Summer is here, you’re ready to head to the beach, don your swimsuit and walk around in your shorts in t-shirt. You also don’t want to be constantly shaving, so laser hair removal is just the thing for you. To make it safe, there are some precautions that are particularly important for summer laser hair removal.

The mechanism for laser hair removal works based on the hair shaft being darker than the surrounding skin and absorbing relatively much more light. This causes the hair follicle to be damaged while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. If the skin is tanned, it may absorb too much light, making the laser hair removal either unsafe or much less effective in that circumstance.

You must avoid sun exposure and tanning, including spray-on tans prior to the procedure, so that you go in completely untanned. After the procedure, it is important to strictly avoid the sun and use sunblock on sun-exposed areas for several weeks.

At Tattoo MD Medi-Spa, the laser hair removal procedure is tailored to your specific skin and hair colors. We exercise the utmost caution to maximize safety.

As one ages, muscles and fat atrophy, causing some depressions and sagging skin in various places. One common location is the backs of the hands. Hollowing may develop between the bones of the hand and in the space between the thumb and the hand. There is no “face-lift” available for the hands, but a filler is the optimal treatment to reverse the appearance of this condition. Radiesse, a gel of calcium hydroxyapatite, is commonly used for facial rejuvenation by filling in deep facial folds and lines, such as the nasolabial folds. Now, Radiesse may also be injected into the backs of the hands, elevating the skin, smoothing out the depressions, and giving the hands a youthful look again. The effect is not permanent, but lasts up to 2 years.

In the procedure, Radiesse mixed with anesthetic is injected under the skin. Pain is minimal. The material is then massaged into the necessary areas. Initially, moderate swelling may develop that is treated with ice and elevation, but generally subsides within a week. Some bruising may also occur. Typically one 1.3 cc syringe is used per hand for significant muscle atrophy, but would depend on the amount of filling desired.

In addition to Radiesse, treatment of sun damage and skin discoloration may be desired as part of the rejuvenation procedure. A chemical peel such as a glycolic or a Vi Peel may be very beneficial to achieve a completely revitalized look to the hands.

Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive alternative to face lifts and even lasers and Botox. It works by removing the topmost layer of skin cells, known as the stratum corneum. This process, known as exfoliation, removes fine wrinkles, minor blemishes, and gives the skin a healthy, radiant glow. Over multiple treatments, even deeper discolorations are improved as the process of skin turnover is sped up.

Microdermabrasion is performed using a either crystals or a diamond-tipped tool. The traditional method involves crystals that are shot out through a cannula, similar to sandblasting. The suction portion of the cannula removes the used crystals and the skin debris. The disadvantage of this method is that not all the crystals are able to be removed by suction. Some of them fly into the air, into your hair, or may be inhaled. It’s a messy process. Somewhat newer is the crystal-free microdermabrasion technique. This uses a vibrating diamond microcrystal tip on a cannula that performs the same function as the aluminum crystals. It works just as well without the mess and potential for respiratory problems.

During the treatment, the skin is stripped not only of dead skin cells and debris but moisture as well. An important part of the treatment is to apply a moisturizer afterwards. Sun avoidance and sunblock are also important to help prevent hyperpigmentation. After the treatment there may be some facial redness or irritation. This usually doesn’t last more than a few hours but could occasionally last longer.

Generally, microdermabrasion is part of a skin care regimen that may include chemical peels, Botox and regular facials, as part of a treatment regimen that is customized to a particular person’s needs. It is a good way to maintain your skin’s youthful appearance and combat the effects of sun damage, environmental toxins and natural aging. Contact TMD Medi-Spa for more information and to make an appointment.

Juvederm belongs to a class of cosmetic treatments called injectable fillers. These are gel-like substances that are injected into the skin, often to smooth out wrinkles. They differ from Botox in that the latter is biologically active but has hardly any physical substance to it. Juvederm is made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring skin polymer, which, along with collage and elastin, makes up the majority of the dry weight of the deep part of the skin, or dermis. The hyaluronic acid is grown in bacteria then made into a solid gel. The gel is cut into microscopic pieces that are small enough to inject into the skin.

The two main uses of Juvederm are for deep wrinkles, such as the nasolabial folds, and for lip augmentation. The substance is injected along the line of the wrinkle, trying to elevate it and create a smooth transition from the cheek to the upper lip skin. This process can be used in other areas as well, such as deep lines on either side of the chin, the marionette lines. The most popular use for Juvederm is lip augmentation. Lips can be made to look fuller, more pouty, and better-defined. It is very important to not over-inject, as an obvious augmentation may make the lips appear “fake.”

Local anesthetic is very important to make Juvederm injections comfortable. For the lips, it is possible to do a nerve block that will make the procedure very comfortable. In areas where no specific nerve block is available, topic anesthetic gel is applied for at least 30 minutes.

Juvederm lasts approximately 8 – 12 months, but could last less or more time depending on how active the area of the face is and whether the person massages the area frequently. It is by no means a permanent injectable filler. The advantage of this is that it is forgiving and even unsatisfactory results are not permanent. Also, as skin ages and changes position, sites of injection may need to be altered to enhance appearance. Radiesse is a longer-lasting dermal filler that can be used in place of Juvederm for wrinkles and lines but not for lip augmentation.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about this post.

What should the average consumer make of the recent FDA warning in February about botulinum toxin products, such as BOTOX Cosmetic? At this time, this communique was a warning without any change in prescribing instructions for the products. It noted that there have been some adverse outcomes both in children and adults, with the deaths or serious effects only seen in children. The dose range among adults who had problems, such as weakness in the legs, was 100-700 units. It has not been specified how common these side effects were.

What this means is hard to calibrate since there is no incidence number given. If a million treatments for Botox are given in a year in the U.S. but only handful of cases have some kind of adverse effect, then the chance of the adverse effect is extremely small. Furthermore, the only deaths were in children, and all adults with serious side effects had doses upwards of 100 units. Although 100 units is within the range of a typical Botox treatment, most patients receiving injection for wrinkles receive a lower amount.

For now, we should continue to observe the prescriber cautions and await further notification from the FDA.