Fraxel is a premium laser treatments for skin resurfacing and rejuvenation.  Unlike conventional laser treatments and chemical peels, Fraxel targets only a percentage of the skin during each treatment, so a deeper, more effective treatment can be delivered safely.  As with most things though, combining different modalities of treatments maximizes the unique positive effects of each one.

Botox can be combined with Fraxel by working on deeper wrinkles, while Fraxel works on skin texture and finer wrinkles.  Deep wrinkles caused by muscles of facial expression can only be improved with Botox and fillers.  Together, Botox and Fraxel are powerful tools in improving facial wrinkles.  They can even both be performed on the same day.

Fraxel and IPL Photofacials may also be combined.  Redness and sunspots are the specialty of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light).  These usually come about from aging and sun damage.  Fraxel is great for smoothing the texture and fine wrinkles in such photo-aged skin but the results are even better when combined with IPL.  These treatments do need to be performed on different days.  Also, IPL Photofacials are restricted to lighter skin tones.

Check out our monthly specials for super deals this month on combination Fraxel treatments.

Laser and IPL hair removal require at least 6 sessions to be effective for the long term.  The reason for this is that only a portion of your hair follicles are actively growing hair at any time.  It’s the hair that absorbs laser light and transmits that energy to the hair follicle, thereby damaging it.  Those hair follicles that aren’t growing hair are essentially invisible to the laser.  Each time that a hair follicle with hair is hit by the laser, it will either be damaged or completely destroyed.  So with each treatment, more and more hair follicles are completely or nearly destroyed.

Another variable that affects the number of laser treatments you need is hair color, coarseness, and skin color.  Hair must be darker than the surrounding skin for treatment to be effective.  The ideal candidate is someone with light skin and dark hair.  If you have tanned skin and light hair, then you are a poor candidate for laser hair removal.  Patients with mostly gray, white, or blond hair are also poor candidates.  Coarse hair is better than fine hair since it presents a larger target for the laser.  Very fine or peach fuzz-like hair, such as occurs on the upper lip in women, can be challenging for laser hair removal.

Although 6-8 sessions are commonly enough for people to get satisfactory long term laser hair removal, your clinician will go over what you can expect during your free consultation at TMD Medispa.

There are so many laser procedures available these days for facial rejuvenation and treatment of various skin conditions.  How do you know if IPL Photofacial or Fraxel is right for you?  IPL Photofacials are good for a number of things - sun spots, broken capillaries, and fine textural changes.  Fraxel is a more aggressive treatment that penetrates more deeply.  Fraxel can address all the things that IPL is good for, as well as more difficult issues, such as pitted acne scars, melasma, wrinkles, and scars.  Generally, if you are younger or have only early signs of sun damage, an IPL may be all that you need.  With additional aging or more severe sun damage, the increased efficacy of Fraxel may be a better value. Please peruse our Fraxel and IPL Photofacials pages for more information.  If you are interested in a procedure to improve facial color, texture, wrinkles, scars, etc., then it is best to come in for a free consultation to review the various options available and their risks and benefits.

As we age, the supporting structures of the face, including the bones, muscles, and fat gradually atrophy.  This contributes to sagging skin and sometimes a droopy appearance of the face.  Although a facelift can improve this problem, it is the more radical available solution, not to mention that it carries the problems of scarring, downtime, risks of surgery and higher expense.

An alternative to traditional facelift surgery is the use of Botox and injectable dermal fillers, such as Radiesse.  Fillers can be injected into areas where supporting tissue loss has occurred, as well as to re-build facial prominences, such as the cheekbones.  Botox aids additionally by causing lifting in certain areas where the downward pull of facial muscles is relaxed.  This results in a rejuvenating effect as the skin now lies over a fuller support structure.
In addition to fillers, resurfacing treatments, such as chemical peels, e.g. the Vi Peel, and even IPL Photofacials stimulate the production of collagen and cause a gradual improvement in skin tone.  This improves the overall color and texture of the skin and is a great complement to Radiesse and Botox.

TMD Medi-Spa now has better laser hair removal abilities than ever!  With the recent acquisition of the Starlux IPL system, we now have an even stronger laser hair removal offering than before.  The IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) allows us to treat even tanned and dark skin with good results.  Another large advantage is that it is virtually painless.  Imagine that!  No anesthetic cream is required either.  We hope that you come in and try our new IPL hair removal if you have been nervous about laser hair removal in the past.

TMD Medi-Spa now has the Palomar Starlux IPL.  This powerful device emits broad-spectrum light that is very useful for photofacials and hair removal. An IPL Photofacial treats sun damage, sun spots, broken capillaries, redness and rosacea.  It is best for lighter skin types.  The IPL also does hair removal, similar to a laser.  In addition to our Comet hair removal laser, the Starlux IPL will give us additional treatment options, especially for lighter and finer hair treatment.  Check out our IPL Photofacials page and book an appointment today!

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Photofacials will soon be available at TMD Medi-spa (probably next week)!  We are acquiring a Palomar Starlux which allows us to perform both photofacials and IPL hair removal.  This treatment rejuvenates the skin from sun damage and the unwanted effects of aging.  It is especially effective again rosacea, sun spots, and irregular skin texture.   As an introductory price, a photofacial is only $200 for the whole face!

As before, consultations are free and you may book your appointment starting 12/26.  Check out the new photofacial page or contact us for more details.