Resurfacing, the Big Gun

Skin resurfacing has been around for a long time. The earliest procedures were performed over 100 years ago, using a variety of acids. Eventually the procedures became somewhat standardized, with the phenol peel becoming recognized as the most effective of the peels. It has fallen from favor because, in the long term, it reliably produced significant loss of pigment (hypopigmentation). The weaker peels, some of which such as the glycolic and trichloroacetic peels, produced less problems but also were less effective and somewhat erratic in their outcomes.

Fraxel re:pair (CO2)

This past weekend I went to a Fraxel re:pair seminar at Reliant Technologies. The re:pair is a CO2 laser that uses Reliant's patented scanning technology to lay down a precise pattern of laser  pulses on the skin. There us no doubt, in my view, that Fraxel has the most sophisticated technology in the field. The scanner is fast and precise, and the relatively high power of the laser allows deeper penetration than competing lasers.

Fraxel Re:pair (CO2)

It was with some trepidation today that I signed the contract to purchase the new Fraxel Re:pair laser. The laser is quite expensive, but it appears likely to revolutionize the treatment of aging, wrinkled and scarred skin.

Smoking and Aging

In the December 2007 Archives of Dermatology there is an article published about a pair of identical twins. Although you cannot access the article without purchasing the access, photos of the two women are on the cover of the journal, and a clickable box on the link will enlarge the cover and the photos.

Pre-emptive Botox

This week I had one of my established patients come in for her first Botox treatment (Botox information) . She pointed between her eyebrows and said "I want to get rid of these". There was nothing visible. When I mentioned that, she frowned and, pointing to the wrinkle line that was now visible, said "I can see it starting to develop."

Lip Lines: A new approach

Lines on the upper lip tend to drive people, especially women, crazy. Lipstick tends to creep up and accentuate these lines. These lines are caused by folding of the skin by the orbicularis oris, the muscle that encircles the mouth. They're commonly thought of as smoker's lines, but for most people these days, they're really talk and expression lines. If you stand in front of a mirror and pucker your lips, you'll notice that each line occurs at the bottom of a fold. Unfortunately , not talking and not having any facial expression doesn't seem a reasonable approach to eliminating lip lines. That's why the use of Botox doesn't play a big role around the lips.

Fillers

Fillers are becoming an increasingly important tool in facial rejuvenation. It is interesting that most patients are unaware of the range of uses that fillers can be put to. Collagen was the first filler to find widespread acceptance, but, because of its short effective life, it is now used much less.

Lip lines

No one loves lip lines. They're frequently called smoker's lines, but many nonsmokers have them. There is a muscle that circles the lips, the orbicularis oris. When you contract that muscle, you pucker your lips. When someone develops lip lines, each line is at the bottom of a fold when the lip is pursed.

Facial lines and wrinkles

As we get older we develop lines and wrinkles that were not present when we were younger. Many people do not welcome this development, although some people feel they have "earned" their lines. The most common cause for the development is the frequent folding of the skin by muscle movement. Other causes include sun exposure, resulting in a loss of skin elasticity, and the loss of deeper tissue depriving the skin of its "filler" and causing it to sag and fold.