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Answer: in rare cases, especially in fair skinned people with dark hair it can be, alot of it depends on how much hair was there to begin with too. JG 6.24.09
Answer: no, just redness. JG 6.24.09
Answer: I agree with the Retin-A and I feel radiofrequency is a waste of time and money, sorry. JG 6.23.09
Answer: I suggest in cases of photofacial to treat the entire face for that reason. The color should come back slowly over time though. JG 6.23.09
Answer: find a new friend! JG 7.1.09
Answer: Fraxel does not really cause break outs but it does injure the skin and then the skin needs to heal itself by generating new skin and the skin has to produce oil to do that, and that can cause new pimples or blocked pores to form. I think Levulan for acne is a reasonable option, and in experienced hands is safe, yes. I do think that in some cases, Accutane is the way to go to control the acne long term and prevent further scarring from recurrent cysts. Best of luck to her. JG 7.1.09
Answer: the study you mention does document lipid peroxide elevation, but that is how all ablation works, you cannot remove something without oxidatie damage so it should not be a suprise, it should be expected. Also, no thymine dimer elevation is good. Any method, including surgery, causes oxidative damage for a period of time, but that damage related here shows no correlation to potential fat loss in IPL done in isolation. I would feel comfortable with IPL treatments. JG 6.12.09
Answer: sorry, but no, there is no peel that will do all of that. JG 6.8.09
Answer: depends on the strength of the TCA peel. JG 6.8.09
Answer: typically it is done every 3-4 weeks and then needs to be kept up once you are at the point where it is better, maintainence is about 4 times per year. JG 6.8.09
Answer: no, erbium is for resurfacing and YAG is for discolorations. JG 6.8.09
Answer: try an IPL and use sunblock is where I think you should start. JG 6.8.09
Answer: no, it does not damage the skin nor accelerate the aging process. It is good only for sun spots though, nothing else. JG 6.8.09
Answer: the results from the series of Plasma Sessions you are receiving are never meant to see a difference after this period of time, the three sesssions done 2-3 weeks apart, which is the usual procedure will nto yield its maximum improvement for 4 months or so. If they went deeper the second time the healing will be a little slower, yes. The redness will in some cases take a full month to go away. JG 6.4.09
Answer: YAG and VBeam. JG 5.31.09
Answer: depends on the depth used, the lighter you go the safer it is to just do smaller segments. JG 5.27.09
Answer: 10 days or so should be enough but it might make them stay red longer. JG 5.26.09
Answer: I am sorry but I do not know the answer to that one. JG 5.24.09
Answer: tan is sun damage, yes, you need sunblock, not sunscreen. JG 5.24.09
Answer: 4-6 weeks. JG 5.22.09
Answer: I am sorry to hear about your problems, might suggest to have them hyfercated but understand that eventually, no matter what you do, they will come back, there is nothing permanent, sorry. JG 5.18.09
Answer: well, it wil tell us if the melanocytes are stil workigng and if it helps, you might have to intermittently use a little sun. JG 5.17.09
Answer: we prescribe low dose pain pills, although most people do not need it, we also give antibiotics and antivirls to avoid infections, and we use copper peptide creams after the first 24-48 hours. JG 5.17.09
Answer: works to flatten moles but if used to remove the entire mole will leave a scar like all others. JG 5.16.09
Answer: yes, lasers might be needed but they also might come back with sun exposure in the future. JG 5.13.09
Answer: no problem with the IPL but my condolences are your loss. JG 5.12.09
Answer: it usually will take a series of treatments so I would not expect much at this point. Need to have more of them done. JG 5.8.09
Answer: would need the skin lifted surgically for that to improve. JG 5.8.09
Answer: should be OK to take the ones you mention. JG 5.6.09
Answer: it should not affect the fillers or the Botox, all the best. JG 5.3.09
Answer: you will likely get less with the Titan. JG 4.30.09
Answer: no there is not, sorry. Once your skin has aged to the degree that the wrinkles are seen, it shows that the reparative properties of the skin are reduced, there is no technology at present that will yield a 4-5 year length of improvement.
Answer: can try a series of IPL treatments in the meantime. JG 4.25.09
Answer: you need to stop the Retin-A for a couple of days before and after the IPL, the Bactrim should be OK, but if you are concerned, you can stop that too. You will need to do so everytime you have the IPL though. JG 4.24.09
Answer: should be OK to do. JG 4.24.09
Answer: would not recommend it. I normally would use a totally ablative CO2 laser for significant improvement or a Rhtyec Portrait for something lighter. JG 4.24.09
Answer: no, there is not bacause a facelift removes excess quantity of skin and also repositions sagging tissue below the skin. Lasers improve the quality and not the quatity of skin and do nothing for the tissues below the skin. That is the fact, and more experience with lasers does not make the machine do something it cannot. I do agree with the doctr`s interpretation that poorly done facelifts should become a thing of the past, but claiming that lasers will replace facelifts I think is a completely selfserving commnent, one I would expect from someone who does not perform facelifts and is a smudge on his reputation as the more expereicne you have with lasers, the more you should know the facts. is expereicne coems form years o fusing lasers, always new and improved ones ad if htey were so great there woudl be no need for new lasers. I suggest you see, in person, a plastic surgoen who performs both facelifts and lasers for an unbiased answer. JG 4.23.09
Answer: I would stop everything, let your skin heal and then re-evaluate things. JG 4.22.09
Answer: in experienced hands it is quite safe. It does help the broken blood vessels on the face, yes. There have been no documented facial fat loss cases with IPL alone. JG 4.22.09
Answer: It will help the acne and make the veins and redness worse. The IPL will help with the redness and the veins but as long as you are on Retin-A I think the IPL will be a waste. The Retin-A needs to be stopped two day before and after the IPL, sounds more like Rosacea than acne though. JG 4.21.09
Answer: I would skip it, I have not been impressed with their results, especially longer term. JG 4.20.09
Answer: as to the Fraxel laser, make sure when they show you pictures, they are at least one year after the Fraxel, that is when you will see the real result, all lasered patients look good three months after, it is what they look like 6-12 months later that tells you whether it was worth it. JG 4.17.09
Answer: shoudle be able to do so after the laser, best of luck. JG 4.16.09
Answer: I think the Iridex is commonlly used for broken blood vessels. As to hte negative comments on the web, remember, happy people rarely post things on the net, so you likley have a slanted opinion regarding potential resutls. JG 4.16.09
Answer: sorry, but in my opinion,as I think it is a waste of time, I would not suggest you have it done. JG 4.16.09
Answer: in your case Erbium might be a reasonable option, as to the flat moles, the Erbium and CO2 will not do much, could darken, them too. They will either need to be cut out or lightened with a YAG laser and it will nto be a permanent lightneing and will nedd a series of treatments.JG 4.15.09
Answer: well, first of all, I think you should not be telling a professional like a dermatologist how to treat something, that is their job. Secondly, I find it unbelievable that the dermatologist would do something at your request when they should know that a triple pass with an IPL is likely not help to fade anything faster or more effectively and is likely to cause harm and further problems. For now, I would let it heal and not continue to irritate it, and I strongly suggest you get a second opinion on your problem. It might get better, all depends on how strong the IPL was set for, but when there is scabbing, there is a chance, especially in olive skinned people and darker that there might be some permanent color loss. JG 4.14.09
Answer: all of those will help, they can be combined. JG 4.14.09
Answer: a phenol peel is the msot effective for wrinkles but has serious down time, as to the peels, they are good for pigment problems and the microdermabrasion is good for recent sun damage and for pores. JG 4.13.09
Answer: not permanent, just temporary. JG 4.13.09
Answer: waxing or electrolysis. JG 4.12.09
Answer: IPL will never help reduce hair, sorry.JG 4.12.09
Answer: safe, likely yes, 12 minutes,yes, effective, I do not think so, sorry. JG 4.9.09
Answer: no, it is common to have friends or family come. That should not be a problem. JG 4.9.09
Answer: I think many do have photos and it is certainly OK to ask to see them. I think it is also OK to ask about their experience level with the treatment proposed. A consultation first to determine if you are a good candidate for the laser is typical. JG 4.9.09
Answer: no way to tell because it depends on your ski and the energy used, there is no set number. JG 4.9.09
Answer: if by 6 weeks it is not helping you will need different things. No reason not to do the laser for redness if you are breaking out. JG 4.9.09
Answer: maybe not in that case. Best of luck. JG 4.8.09
Answer: at times some people will get a little scabbing, and there are a smaller number that have pale splotchy skin for awhile. Nothing that can be done will improve it on a permanent basis though. I think Iridex is good, as is a YAG laser and a VBeam laser too. JG 4.7.09
Answer: they might put you on sunblock and a bleaching cream is all. JG 4.6.09
Answer: microdermabrasions and very very light glycolic peels and maybe Retin-A with sunblock is about all I would suggest with your skin. All the best. JG 4.6.09
Answer: usually the redness is not a problem. If it is Rosacea they might suggest lighter treatments like IPL. Best of luck. JG 4.6.09
Answer: I think if it is a deep non-fractional CO2,if it is done at much past 50-75 microns, you will not be able to wear makeup in that time. Sorry. JG 4.5.09
Answer: should work for that, it is used for veins mostly. Do not think it will make it worse. JG 4.2.09
Answer: I feel regular, non-faractioanl CO2 is the best. JG 4.2.09
Answer: use the micorderms and peels and the Juvederm. JG 4.2.09
Answer: they do different things, but if you have a need for Juvederm, that is likely more worthwhile to have done. JG 4.2.09
Answer: more likley it was the salicylic acid that helped control the acne. I think Fraxel might have helped some with the texture, to a small degree. I am not sure if your skin was better with all that you have done why you would do another Fraxel. I think the microdermabrasions and the salicylic acid will help control your acne so I think that is a good thing to continue. I would skip the Fraxel as you can see, although it might have helped your skin feel better, it did nothing to control your breakouts. JG 4.1.09
Answer: the IPL wil help some. It will not affect the Artefil, the pulsed dye laser is a diode laser, but a YAG laser or VBeam laser will do as well if not better. JG 3.31.09
Answer: yes, there will still be dynamic wrinkles, no way to ever remove them. The lines of color demarcation should not be permanent unless it is done so deeply that the pigment is loss, but that is rare. JG 3.31.09
Answer: I feel CO2 works the best to correct the scarring, some people believe that acne can be contolled with a blue light laser but I have not seen it work. JG 4.1.09
Answer: the Fractional will heal in that time, just the degree of imnprovement and the length of time it will look better is less, but with only two weeks of downtime, you might not have any other choice but to accept the compromise. JG 3.30.09
Answer: likley safe, yes. JG 316.09
Answer: to some degree but the effects on collagen are more intense. It will never get you back to the normal amount of collagen/elastin you had in youth though. There is always a net gain though from where you start. The pathology slides that are done after one year in properly done CO2 lasers do not show the scarification that phenol peels do. Scar tissue is less elastic but also does not sag as fast. JG 3.15.09
Answer: might be a good option as to the after treatment, all the best. I will say though, you will need more in time, especially in that area and with a 35% TCA peel, expect to need something in 18 months or so. JG 3.15.09
Answer: should not. JG 3.12.09
Answer: never. JG 3.12.09
Answer: I feel creams and lasers offer little and surgery will pul the skin tighter but will not imprve skin quality, so improvements will not be dramatic, sorry. JG 3.12.09
Answer: I think it is worth a try, it is usually well tolerated. Best of luck. JG 3.12.09
Answer: leave a very small amount. JG 3.12.09
Answer: a small short stubble is best. JG 3.12.09
Answer: it is considered a light peel and will likely help some brown spots. I think the only chemical peel that helps wrinkles long term is a phenol peel which is rarely done anymore as most of the improvement is from miniature scarring of the skin. I think the improvement in the crepey skin will disappear with the swelling. JG 3.10.09
Answer: medical studies show significant dermal collagen remodeling at one year with a CO2 so I do not think there is any residual swelling after one year than can casue the improved appearance. How long it lasts depends greatly on how fast you yourself are aging, that is the great unknown. Your aging speed will determine how fast collagen and elastin is lost and then control the longevity of the procedure. The net bad effect would only enter into play if there is scarring, there is no thinning of the parts of the skin as the skin regenerates from the basal layer. You can see medical articles under Google Scholar and type in CO2 laser effects. Best of luck. JG 3.10.09
Answer: sorry, nothing permanent. JG 3.10.09
Answer: I think repeating it too soon can lead to scarring and unecessary repeat treatments. JG 3.7.09
Answer: I would not repeat a 35% TCA peel for 6 months. Lighter peels can be done more often. JG 3.7.09
Answer: sorry to say that in 34 months you will be back were you were before. JG 3.8.09
Answer: a Rhytec Portrait but it is not technically a laser, but works in a similar fashion. JG 3.5.09
Answer: well the Iridex is a good laser for that problem but I probably would go to a different place than the one you first went to. JG 3.5.09
Answer: it does work but can cause some hyperpigmentation or dark spots to form, but all lasers have that potential risk, just some less than others. No laser will permanently remove the hair, just so you are aware of that also. JG 3.5.09
Answer: I think the damage if any wil be small. Be more prepared next time I guess. JG 3.5.09
Answer: no, I do not think Fraxel will help stretch marks and at the present time, since a stretch mark is essentially a scar, there is nothing reliable. JG 3.5.09
Answer: I think that anything on the neck will be very temporary and I do not suggest much besides light peels, and as to the Fraxel anywhere on the body, I feel the same, if it is not going to improve facial skin the other areas will get even less. JG 3.4.09
Answer: well, if you have fine wrinkles a surgery might not remove that so I feel the laser will likely be a better choice and can be repeated this far away from the original. I am not a believer in the Fraxel. Might suggest a light CO2 laser is all. JG 3.4.09
Answer: I can understand your concern but I think you will be disappointed once the swelling goes away, sorry. JG 3.3.09
Answer: they do both exfolaite but the effect on wrink reduction is not only exfolaition, that only removes the top layers of skin, and there also needs to be a stimualtion of the deeper layers with no scarring. Retin-A stimualtes the deeper dermal layers and TCA does not, sorry. JG 3.2.09
Answer: usually the holes need to be cut out and then ScarGuard or Mederma for the scars after that. JG 3.2.09
Answer: yes, that would be a good option as you know what it entails. Should be safe to repeat. Best of luck. JG 3.1.09
Answer: no, it is not as deep since there was no heat generated it will never create as much new collagen as the CO2 laser would. The chemical peel will help with the brownspots but all a chemical peel do is create skin tighening by swelling and in some cases by small amounts of scar tissue that will stiffen the skin but can look unnatural. CO2 lasers, as they generate heat, cause the collagen that is present to tighten, which is good, and it forms new collagen which is documented in skin biopsy slides at one year and when properly done will cause nto scar tissue like the chemical peel. The lace like appearance is due to the uneven absorption of the chemical. JG 3.1.09
Answer: well, I think having that at 8 weeks is certainly something I would ask to see the doctor as soon as they can see you, that is normal and getting appropriate treatment will be the best thing to avoid any permanent scarring. Best of luck. JG 2.28.09
Answer: not sure who told you it was harmless, but it should get better with time. I suggest you ask to see the doctor who should be there as a supervising physician. JG 2.28.09
Answer: do nto think it was a mistake and it might look like that for another 3-5 days. JG 2.28.09
Answer: no way to tell, the deeper the burn, the longer it can take. If the burn is very deep it can last forever but in most cases it is usually gone with creams and avoiding sun in 6 weeks or so. As to treating it, a burn is a burn, no matter how it was burned. JG 2.27.09
Answer: the laser will fade the redness if it is stil red, otherwise, if it is raised, it might flatten it out some, but nothing will ever remove it entirely, it wil always be visisble, no matter what you treat it with, sorry. JG 2.27.09
Answer: well, if you choose soem lasers you will get some of that but no the pore redcution, at least no for any significant length of time. I think the YAG laser for what you seek will fail on all points though. I think the Erbium will give you a little more and the CO2 will yield the most difference. Doctors are moving away from the CO2 because of the longer healing time and they have been romanced by the promises made by the newer eess invasive lasers giving similar results and with less downtime, but as all in life, what sounds too good to be true usually is and the newer lasers have not held up their end of the promises. Best of luck. JG 2.26.09
Answer: there is no way to predict when it will start getting lighter as it depends on the energy used on the laser, the type of pigment that was tatooed and your body`s response to the laser. Almost always the color gets darker, like deep red to black before it starts to fade. JG 2.24.09
Answer: Oil of Olay or squalene oil are good but clear it with your doctor first as the type of laser used might make other things better. JG 2.21.09
Answer: yes, we do it in our office, each session is $100, no way to tell how many sessions wil be needed and the color gerts darker before it gets lighter. JG 2.20.09
Answer: I feel the TCA is only good for skin discolorations only. Texture will be likely better for a few weeks to months and likewise for the fine lines, once the swelling is gone both of those go back to the way they were. Might suggest just old-fashioned Retin-A and I am not a fan or believer in the claims of the Fraxel or Pixel lasers, sorry. JG 2.19.09
Answer: the ones that have beee reported to cause fat loss are the ones combined with radiofrequency heating only. I have not seen the fillers you menton move to any significant or visible amount. I do perform Restyalen injections under the eyes and it works well there. Best of luck! JG 2.18.09
Answer: I am afraid there is nothing topically you can do that will make it fade as the ink is below the skin. I think using sunblock on your lips will keep it from getting irritated. The only other option there is is to use a laser like a YAG laser, but at times it can look darker before it fades. Best of luck. JG 2.14.09
Answer: CO2 laser would be my next step. JG 2.13.09
Answer: original CO2. JG 2.12.09
Answer: should be temporary, just stay out of the sun for now. JG 2.11.09
Answer: hard to say but if you are having that issue it certainly sounds like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, that is not patchy, that will need intervention. At minimum it will require Retin-A and hydroquinone along with sunblock, the need for a light chemical peel series is also a possibility. Sauna will have no effect. Amber color has nothing to do with collagen production, nice try on the doctor`s side though. I would certanly get back on the Obagi and see what happens with that. Best of luck. JG 2.11.09
Answer: no real set number, it depends on your skin, you age, the amount of skin damgae, lots of variables, but once a year for non-ablative lasers is likely not enough, might need it more often. JG 2.7.09
Answer: well the Jessner`s peel is likely no more risky for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation than what you have already done with the lasers. I think it might help a little with the brown spots, but not to any greater effect than what you have already done. I think what you are thinking about and what you have already done might help the spots, but do not expect much in terms of the acne scarring. JG 2.5.09
Answer: if done at higher setting you can develop post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, yes. Done on a weaker setting you might not get any visible benefit. JG 2.4.09
Answer: well, it is always worth trying something less invasive, and you likely do not need as much as someone who is older, but I think once the swelling goes down, it will likely look like nothing was done. Best of luck. JG 2.3.09
Answer: we do not wipe, we splash water, let the skin fall off on its own and apply the creams over it. Aquaphor can be used and is a good product to use 2-4 times per day. JG 2.3.09
Answer: in many states no one except a docto can se TCA, need o check with yourstate regulaions. As to edation and anesthesia being needed for a 35% peel, I would say yes, it hurts. I use creams after the peel, but every docotr does it diferent, I think you need to be clear with his protocol ande that should be discussed before the procedure. We also use Valtrex to avoid herpes out breaks after the peel tha can occur even if you have never had it before. If the skin has healed well after the CO2 is is OK to do the TCA over that area now. Best of luck. JG 2.3.09
Answer: likely yes. JG 2.3.09
Answer: there is no set depth at which that will occur. JG 2.3.09
Answer: might be 10-14 days before make up. JG 2.2.09
Answer: doubt a laser would improve it to any great degree, they work better for very superfical indentations. I think a filler is likely the easiest, although cutting the indentation out and sewing it back up could be done, but would leave a permanent scar. JG 2.2.09
Answer: 75 to 150 microns, the time to heal would be about 5-12 days, the deeper, the longer. JG 1.31.09
Answer: since there are so many differtnt companies out there that make the totally ablative CO2 laser, I am not aware of a centralized listing. I will say that its use is much less than before because the doctors have gone to the lesser invasive fractional treatment as it is an easier downtime and easier to sell, but I think they have lost on the effectiveness. I will say that anything you do will help the pores only on a temporary basis, will not control the acne, but might help the scars some. JG 1.31.09
Answer: I think a chemical peel has the same exact risk profile as a laser I am afraid. JG 1.30.09
Answer: I prefer an Alexandrite laser. JG 1.30.09
Answer: I wodul only start with soem ligth alpha or beta hydroxy acid peels at the skin spa. JG 1.29.09
Answer: might needd to see a dermtologist to make sure you do not have Rosacea that can be treated but the miicrodermabrasions will only aggravate it. JG 1.29.09
Answer: I think it is crazy to do them at home. I think a professional doing the peel on your forehead is reasonable. I think the 35% should be good enough for orange peel like skin though. It will likely need to be redone though in a year or two. It can be done under a nerve block and topical anesthetic. Social downtime would be about 10-12 days. We always pre-treat with Retin-A and hydroquinone for 2-4 weeks before and then start again after 3-4 weeks. Best of luck. JG 1.29.09
Answer: thanks for the personal report, I am sure it is appreciated by the readers. JG 1.28.09
Answer: I think the IPL is worth a try. JG 1.28.09
Answer: Might want to use some vinegar diluted in water to open the pimples up and let them drain, or some warm moist towels with plain water but in time they usually resolve once the skin is more healed. The pinkness will usually get back to normal in 2-4 weeks, all depends on how many passes they performed. I would not use the Obagi products for one month after the treatment. I would likely stop the Aquaphor and switch to squalene oil which is less comedogenic. Best of luck. JG 1.27.09
Answer: I think a Fraxel will not help and could make it worse, I think the YAG is a much safer and more effective option, along with continued sunblock and hydroquinone too. JG 1.26.09
Answer: a microlaser will be more effective, and likely safer too. Complications are brown spots but they are usually temporary. Unfortuantely so are the results. JG 1.26.09
Answer: I think they heal faster because their skin is thicker but because of that, they get less of an improvement as it contracts less. JG 1.26.09
Answer: should not be affected, best of luck. JG 1.22.09
Answer: most likely it will be healed enough after the erbium that you can proceed, should not harm anything, best of luck. JG 1.21.09
Answer: I am afraid I have nothing safe to offer except for the minimal improvement with Retin-A, sorry. JG 1.20.09
Answer: well, the first problem is that bags would never get better with something done on the surface as a laser or chemical peel, that was not even wishful thinking, it was plain wrong to suggest it. I think for your skin now I would start with some Retin-A and then progress to some light chemical peels to freshen up the surface, could try some microdermabrasions too. Best of luck. JG 1.19.09
Answer: totally ablative, non-fractional CO2 laser. JG 1.19.09
Answer: no laser will help marionette lines, sorry. JG 1.18.09
Answer: might suggest a YAG laer, it is stronger than the IPL. Best of luck. JG 1.18.09
Answer: well the chemical peels and the microlaser peels will help with skin disoclorations, but the amount of new collagen formation and skin firming is minimal. JG 1.14.09
Answer: well the gel can allow a little more irritation but I do not think clinical results in terms of better skin quality will likely show up for weeks. If tolerated, it cna be used twice daily. JG 1.12.09
Answer: there is no rating, different energy levels will go to different depths, the depth used depends on the needs and the risk/benefit ration. I think all of what you are describing should get better in time though. Best of luck. JG 1.12.09
Answer: light CO2 with adequate pre and post treatment wth hydroquinone should be OK. JG 1.11.09
Answer: depends entirely on how deep they went and with which technology. If they went deep it can take 3 months at times. At three weeks I think Skinceuticals is fine, the pinkness will fade in time too. JG 1.11.09
Answer: it migth but one of the side effects of using the LightSheer diode laser for hair removal is reactive hyperpigmentation, so it will likely get worse while treating the hair removal and then it can be turned down to treat the hyperpigmentation. JG 1.10.09
Answer: do not think you will get what you are looking for with a chemical peel of any sort,except for a phenol peel, sorry. JG 1.9.09
Answer: IT MIGHT BUT WITH SUN EXPOSURE IT WILL LIKELY RETURN. JG 1.9.09
Answer: it might but no always, and with sun exposure they will likely come back. JG 1.9.09
Answer: it will likley go away on its own and doing another treatment, even a light one, could aggravate the redness you have now. I do not think it is a permanent thing though. PIH or post inflammatory hyperpigmetnation is brown and not red, so that is not what you have and yes the hydroquinone used for PIH would make you more irritated and would not help fade the redness. JG 1.8.09
Answer: it is only the ones with radiofrequency that have been associated with fat loss. The IPL and CO2 lasers are safe. JG 1.7.09
Answer: I have never seen that happen personally. JG 1.5.09
Answer: I am sorry but I have never had a patient use it so I cannot say. JG 1.5.09
Answer: I think it is mild enough that you could do the face alone, I think it is a mild treatment though, so do not expect much, especially with only one treatment. JG 1.4.09
Answer: I am sorry but I do not have a list of those physicians that perform the plasma in your area. JG 1.4.09
Answer: maybe a 25-30% TCA for the forehead. JG 1.2.09
Answer: the deeper they went the longer it looks that way, but in general, not long, a few weeks to a couple of months. JG 1.2.09
Answer: all normal, the area wherere the material was more adherent is normal and will loosen when the skin underneath is more healed, just give it some time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. JG 12.27.08
Answer: personally I do not understand you wanting to use a taning bed after attempting to help your skin, hovever mild, with a TCA peel. Please stop and think about your actions and your question. The answer is you should never go in to a tanning bed again. JG 12.24.08
Answer: it might take 4-6 weeks for the swelling to totally dissipate, it all depends on the strength of the peel, and I do not think the TCA done repeatedly will thin the skin, skin is very good at regenerating itself. JG 12.22.08
Answer: the issues with CO2 lasers are uneven pigmentation and in experienced hands is a low risk, and they always wear make up too so it can be hard to see. JG 12.20.08
Answer: I see no reason for them to claim that, it stimulates the dermis to create collagen and in all the reading I have done on lasers I have never seen any legitimate claims to suport what you have been told. JG 12.21.08
Answer: I do not think you need toical antinbiotis, the red dots might last up to one week, and that is a reasonable laser to use for the milia, yes. JG 12.20.08
Answer: please send them to drgarcia@lvcosmeticsurgery.com All the best for the Holiday Season. JG 12.17.08
Answer: I personally, after having used lasers for over 20 years on hundreds of patients, have never seen it happen, it is natural though to try to find something to blame. JG 12.16.08
Answer: doubt there will be any permanent damage, but stop picking and call the dermatologist`s office tommorow and get the instructions they should have given you before the procedure was performed. JG 12.15.08
Answer: it is up to the plastic surgeon performing it, I cannot say what they will fell like. JG 12.14.08
Answer: it can help, yes. JG 12.14.08
Answer: phenol peels can be done with sedation but it is always done slowly to avoid the cardiac problems, they only occur of you try to perform the procedure too quickly. The real reason that phenol peels went out of favor was due to potential pigment loss if one went deep, that can happen with lasers too though, and also it did not sound as up to date as a laser does. A Jessner`s peel is a very weak peel, mostly just to take dead skin off is about all. JG 12.13.08
Answer: there are lasrs that help with veins but only the very small fine ones, not large blue ones. JG 12.12.08
Answer: I think it will be difficult and if it were, it is likely at least a decade or more away. The fractional lasers are a move backwards in terms of the improvement but it is putting lots of money in the laser company`s pocket as they prey on patients` hopes and desires for less downtime and less risk. As to what they will think of next, don`t fear, these snake oil salesmen will always find some new sliced bread to take your money. JG 12.12.08
Answer: when I say say CO2 I mean a totally ablative laser, not the fractionated lasers as they ae not treating a large enough surface to cause tightening nor smoothing, do not be fooled into thinking that a fractionated laser that uses CO2 is a true CO2 ablative laser, that is deceptive marketing by them to try to capitalize on the name CO2 yet not deliver the results. JG 12.11.08
Answer: not that I have read about in any medical journal, sorry. JG 12.7.08
Answer: I think they will provide little to nothing for skin wrinkle reduction. My choice would be Rhytec Portrait Plasma or a light CO2 laser. JG 12.2.08
Answer: CO2 laser, regular, not fractional, or a Rhytec Portrait Plasma. JG 12.2.08
Answer: well, it sounds like it was a CO2 laser if the redness lasted that long, and no laser, no matter what type, will ever improve puffiness, it will only improve small fine lines and pigment problems of the skin, it will not affect anything below the skin. I do not inject Radiesse on the orbital rim due to the lump problems that are well known, if anything I use fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm. In your case, if the filler lumps are still there, it likely has become a granuloma and might need to be cut out. I cannot say whether surgery will make your scenario better without seeing you in person, but it sounds doubtful, except for the lump removal. JG 12.1.08
Answer: the downtime is related to the strength of the peel and the conditon of your skin. The thicker and more damaged your skin is the less the downtime initially, as your skin gets better and less covered by wax the intensity of the peel needs to be decreased. I think in a couple of days it should all get better. JG 11.26.08
Answer: well, to be honest, they are no good. The purpose of them is to feed on hopes and wishes of unsuspecting patients in order to make a profit, basing it on very flimsy science and years of poor results sprinkled wth a handful of good ones. I think the companies do come out and overhype based upon patient wishes and desires, no matter how effective or ineffective the technology is. Some plastic surgeons will buy them for atempts to get people in the door and then sell them on something else, some surgeons are foooled by the marketing of the felow surgeons, I know I have been before, and some are just interested in appearing to offer the newest and easiest as a way to make money. I am unaware of a good book to filter all of this out as the field is constantly being updated so a book is quickly out of date, and many if not most of the doctors that are experts have received something from te laser companies and some therefore do not have a completely objective veiwpoint. Sorry. All the best. JG 11.26.08
Answer: it will help fade red and brown spots, minimal effect on very fine lines over time and nothing on wrinkles. JG 11.23.08
Answer: a little of both, but not much at all. There is typically only one depth and all of that, if it occurs, usally is gone in less than 12 hours if it is truly a mcrolaser peel. I would stop the Retin-A for 2-3 days before and after. If your skin is toleratig the 0.5 then it is OK to increae it if desired. JG 11.23.08
Answer: I think the good effects on the body are minimal, can occasionally burn if the settings are too high, it works well on the face only. JG 11.23.08
Answer: YAG lasers are mostly used for skin discolorations and it is not a collagen forming laser like a CO2, they compliment each other not replace each other. JG 11.22.08
Answer: start with Retin-A and then maybe some IPl sessions. JG 11.21.08
Answer: I think the risk profile is safer than a CO2 laser, yes, but there are still risks of temporary hyerpigmentation, usually easilly treatable with creams, I think for isolated fine lines and pigment problems it is an option, I think for acne scars, not a much but certainly more than alot of other fractional lasers out there. The neck and decollete can only be done lightly though. Best of luck. JG 11.20.08
Answer: personally, although I do agree that a CO2 lsaer is the logical next step, I might suggest seeking care from a different surgeon, unless he is doing all the subsequent treatments at a significant discount. I would have never expected the TCA to do anything to tighten the skin and I would have had to cross every dual part of my body in order to hope the profactional erbium would do anything as it is the best of no world, it just combines two ineffective options to yield one ineffective option. JG 11.18.08
Answer: I would wait at least 6 weeks to see what has occurred. Best of luck. JG 11.18.08
Answer: I would rather go with a deeper YAG laser to treat it. JG 11.18.08
Answer: depends on how deeply it is performed, and how old the skin is, might be 1-5 years, maybe more in a small number of cases. JG 11.18.08
Answer: Rhytec Portrait or a ligth CO2 laser, non-fractionated. JG 11.17.08
Answer: my choice for spots is either a chemical peel or a light Rhytec Portrait, but if the skin needs smoothing I do not think the chemical will do it. Best of luck. JG 11.17.08
Answer: no laser works on blonde hair, it is all hype. JG 11.17.08
Answer: well, if you are going to get any improvement, from what I have seen, it does take a series as it is otherwise not very effective. I personally think it is a waste of time though and would suggest you seek out a different treatment modality that is not fractionated. JG 11.15.08
Answer: for both to be treated at the same time I suggest a deep Rhytec Portrait or a medium to lighter CO2 laser. JG 11.13.08
Answer: I would not recommend either be done at home, sorry. JG 11.13.08
Answer: well, I believe I can speak well on the subject as Dr Hetter was my partner for years before he retired and I performed a number of Hetter peels and have followed his and my patients for many years, I think the Hetter peel is much more than a TCA, has potential for skin discolorations greater than a TCA peel, but is effective if done deeply to remove spots and tighten skin, the method it tightens skin is by inducing a small amount of scarring in the skin to cause a tightening, the degree of improvement of the wrinkle is not due to the collage formed as that collagen is not organized like normal collagen. I think lasers or Rhytec is more precise of an option. Best of luck. JG 11.13.08
Answer: I think it migtht, at least for awhile, aggravate your condition. JG 11.12.08
Answer: I have not seen reliably impressive results on acne scars with that technology. I think the major effect is the risk of hyperpigmentation with little improvement of the scars. I usualy do either a deep Rhytec Portrait or a CO2 laser for deep acne scars. JG 11.11.08
Answer: I think it would be a waste of your money, not strong enough to see a visible diference once the swelling goes down. JG 11.11.08
Answer: well, it sounds right as they are quite mild and may take a long series of sessions to see anything. JG 11.10.08
Answer: migth need something stronger, like a medium depth Rhytec Portrait Plasma. JG 11.10.08
Answer: call Sthepanie and Michael Marschall, they are a husband and wife team of dermatology and plastic surgery, tell them I sent you. JG 11.9.08
Answer: I think the Retin-A will cause some irritation and get the skin to heal faster. If you are going to use it I suggest treating the whole face as the entire face will be treated. As to supplement before the Rhytec, just a good B-Complex and Vitamin C is about all you need, Best of luck. JG 11.9.08
Answer: there is not surgery or lasers that work, I do have a new cream for sale in my office that helps about 60% of patients. It is not on my shopping cart yet but if you call the office they can sell and ship it to you. JG 11.8.08
Answer: I think Retin-A is the easiest and safest althought the others can do it too, the TCA has a small risk of reactive hyperpigmentation though. JG 11.9.08
Answer: they are just lasers set to very low energies in order to attempt ot break up brown spots and induce collagen with minimal to no downtime, the faster the healing, the less the imporvement though. JG 11.9.08
Answer: no significant improvement in the vast majority of patients. The most common risk is spending moeny and getting nothing for it, the reported facial fat loss is very rare. JG 11.7.08
Answer: I still feel the same, I would doubt she would have you talk to any of her patients that were not happy. JG 11.7.08
Answer: I think I would start with IPL treatments and then progress to VBeam if they do not respond, but it takes a series of sessions and the improvements for all lasers are temporary. JG 11.6.08
Answer: TCA and especially glycolic acids work on the superficial part of the skin, not the deep part. They do help with skin discolorations though. The acids applied do not hydrate the skin, that comes from whatever you do after the surface has been peeled off, so that is incorrect also. If you are able to apply make up right after then the injury to the skin is less than a bad sunburn and will not incite much change in the quality and character of the skin. I have used Obaji products for over 18 years and I am speaking from that experience. Also, understand that when they use the word medical practitioner, you have no idea what training they have, the one thing you can tell for certain is that they are not a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon because they would have told you that, so more likely it is a medical assisant, a nurse or some other type of physician who took a weekend course on skin care. JG 11.5.08
Answer: I completely disagree, maybe they are saying that because they do not perform lasers. I think lasers are a better choice for wrinkles, scars and fine lines. JG 11.5.08
Answer: no protection effect, but does hide the dent for awhile. JG 11.4.08
Answer: typically the fat loss happens soon after the treatment and can progress for long periods of time, in some cases, if there was swelling present, and some areas are more prone to swelling than others, the fat loss is not appreciated until a long time down the road. In most cases the fat loss is appreciated within 4-6 weeks. I think you are likely out of the zone of risk. JG 11.4.08
Answer: I do not think a microdermabrasion should be done for at least 6 weeks, as to the Accutane, its effects are not permanent either. I would not use the Accutane for at least 6-8 weeks after the peel. Hair loss has been reposrted with Accutane but it is due to the drug`s effect directly on the hair follicles and not due to DHT, all the best. JG 11.3.08
Answer: it is the rdaiofrequency that has been associated with the fat loss and MedLite has no RF. I have used a MedLite laser for over 13 years and have never seen fat loss. JG 11.3.08
Answer: that is where the laser made a hole in an attmept to create new collagne and tighten the skin. JG 11.2.08
Answer: I would say 20-30, it is relative. It will be similar in the effects of consistent Retin-A use, yes. Similar to a series of microdermabrasions although some microdermabrasions can be done deeper. If done deeply you might be red or sunburned for a day or so is all. 11.1.08
Answer: all the best. JG 10.31.08
Answer: well, in my experience with 35% TCA peels for over 22 years, it takes almost 6 weeks for your skin to even hold make up well, much less do another peel. I think copper peptide creams are good to heal the skin but it will take time,I will also interject, if he is doing 35% TCA peels to improve your acne, stop, it will not work, it is meant for skin discolorations and the improvement in scars will fade once the swelling goes down. I am sorry but I do not have any referrals for you in Poland. All the best. JG 10.31.08
Answer: I normally advise patients to wait at least one month, your doctrr should have told you that. As to another peel, I would not even begin to make that decision for 6 months. We have our patients splash water for the days until all of the peeling skin has come off before washing it with any cleanser. JG 10.31.08
Answer: they should all be temporary. Just got to give it some time. JG 10.30.08
Answer: up to the nasolabial folds or laugh lines, or to the extent of undermining, yes. The difference in skin pigment would be greater with the CO2 but the improvement would also be greater. JG 10.30.08
Answer: well, effects are very mild with any company`s micro-laser peel so the Retin-A will help, but do not expect dramtic changes or improvement in collagen content with the laser peel. JG 10.30.08
Answer: 7-10 days or so. The stages are a slow peeling of the denatured skin and revealing the younger sensitive skin below, like a bad sunburn. I do my deep Rhytec under general anesthesia and I suggest not to resurface skin that has been undermined or lifted at the same time. JG 10.29.08
Answer: personally, it is all marketing, trying to get people who want something to heal faster, who wouldn`t want that, to pay money on the hope that less is more. I think the degree if disappointment in all fractional lasers is equal, they are all equally less than impressive. JG 10.28.08
Answer: get some squalene oil from the health food store and use that, or EMU oil, but I prefer the squalene, that should help, but the redness and splotchiness is normal. JG 10.27.08
Answer: well, at best it is a microdermabrasion feel-a-like, and even the company has no medical studies to back up any of the claims they are making. If he is so convinced, ask him to provide you and I with the medical studies that show it works.I always find that doctors are always willing to give things away that are effective, juts kidding. JG 10.26.08
Answer: no, it is not in the way others are, there can be small skin slough due to the injury below the skin in some few cases, but that is not how it is meant to work. The skin that was treated can peel as the skin heals but that is not becasue the skin was attempted to be removed but from the destruction of the pigmented cells below the skin. JG 10.26.08
Answer: not a believer, sorry. JG 10.25.08
Answer: I think copper does help with recent wounds and I am not a fan of pixelated lasers. JG 10.25.08
Answer: I might suggest putting a tablespoon of white vinegar in a liter of distilled water and soaking a gauze in it and then placing it on your face to open the white pimples, stop the Aquaphor, and tomorrow call the doctor`s office and see if he has another doctor covering his patients for complications, that is the standard of care when one goes out of town. JG 10.23.08
Answer: there is some possibilty so I would do the fillers after the Fraxel if you are convinced you want the Fraxel done. The latest studies show some theoretical effect on dissolving the filler due to the stimulation of inflammation down deeper. JG 10.23.08
Answer: no, that will not scar, it is just the plugged pores opening up and letting the oil out. JG 10.23.08
Answer: the time of peeling depends on the patient`s skin and how deep they went, that is not unusual. I think continuing the Aquaphor is OK, the milia wil all open on their own in time. Swelling around the eyes is common, keep your head up and appply some ice if you can too. Let the blisters heal on their own, it will not take too much time. JG 10.23.08
Answer: most likely no. JG 10.21.08
Answer: try staying on a liquid diet for a few days, that will minimze the motion of the folds. JG 10.21.08
Answer: well, it greatly depends on depth the treatments are done to, I do find that in the patient`s attempts to never age that they overdo it at times, and they are at times encouraged by the technicians that sell the procedures too. JG 10.20.08
Answer: I think the lactic acid is OK but stop the retinoid for 2-3 days before and after to avoid a problem, I think adding some 4% hydroquinone to the retinoid will help lighten the brown spots too. Best of luck. JG 10.19.08
Answer: use some aloe or neosporin until you can see the doctor to have them look at it. JG 10.19.08
Answer: to be honest I am not sure how that happened but it is a small possibility as the skin is heated and if there was a small blister it could get infected, it is also very prone to a viral infection and you need to find out if that is the problem as antibiotics will not help the infection if it is viral. JG 10.19.08
Answer: no, the Affirm uses no CO2 laser and as to the draxel, I presume you mean the Fraxel, and I think they are both not effective as to the claims they make. JG 10.18.08
Answer: I do not recommned any higher than that very small piece of lid skin that could be pulled up on the upper lid or down on the lower lid so that the skin is lying over bone, I would not treat the eyelid skin if it were lying over the eyeball. The effective strength needed goes up higher with the worse the damage and I think the effects on the acne are minimal. JG 10.18.08
Answer: potentially, but do not know if it has the same cardiac dangers as phenol. JG 10.18.08
Answer: I do not think dettol has the cardiac dangers that phenol does but I STRONGLY advise you not continue that method, if you use that reasoning, using diluted battery acid would be cheaper and more effective. I think you have ben lucky but suggest you stop. JG 10.18.08
Answer: I do not think there should be any scarring. JG 10.17.08
Answer: yes, I feel your age has all to do with it, the degree of fine lines due to skin thinning and loss of collagen in your age groups is usually due to skin dehydration and escessive keartinization and not loss of skin components, I am afraid the TCA will not give you the same degree of improvement as you get older but am glad you got what you did this go round. All the best. JG 10.17.08
Answer: in the thousands of laser treatments I have done with a variety of lasers I have not seen that claim be true. Best of luck with the treatments. JG 10.16.08
Answer: the ablative peel. JG 10.15.08
Answer: I think either one can cause pitted scars if the energy is turned up too high. I think if you did not repsond to the lasers you might still respond to the hyfercator and maybe to the VeinWave. JG 10.8.08
Answer: probabaly not fat loss but the depressions seen after its use on some cases is more likely due to pitting due to scarring pulling the skin surface down rather than fat loss. JG 10.8.08
Answer: it depends more on the energy setting selected than the laser. JG 10.8.08
Answer: yes, on a temporary basis, it will wash off like all other self tanners. JG 10.7.08
Answer: I think getting even skin tone is much easier when the whole face is done, yes. The CO2 laser can be used at a lower setting to lessen the potential color difference from the treated to the untreated skin but that will also lessen the degree of improvement. JG 10.6.08
Answer: about the same safety margin. JG 10.6.08
Answer: the CO2 laser would be used as a spot treatment in your case so it will not do anything to the surrounding skin and it has a small chance of scarring if done as a spot treatment and they will come back in time no matter what you have done. I usually just hyfercate them and accept that I will go lightly t avoid scarring, especially since I will need to do it again in time. JG 10.6.08
Answer: I suggest Retin-A 0.1% and 4% hydroquinone for 2-4 weeks prior, the darker one is the longer I pretreat, the liklihood of PIH is dependent on the person`s skin to the greatest extent. I think fotofacial is likley safer but also not as dramatic and also cab have PIH if done strongly. JG 10.6.08
Answer: well, the deepest TCA I would do is 35% (about 50-60 microns)and the microlaser peel will never be that deep, more on the order of 20-23 microns. JG 10.6.08
Answer: the only research to back up their claims has been done by people that work for the company and I think the science behind its effectiveness is not well documented anywhere else. JG 10.4.08
Answer: my choice for those problems will be CO2 laser first and then the Rhytec, if you believe him then you might feel comfortable with proceeding. I also have had many lasers over the years. I have never bought a fractioanl laser because I never felt they worked and have not been impressed with the photos shown at medical meetings, the marketing photos are certainly dramatic but are not the typical results I feel. Best of luck. JG 10.4.08
Answer: it might help, yes, but you need pre peel treatment and the peel can cause PIH too.I think the degree of improvement goes down the longer you have had the problem. JG 10.4.08
Answer: I think Retin-A and hydroquinone before any ablative laser is wise, even it is a fractional one, in order to decrease the chances of hyperpigmentation. I cannot say whether the PF is what you need without seeing you, but in general I am not a big fan of any fractional treatment, I think they tend to be overhyped, overpromised and expensive and do not give much in return. All the best. JG 10.3.08
Answer: zero sense, if the microlaser is done first, the level of exfoliation and collagen production, since it is a very superficial tretment, will all be removed by the Profractional, I stil think it is a waste of money if you do it in the reverse method to. It would be like using a piece of sandpaper and then going over it with a power sander. Skip the microlaser if you are convinced you want the fractional treatment. JG 10.3.08
Answer: that laser is prettty quick to hela so it can be repeated at the time of surgery, I am a little confused as to doing a microlaser peel on the same day as the profractional laser, the microlaser will be a waste of money.Peeling is for a few days and there is some skkn bronzing and as long as you have minimal fine lines on the cheek skin, it might be enough, but not for the area around your mouth, those are much harder to improve and usually need soemthing more agressive or many more treatments. Best of luck. JG 10.3.08
Answer: possibly as deep as 30-35 microns. JG 10.3.08
Answer: I cannot say how many microns you need to see an improvement without seeing you in person but since typically a series is needed, start low and progress as tolerated. Best of luck. JG 10.2.08
Answer: I think the Alex laser is likely too hot, I have seen some people get burned with it, and long pulsed YAG will not work as well I feel for skin discolorations as the Q-switched Nd:YAG but the long pulse might have a slightly better safety profile, there is always a trade off I am afraid. JG 10.2.08.
Answer: there are lasers that when applied directly onto the fat, in direct contact, and not through the skin, that can, if enough energy at the correct frquency, cause fat to be broken up so it can be aspirated out, yes, but the lasers used for skin resurfacing typically do not even reach the deepest part of the skin so it would be impossible for fat loss to occur from a skin resurfacing laser. If fat loss from a skin resurfacing laser were to occur, there would have to be enough heat to burn the skin at the same time, so if fat loss were t occur from the laser there would be a horrendous scar also. Lasers do cause swelling and once the swelling is gone the face can look thinner and one of the reasons that lasers are done is to make older people look younger and a frequent problem with the aging process is facial fat loss, and in some cases I think that degree of facial fat loss was not appreciated or not shown to the patient before so then they attribute it to the procedure performed. In general the 25% TCA peel, if applied by an experienced physician should not cause a full or deep thickness burn which is what would cause a keloid. Best of luck. JG 10.1.08
Answer: any laser will cause similar actions in order to injure the skin and create new collagen. As to there not being any spacer, you are absolutey incorrect, there is spacer available if the doctor wants to use it. That will lessen the skill that is needed to properly apply it. It clearly appears that you are someone who offers skin resurfacing with modalities other than what I recommend. In your practice you might be totally happy, I am glad. In my experience, the majority of people who have had fractional therapies are either burnt beyond wat was described to them with significantly more healing time and hyperpigmentation or they spent their money and got nothing for it and then come to me to get something more effective. Medicine and especially cosmetic medicine is a matter of opinion, there is no 100% correct answer, what is offered here is my opinion, it obviously differs greatly from yours and you obviously have your biases too, the source of which I could venture to guess at. As to TCA peels, I still use them, hace used them for over 20 years on hundreds of patients, but only for pigmentation, I would ask you to mention a link on a peer-reviewed medical journal where any TCA peels have shown clinica wrinkle reduction that lasts longer than the period of swelling does. As to the Fractional CO2 versus Erbium, it is matter of marketing, when the erbium fractioanl lasers came out, the sellers and sers said it was the best thing, better than CO2 with gorgeous effects, but lo and behold, there were so many disappointed patients that they had to come out wiht a differnt energy source, the CO2, and althogh maybe more effective than the fractional Erbium, certainly not dramatic. It might be that the patients you treat have lower expectations than mine, that is great, but all I render here is my opinion, it certainly is different than yours and I wish you continued sucesss with the modalities you have chosen to offer. JG 9.30.08
Answer: I have never seen lasers cause fat loss without skin loss, that is only reported in radiofrequency heating machines so I am not sure what to tell, you, I think most likely the Q-Switched laser will be fine but understand the color will come back in time and the treatmeent therefore is not permanent. JG 9.27.08
Answer: it probabaly will yield little difference between the two, so take your pick. Complication rates are about equal too. I think all patients should pre-treat, darker skinned individuals for 4 weeks, lighter skinned people for two weeks. JG 9.27.08
Answer: that is all part of the normal healing process and the surrounding redness is just temporary. JG 9.26.08
Answer: not sure silicone sheets will do much, I suggest a VBeam or YAG laser for the redness,can also try some copper peptide cream, best of luck. JG 9.26.08
Answer: you can likely proceed at any time but do not expect much, the scars would get better likely as soon or sooner without it. JG 9.24.08
Answer: I will whisper into your ear about the Whisper laser.... it won`t help. I think the erbium again is your better bet but it will not give the same degre of improvement as you are older now, best of luck. 9.20.08
Answer: I am sorry but I have had no patients that have used those technologies so I cannot endorse any of them. JG 9.18.08
Answer: well, after 12 months the degree of improvement will be maxed out, as to how long it will take to see improvements, it might take 3-6 months to see something in most cases when looking at scars. JG 9.18.08
Answer: microdermabrasion I feel. JG 9.18.08
Answer: no, I do not. JG 9.18.08
Answer: I think the risk of hyperpigmentation is greater than the potential for less hair growth. JG 9.9.08
Answer: no lasers that will work, sorry, might try some topical OTC progesterone cream though, or prescription Vaniqua. JG 9.09.08
Answer: I think light laser like Rhytec Portrait or fillers for now are the best. JG 9.8.08
Answer: I personally do not feel it is worth it. JG 9.8.08
Answer: it will do neither and it will not make the peel go deeper. JG 9.4.08
Answer: neither, it will also not affect the depth, that has already stopped. JG 9.4.08
Answer: we use a light moisturizer on it for comfort and to allow the dead skin to come off with less discomfort. Peeling faster at times can lead to red raw skin as the skin below has not fully healed and then the make up will not adhere normally and might leave prolonged redness. Warm compress will likely not do much for a TCA peel. The deeper they go the more the swelling, yes. JG 9.4.08
Answer: I think you can start now and see what happens. I think hair removal on the legs will need a very large area of normal skin and I would not suggest trying to fade the other areas as it is too large and unpredictable. JG 9.1.08
Answer: well you can try it as they are free but I seriously doubt they will work. I do not think it will make it worse though. As to the hypopigmentation, about all I can suggest is eventually getting some sun to see if the superficial sundamge that was removed can come back and tan the skin. In darkly complected people, this issue is much more risky, and I usually do not suggest laser hair removal on darkly sun-tanned patients at all. JG 9.1.08
Answer: it should grow back in most cases. It might take three months or longer though. JG 8.26.08
Answer: I have never seen that work, sorry. JG 8.25.08
Answer: no, it is not permanent, but is usually grows in finer, yes. No way to predict the number of treatments needed though. JG 8.23.08
Answer: no, the hyfercation is essentially cauterizing them with electricity to burn them closed. If the VBeam did not work I do not think the Cynergy will. JG 8.22.08
Answer: can try a YAG but if the VBeam did not work, all else would fall onto getting them hyfercated. JG 8.21.08
Answer: I think the best and most reliable is to surgically revise them, the keloids can form after laparoscopy due to pressure at the port site and repeat incision and closure typically helps the scars look much better in those cases. All the best. JG 8.19.08
Answer: maybe for a short period of time if it irritated and dried it out but not on a permanent basis I feel. As to when it gets beter, it depends on the patient age and moisturizers used. JG 8.18.08
Answer: it should in the vast majority of cases. JG 8.16.08
Answer: 3-4 weeks, so glad all is going well. JG 8.17.08
Answer: I am not familiar with Biafine, I suggest a copper peptide cream usually but you should really follow the doctor`s instructions as I am not sure what type of peel or to what depth you had and their instructions would be more specific. If they did not give you any instructions, then the peel is so light that the topical application will not influence it much. JG 8.14.08
Answer: hard to say, might take 6 months or more in some cases, especially in darker hair. JG 8.14.08
Answer: I am not impressed. JG 8.13.08
Answer: welts and scabs, happen, pus pockets should not. I suggest you have them see you in person to make sure nothing more than moist applications are needed. That is important in order to avoid the scarring. JG 8.13.08
Answer: I have never seen it be permanent and the light source is not strong enough to get to the follicle, but the hair that was there has been injured and has fallen out, it should come back in time, slowly. JG 8.13.08
Answer: I think sclerotherapy is more effective and longer lasting compared to IPL on the leg. JG 8.13.08
Answer: sorry, but none,and I do not thik the micropigmention will ever match. JG 8.11.08
Answer: still feel the same, yes. JG 8.10.08
Answer: it will make the area red for a few minutes if at all. Niacin is a vitamin and does cause flushing of the body in sensitive people when taken orally but not in all.I do not think Relume has lasting effects. JG 8.10.08
Answer: I do not think the Niacin will help and I think the Relume might help but needs continued application. JG 8.10.08
Answer: never heard of it causing cancer but they have not been out long enough to evaluate that issue since sin cancer can take many years to manifest itself. JG 8.8.08
Answer: it can, yes, but wear sunscreen on the normal skin so that it does not get darker at the same time. JG 8.5.08
Answer: I am sorry but there is nothing that will speed up the re-vascularization of the trested spot. JG 8.5.08
Answer: VelaSmooth or Endermologie, it lasts a few weeks at most. JG 8.5.08
Answer: ablative lasers do that, but it takes a fairly deep treatment, and that means downtime, the older one is the deeper you have to go because the ability of the skin to make new collagen and tighten are less strong in older individuals. Best of luck. JG 8.2.08
Answer: it is a fine line of irritation causing the body to digest the pigement versus too much energy and heat causing a spot to form, that is the frustration, that you need to go slow and low. I is more risky in Asian skin than in caucasians. Thanks also for the kind words too. JG 8.1.08
Answer: they, RF and infrared. both do the same thing, waste your money. RF has bene reported to cause fat loss, yes. IPL and Fotofacial are essentially the same thing, just a marketing term coined by a doctor is all. JG 7.30.08
Answer: I really do not have anything else for the pigment and I feel the surgery will be youe safest option for the lax skin, sorry. JG 7.30.08
Answer: well, it does last longer in most cases, but whether it is better depends on your definition. Lasting longer does not always make things better. JG 7.30.08
Answer: I would save our money and skip all the treatments she has suggested, your improvement right now is only from swelling and will all go away in a short period of time, but the IPL will help with some pigment problems, especially if they are relativley recent. JG 7.30.08
Answer: I think the lasers you have had done are mild enough that you can start the Accutane now, best of luck. JG 7.27.08
Answer: I typically will allow some Aquaphor in a TCA peel that is done that deep, it will in no way reduce or harm anything. JG 7.27.08
Answer: we have not but I have read about it being used. JG 7.25.08
Answer: nope, will need something much more aggressive with some downtime to get an appreciable effect. JG 7.25.08
Answer: will work for brown discoloration, will give your skin a healthy glow, will not tighten skin, will not reduce fine lines to any appreciable extent. JG 7.25.08
Answer: significant risk I feel. JG 7.24.08
Answer: lots of hype for very little to no result. JG 7.24.08
Answer: I think if it is relatively superfical and or recent hyperpigmentation, it will likely help some with a series of treatments. I do not think it is strong enough to do anything for the melasma and in some cases can make it darker since it is an ablative laser. Any light therpay can worsen the pigmentation, especially if precautions are not taken like using hydroquinone. I do not offer the Pearl laser, but we do use a YAG lser for isolated brown spots and find it to be effective, it will not totally correct melasma but typically will lighten it to make it easier to cover with make up. JG 7.24.08
Answer: it can grow back if the follicle is not damaged. JG 7.23.08
Answer: well I think that because I have never seen it be permanent and the FDA has never seen it be permanent, if they had, they would have allowed the marketing materials to say that and they do not, doctor break the rules on what should be said all the time though. The hair will eventually grow back, at times slower and lighter but it will grow back. JG 7.23.08
Answer: it does help in many cases. It basically burns the blood vessels closed. As to needing more than one treatment,that is true, as to lasting 2-3 years, no way to say whether that is true, likely not though. JG 7.22.08
Answer: electrolysis is good as well as Alexandrite lasers. Best of luck. JG 7.23.08
Answer: I am afraid so, the hair growth will slow down and the hair might become more light, but it is not permanent. If you look at the FDA website, theree is not a single laser that is approved for permanent hair removal. It does remove the hair at the time of treatment because the shaft of the hair is burnt, but if the follcile is not damaged, the hair will eventually grow back. What your doctor is saying is completely false and is likely based on laser company hype and his lack of understnading of how the technology works or does not work. As to how often you need it for maintaining the lesser hair, that varies from person to person and also on area of the body treated, cold be weeks to months. JG 7.23.08
Answer: IPL will help the capillaries but will not help the facial hair, sorry. That will require a different laser, like an alexandrite laser, and the hair reduction is not permanent. JG 7.22.08
Answer: one every 4-6 weeks to maintain the results once you are to the degree of improvment that has stabilized. JG 7.22.08
Answer: it usually is repeated every 4-6 weeks for maintainence. JG 7.22.08
Answer: very temporary fix if at all, if money is tight, save it for something better in the future when you are ready. JG 7.22.08
Answer: I would skip the UVB if possible for the reasosns you site and its minimal effect in most cases. JG 7.22.08
Answer: I think the IPL is a good idea, might take a series of sessions and then once a month for control. JG 7.22.08
Answer: IPL for the pores and capillaries and a Rhytec Portrait Plasma for the fine lines, do the Rhytec first and the IPL will require a series and will not be permanent in its effects. JG 7.22.08
Answer: yes, that is how Accutane works. As to what would be the effective dose, it varies from patient to patient. I do not think flax oil will affect the sebum production to any degree that would make a difference. The LAM probe would help with the milia, yes. JG 7.20.08
Answer: waste of time. JG 7.17.08
Answer: pretty much, 30% glycolic acids peesl weekly is not a practica thing. JG 7.17.08
Answer: firstly, anything you do will be temporary in terms of its pore improvements by that I mean a few weeks to a month or more, I do not think any of the new things you have suggested will do the job, and although Accutane is an option, it has significant downside risks. JG 7.17.08
Answer: I think the negative effects on your skin from the treatments you have had performed will not harm you in any way. JG 7.14.08
Answer: sorry, all equally poor at helping you with your area of concern. I do not think any skin wrinkle reducing device will lift the skin enough in a reliable way to make you see a difference. I am afraid with the limitations you are imposing, there is nothing that will do the job. JG 7.14.08
Answer: if the skin has regained its normal moisture it should be OK to use. JG 7.13.08
Answer: yes, OK to do, it might bring some deeper cysts to the surface and make them come out to make the skin look worse in the short term. Mederma is a good option for healing scars, yes. JG 7.13.08
Answer: well, that is a difficult question to answer as it depends entirely on what you feel makes skin look beautiful, if removing brown spots is the main thing, then the TCA peels might get you there, if it is a number of things that are required to have beautiful skin, it will likley take multiple modalitities, and none will be permanent due to nothinng stopping the aging process. JG 7.10.08
Answer: both will work for superficial recent pigmentation problems but I find neither one effective for wrinkle reduction, once the swelling goes down it all the improvement goes away. JG 7.9.08
Answer: kenalog or 5FU injections, YAG lasers and external beam radiation. JG 7.7.08
Answer: I do not feel it can, no. JG 7.7.08
Answer: well, the problem is that the lesser setting with the VelaSmooth might help make less spider veins but the trade off might be less cellulite reduction or skin smoothing at the same time. I do not think the risks of VelaShape are any less and the fat reduction I feel is unpredictable. All the best. JG 7.7.08
Answer: mild improvements I feel. If you go for a series of three lighter ones the degree of improvement I feel will be less.JG 7.7.08
Answer: there is a trade off in many pateints I am afraid, you might need to get the veins treated but continuing the VelaSmooth will make the spider veins come back due to the suction. JG 7.7.08
Answer: I am not familiar with any laser that helps reduce armpit swelling, Botox can be used for that, and the results of liposuction are unpredictable with any technique employed. JG 7.3.08
Answer: just likely sun worsening the brown spots that were there but were lighter, you need to wear sunblock not sunscreen when outside to help slow the progression. JG 7.3.08
Answer: not all people respond well to IPL, although most do well, hard to say why that happened. I am actually surprised the IPL did that and the VBeam did not as it is a stronger laser, might have been a coincidence. I think the VBeam is a good idea, as to the DermaDoctor, sorry but no personal experience. JG 7.2.08
Answer: I, in general, do not feel chemical peels do much for wrinkles, but if you were going to do one, it would be a 35% TCA. JG 6.30.08
Answer: no way to tell I am afraid. JG 6.3.008
Answer: I would suggest you let nature take its course, ReLume might help but the improvemnt will stop as soon as you stop the treatments. JG 6.30.08
Answer: it will likely take about 6 weeks to start growing again. JG 6.30.08
Answer: all of that is temporary and in time will get better, the issue is there because the blood vessels have been reduced on a temporary basis and that caused the effects you are seeing, as the blood vessels are re-established, it will return to normal in almost all cases. JG 6.30.08
Answer: sorry but I am not a fan. JG 6.29.08
Answer: I think some beta hydroxy acid peels or a Jessner`s peel is a reasonable thing to try with your skin type. JG 6.25.08
Answer: sorry but I am not a fan. I think superficial skin peels or microdermabrasions can make your skin shine more but there is ntohing with minimal downtime that will give significant tightening. JG 6.23.08
Answer: it can become hyperpigmentated and it can be treated with hydorquinone to help fade it some if it does occur. I do not suggest lasers there as it has a higher risk profile though. JG 6.23.08
Answer: 3-6 weeks for Rosacea. You will need it redone every few months. JG 6.4.08
Answer: the loss of pigment is from the dermabrasion going too deep and losing melanin in the skin, the area with no pores is because it is essentially a scar, and scar does not show pores, sorry. JG 6.4.08
Answer: it works by damaging the pigment cells in the skin and it always takes a series of treatments, usually at least 6 and then followed by a maintanence program afterwards. The sessions are typically done every three weeks. It is not permanent. JG 6.4.08
Answer: no effect, I feel, with the Dermatix C. As to the eventual filling, normally we hope the surgical revision would have relieved that, but if you are seeing a depression after less than one month, then the tissue below the skin that should have been moved underneath the scar has not stayed there, therefore it will require a filler such as Radiesse or Sculptra to fill it in. I would wait about 3 months before doing that. Best of luck stranger! JG 6.3.08
Answer: Well, not a mistake, I think it will all get back to looking better in time, I think normally I would wait at least 6 weeks for the scar to heal before starting a laser treatment series. A VBeam will establish no significant amount of new collagen, so there will be no filling in from the laser. I do not think you have done anything irreparable. Wy don`t you wait a full month before the next treatment though. JG 6.3.08
Answer: yes, becasue it allows the collagen and the cross links to break and then the skin gets loose, one can laser the skin to try to regain some of the cross links and the lost collagen. JG 6.3.08
Answer: YAG or VBeam are good options. No way for me to tell how many treatments though. JG 6.2.08
Answer: neither one is very good. JG 6.2.08
Answer: more likely post inflammatory hyrperpigmentation, might need some Retin-A and hydroquinone or some light IPL treatments to help it fade. JG 6.1.08
Answer: for a short period of time. JG 6.1.08
Answer: you can try the KTP if the price is the same I suppose. JG 6.1.08
Answer: I would go with a milder option such as an IPL. JG 5.31.08
Answer: maybe a YAG laser done as a series, we do offer it in our office but without seeing you it is hard to say whether it will be worth your time. JG 5.31.08
Answer: no, it will not. JG 5.29.08
Answer: what is better about the Rhytec is that is has less downtime and the risks are less, but it is not as strong or dramatic of an improvement. Depends on how you define better I guess. JG 5.28.08
Answer: all deepnds on your age and skin quality, could be 3-5 years in some, less in older people, more in younger people. Repeating it is possible but the degree of improvement will likely not be the same as you will be older and the body`s ability t create new collagen will be less the second time around. JG 5.28.08
Answer: I doubt it. JG 5.27.08
Answer: yes it can, how many treatments depends on how strong they go. It can be one session yes, just like the face. JG 5.27.08
Answer: no, nothing permanent has been done, just give it some time. JG 5.26.08
Answer: CO2 will be more effective. JG 5.25.08
Answer: it should not. JG 2.25.08
Answer: I do not think so, I feel the company has exagerrated their results frm the beginging, so believing them now is going to be hard. JG 5.24.08
Answer: Rhytec will tighten skin better, and remove brown spots but will not fade redness. JG 5.24.08
Answer: I think the irritation might be less, but the effectiveness will be less too, if any efectivenessvat all. JG 5.22.08
Answer: post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and it not working to remove red or brown spots. JG 5.22.08
Answer: I think Portrait would help the scarring but not the redness, for that I suggest an IPL or YAG laser. If the scarring is minimal then I would suggest a series of lighter treatments to decrease downtime. JG 5.22.08
Answer: sorry, but not true. JG 5.22.08
Answer: I think IPL would be the best option, mild yet effective. JG 5.22.08
Answer: feel free to call and make an appointment, we usually charge $50 per lesion, hope all is well with you and thanks for remembering me. JG 5.22.08
Answer: it stil might help it some, not as much as if you had done it sooner, hard to say what caused it too. I think if you have the Retin-A, I would start that back up also. JG 5.21.08
Answer: at you age, and without seeing you in person, I would suggest using a Rhytec Portrait for the entire face. It can be repeated in 18 months if you need it. JG 5.21.08
Answer: well, the first thing is you need to understand that you will never have flawless skin, no matter what you do, you have scars that are permanent, can be improved, but will never be removed, and the dilated pores will recurr over time due to skin oil plugging the. I would not do a CO2 laser on an African American and any resurfacing will be potentially risky. You might want to reconsider the punch grafts and possily fillers for some of the depressed scars and microdermabrasion for the plugged pores. Best of luck. JG 5.21.08
Answer: ProCyte`s. JG 5.19.08
Answer: copper peptide cream or IPL treatments cna help. JG 5.18.08
Answer: should be OK, yes. JG 5.18.08
Answer: it supposedly works better than VelaSMooth as the VelaShape is suppposed to melt fat, I have not seen any patients in person that have had a result. I think the technology they are using has melted fat when employed in other machines but it was by accident and not on purpose. I think I would wait a while before trying it. Thanks for the kind words and for visiting. JG 5.17.08
Answer: normal, yes, but it will peel in a couple more days most likely. We use the ointments right away, but no real harm in waiting. JG 5.14.08
Answer: It will help with pigmenation only, not much tightening with it. The effect only is where it is placed, not much diffusion. Skin texture might improve but not much tightening of lines. I think in terms of visible collagen prodcution effects it will disappoint you. JG 5.13.08
Answer: IPL might help with minimal downtime but they will all come back with time and sun exposure I am afraid. JG 5.10.08
Answer: I think it best to wait until after the baby. I do not think the risk of hyperpigmentation is increased though JG 5.10.08
Answer: the only thing tthe facial exercises will do is create more wrinkles in the skin. As to the latest on the Syneron fotofacil with RF, I am still not a fan. JG 5.8.08
Answer: well, I just think they are not well constructed and it is something that you can over do and scar the skin instead of improve it, that is something best left to someone else who can see more clearly what they are doing than yorusef in the mirror. I think light lasers done every so often can in many cases control pore size and skin texture, yes. Usually the one used for what you need is an IPL laser. JG 5.9.08
Answer: I do not believe it does much there. I think you would need protective eyegear to try it but I do not recommend you do it. JG 5.8.08
Answer: low risk, but still possible since the water is being targeted. JG 5.7.08
Answer: if it is red the pulsed dye laser, the Fraxel will do nothing for redness. I think the Titan is too weak and the risks, in experienced hands of anything negative on a permanent basis is small with the Pulse Dye laser but the Fraxel has some mild risks. JG 5.6.08
Answer: might consider a Rhytec Portrait, IPL and Botox will not do it. JG 5.6.08
Answer: 6 weeks. JG 5.6.08
Answer: sunblock would be better than sunscreen. The silicone sheet will not block it and the bandaid will not be as good as the sunblock either. JG 5.3.08
Answer: no. JG 5.3.08
Answer: it will not work and they can be dangerous. JG 5.3.08
Answer: mild, but good, for the fine lines I sugges DMAE creams, on my shopping cart. JG 5.1.08
Answer: I am not a believer or fan of Fraxel. JG 4.30.08
Answer: I think it is likely similar to the TCA peel, neither one is very strong. JG 4.29.08
Answer: I think all of those will be a waste of time, I think you likely need surgery to cut the loose skin out. JG 4.29.08
Answer: I think it will be more effective than what you have already done, but a CO2 laser will be even more effective, but more down time. JG 4.29.08
Answer: I disagree, it will likely not remove them in one session and it will not be permanent. I think any treatment will allow the spots to come back in time and with sun exposure, I think a YAG laser is better personally. JG 4.28.08
Answer: maybe Botox to elevate the eyebrows is another option. JG 4.26.08
Answer: it sounds like a reasonable option, it is just that your skin is very sensitive, it should not be a permanent thing and should get better in time.It might take a couple of months in severe cases though, hang in there. JG 4.26.08
Answer: I think the microdermabrasion for what you have is a waste of time, fees vary from office to office too. JG 4.23.08
Answer: yes, it works well, but not as dramtic as on the face. JG 4.21.08
Answer: I would not keep them past 1 1/2- 2 years. JG 4.21.08
Answer: they should slow the accumulation of the suntan too. JG 4.21.08
Answer: I have not personally used it and do not plan on using any fractional laser at the present time because I think the claims made are inflated and the results are not signifianct enough for most patients. I would tell you that it will not be even close to a correctly done CO2 laser. JG 4.20.08
Answer: 24 hours later is likely OK. JG 4.20.08
Answer: redness is just inflammation but the hyperpigmentation part would be brown or bronze in color. The redness you have should fade and applying the treatment for PIH would just irritate you more and keep it red longer, you need to avoid the sun, and some of your topical acne treatments can also keep it red longer. Prolonged redness is very uncommon and a light VBeam would help settle it down. The Elidel is OK but only for a few days. Best of luck. JG 4.19.08
Answer: I would say to wait at least 6-8 weeks and see, if it has leveled and is not getting worse you can try a filler, just be conservative with any filler in case it does grow back. JG 4.17.08
Answer: well, assuming there is no other cause for the fat loss like excess dieting, exercise or some illness, I am not sure what else it could be except that. It might continue for a few more weeks in fact. In some cases after steroid injections it can come back and one can hope it will in your case. Whatever is going to come back will come back in 6 months. There is a potential that it can be permanent and you would need something to correct it like fat injections or Sculptra injections. JG 4.17.08
Answer: for a while yes, I use either a Rhytec Portrait or a CO2 laser there. JG 4.17.08
Answer: it is not a danger, but it is just that doing the treatment sooner would get you even sooner. Two passes does not preclude doing a series of light treatments. JG 4.15.08
Answer: ask him how he treats the low energy patients as a series and ask him to do that for you so you do not have to wait. Best of luck. JG 4.14.08
Answer: all the best. JG 4.14.08
Answer: I think that dose of Vitamin A is not good while trying to get pregnant or being pregnnant. I think it certainly sounds like your acne is hormonal in nature and that needs to be treated in order to best control your acne. The microdermabrasion and salicylic acids peels will help keep things in good balance though. After the initial series it might be once a month or more, depends on how oily your skin is. Might want to ask your gynecologist about a birth control pill and its effect on your acne too, all the best. JG 4.13.08
Answer: Retin-A will help it heal faster if used before the treatment, not after it is done, I would not use it now as it will irritate your skin too much. JG 4.13.08
Answer: it is not uncommon for that to happen. The downtime varies with strength at which the laser is doen at, and also the thickness of your skin, so the 3 days is an average. I think by next Friday there will be lots of improvement. Hang in there. JG 4.12.08
Answer: it is common, due to swelling and is temporary. The setting might have bene stronger and it can cause more swelling if it is. JG 4.12.08
Answer: mild improvement possibly around the mouth, the cheeks will only look better while you are swollen. The side effects are that of hyperpigmentation and of it not working. Redness lasts about 3-7 days, all depends on how strong they go. Do not think you will make things, worse on your skin. JG 4.12.08
Answer: I figured it out, see you soon. JG 4.11.08
Answer: if you have the pictures from before the treatments, that might help a little. When I do a series of the ligther treatments in an attempt to get maximum improvements, we do a series of three with 3 weeks in between. See you soon. JG 4.11.08
Answer: Oh, sorry, could try a Nd:YAG laser, there are more of those. JG 4.11.08
Answer: I am sorry, but none that I can recommend. JG 4.11.08
Answer: I think you are wasting your time and money, once you tan the spots will come back. You need to make a choice, tannned with spots or no spots and spray on tan. JG 4.10.08
Answer: I use the Medlite Nd:YAG, an IPL is not a true laser and will not work as well for the tatoo. JG 4.10.08
Answer: VBeam would be the most effective but has some downtime. For the cheeks you can do the VBeam or IPL for less downtime. JG 4.10.08
Answer: possibly fillers for the nose and punch excisions on the cheeks if they are small. Laser might help the nose, dermabrasion could if it is not microdermabrasion,and I do not think lasers or any dermabrasion will help the cheek scars if they are ice pick type scars. Good luck. JG 4.10.08
Answer: very unusual. It should be gone by now, might want to go back and see your surgeon and see if they are willing to do anything to help it along. JG 4.8.08
Answer: I think the deep has better results. JG 4.8.08
Answer: well, I think if the setting on the laser is low and since you are not removing too many layers of skin because they are concentrating on the red only, it is likely OK to do it. JG 4.8.08
Answer: hard to revise the scar without loose skin, a laser resurfacing might smooth it out but can be risky, with your skin if you tend to have hyperpigmentation. Fillers are not always possible to smooth out a scar, I think I would give it some more time and see what happens. JG 4.8.08
Answer: might need shots of steroids or 5FU to soften the scars or a laser to fade the redness. JG 4.8.08
Answer: very unusual I must say at that setting, assuming only one pass was done. If more then one pass was done, then it is not uncommon. Can prolonged redness be a sign of scarring, potentialy yes, it needs to be treated to make sure it does not go that way. Best of luck. JG 4.7.08
Answer: I think for low cost and low risk and yet still effective, the IPL is where I would start since they are recent, best of luck. JG 4.7.08
Answer: please call the office and tell them you would like an appointment and that we have been communicating on the web. See you soon! JG 4.5.08
Answer: typically, the higher the level the more effective. Thanks to you for the kind words. JG 4.5.08
Answer: not much difference between the two, just more energy being put out to try to damage the fat to a greater extent. I do not think VelaSmooth has cumulative effects, no. High settings can cause spider veins in some peoeple, yes. All the best to you. JG 4.5.08
Answer: not sure,you would need to call him. JG 4.4.08
Answer: keep me posted. JG 4.4.08
Answer: none that really work, no. Mederma and lasers will only help if the scars are red and the red is the only thing they help. Take care. JG 4.4.08
Answer: a Q switched YAG laser will help, but it will never be done in one sessions, it will take a series, but no way to tell how many. A chemcial peel on the shoulders is riskier than the laser. JG 4.3.08
Answer: yes, with time it evens out, some areas just respond faster than others. Portrait would help too though. JG 4.3.08
Answer: I have not seen a single patient in that it worked. I sold my Thermage machine long ago due to my and my pateints` disappointments. JG 4.3.08
Answer: all the best. JG 4.3.08
Answer: 2 times 1.2 will not be exactly equal to a 3 joule pass. I think doing another pass of the 1.2 after three weeks is reasonable. Might want to consider going somewhere else in the future, I know accidents happen, but this is a big one because although the results wil not be bad, the doctor should immediately see a difference after one hit of the low energy spot compared to the high energy, if they do not see a difference, I think that is not good. JG 4.3.08
Answer: the only difference is marketing hype. JG 4.3.08
Answer: well, it should be close, hard to say without knowing the exact joules used, but in most cases it will look pretty close, got to hang in there. JG 4.2.08
Answer: I think the PLasma Portrait is a better option for the eye region but likley neither one will lift the jowls to any significant extent. JG 4.2.08
Answer: the biggest risk is hyperpigmentation, in rare cases some people have become pale from the redness fading, for awhile. Teye can be done in a series if needed and I suggest 4-6 weeks inbetween. JG 4.1.08
Answer: it depends on the energy setting the doctor uses, no way for me to tell. JG 4.1.08
Answer: could try your dermatologist. JG 3.31.08
Answer: the microdermabrasion will not affect hair and if the brown spots are the problem, then the micro laser peel is the way to go, if it is skin texture, then they are about the same. JG 3.31.08
Answer: all the best. JG 3.31.08
Answer: we use a YAG laser, done in a series, $100 per session, we no longer remove moles and we suggest not using the laser during summer months, JG 3.31.08
Answer: we typically use a YAG laser for that, the cost is $100 per session, usually it is a series and we do not remove moles any longer, sorry. JG 3.31.08
Answer: no, it is not, it can be potentially dangerous, and again, I repeat, you should not be doing that at home. That should be done by a a professional only. JG 3.30.08
Answer: yes, it can at 30%. JG 3.30.08
Answer: I do not think you should be doing a TCA peel on yoruself at home. JG 3.30.08
Answer: I think all of the minimally invasive lasers you mentioned will lead to minimal improvements. JG 3.28.08
Answer: the laser ,in removing hair in some places, has likely made or allowed new hair to grow but the texture difference is not permanent, it will soften as the hair ages. Not much do do except wax or shave in the meantime. JG 3.28.08
Answer: it is usually left on, TCA is not something that is normally neutralized. It does continue to penetrate though. JG 3.27.08
Answer: potentially, yes. JG 3.26.08
Answer: could try some IPL treatments to reduce those. JG 3.26.08
Answer: BLU-U JG 3.26.08
Answer: the one I am most familiar with is BLU-U light therapy. JG 3.26.08
Answer: in most cases, if enough is applied, yes. JG 3.26.08
Answer: well laser peels can be risky as can chemcial peels and the most important thing to understand is that no matter what you choose to do, it is not permanent, it will all come back in time. JG 3.25.08
Answer: similar bt the one used to prep faces is a more pure product. JG 3.25.08
Answer: I think in general there are just a few kinds of lasers that are effective, so overall, I think, yes, they are exagerrated. JG 3.24.08
Answer: you should always use gel to avoid burning, as to being a good candidate for your face, I see no reason that you would not be from what you have said so far. JG 3.24.08
Answer: I do not think the Pixel laser will help your neck to tighten, sorry. JG 3.23.08
Answer: I think micropigmentation very rarely will match in my experience. If you do it make it very light if anything at all. JG 3.23.08
Answer: I do not feel either one wil do much, if anything the Sciton will do a little bit more. I think a Rhytec Portrait will give you much more, or a CO2 laser done lightly. JG 3.22.08
Answer: yes, it is. JG 3.22.08
Answer: I think TCA works well for skin discolorations but not for much else. I think once the swelling is gone that the fine lines will still be there. JG 3.21.08
Answer: THE PCOS needs to be controlled by limiting her sugar intake, considering Metformin, and maybe boosting progesterone, best of luck. JG 3.21.08
Answer: I am sorry but I am not a fan of that procedure. It migth be as effective as a deep peel for her scarring but it will not control oil production. I do not think IPL will do much and I think the CO2 will be the best for the scarring. JG 3.20.08
Answer: I would not advise it, I think the results are unpredictable and the lower on the face and the older one is the less improvement you get. JG 3.20.08
Answer: The Portrait should not be used on the neck at the same settinsg as the face because it will burn that skin, the neck skin is not as tolerant. JG 3.20.08
Answer: I would give it at least 2-3 months and then either a light CO2 laser or a Rhytec Portrait to see if it can be smoothed out. JG 3.20.08
Answer: on the neck no, on the eyes, yes if done as a series. JG 3.20.08
Answer: I do not do TCA cross proecedures as I see little to no benefit. JG 3.20.08
Answer: your doctor should know the answer to that, I am not sure why you would ask that question. JG 3.20.08
Answer: wait 10-15 minutes in between and that should be OK. If you can tolerate the 1% it will be more effective. JG 3.19.08
Answer: I suggest a deep Rhytec Portrait treatment. JG 3.19.08
Answer: yes, all normal and it might tkae 4-6 weeks for your skin to get used to it, best of luck. JG 3.10.08
Answer: no, there is not. I think Candela as a company is good, but not all of their lasers are good. For the sunspots I like a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser as the best option, it is made by many companies. JG 3.8.08
Answer: post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or where the skin reacts by getting darker to protect itself, like a suntan. JG 3.6.08
Answer: lasers and liquid nitrogen are equally effective and equally time consuming, nothing fast and effective I am afriad. They will all come back in time I am afraid. No way to prevent them once they start to form. JG 3.6.08
Answer: hard for me to say without seeing you, but at your age I think creams are a must, along with sunblock, not fluctutating your weight and possibly a minimally invasive laser to try to tighten your skin might help. JG 3.5.08
Answer: had one of the machines (Thermage) and sold it as I got tired of myself and my patients complaining that they did not get as much of a lift as the few in the pictures used for marketing got. JG 3.4.08
Answer: well, the reports from fat loss have been associated with radiofrequency and not IPL, unless there was a burn and then it can cause fat loss. It tends to be a spot loss, not a generalized fat loss. Facial fat loss is very common as one ages, without any treatments, but it is not a spot loss of the fat. I think Lumenis is a good company for the IPL amd I think it might be worth it. If a skin care line will control it, then I would go with that as it will be safer. JG 3.4.08
Answer: thanks IPL lady, keep us up to date, we all appreciate your sharing of the journey. JG 3.4.08
Answer: well, firstly, I appreciate you chiming in with your opinion, but I feel,since you capitalized the whole message and that is tantamount to scremaing on the web, I must answer all of your points. Firstly, skin color and skin discolorations are two wholey different issues. Skin color is genetic but skin discoloration is acquired, like freckles, a sun tan and sun spots. Skin discolorations can be treated by many differnt skin peels, including glycolic acid peels, but genetic skin color cannot be safely altered with gylcoic acid peels. Deep chemical peels can be performed to purposely injure the melanocytes of the skin and attempt to lighten ones skin color, but it can be erratic and fraught with chances of scarring. Secondly, glycolic acid peels will temporarily improve scars while they cause swelling, but since glycolic acid peels remove the epidermis and a small layer of dermis, and since scars are usualy due to injury into the deeper dermis, your statement is wishful thinking. Glycolic acid peels can remove dry flaky patches, at times, depending on their cause, but if it due to a deep seated issue, such as eczema or an allergy or infection, it will not do so. The reason a glycolic acid peel will give the appearance, of a more translucent skin is because it removes the keratiniezed layer of the skin but in truth, due to the average turnover of facial skin, that effect would never last any more than 30 days. As to relieving premature aging, I again, beg to differ. It will take the waxy layer off and remove recent skin discolorations, but the deeper damage done by actinic exposure that occurs deeper into the dermis and basal layers will never be relieved by any glycolic acid peel. As to making more money, I do agree with you there, if I made promises that I could not back up, I could possibly make more money, but not for long. I feel strongly that my answers are acccurate, certainly more than what you have implied. I gear my answers to the truth and not to satisfy what a patient wishes to be true. I wish you all the best. JG 3.3.08
Answer: in experienced hands the risk is quite small. If it occurs it is managed with injectabel and topicla steroids. Best of luck. JG 3.3.08
Answer: Portrait is much more effective as it heats the skin but it also removes the top layers too. As to which is better, it depends on what you are trying to achieve, if it is just skin discoloration,in your skin type, the IPL is slower but safer and less expensive. JG 2.29.08
Answer: Retin-A with hydroquinone, sunblock, avoiding sun, IPL or YAG laser treatments, they should not be permanent but can recurr. JG 2.29.08
Answer: could be a week or more, hard to tell. I think that lieklly it will not scar but it is too early to tell. JG 2.28.08
Answer: well, it will be a series of treaments with either IPL or YAG, avoiding sun exposure, using the Triluma product, nothing fast, and sadly nothing permanent. JG 2.28.08
Answer: migth need a stronger laser like a CO2 laser for the wrinkles. JG 2.28.08
Answer: I think the risk of deeper pigmentation is relatively small, but not zero, and I think once the swelling is down the improvement for the acne scars will be very small. JG 2.25.08
Answer: that is just the dry old skin that is coming off, time and a good moisturizer wil help all of that get better soon. JG 2.25.08
Answer: not a fan, I feel it is effective in removing money from your wallet and you getting nothing in return. JG 2.25.08
Answer: I think the VBeam or YAG will be more effective, yes. JG 2.24.08
Answer: a regular non-fractional CO2 laser will certainly give a more dramtic change but will have a longer healing period and there are risks such as reactive hyperpigmentation and also lines of pigment demarcation in severly tanned individuals. The CO2 laser with OR and anesthesia fees runs about $4700. Let us know if we can help out. JG 2.24.08
Answer: not very I am afraid. Not worth it. JG 2.23.08
Answer: with your skin, stick with the YAG to the spots and only the spots, best of luck. JG 2.21.08
Answer: not really an effect in this particular case. JG 2.21.08
Answer: it should improve as long as the peel did not cause any deep burns, which can happen with any peel if not done properly or left on too long. I agree with the copper peptide cream and suggest giving it some more time. Best of luck. JG 2.21.08
Answer: skip it. JG 2.21.08
Answer: I think the Portrait Plasma will help wrinkles of the fine lines seen at rest, the setting depends on what the patient is willing to accept in terms of downtime, I have used settings of up to 3.0 joules, but the skin will still fold when you smile. JG 2.20.08
Answer: I cannot see how that would happen. JG 2.20.08
Answer: depends on treatment depth, light one is about 4 days and the deeper one about 10-12. It helps the fine lines and it helps the pores some. The nummber of sessions varies from patient to patient, no way to tell. JG 2.20.08
Answer: not much of anything, not much downtime and not much improvement. JG 2.20.08
Answer: I do not like the combination IPL with RF, so if yours does not have it, that is a good thing. I think the IPL should help you, best of luck. JG 2.19.08
Answer: I think seeing a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon for some IPL and microdermabrasions and Retin-A is where I would start. JG 2.19.08
Answer: injections. JG 2.18.08
Answer: I thiunk it best to postpone it if you cannot follow the docotr`s instructions. JG 2.18.08
Answer: probably risky due top its not being permanent and also the risk of skin discolorations. JG 2.18.08
Answer: I have never seen nor read about patients losing fat with IL alone if all other casues were eliminated, there are some machines that incorporate IPL and radiofrequncy waves and since fat loss has been called into question for that technology, I think it could happen in those combination machines. JG 2.17.08
Answer: fotofacials are OK, and chemcial peels, as long as they are light are OK, but the effects of both are for skin disoclorations but the effect on fine lines is little to none. JG 2.17.08
Answer: I think Renova is fine but your options are limited due to the olive skin, even if light. I think the laser type machine with the least side effect profile for you and yet effective would be the Rhytec Portrait. I think laser hair removal is risky, yes. JG 2.16.08
Answer: YAG or VBeam laser. JG 2.15.08
Answer: I think it is a waste of time and money. JG 2.15.08
Answer: it is usually temporary and not scarring, just material stuck in the pore, Retin-A might help. JG 2.15.08
Answer: possibly,hard for me to tell without seeing you in person. JG 2.15.08
Answer: sorry, but I do not think it works. I would try to get your money back. JG 2.14.08
Answer: hard to say why you had the reaction besides just too hot of an energy setting, I think Retin-A or DMAE cream might help some. I suggest staying with the IPL, it is safe and effective. JG 2.14.08
Answer: I think you need to express to him your dissatisfaction and since you have a good relationship with him, they might see their way to giving you a credit towards something else. JG 2.14.08
Answer: I do not think the lasers will help much, I think it is due to the oil production and it clogging the pores. I think some IPL treatments and some microdermabrasions alternated every three weeks is what I would suggest. Best of luck. JG 2.11.08
Answer: none that I have seen that have been permanent, if done on a tan face it will remove the tan though. JG 2.10.08
Answer: thnaks for visiting, I do not think a YAG laser will create much tightening, for that I suggest a Rhytec Portrait for mild improvements with low risk and short healing time and a CO2 laser for more dramatic improvements. JG 2.10.08
Answer: plugged pores called milia from the ointments, they should open on their own or with warm moist towels. JG 2.10.08
Answer: the IPL should help with the redness. JG 2.9.08
Answer: I think there is loss of both to some degree and whatever melanocytes remain might be helped. JG 2.9.08
Answer: might want to try some tanning bed treatments to see if it repigments. JG 2.8.08
Answer: in time that should get better but it might take months. JG 2.8.08
Answer: it likley will get better, yes. I would also suggest some hydroquinone. I do not particularly find the Genesis that effective and prefer the Rhytec Portrait or the CO2 laser. There is no laser that will correct both the acne and the scarring. A Blu Light laser might control the acne but will not do anything for the scars and those that are good for the scars will not control the acne. I think with your skin it will be especially difficult so no laser that is too strong can be used for fear of reactivce hperpigmentation on your skin. JG 2.7.08
Answer: I think it is helpful but to a limited extent as the skin on the hands cannot be treated too aggressivley due to the higher scar potential compared to the face which heals better. I think it works well around the eyes, less than the CO2 laser but with less risk and downtime, I am not familiar with that physician, sorry. JG 2.7.08
Answer: for pores, brown spots and small red spots it is worth it,low risk too. JG 2.5.08
Answer: I have not heard of fat loss from YAG lasers and as to filling in the dents, you can try fat injections to see if they will sta longer than the temporary fillers. JG 2.5.08
Answer: well, all I can say is that the Fraxel company continues to amaze me. With every evolution of their technology it promises to make everything out there obsolete because the new one is so much better and the only thing it makes obsolete is the previous Fraxel machine.I cannot endorse it, sorry. JG 2.4.08
Answer: I would wait 4-6 months or so. I have not found any skin prep to make a difference, best of luck. JG 2.4.08
Answer: I think if you have had goood responses to it, I would continue with the tried and true, stronger lasers might work faster but with greater risk, and no laser or other treatment will likely yield a permanent reduction. JG 2.4.08
Answer: yes, they grow back, time varies from patient to patient but it will be a couple of months at times. All the best. JG 1.31.08
Answer: essentially, yes. JG 1.30.08
Answer: I am not a fan and feel there is a risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation in olive skin. JG 1.30.08
Answer: they accomplish similar things as the Retin-A does but without irritation, they are sold in many locations, including my shopping cart on this website and but not fade scars or brown spots though. JG 1.29.08
Answer: yes, it can. JG 1.29.08
Answer: short term improvement if any at all. I think the energy has to be held down in Asian skin so the degree of improvemtn is not as much. I think IPL is about all I would suggest for you. JG 1.28.08
Answer: I am sorry but there is no way to tell on each individual patient how many treatments it will take, the longer the spots have been there the more difficult it will be to remove them. There is always a risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, the harsher the treatment the greater the risk, that is why it takes a long time since cannot use high energy settings. JG 1.27.08
Answer: very small amount. JG 1.27.08
Answer: probably a YAG laser for the spots. I have not head of Botx causing loss of fat that would make the eyes look more hollow though. JG 1.27.08
Answer: the skin peels, but the difference is small. JG 1.27.08
Answer: I think skin procedures like lases are not going to have significant lifting on the tissues below the skin which is what your problem is, so I am afraad that most skin treatments will not give you enough change to make the expense with it without surgery. I do not think the Thermage will be enough for your face and even less effective on the rest of the body. Best of luck.
Answer: it works like the other lasers by destroying the pigment cells and allowing your body to absorb the residue, I will be hoenst though, if the others have not worked the YAG might not either but there are not many other choices. JG 1.26.08
Answer: similar in most ways. JG 1.25.08
Answer: ask them what brand machine they use and what seetings they use for your condition and then get the information from the other place and compare, if they do not give it to you, then go elsewhere, there is no need to withold your information. JG 1.25.08
Answer: it is likely the same machine and if the same settings are done you will get the same results. JG 1.25.08
Answer: YAG. JG 1.23.08
Answer: if it removes some recent suntan it is temporary, it should not leave any long term steaks. It does work for tiny purple and blue veins. Both plastic surgeons and dermatologists have those types of lasers. All the best. JG 1.22.08
Answer: for your issues it is common to need 6-9 or more in some cases. JG 1.22.08
Answer: none reported, best of luck. JG 1.22.08
Answer: I would do the IPL after the microdermabrasion as that will likely make the broken blood vessels worse, I do not think the amount of skin tightening you will see will be very visible though. JG 1.22.08
Answer: it comes from the peel drying the skin in the short term but with time and moisturizers it will be better in the long term. JG 1.22.08
Answer: I do not think injections would help but the YAG is worth a try, best of luck. JG 1.19.08
Answer: yes I am and I would not recommned it. JG 1.19.08
Answer: I do not think that technology out there is worth the money and I do not feel it will do much for the shadows below your eyes. Sorry. JG 1.17.08
Answer: the problems have been with the fotofacials that have combined radiofrequency units in them, most do not have that. I think you are safe. JG 1.16.08
Answer: they will shrink some for a period of time. JG 1.16.08
Answer: 2-3 days before and after, yes. JG 1.16.08
Answer: I like Aquaphor for that, better than vaseline. You will only need it for one to two days at most. I suggest benadryl for the itching. Q-Tips are OK too. All this depends on how deep they go, the deeper they go, the longer it takes to heal, it is a microlaser though so it is relatively superficial. Avoid the sun and you can use Cetaphil to wash your face, gently pat, no rubbing. Best of luck. JG 1.16.08
Answer: sorry but there is nothing, JG 1.16.08
Answer: The VersaPulse is a little less downtime but might not be as effective. IPL is the least invasive and should work if they are not too bad, with minimal risks but it might take a series of treatments. JG 1.15.08
Answer: well it will help the fine wrinkles and skin texture and disoclorations but will not fix the sag of the tissues below the skin which change the shape of your face which is what the facelift will fix. I am not familiar with Dr Perkins, sorry. I think for what ails you, it will help some of the issues but nothing dramatic for the neck or the early jowls. All the best. JG 1.14.08
Answer: Retin-A and hydroquinone and sunblock, Botox only of pou have hyperactivity of the glabella or crow`s feets. I think if you are going to use the Rhytec it has to be done low level to avoid burning. Best of luck. JG 1.13.08
Answer: the risks are of hyperpigmetnation if used too strongly, as to why we stopped, it is becasue the machines started being offered to be used by non-physicians so the time involved for my staff compared to locatiosn where there was no medical supervision was not a good business choice. JG 1.13.08
Answer: CO2 laser. JG 1.12.08
Answer: There are reports of radiofrequency machines causing fat loss in the face.I think true lasers without radiofrequency are a help for small wrinkles but not for sagging skin. JG 1.11.08
Answer: we use it and after the initial rough tiem it works well. A rhytec can take wrinkles away, but it depends on how strongly it is done. One deep session is better than multiple small ones in most people for wrinkles. It needs to go deeepr than 50 microns to do anything, at least 75. JG 1.11.08
Answer: I feel Thermage does not work anywhere. As for the pores, things like Rhytec Portriat or microdermabrasion will help but the effects are very temporary I am afraid because it does not stop the cause which is oil stuck deep in the pore that does not let the pore close. JG 1.11.08
Answer: sounds like a light to medium CO2 laser, or a deep Rhytec Portrait, but that is not as strong. JG 1.10.08
Answer: the 50 micron will be deeper. JG 1.10.08
Answer: I cannot say because I am not sure what depth the green peel goes to. Sorry. JG 1.10.08
Answer: I think the chances for lumps with that filler for acne scar is high. I would stay with the tried and true. JG 1.10.08
Answer: I think CO2 and Rhytec are good choices. Nothing will fix the pores permanently and the discoloration will come back in time with sun exposure too. JG 1.10.08
Answer: most likely just due to the swelling from the Active Fx. Should all wear off in time. JG 1.9.08
Answer: if it is trapped blood indeed that is a good way to treat it, there is little downside to tyring it. If not better in a few more weeks then it might need a light YAG laser to get it to budge and still continue the Retin-A and hydroquinone. Unfortunately I have seen some PIH become permanent. The worse it is, the greater the likelyhood some might remain. Best of luck and thanks for the kind words. JG 1.9.08
Answer: will likely help the brown spots but not provide much visible improvement due to coallgen production. JG 1.5.08
Answer: I do not think the EMLA will increase the peel depth nor slow the healing, it will just make it slightly more comfortable is all. I think it is safe but it has to be totally removed prior to the application of the acid, otherwise the acid will not penetrate. I think the effects from dermarollers is a waste of time, there is not enough of an injury to help stimulate collagen I am afraid. JG 1.5.08
Answer: I am afraid you will be disappointed. JG 1.4.08
Answer: it is a true laser that focuses on certain colors like brown, red and blue/black, IPL is intense pulsed light, is not a true laser and is not as strong. JG 1.3.08
Answer: might need to use a laser, it can be staining from the iron in the blood oxidizing, yes. A YAG laser should help some. JG 1.3.08
Answer: it is for fine lines, it will treat hyperpigmentation but I would not use it on Asian skin for that purpose. If you were to do it I think a series of lighter treatments at 1-1.5 would be all. All the best. JG 1.3.08
Answer: it is an option, yes, but your expectations have to be tempered and be realistic in terms of the degee of improvement. If you are considering it for treatmttn of hyperpigmentation, it is not a good choice I feel. JG 1.3.08
Answer: I think for that Alexandrite lasers are the best. JG 1.3.08
Answer: I would not waste my time but it is your call. JG 1.3.08
Answer: the risks are that if it is used at too high of a setting you will get reactive post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, but in general, that does not happen if monitored closely. I think it is likely safer than a chemical peel though. Best of luck. JG 1.3.08
Answer: the neck skin cannot be treated too aggressively with lasers or chemcial peels due to its poor healing and high chance of scarring so I am afraid that there is not much reliable out there in terms of laser/chemicla peel skin tightening for neck. JG 1.2.08
Answer: multiple really light applications will not add up to one deeper one I am afraid. JG 12.31.07
Answer: very common for that to happen due to swelling and the healing process, they will go down in time. I do not think a series of chemical peels will ever do what a laser will do I am afriad. JG 12.30.07
Answer: I would skip the topical arnica as it is nto a true bruise and put neosporin on it to let it flake off. JG 12.30.07
Answer: a deep Rhytec will have about 10 days downtime and the CO2 laser about 2-2 1/2 weeks. The skin needs to be treated with Retin-A and hydroquinoine for 2-4 weeks before the CO2 only. JG 12.30.07
Answer: probabaly, because neither one will do much to stimulate collagen, at least to any extent that will be visible to the naked eye. JG 12.30.07
Answer: I think getting even skin tones with patch area treatments is not as easy to blend the skin since some skin will not be treated at all. I would treat the entire face, or at least the entire aesthetic unit aea. JG 12.29.07
Answer: well, I think actually there are more reported problems with Thermage, like burns and fat atrophy, than with the Rhytec Portrait, as to side effects from the Rhytec, I would list them as either not enough improvement due to too light a treatment or a burn if the doctor does not do it properly.I pesonally do not treat Asian or Black skin with a deep Rhytec but will treat them with the lighter treatments and pretreat them with hydroquinone. Best of luck for the New Year. JG 12.29.07
Answer: might take a week or more, I suggest seeing the doctor, might need some hydroquinone cream to prevent any post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. JG 12.29.07
Answer: I use a Rhytec Portrait Plasma for that scenario. Otherwise a light CO2 is what I would do. As to tightening the jowl, since it is due to the tissues below the skin being loose, it requires surgery, nothing that tightens the skin will significantly and reliably improve the tissues below the skin. JG 12.28.07
Answer: CO2 becasue it goes deeper on a single pass and because it heats the collagen more than other lasers and that causes the loosened collagen fibers to shrink and tighten, along with forming new collagen. JG 12.27.07
Answer: either one if done too deeply will cause that effect and as to skin firming I think the laser is a superior method over a chemical peel, unless you are using phneol as the chemical. JG 12.27.07
Answer: sorry but chemical peels or dermabrasion is too risky in African American skin, sorry, fillers still the best, as to why you got them, thin skin, genetics, hard to say. JG 12.26.07
Answer: it is still able to be improved, the problem is that the things that need to be done to improve it have to be done slowly to avoid further problems. The next step would be light YAG laser treatments. Best of luck. JG 12.27.07
Answer: I do not think the steroid will give any benefit and has some risks so I cannot recommend it for you. I think Retin-A would help with the bleaching cream but will aggravate the redness so that is a no-no also This type of reactive PIH is usually the easiest skin discoloration to control to be honest with you, if treated promptly and aggressively. Best of luck. JG 12.26.07
Answer: hydroquinone works best on new spot so it will likey work better on the new area than it would on older spots so I think you should use it, it wil also prevent any further disclorations from forming. I have seen reactive hyperpigmentation before and it responds better than long standing problems do. At times a chemcial peel or some IPL treatments are added to increase the speed of resolution. Hang in there, it will get better. JG 12.26.07
Answer: I would start with Retin-A and hydroquinone and then maybe some lighter chemical peels to begin with. JG 12.24.07
Answer: I think a 40% peel with either lactic or glycolic acid is not a good idea as you lose all of the safety margin of that chemical and gain very little. I think in general a glycolic acid peel is likely a little more effective than the lactic acid peel though, you might just need a stronger chemical. Thanks for the best wishes and the same back to you. JG 12.24.07
Answer: sorry, but I am not a fan of Thermage, either the older one or the new one, I think the Rhytec is a better choice and will likely remove much of your pigment problems too. JG 12.22.07
Answer: I will say that you do not need to see purpura for there to be improvements but when you see purpura the change from that session is more dramatic as more blood vessels have been closed off, the purpura should not leave any permanent problems as long as you avoid the sun. Merry Christmas! JG 12.22.07
Answer: that is the what the heat does, yes, but I do not think VBeam generates enough heat at a high enough energy to make a visible difference. The free radicals do form but not to the degree of sunlight as there is no DNA damage. JG 12.18.07
Answer: I am doubtful, sorry. JG 12.18.07
Answer: lasers do not dissolve fillers and it is rare that Restylane lasts that long, I wonder if they injected something else into the area. JG 12.18.07
Answer: I do not think lasers help to dissolve fillers. It is also very rare for Restylane to last that long, maybe they injected something else. JG 12.18.07
Answer: sorry, I do not endorse Fraxel for any of that. JG 12.17.07
Answer: I would avoid the creams until the time period she says to, to avoid causing the peel to not work properly. Just use the hat and get home soon. All the best. JG 12.17.07
Answer: might be due to superficial scarring and I am afriad there is not much that can be done if it is that. JG 12.17.07
Answer: just time is all I would suggest. JG 12.16.07
Answer: Margie, hope it gets better, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! JG 12.13.07
Answer: I think it will help with skin disoclorations, and not much else. Any laser or chemical peel will create free radicals, just like sunlight does, and in most cases the skin can repair those injuries, as you get older the ability to fight the free radicals becomes less effective and that is when creams and products are needed. JG 12.13.07
Answer: well a medium TCA peel like 25% or so would likely help the disolcorations but not any wrinkles and not the porduction of oil. All of the other peels would be less effective and the order depends on the concentration of the acid, so it will vary. JG 12.13.07
Answer: whatever will come back will be there by 12 months. JG 12.11.07
Answer: well, I think there are treatments like a Rhytec Portrait that will likely allow you to wear make up in 2 weeks and have the redness pretty much gone in one month but due to its short healing time the degree of improvement and the longevity will not be years. Chemical peels I feel will not give you anything close to that. A CO2 laser is better but much more down time. JG 12.10.07
Answer: in theory the radio frequncy can cause the fat loss but it has not been reported like it has been in Thermage. JG 12.10.07
Answer: no reports that I have read that show fat loss with Polaris so far. I am not a fan tough as I think you get very little improvement. JG 12.9.07
Answer: I do not think it works well at all, as to the Restylane dissolving it might be due to too deep of an injection or an area with lots of motion. JG 12.9.07
Answer: I think the everyday treatments need to be done very lightly and the effect will be very mild, you unfortunately needed to start this process long ago. JG 12.8.07
Answer: I am afraid that there is not enough time now to make it work or worthwhile, sorry. It needs to be spaced by 4 weeks and the first one will not do much on its own, sorry. JG 12.8.07
Answer: it loses all of its safety margin after that, if you want something stronger then go to a TCA peel. JG 12.6.07
Answer: if the glycolic acid help to take te top layer of skin off so the il can come out, then it helps shrink them but I do not recommend glycolic at anything higher than 30%. Retin-A after a peel will enhance the results, yes. Of the three mentioned, I feel Retin-A will create the greater amount of collagen. IPL can be done there but the improvement will not be anything big and should not cause fat loss. The topical peel or IPL will not affect the hyaluronic acid fillers already in position. JG 12.6.07
Answer: OK for the brown spots and acne scarring, not very good for the pores. JG 12.5.07
Answer: I agree with the VBeam suggestion but there is no way to tell how mnay sessions it will take, sorry. JG 12.5.07
Answer: I would do the salicylic acid one. JG 12.4.07
Answer: same thing. I cannot say that there is one machine that is better than another if equal settings and filters are used. JG 12.3.07
Answer: we have used it in those skin types and it has worked well, but you cannot be too aggressive with the energy setting is all. The YAG is almost always done as a spot treatment. JG 12.3.07
Answer: a chemical peel can aggravate the veins and pores for a while, yes. It also is usualy done as a series for the brown spots, not a one time thing, especially if done lightly. I do think a YAG laser will be better for the brown and red spots too. For the pores I suggest IPL which will help the brown and red spots too, just not as much as the YAG will, but the YAG will not do much for the pores I am afraid. JG 12.1.07
Answer: 5FU or kenalog injections might help. JG 11.30.07
Answer: I do nto think the Diamond Peel is a good option for you and I am not sure what the doctor wants to inject that will dissolve the hyperpigmentation. It sounds like they are all giving you high expectations that I am not sure how they can say that.I think you should look for other docotrs. JG 11.30.07
Answer: it is too early yes, the IPL is not too strong but it is safe, I think YAG lasers are more effective if the IPL does not do the job, you also need to use sunblock and maybe also add some hyrodquinone cream to help it fade, best of luck. JG 11.29.07
Answer: I think VelaSMooth is good for cellulite but you need to keep using it, as to the non-invasive skin tightening machines they have, I am not impressed with their degree of improvemtns. As to hair removal for all hair and skin types, my father told me long ago that if it sounds too good to be true it is it probably is not true, and this is one of those times. JG 11.29.07
Answer: personal opinion, no difference, neither one works. JG 11.29.07
Answer: we use a YAG laser to help fade the redness and it can be done now, but I do not think one session will totally fade it, it will likley take a series. No side efects to the implants though. JG 11.28.07
Answer: it sounds more like the skin is thinning and losing some of its thickness allowing the light to reflect more darkly, I am unsure whether lasers will do enough and fillers or inejctions are not good options I am afriad. JG 11.27.07
Answer: I would hold off on anything else for now and let it heal, hang in there. JG 11.26.07
Answer: well, in general I think that is one opinion but the vast preponderence of studies show that it is inflammation that pushes the creation of new collagen. There is always a balancing act in these issues. I am uncertain what has caused the degenration in your skin but I think it can also be somehting else that we have not identified. It could even be a change in diet, to substances that generate more free radicals and inflamation such as saturated fats and simple carbohydrates. I think copper peptides in the meantime are a good idea. JG 11.26.07
Answer: I think the tightening will be mild but it might help the brownish discolorations, but not the red if done combined. I think a myectomy of the orbicualris muscle will help some of the crinkling in many people, I do it fairly frequently. JG 11.26.07
Answer: I feel it is due to the silicone injections, yes. No laser or other non-invasive skin treatment will help and could hurt by burning the skin from heating the silicone.Sorry. JG 11.25.07
Answer: well, lasers or chemical peels will only help the wrinkle at rest, I think my DMAE or my peptide cream is an option if you cannot tolerate the Retin-A, it is happening because the skin is geting thinner, and more aggressive Botox will not help and might make the fat look more prominent. That is one of the toughest areas to improve and anything you do will only last a short time as the skin is quite thin and prone to scarring if done too agressively. Tough choices, none great. JG 11.25.07
Answer: no they do not and I am not sure what problem you are trying to correct so I am not sure what if anything I can suggest. JG 11.24.07
Answer: I think it will help and might give you a 30% improvement as a guess. The skin will look pink for about 3-4 weeks if done deeply and then it returns to its normal color. The brown is just like a sunburn and it is because the skin is burnt just like a sunburn and it reacts the same way. The skin comes off in the cream that is being applied so you do not see sheets of skin coming off like a sunburn. That is over in the first two weeks. It will not help and might make the Rosacea a little worse for the first month. Permanent skin color changes are very rare with the Rhytec Portrait as it does not go as deep as a deep chemical peel or a CO2 laser. I think the one single deep treatment is a bit more effective than the series of three lighter ones too. Best of luck. JG 11.24.07
Answer: no difference if the concentration is the same I feel. I do not think there will be much difference in the Retin-A if the strength is the same. The Retin-A will be more effective for the issues that trouble you. Thank you for the kind words and all the best. JG 11.23.07
Answer: leave it alone, moisturize and al should come back to normal in a few weeks. JG 11.23.07
Answer: well, everyone is different, the older one is the sooner it needs to be repeated, one year is certainly a reasonable amount of time to repeat it if one desires, may want to do a series of three ligth ones this time around if the issues are small. All the best. JG 11.23.07
Answer: yes, just wait a few days before any of that. JG 11.22.07
Answer: Pearl I feel is minimal, Rhytec is mild to moderate. JG 11.21.07
Answer: well, I think the resutls are not as dramatic as they are claim. The collagen will always be better but never as strong as the original and I think a light CO2 laser or a Rhytec would be better. JG 11.20.07
Answer: none of those will have any effect on the laser you have done. No matter what you do to remove the hair, it always appears thicker when it starts to grow again but in time it spoftens. I think there has to be a small stub of hair for the laser to work, it will not go below the skin if no stubble is present. JG 11.20.07
Answer: great for brown spots, not very effective for the things you mention though. Might worsen the redness some. JG 11.20.07
Answer: Retin-A will make it worse and might need a YAG or VBeam laser to get them to fade faster, likely will fade some on their own in time, JG 11.20.07
Answer: neither, I suggest electrolysis. JG 11.19.07
Answer: I tell patients with olive skin that tans easily to avoid lasers for hair removal and consider electrolysis. I suggest the lasers only for fair skinned people with dark hair. Lasers do not remove ingrown hairs, there also needs to be a small stubble of hair at the time of the laser treatment. I have to say that if it burnt your skin, it is likely the energy was absorbed by the skin and did not get to the hair folicle so it likley will not be effective. JG 11.19.07
Answer: yes, I think it is a good option. JG 11.19.07
Answer: IPL does not cause fat loss, the aging process can though, the fat loss with non-invasive techniques is with radiofreuency treatments. JG 11.18.07
Answer: the collagen production is very small, as to pores, it tends to vaporize, for lack of a better word, small amounts of oil in the pores allowing many of them to close better. The collagen is formed from the irritation created and the body responds by creating new collagen. JG 11.16.07
Answer: I strongly suggest you dispose of the TCA and not try to do those medical treatments on yourself at home, those should be done by your dermatologist and I personally feel it was in inappropriate thing that your dermatologist gave you the TCA. JG 11.15.07
Answer: IPL is pulsed light that tries to break down skin discolorations, Thermage does nto work. The fat loss from Thermage is due to the radiofrequency which IPL does not have. Ultrashape does not use radiofrequency, it is pulsed ultrasonic energy, it is meant to dissolve fat. JG 11.15.07
Answer: no, it is no.It is much more mild. Might want to consider seeing a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon for those isssues in the future.JG 11.15.07
Answer: will help with fine lines but will not tighten skin where it is loose. JG 11.14.07
Answer: it should be used under the direction of a physician but the bad effects reported in the media were from not following up with the doctor, in general it is safe,and it can be mixed and applied together with Retin-A. JG 11.14.07
Answer: start with hydroquinone and Retin-A and maye some light chemical peels or YAG laser peels, and no more sun. JG 11.14.07
Answer: the schedule will not matter, they work for skin disoclorations but not for skin tightening. JG 11.14.07
Answer: yes, even then. JG 11.14.07
Answer: no, not as effective as laser. JG 11.14.07
Answer: Lumenis makes them both, but there are many manufacturers of the CO2. JG 11.14.07
Answer: it can in people with very sensitive skin. JG 11.14.07
Answer: not unless the peel is extremely strong, one that would damage the dermis.JG 11.14.07
Answer: lots of money, minimal improvement. JG 11.14.07
Answer: well the poor resutls from the others are in patients that have had it done elsewhere and then come to see me, most of them because they spent money and did not see any difference. JG 11.14.07
Answer: peel takes only the top layer off and allows the healthier skin cells down deep to come to the surface, those cells regerate. JG 11.14.07
Answer: light Rhytec and sunblock too. JG 11.13.07
Answer: that can be a temporary drying of the skin that with moisturizers should get better, I have not seen it have that effect past a short period of time from the dryness. Texture can be improved with other lasers but you always go through a period where it looks worse before it gets better. I think the Retin-A you are using now is aggravating teh dryness and that alone can cause what you are seeing. Hang in there. JG 11.13.07
Answer: I have to say that I have not seen that occur, in the short term for a couple of days yes, but not otherwise. JG 11.12.07
Answer: I think you have some permanent scarring and there is likely not much you can do. It is likely due to the depth of the treatment, and it is a well known issue with dermabrasion, yes. JG 11.11.07
Answer: I think you need to give your skin time to heal with good moisturizers and maybe some copper peptide creams and then look into some other option, cna try a VBeam or just have the red veins hyfercated individually, do not keep irritating it for now though. JG 11.10.07
Answer: well, likely at least a cheeklift, best of luck. JG 11.10.07
Answer: they can be removed from inside the mouth but that leaves loose skin, or during a facelift. I think a corner of the mouth lift will likely not help them much. Portrait is good for small wrinkles but not for what ails you, sorry. JG 11.9.07
Answer: I think what you are doing is correct and I think scarring is rare but you migth develop some temporary hyperpigmentation there that will reslove in time with bleaching creams, cannot apply those until your skin is healed though. JG 11.9.07
Answer: there is that potential with that treatment as it is aggressive. JG 11.9.07
Answer: yes, the most of any laser. The results fade as the skin ages and gets looser, part of the normal aging process I am afraid. JG 11.8.07
Answer: well, no matter what you do the length of it lasting is limited, the older you are and the more damaged the skin is, the less time it will last. I think the longest lasting effect for acne scars and lines would be a CO2 laser though. JG 11.8.07
Answer: if it is for brown spots either one is OK, for anything else I think both will disappoint you. JG 11.8.07
Answer: no, although the skin has re-epithelialized, minor trauma will take the skin layerrs off, just need to be careful and let it heal a little more. JG 11.8.07
Answer: the downtime will be a few days at least, a single IPL will never take them all away, I suggest just doing a series of IPL treatments. JG 11.7.07
Answer: the lower level affords a very mild improvement and there will not be a significant cummualtive effect, the new light treatment is one that has minimal downtime and is for extremely mild issues. The newer protcols, since the are not as aggressive, have even less risk than the regular Rhytec Portrait session, risks are never zero but they can be reduced. JG 11.6.07
Answer: I suggest a Rhytec Portrait for a mild improvement, the ones you mentioned I cannot recommned. JG 11.6.07
Answer: I do not think Botox will help them as they are static lines. I do not think Refirme will help either. JG 11.6.07
Answer: VelaSMooth good for cellulite but needs continued treatments, I think ReFirme and VelaShape are not worth it. JG 11.6.07
Answer: I think in time the skin should balance out but it might take time, I do not think it is permanent. JG 11.4.07
Answer: skip the peel,it might make the redness worse, the laser might help with the redness for a while but not much for the scars. JG 10.31.07
Answer: I have seen it and we just use moisturizers and time, maybe a little massage is all we do. I do not think the laser will hurt nor help. I would just let it heal on its own and not keep aggravating the skin. What you are seeing is edema in the skin that will go in time. JG 10.30.07
Answer: I really do not think there is much difference, I think doctors are pushing the Tazorac because it is new and the drug reps come in and push them to use the newer more expensive stuff. JG 10.30.07
Answer: yes, there are mild phenol peels. As to the phenol, actually the stronger the concentration the more superficial it goes. I do not think either will do much for enlarged pores though, if that is the motivation go with the salicylic acid since it is mild and probably cheaper. JG 10.30.07
Answer: I think past 5 minutes is not worth doing. I also think you need to understand the effects are mild at best, even if left on for a long time, it is not a dramatic result and it is also temporary, as are all peel effects. JG 10.29.07
Answer: The amount of time required to see an effect varies from patient to patient depending on age, amount of sun damage and skin thickness so there is no way to tell you what the correct time is, just have her do it a litle longer next time. Skip the oxygenating peel and I think the BioMedics 30 peel is about the same as the microdermabrasion. I have never used nor had a patient use Hylunia so I cannot say if it is worth the money. Best of luck. JG 10.29.07
Answer: hard to say without at least seeing them I am afraid. JG 10.29.07
Answer: I agree, it might look great after one week and it will be downhill from there. JG 10.25.07
Answer: sorry but I do not and we do not do them. JG 10.23.07
Answer: I think it helps keep the pores open so they clog less and possibly make less pimples but the degree of scar reversal with most microdermabrsions is slight. It will not make it worse though. JG 10.23.07
Answer: well I feel you are correct in your assessment but after 17 months I do not feel that it is going to get any better on its won. If the hairs and pores are not there now they likely will not come back. It could soften some with kenalog injections or 5FU. JG 10.23.07
Answer: I think it will help the Rosacea and for large pores, mimimal side effects long time. JG 10.23.07
Answer: nearly impossible to tell as each patient varies in their repsonse. I think your planned sessions are certainly are reasonable guess though. JG 10.22.07
Answer: sorry it was missed, I do not think a chemical peel will help a white scar, no matter what the source. I do think some of the color will get better and the scar might soften, albeit very slowly. JG 10.22.07
Answer: nope, it will not, sorry. JG 10.22.07
Answer: none that I feel are reliable in their results. JG 10.21.07
Answer: if there is wrinkling only when you smile, all I can suggest is either DMAE or Retin-A and the effects will be mild, there will stil be wrinkles when you move the lower lid, not even lasers will remove that. I do not think microdermabrasions will do much. JG 10.21.07
Answer: has to be done very lightly. I do not think it should be repeated anymore than every 3-4 weeks. JG 10.21.07
Answer: it will help but it will take a series of treatments. The color match will never be perfect though. JG 10.21.07
Answer: might irritate you too much I am afraid. JG 10.19.07
Answer: I think a soothing facial is about all you can do at this time, maybe a light microdermabrasion.JG 10.19.07
Answer: just stop the bleaching cream and let some of the color come back on its own. JG 10.18.07
Answer: I feel it is a marketing gimmick, even if you could absorb it, the collagen will be broken down into components and then would need to be rebuilt into collagen, not much vailidty to the wraps either, will make your skin feel smooth and might cause a little swelling for awhile and that makes the cellulite look better but very temporary. JG 10.18.07
Answer: I woudl go with what has worked before, the Retin-A peel and microdermabrasion. JG 10.17.07
Answer: less downtime and less skin purpura but it is not as effectivae, but a series does help. JG 10.16.07
Answer: not a fan, it is more aggressive than IPL and more effective than RF though. JG 10.16.07
Answer: I am afraid the Fraxel will likely not cause any long term hyperpigmentation if handled correctly with sunblock and bleaching creams but the thought that it would improve hypopigmented scars is ridiculous. JG 10.15.07
Answer: for very mild pigment problems and done as a series, yes. JG 10.15.07
Answer: whole face, deep treatment is about $4500, it will not help your Rosacea though. JG 10.15.07
Answer: grafting will lead to more visible surfcae differences I am afraid, I think the best option for what you need would be a plastic surgeon. I am unable to tell you what the fess would be without seeing you and then the fees vary from doctor to doctor, most likely in the 2-3 thousand range, but hard to say, might be less. JG 10.13.07
Answer: well, for latin skin I would not do a laser, if i were to resurface it would be a series of light Rhytec Portrait treatments but it would not be a dramatic change. I think fillers for darker latin skin is much safer. JG 10.13.07
Answer: the difference is the treatment head is larger so the session goes faster. JG 10.12.07
Answer: either the Titan or the Accent. JG 1011.07
Answer: I think it is deeper and therefore will help the scars more and the YAG component should help the disoclorations more. JG 10.11.07
Answer: I think for the two things that bother you the Erbium YAg might be better. JG 10.11.07