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Answer: I personally would not do it that way, one flinch and you get burned somewhere where you do not want it. JG 11.20.08
Answer: I do it under general anesthesia, is done by both plastic surgeons and dermatologists and social downtime is realistically 3 weeks if done deeply. I do mine in an out-patient surgery center. JG 11.19.08
Answer: personally, I do not think it is good for much and the laser you speak of is an Erbium I believe. JG 11.19.08
Answer: well, they can both be a factor, but the patient`s skin, since we have no way of adequately evaluating it beforehand, is the more risky as it is unknown. Certain ethnic issues are also important, for example darker skinned individuals and orientals have possibly higher risk of scarring too. JG 11.19.08
Answer: well anything you do will relax as the aging occurs, for the first month or so they look about the same but the CO2 will give you the improvement for much longer than the Erbium. In the long run, nothing is great, not even surgery, you need to understand that these are all incremental attempts to slow the process of aging down, nothing will stop it and that is why it is not an option for all people. I think the added risks, in experienced hands that can decrease the risk certainly are worth it, not all patients lose pigmentation, but it depends greatly on the amount of sun damage they have. JG 11.19.08
Answer: no problem with the questions, I just do not feel it is the best of any world due to its low effectiveness. JG 11.18.08
Answer: well, I think what you have just found out is that none are right and none are wrong, there is dissention among the options because there is no clear winner. I think your last doctor has oversimplified the issue though. The degree of firming comes from heat, which the CO2 does give and the Erbium does not but a discontinous surface allows less tightening. Think of a drum skin versus a pair of lady`s nylons pulled over a drum head, the solid piece when tightened will lead to greater tautness whereas the nylon will stretch and not tighten as much because there are holes in it. For the greateset degree of tightening you need a continuous and not pixelated or fractionated surface treatment. As to safety, maybe, but then the degree of effectiveness goes down too. JG 11.18.08
Answer: that would be my first choice, yes. JG 11.18.08
Answer: as to the Erbium, yes, I sold my Erbium laser long ago. JG 11.18.08
Answer: well, after having used it, my patients and I have been consistently diasappointed with the reliability of its degree of improvement. JG 11.18.08
Answer: I am sorry but for darker skin and acne, I have nothing safe, maybe subcision and fillers is about all, or when one is older a minifacelift will give improvements for awhile. JG 11.18.08
Answer: I would shy away form an abaltive laser, both CO2 or Erbium in darker skinned patients, so I would not suggest it for your condition of acne scars. JG 11.18.08
Answer: I still would choose the Plasma over any fractional laser, I would expect the company to say it is effective for many areas on their website. JG 11.16.08
Answer: just ask about your specific concerns, if they pretreat the skin to avoid hyperpigmentation, and how long the post teatment redness would last in your case. Best of luck. JG 11.15.08
Answer: still not a fan, although it is better than a single one. Imagine this, you want to tighten the skin on a drum using the torque screws around the rim, you tighten one or two, close your eyes, spin the drum, and then tighten two more, you have no way to know the new two tightened are the best ones, one always gets the best degree of tightening when the entire surface is done at the same time so there are no skip areas and the tightening is uniform and smooth. JG 11.14.08
Answer: yes, very good choice. JG 11.14.08
Answer: no laser will help the dark circles unde the eyes, I like a CO2 laser the best and a Rhytec Portrait second for the wrinkles, I do not like the fractionated lasers because they only treat a percent or a fraction of the skin, therefore it leaves a lot of skin untreated and thereby does not give as significant of a result, that is why they are called fractionated lasers. JG 11.13.08
Answer: I think they can both do a good job. JG 11.13.08
Answer: I personally would not attempt any chemical peel for acne, I think the results are not worth it. JG 11.13.08
Answer: it creates new collagen for somewhere between 2-6 months, the deeper they went the longer it makes new collagen. I am not a believer in factional lasers though. JG 11.12.08
Answer: orally I suggest Omega 3 fish oils and a B complex and Vitmain C, I do not think oral glucosamine will make much difference, topically we use things like aquaphor or copper peptide ceams to help with the healing. Best of luck. JG 11.11.08
Answer: I think NLite would be a waste of time for acne scars. I think combining it with microdermabrasiosn adds very little, the laser is certainly not selective to one bacteria over any others and the degree of collagen stimulation in most cses is not seen by the average observer. JG 11.10.08
Answer: I think there are always negative reports on blogs on the internet, but also understnad that happy patients do not go on the internet to praise things, so if you are in experienced hands, it should be good, all the best. JG 11.10.08
Answer: the blood thinners will not affect the ability to perform either ablative skin treatments. I will say that the FRaxel repair will likely bleed much more than the Rhytec. If you are intent on doing the combo, I suggest the Fraxel CO2 first and then finish with the more complete Rhytec. As to the time between, I suggest at least 6 weeks. For the Rhytec for acne scars I would use between 3-4 joules on the cheeks, or a double pass at a slightly lower setting, as to the Fraxel, I am not a believer in it so I cannot say. Best of luck. JG 11.9.08
Answer: the larger pores can be temporary and also the creams might be clogging the pores, migth want to ask him about changing the creams. The oilyness comes from your skin trying to heal itself, might consider trying some squalene oil topically, that should help moisturize the skin without you creating more oil. JG 11.7.08
Answer: it is a good laser, yes. The laser I have was made by the company Lumenis bought. JG 11.4.08
Answer: yes, there are millions of small pinpricks but they do not bleed for very long. In my personal opinion I think the results of a series of them will never reach the degree of improvement from a complete continguous ablataive laser, becasue some pin holes will be treated multiple times and some areas of skin will be missed. JG 11.1.08
Answer: I do not think they are close at all, I feel the Rhtyec, if chosen to be used that way, is much stronger. JG 10.31.08
Answer: well, it has the power yes, but it will treat a very small surface area, that is what makes it fractional, so you have a large percentage of the skin that remains untreated and therefore, although it heals quickly, that is because so much of the skin is not improved or treated. I think because of the fractionated surface it will be less of an improvement than the Portrait treatment. My major objection is that of large percentage of patients with disappointing results. It is not me that objects, but the patients that spent money and do not feel they got enough for what they spent and went through. JG 10.28.08
Answer: 12-18 days before makeup. JG 10.25.08
Answer: we allow patients to wash after 24 hours, but you shoudl ask your doctor as they may do things differently. JG 10.23.08
Answer: CO2 laser for something dramatic, Rhytec Portrait for something less but with less downtime, on the order of totally back to normal skin in one month.JG 10.22.08
Answer: personally, if you have had to use Accutane for that period of time to control your acne, it is likely you have deep scarring and I seriously doubt light treatments with PST or other technologies will help, even with the really deep CO2 lasers, improvements are limited as the problem is below the surface of the skin and lasers work best for wrinkles. The treatments will likely be safe, but will not control your acne, will yield minimal scar tissue improvements and may not be worth your investment. JG 10.22.08
Answer: there is really no scar, just fat loss and no laser will replace the fat. All pock marks look better if the skin is tightened but since it is not release the pock scar tissue as time goes on its appearnace returns, lasers work well for wrinkles but less well for pocked skin due to the scar that was caused by the infection and inflammation, not related to the Thermage. JG 10.21.08
Answer: well, here is the thing, firstly, the scars are looking worse because your skin is begining to loosen, no matter what you do, it will worsen with time, the CO2 laser will give you the most change with the longest improvement but with risks, all of the others are essentially interchangeable as the results will be mild at best and short lived. There is at present nothing really good I am afraid for your skin type. JG 10.21.08
Answer: only for as long as there is swelling. JG 10.21.08
Answer: they are supposed to work by removing pieces of the superficial skin and then getting the body to create new collagen to tigthen the skin. JG 10.19.08
Answer: well, I feel they are all ineffective but the lasers have a lesser chance of introducing infection into the skin as the tissue is vaporized and no needled where surface bacteria can be introduced. Also the number of punctures per square inch is much much more with the lasers than with the dermaroller. JG 10.19.08
Answer: only if there is a burn and then scarring from the burn. JG 10.17.08
Answer: the risk are that of segmental loss of pigmentation at least partially, leaving a line of demarcation between that and the untreated skin. The lesser the energy the lesser the degree of improvement. I think Portrait is safer only becasue it does not go as deep and therefore is like the low energy CO2. As to how long it takes to come back, anywhere from 1-3 years, the older one is the faster they come back, the lighter the treatment, the faster they come back. JG 10.16.08
Answer: the older one is the less time it lasts, cheeks and foreheads can last 5 years but the area around the mouth and eyes,maybe 2-3 years or so. As to driving, we ask patients to wait two weeks so they can turn their heads easily after the surgery to look for traffic. JG 10.14.08
Answer: well, the thinner the skin the greater the chance of those problems at higher energy, that is why in inexperienced hands I always tell patients to be conservative. High enery is not to be used on thin skin like eyelids but some people have thinner cheek or forehead skin than others. Once you select the energy, it is all dependent on the skin. I do go to high energies, at times as high as 4, but only on thicker skinned patients like men as their skin is at least 10-15% thicker than females. Best of luck. JG 10.13.08
Answer: I do not think it will affect it in any way.JG 11.12.08
Answer: I do nto think there is any problem doing the laser with the fillers in place. I do not think the laser will reliably affect even the superficial fillers causing the Tyndall effect. Best of luck. JG 10.12.08
Answer: CO2 is more effective than a Plasma Portrait and unfortuantely neither one will help the seborrheic dermatitis, but safe to use, you will be a little more red than the normal skin though in those areas. The risk of the CO2 if you go deep is pinkness for months and potential relative loss of skin color when compared to the non-treated skin. The squalene is usually found in health food vitamin stores, it is also called shark liver oil, or buy it online. Best of luck. JG 10.12.08
Answer: I think somewhere between 3-4 is where I would treat you also, the skin should do fine with that settting, just not on the eyelids. Hyperpigmentation can happen but much less chance in fair skinned people. If concerned you can pretreat with hydroquinone. I think as long as there is not alot of overlap of the sections it will be fine. Best of luck. JG 10.11.08
Answer: in some cases that will happen while the skin is healing and trying to regain its normal moisture, it should subside in time, can use a moisturizer to help your skin moisturize and that way it will not need to make as much on its own. JG 10.11.08
Answer: not necessarily a contraindication, no. JG 10.11.08
Answer: in some people that is what I do too, not on the eyelids but on the remainder of the facial skin, yes. I have done it at 4 and the downtime is about 12-14 days. I still prefer the Rhytec over the CO2 Fraxel on he neck though. I think for the lip lines I would do the deep Portrait. Best of luck. JG 10.10.08
Answer: I think dramatic results can occur in high energy patients but in general I tell my patients that even after a high energy Portrait treatment they should expect between a 35-50% improvement, not more than that. People will usually show the best photos as a selling technique. In my experience, multiple low treatments do equal one deep one for pigment problems but not for wrinkles. Initially it was said that three light ones equalled one deep one and now he is saying 5, so I would say in genera, no, they are not equal. It will not affect the dermatitis long term but can flare it up in the short term, it will certainly not help it nor control it. As to seeing a different surgeon, that is all up to your confidence level. I do not agree with what you have been told, and although I have not seen you in person, I disagree with what has been said and that is why I think seeing a different surgeon in persn would help you decide, if they both say the same thing then you can go ahead with a clear conscience, if they disagree, there must be a reason for the disagreement and you need to ponder the decision. I think OTC skin creams will help soften the skin temporarily only. Oatmeal is included in the products as a mild exfoliant, it does not moisturize anything. Best of luck. JG 10.10.08
Answer: I pretreat everyone, in this case maybe two weeks. JG 10.10.08
Answer: do not think it is worth it. JG 10.10.08
Answer: sorry, not a fan, better results compared to what other ineffective over-priced over-hyped machine on the market? JG 10.9.08
Answer: it can go as low as 30 microns but I would not use it on olive skin. JG 10.8.08
Answer: each one has about 4-5 days before you can wear make up and then the next one is done two to three weeks after the treatment. JG 10.6.08
Answer: when I do it lightly we use a topical anesthesia and when done deeply I put the patients to sleep. I think a plastic surgeon or dermatologist are good choices for the procedure. JG 10.6.08
Answer: well, I inherently disagree with your first sentence, if the CO2 laser is set to the strength you desire, it can go just as deep as the fractional laser claims, it is a matter of settings, not the machine itself. I strongly recommned not going any deeper than the skin so in many cases 2mm is way too deep. I persoanlly would not recommend the fractional laser, I think subtle resutls will likely be an understatement. If you do not need something like a Rhytec maybe you should stick with topical agents like Retin-A. JG 10.6.08
Answer: I would suggest you wait about one month. Having a Fraxel should not prevent having another procedure in the future. JG 10.5.8
Answer: Erbium offers no coagulation and will not give the degree of improvement that a CO2 laser would, I do not agree with what you have been told. JG 10.4.08
Answer: well, the greater the degree of improvement needed or desired, the deeper one needs to go, I do agree with the statement that CO2 is more risky, but it is also more effective by a large degree. A single deep Rhytec will do much more than a single light Rhytec, that is true. I would agree with you that he has not been honest with you in terms of expectations. I understand that he is respected, but if he is making claims that are biased, I would wonder why.Doing a minimally effective thing twice will, most of the time, not make a dramatic improvement, but it does minimize the risk. I would seek another consultation and see what the other surgeon says. Best of luck. JG 10.2.08
Answer: Less is less, so in my opinion, especially for acne scars, if you want a visible degree of improvement, you need to have downtime. I cannot say to what degree your scars wil improve without seeing you in person but with a deep Rhytec, expect 10-12 days of downtime. Best of luck. JG 10.2.08
Answer: I personally think the Rhytec will because it treats a larger area of skin. JG 10.1.08
Answer: the cortisone she prescribed to you appears to be a combination with some hydrocortisone in it,also possibly clindamycin and the moistrel, I am not sure. I would agree that she is likely tyrying to treat the inflammation with it. As to giving you a bleaching cream and then telling you that you do not have pigment problem, I think you figured it out correctly. The redness should settle though. I would not do another treatment until all has healed without any problems. Best of luck. JG 10.1.08
Answer: well the CO2 will yield more dramatic longer lasting results but with more downtime and more risk, the Rhytec done deeply is a good option but will yield a lesser result.The recovery for the Rhytec is wearing makeup in 2 weeks and pinkness gone in one month, the CO2 is wearing make up in 2-3 weeks and pink for 2-3 months in many cases. JG 10.1.08
Answer: well, firstly, you cannot believe everything you read on message boards. I personally have never seen a well-documented case of fat loss from a Rhytec Porriat treatment, and if it were to occur you would have had to burn the skin over the area and have left a large burn. Have there been burns and scars from the Rhytec, yes, in inexperienced hands. As to getting all of the fine lines to be gone after a single light treatment, which is what they have described to you, I would doubt that. Improvement yes, abolishment of the lines, no, but it does get better for a few months. The Portrait can be done with Eczema, might be a little slower healing though. All the best. JG 10.1.08
Answer: I think you should see a doctor like a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist to have the procedure done in oreder to get teh most drmatic worthwhile investment of time and money. JG 10.1.08
Answer: I am not sure to be honest, I can only surmise that is happened after the laser treatment and they are temporally related but not causally related. Maybe they were treated by a machine that they were told was a laser when it actually was a radiofrequency machine and they were not told correctly what they were having done. As to the hyperpigmentation, sooner is better, and prevention is even better. JG 9.29.08
Answer: I have actually never heard or read that, it is commonly done to prevent and treat hyperpigmentation and it does cause irritation but I have not read anything in a scientific journal that says it lessen collagen formation. JG 9.25.08
Answer: if it is uniformly bronzed and still stiff, I doubt it is hyperpigmented, just that the dead skin is still attached, got to give it a little more time. Bleaching cream works well for hyperpigmentation only and will not affect future treatments but for now, just use sunblock until the skin peels off. Best of luck. JG 9.25.08
Answer: I think it is safe to do it now as long as only the non-treated areas are covered with the Portrait, the surrounding area heat should not cause a problem this far out, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to see the areas that were not treated. Best of luck. JG 9.21.08
Answer: yes, it could even be done sooner. JG 9.20.08
Answer: sorry, not a fan of it. JG 9.20.08
Answer: nothing good I am afraid. JG 9.20.08
Answer: well, it is easier to match skin tone of the whole face is done and the tightening will never be permanent, maybe a couple of years, no matter what technique is used. JG 9.18.08
Answer: no, I think the Fraxel Repair will do less than the Rhytec. For the neck I use a lighter Rhytec or a chemical peel and educate the patient that their expectation of neck skin improvement needs to be tempered and is usually not dramatic. At times what you want is not possible. For the perioral wrinkles we use fillers, Rhytec ad CO2 laser. JG 9.18.08
Answer: I do not think too much positive of it I am afraid. JG 9.17.08
Answer: it helps by scarring the skin, if you are not willing to use lasers I am not sure why you would elect to have a procedure done that is more risky in all aspects than a laser would be. JG 9.16.08
Answer: Rhytec is better than Fraxel I feel. For upper lip lines I usually use fillers, then a Rhytec Portrait and then a CO2 laser. JG 9.20.08
Answer: I feel there is little to no difference. I personally think they are a waste of money. JG 9.5.08
Answer: high intensity treatments can be done on the face but not on the neck, sorry, but you can do a series, also, there will need to be about 3-4 months to see the new collagen form, so it is too early at 4 weeks to make a final decision. In most cases in weathered skin, it will take more than one treatment for the neck though. JG 9.3.08
Answer: I think the plastic surgeon will likely use more sutures at different levels and it might result in a better quality scar long term. There is no laser that removes scars, but they can fade rednesss if the right one is used. JG 9.1.08
Answer: just another modification of the previous one that has proven not as effective as they claimed so they keep coming up with the new and improved. I think the likely side effect is being disappointed with the degree of improvements. JG 9.1.08
Answer: A TCA peel, 30-35% or a Rhytec Portrait Plama treatment. JG 9.1.08
Answer: yes, to a milder effect, but yes. JG 9.1.08
Answer: the only treatments I would do on the face for that is either a Rhytec Potrait Plasma or a TCA peel, no CO2 laser and I think the fractional lasers are not effective enough to warrant their use. JG 9.1.08
Answer: some technicians in spas are experienced, you need to check it out, in some states, like California is can only be done by certified nurses or docotrs, if doen in a spa,makes sure the supervising doctor does the procedure as part of his normal practice and not just as a far away non-practicing cosmetic surgeon. JG 8.31.08
Answer: it helps brown and red spots, melasma, and maybe tiny little lines in younger patients is about all, no skin tightening to any appreciably visisble end. Are only pink for a few hours and the neck can be treated. Best to you. JG 8.29.08
Answer: I would not suggest either, I do not think the amount of collagen they produce is orth the money spent. If it did improve collagen, since collagen is constantly degrading in the body, you would need to continue the treatments and the older you are the less the degree of collagen production would be for each treatment. JG 8.29.08
Answer: there is no number I can give you, the deeper they go the greater the risk but there is no set depht I can give you as safe. I think men do develop less loss of pigmentation but at times there is a relative color difference as many men have severe neck sun damage and that cannot be removed as effectively so the color difference between face and neck can show.I think CO@ Ulrapulse will be the most effective choice to see a visible difference so if your concerned about the changes that have happened over the past few years I would go ahead. Best of luck with it. JG 8.27.08
Answer: skin discolorations mostly. JG 8.28.08
Answer: thank you for the kind words and all the best to you and yours. JG 8.27.08
Answer: it might, but all treatments are temporary and the Fraxel, as it is ablative, albeit fractionally, has a risk of causing hyperpigmentation. JG 8.27.08
Answer: no matter what the intervention is there are always risks, if the procedure is done with the requisite safety precautions and in experienced hands the risks are reduced and complications are quite rare overall. JG 8.25.08
Answer: depends on how deep they go, 7-14 days before make up. JG 8.22.08
Answer: I think the area that did not peel will likely reduce a small fraction of the fine lines that remain at this point but will not remove any more sun damage spots. In my experience the skin needs to peel for a dramatic effect. I think another Portrait after 6 months is fine, but if one did not do it, the second might disappoint also. Might want to consider something stronger like a CO2 laser, but that cannot be done on the neck though. As to the neck the best you can hope for is spot removal, the neck might be well treated with a TCA peel otherwise for the spots. Best of luck. JG 8.20.08
Answer: I usually suggest waiting 6 months before the next one. If she had a series of three light ones I would wait 6 months, and likewise for a single deep one. But if she had a deep one already I see no reason to repeat something that did not work the first time. The neck cannot be done as strongly so the changes will not be as dramatic. You have to go light on the neck, so it is more for spots than wrinkles there. All the best. JG 8.18.08
Answer: well, a series of light ones will not equal one deep one, I think the deeper she is willing to have the better. I understand that she has concerns about pain and downtime, etc, but she needs to understand that therefore there will be compromises in the results too. There is no free lunch. JG 8.18.08
Answer: sounds like you will need another treatment done, it is usually best to wait 6 months but can be done sooner as long as you do not go too strongly. All the best. JG 8.15.08
Answer: not an unusual setting use. Higher settings with lesser passes do not mean a better result, but it does increase risks. The areas you describe are likely skip ares, and should not happen too often when doing a session with multiple passes, those areas in some small fraction of cases might need a little touch up in the future. The untreated areas will likely blend in fairly well in the first month and I would not repeat the treatment for 6 months or so. The burning is normal,just do not try to peel or rub the skin off, let it fall off on its own and it will hurt much less. JG 8.15.08
Answer: my recommendations depend on patient`s skin, desires and risk tolerance. I have done deep sessions on older individuals, it is safe, but the results might not be as dramatic as in a younger person. I do not think any collagen would be damaged to the point of causing more sagging than the normal aging process. JG 8.14.08
Answer: that should be enough to remove the spots. Skip areas are not uncommon, especially if a single pass was done and in most cases it all blends in over time. It will likely not need a touch up. JG 8.14.08
Answer: yes, OK to do there, but that skin is thin so they cannot go too deep whch means it will last a couple of years and then have to be redone. Best of luck. JG 8.14.08
Answer: swelling is there for 2-3 weeks, as to the redness, it is depth dependent, the deeper one goes the longer you are red or pink for. In many cases like yours it can last 3-6 months, but can be covered by make up. JG 8.13.08
Answer: I do not think it would cause any scarring. It will either do little, a reasonable improvement, or in a rare case could burn and scar someone. I commonly use it for older skin with the education being that the degree of improvement is not as much as a CO2 laser. JG 8.13.08
Answer: a burn scar that is permanent. JG 8.13.08
Answer: not always, it does in some thinner skinned individuals, but not in all. JG 8.13.08
Answer: would need to see you in person, sorry. We charge the same for the entire eye region. JG 8.13.08
Answer: those are about what I would have used, higher settings might give more dramatic changes but also has higher risk of scarring and pigment loss. At times I will back off on the energy setting depending on how the patient feels the pain, that is part of the parameter of how we set things, so backing off and then doing a second pass or a third is safer than going too deep, it is a matter of cumulative heat delivered. I do not routinely use the last pass at 1 joule but I have done it on occasion. Best of luck. JG 8.13.08
Answer: it needs to be redone if you need it from further aging changes.The older you are the less collagen the skin makes after an injury such as a laser. JG 8.13.08
Answer: it can be done under local, yes, but it can be a little uncomfortable. The laser should not normally burn off the lashes but it can at times. If they are burnt they will grow back. JG 8.13.08
Answer: I think since what caused it was the CO2, that will be what wil be needed to correct it and blend the areas in by doing it a lighter settings. The Titan will do nothing and the Erbium is what you used and that left the areas unchanged, you need to use the one that changed the area. Best of luck. JG 8.13.08
Answer: Rhytec Portrait or a light CO2 laser. JG 8.12.08
Answer: to be honest I think fractional lasers of all kinds are not worth it.I cannot in good conscience recommend either one. Sorry. JG 8.11.08
Answer: no, it is a hot plasma, no radiation. Rhytec is not a laser where there is radiation but the radiation occurs inside the laser and not on or in the ksin so there are no radiation issues on the skin itself. JG 8.10.08
Answer: fat loss of the face has not been reported with Rhytec. The heat does not go through the skin so the effects are to the skin only and the heat disapates in minutes. We at times do nerve blocks for the lighter sessions but for the deep ones we put the patient under general anesthesia. The local anesthesia shots have no long term effects and wear off in a few hours. JG 8.10.08
Answer: Copper peptides have been shown to help speed the heaing process of the skin after a surface injury like a sunburn or a laser. We use them until the skin has totally healed, so for about 10-14 days, it can be used for one month if desired though with milder benefits after the two weeks. I think NeoCutis is a good brand but is sold only by physicians` offices. Nothing agianst your dermatologist, I am sure he is a fine physician, but I think it might be better to see a dermatologist who does these all the time. It is not that he cannot perform it well, it is more of knowing what is normal healing and what to do if something happens, you are better off with someone with experience on the cosmetic end. JG 8.8.08
Answer: could you please refernce the question you asked previously as I want to make sure I refer to the proper Rhytec question. Or repeet the entire question wihth the additional points of new questions. JG 8.8.08
Answer: it can if you go very deep, yes. The skin does turn brown with the lower levels but it comes off faster and there is less underlying pinkness. Minimal post-op pain after the initial 4 hours and the complications come only when the settings used are too high and a burn occurs, then you get all of the bad effects of the burn, such as thick skin and texture changes. JG 8.7.08
Answer: it is for milliseconds so the heat is doubtful to cause any cancer, there are many more common issues that are more worrisome. There is only heat and no radiation that I am aware of. It is more like hot water, very hot water. JG 8.7.08
Answer: kenalog and or 5FU injections, the redness will fade a little with the shots, or a YAG laser could help with the redness too. JG 8.7.08
Answer: I am afraid the only thing would be to excise the scar and skin graft it, injections might soften it but thats about it. JG 8.7.08
Answer: I think for the redness I would suggest an Nd:AYG laser or a VBeam laser, I think the microdermabrasions with IPL will do little good and the same for the Stralux in most cases. The scars wil be permanent, the best you can hope for is the redness to fade some. JG 8.7.08
Answer: well, one could attempt to remove the color from the darker areas, might not be to effective in terms of getting it smooth out though, hard to get it to do something undesirable when you want at times. I think if anything going slow with it is best but unfortunately the lighter treatments will not be as effective in achieving your goal. I think using IPL again on the dark areas only and totally avoiding the hypopigmented areas would be best. JG 8.6.08
Answer: I used to think so but now as time has gone on I feel the single deep will give you more than a series of lighter ones, at least for wrinkles and scars. I do high energy passes to the lids and that should not be a problem. JG 8.6.08
Answer: we use a copper peptide cream from NeoCutis right afterwards. As to moisturizers, we suggest using one that has no glycolic acids or retinols in it. Best of luck. JG 8.6.08
Answer: it is Cetaphil cleanser, a copper peptide cream (NeoCutis) and and a bottle of atomized water spray(like Evian), he can get all of that for you, no need to buy it from us. JG 8.6.08
Answer: $4500 plus the post-op kit. JG 8.5.08
Answer: typically no. JG 8.5.08
Answer: I perform it there as well. JG 8.5.08
Answer: I do not use them but use a protective barrier over the lashes and to avoid any gas blowing into the eye. The corneal shields are certainly OK to use, too. The nevi will likely be a little flatter and darker for a little bit but eventually return to the way they were and the skin over them will heal well. JG 8.4.08
Answer: Plasma, but the improvement for the laxity will be mild, no laser will do much there except a real CO2 done deeply, the Fraxel will not do it even if it has CO2, if it is going to work, it has to be totally ablative for the tightening. JG 7.31.08
Answer: can try some progesterone cream and even Accutane for the acne, as for the repeat Rhytec, it is possible, otherwise a CO2 laser would be good. As to the healthy glowing skin complexion, I am afraid that will not be possible with anything you due to the damage already done. Sorry. JG 7.31.08
Answer: the burn is a remote possibility, in most cases that will all go away in a few more days, stay out of the sun in the meantime. JG 7.31.08
Answer: I do not think it will do anything, sorry. JG 7.29.08
Answer: I have not seen laser help with swelling and the ketoprofen will not always work, it is more for pain than anything. In your case especially since it is so long from the injury. JG 7.29.08
Answer: no real difference, prety much the same, neither very effective. The Fx CO2 is stronger but since there are so many skip areas it will not do much either. It is not the type of laser used that makes fractional lasers ineffective, it is the amount of non-treated skin. JG 7.27.08
Answer: depends greatly on you skin and age, I think you will likely be disappointed with a fractional laser as that is exactly what the Fraxel is, a fractional laser. JG 7.26.08
Answer: sorry, but no, there is not. The melanin cells have been damaged and there is not much that can re-establish that for you. JG 7.22.08
Answer: I think any laser, no matter what they tell you, if it is going to help the wrinkles, will make the Rosacea worse for awhile, if it does not, it will not do anything for the wrinkles, sorry. JG 7.21.08
Answer: it will work well to control the redness from the Rosacea but will not do much for wrinkles I am afraid. It will not do much for the scars either, but some of the pores will likley get better if they are plugged with oil. All the best. JG 7.21.08
Answer: well, if the melanin cells in the skin were damaged, exposure to the sun might make the unaffected skin darker and not allow the damaged skin to get darker and it could make the scenario even worse, sorry. JG 7.21.08
Answer: I think the improvement from a deep Rhytec for acne will be maybe 50% at most and the redness will be gone in one month. Prices will vary from office to office but usually about $4500 or so. JG 7.19.08
Answer: well, if done too agressively , that can be normal, as to how long it will last, it will probably take weeks but I cannot say as there are variations from patient to patient and it also greatly depends on the depth of the treatment. One has to wonder why the doctor would do a very aggressive Fraxel treatment when the technology is marketed as a minimal downtime procedue. Seems to me that he had one hammer and you became the nail. A more appropriate technology along with better preoperative preparation for post operative healing should have been entertained.JG 7.19.08
Answer: I am unimpressed. Retin-A does help control the acne and does improve scars a mild amount. JG 7.18.08
Answer: once the swelling goes down, I have never seen Erbium yield a worthwhile improvement for acne scars. The redness will vary on the depth it is performed to, I would guess one month or so with a moderate depth application. JG 7.18.08
Answer: I would wait and do the laser first and then a few days later for the others. JG 7.16.08
Answer: maybe 10-15 %, might last 18 months after one deep treatment. JG 7.16.08
Answer: I am afraid that you will be disappointed. No short or long term negative effects though. Might be better with punch excisions and then a CO2 laser. JG 7.14.08
Answer: I do not perform regular dermanbrasions anymore due to too many variable, I only do excisions and CO2 laser as you have had done I am afraid. JG 7.12.08
Answer: well, my honest opinion is that option has never made any biological sense to me. CO2 lasers work by essentially heating the tissues to shorten collagen fibers and try to create new collagen to tigthen the area. In a scar, there is injured tissue and the ability to develop new collagen or tigthen what little collagen exists is severely depressed. It might appear to help in a small subset of cases where the CO2 laser causes swelling and makes it look smoother, but once it heals, the best you can expect is likely the same result you would have gotten without the laser. In some cases, it will actually burn the scar and create an even worse scenario. I would not do it myself. JG 7.10.08