to you when you should come in for another treatment, as the wrinkles will begin to reappear.

Because our office is very busy, we suggest that you make the appointment for your next treatment after each treatment, spacing the next appointment at the interval I recommend.

If you have concerns about wrinkles, contact one of my two plastic surgery locations for a consultation to discuss all the alternatives. You can phone us at 269-743-3290 or complete this online consultation request form.

Love the Skin You’re In! Details About Dermaplaning

What is Dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning utilizes a sterile surgical scalpel to gently scrape off the top layer of dull, dead skin cells. Sounds scary, right? But don’t worry; I’ve been doing this for quite some time, so you’ll be in safe hands!

Who Is A Good Candidate for Dermaplaning?

Healthy individuals who want brighter, softer skin are good candidates for dermaplaning. It’s an excellent treatment for those with drier skin and those with lots of “peach fuzz” on the face. It’s not recommended for those with severe cystic acne or active and open pustules (white heads)—wait for it to clear up prior to trying out this treatment. It’s also a favorite of my pregnant and nursing clients who want facial exfoliation without the harsh chemicals that can pass the blood/skin barrier and potentially harm their babies.

How Is Dermaplaning Performed?

I first clean and dry your skin. Next, I’ll hold an area of your facial skin taut with one hand and hold the blade in the other hand. With swift, short strokes, the dead skin cells and peach fuzz are removed. It’s painless and feels a bit like shaving your legs. The whole treatment takes about 20-30 minutes. About 21 days’ worth of skin cell build-up is removed.

Dermaplaning vs. Microdermabrasion

Although both treatments will help brighten the skin and remove dead skin cells, microdermabrasion essentially “sands” and suctions away dead skin cells. It also cleans out the pores around the chin, mouth and nose. In comparison, dermaplaning “scrapes” away the dead skin cells with the top layer of skin, removing vellus hairs with it.

Both dermaplaning and microdermabrasion are excellent treatments for all skin types, so the choice of one over the other often boils down to your personal preference.

What Should I Expect After Dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning is a safe procedure with no down time. It aids in product penetration and acts as a treatment booster when combined with other services. The exfoliation helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and helps to brighten dull and discolored skin. The removal of the vellus hairs (“peach fuzz”) rids the skin of oil and dirt-trapping hairs, and creates a silky smooth surface that allows your foundation to almost glide on.

I recommend that you wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 35 after your treatment, as your skin may be more sensitive. Although redness after treatment is not typical, it can occur. If it does, it will subside within a couple of hours.