No More Make-Up!

What does every girl want? ...Not to have to wake up every morning and feel like you can't leave the house without slathering on a hefty coat of make-up to hide the imperfections of age and sun-damage. Well, I am here to tell you that, thanks to Dr. Clinton and the Pearl laser, I have now officially achieved that goal!

I am now 3 weeks post my Pearl laser procedure with Dr. Clinton and I am LOVING the results! Not only are my fine lines smoothed out, my texture improved and my pore size reduced, but my hyperpigmentation has also vanished!

I can't tell you how good it feels as a new Mom to have the priceless luxury of not having to take the time to apply make-up every morning. To be able to spend 5 extra minutes playing with my new baby instead of standing in front of the mirror getting ready for work. To be able to snuggle cheeks with my little girl before leaving the house and not have to worry about what toxins from my make-up are getting on her fresh baby skin. What a gift!

Thank you Dr. C! The gift of 5 extra minutes in the morning is INCREDIBLE!!!

NEW PRODUCT ALERT - The Clarisonic Opal! - How Do Our Patients Feel About it?

Clarisonic, the makers of the Clarisonic Brush [a staff favorite!] just came out with a brand new product using the same gentle micro-massaging movements as the Clarisonic Brush & the Sonic Toothbrush, but geared toward your under-eyes. Although the product was just released on Tuesday, our office was lucky enough to receive a sneak preview of the product about 30 days ago. We were given some Opals for us and some of our patients to try out before the product was even on the market!

We asked our “test” patients to supply us with some basic feedback of the product, based on 7 simple questions;

Was the product easy to use?

Was it difficult to add to your normal skincare routine?

Did you see immediate results?

Did you apply other product(s) either before or after use?

Did you like the serum that came with the product?

Did you use any other product in the opal, instead of the serum?

Do you have any major complaints?

At a quick glance of the responses, the feedback was great! The product was easy to use and effortless to add into a normal skin care regimen. It seemed that the big amazement for everyone was the immediate results you could see after using the Opal. One patient exclaimed, “Actually, much to my surprise…I could see an immediate difference in the reduction of small lines around my eyes!” Based on feedback, the best time to use the Opal seems to be after cleansing as you apply your facial moisturizer. Instead of patting in the eye cream you currently use, simply switch over to the Opal and in the same amount of time, you can expect immediate “plumping” of the skin around your eyes.

Another praise we heard from our patients is the futuristic appearance of the Opal itself. Not only of the sleek outer shell, but also in the trendy design of the charger – even being compared to the Wii remote charger. One patient loved “the magnetic click you hear when you set the Opal on its charger base.” Some did experience a little confusion when first setting up the charger, because it is so different than most product chargers in the industry – and for that very reason we have an Opal laid out in the office so you can play around with it before you take yours home!

A specially formulated Anti-Aging Serum is included with your purchase. The Opal has not been clinically tested using any other product besides this serum – but we know how attached some are to their eye creams (myself included with the TNS Illuminating Eye!) - so we were interested to see if some of our “test” patients used their favorite eye product instead of/or in addition to the serum. Every patient liked the serum included, noting that “It has a very nice consistency and smell to it. Very cosmetically elegant,” and “…it's smooth and disappears quickly.” No one seemed to use one of their products in the Opal, in place of the serum, but instead just used their favorite eye cream before use, and then continued with the regimen after use (i.e. Essential Serum, sunscreen, Vitamin C).

I know what you all are wondering - were there any complaints? Not one patient had a MAJOR complaint about the product, just a few small concerns or unanswered questions. First of all, one patient showed interest in learning more about the serum itself; what ingredients are in the serum and what went into the development of this serum to work hand-in-hand with the Opal. We went straight to Clarisonic for that answer, and here it is:

“Our Anti-Aging Sea Serum was scientifically developed for optimum results with the Sonic Infuser. Key points about our Serum are… specific viscosity (thickness and consistency) to work best with the cupped applicator tip [and] specific rheology (the physical way that it flows) to work with the dynamics of the Sonic Infuser.”

Ingredients include, “…Key marine and botanical ingredients to hydrate (Trehalose); to firm and tighten (Glycosaminoglycans and Kigelia Africana Extract); and to soothe and protect (Canadian Willowherb). As well, our serum has a natural preservative derived from naturally occurring substances and is Paraben free.”

Other patients expressed a need for more instructions on use, “…how much pressure to add or how to rotate…because it's so different from the Clarisonic Brush and it's close to the eye.” That is a great question, and based on our experience, both with the Clarisonic Brush and so far with the Opal; pressure is not really needed. What’s so great about the Clarisonic Brush is that the sonic vibration shakes and lifts dirt and bacteria out of the skin without much pressure at all. Same with the Opal, the gentle vibrations will plump and softly infuse the serum into your under eye area – doing all the work for you, no need to add additional pressure!

Another question that frequently arose was the expectation of how long the serum will last and how many applications you should expect with each serum. The answer there is - 180 applications, 90 per eye at twice a day – so you can expect the serum to last you 45 days. If you choose to use the product once a day, then obviously you will see a longer life from the serum – it’s up to you and your face!

Now for some fun! What other advice or insider information did our patients have for future Opal users?

“…it is great for when your sinuses are full after a nights sleep and you want to reduce the puffiness under eyes!”

“I shared the Opal with my husband before a party for instant plump!”

“The Opal is really great for travel… It's small, looks good and comes with a great little bag. “

“I am going to use the Clarisonic on just one of my eyes for the next few months. I will do it in the morning everyday after I wash my face with my regular Clarisonic Brush.” – Stay tuned for some before and after pictures!

After you try out your Clarisonic Opal – please let us know how you like it! We would love to hear your thoughts and I’m sure those interested in buying the product would love to hear them as well!

Latisse: What’s all the fuss about?

Believe me, I get it – as the average person watching the commercials of beautiful Brooke Shields flapping around her enviable eyelashes, you may say to yourself….“let’s be real…does this actually work, or is it just hype?” I am admittedly a person who doesn’t believe in anything they see on commercials, and I probably wouldn’t have thought twice about using Latisse after seeing the advertisements…especially with all the talk about change in eye color and hair growing in strange places. (Who would want their eye color to change?) However, because I am lucky enough to work here, and I had the opportunity to try Latisse, I fell in love. Not only that, I now know everything about it that one could never know from simply seeing the commercials. Therefore, I have set out to educate anyone willing to listen about what it really does, and what you should realistically expect when using this remarkable product.

One of the best things about Latisse is that it’s so customizable. You can use it as little or as often as you would like depending on how long you want your lashes to be, you can use it more often specifically on the outside corners of your lid to create a more doe-eyed sort of look, and we actually have heard both male and female patients comment that they have been using it on their eyebrows as well and are loving it. (note: Latisse was not tested for nor was it FDA approved for use on the eyebrows)

I also love it because virtually anyone is a good candidate. I’ve always had pretty okay lashes, but since using Latisse I have amazing lashes and I love the way they look. There are also plenty of women who have either never had long eyelashes, or who throughout the years have lost a lot of their previous length and volume. I have seen women come in with teeny tiny lashes barely visible to the naked eye, and after about 8 weeks I saw them with a much fuller lash and a lot more confidence as well. This is also a great product for women and men post-chemotherapy. Many people, Dr. Clinton included, never fully recover all of their lashes and brows after chemotherapy, and this is a really great way to help some of that hair grow back.

Does it change your eye color?

The “mother” product of Latisse is actually a pharmaceutical drug, Lumigen, which is used for Glaucoma patients. This product is of a much higher concentration, and it is dropped directly into the eye. Patients using Lumigen can experience some change in eye color (i.e. people with brown eyes may notice specks of yellow or gold appear in their iris), but this was never seen during the testing for Latisse.

Will I grow hair in weird places?

Not if you use the product correctly. Latisse comes with small applicators, so it’s hard to miss your target area, and you would have to continually put the solution in an unwanted area to create hair growth there.

Any other side effects?

There are patients who have experienced some irritation on their eyelids since using Latisse, i.e. itching and redness, and those patients have either chosen to return the product to us for a full refund or just power through it because they love the benefits of Latisse so much. It is also possible that the area where you apply Latisse could darken -- you apply it to your eyelid in the same place that you would apply eyeliner, so it was never something that scared me particularly, but it is important to know that a slight change in color is a possibility.

If I have done nothing else in this post, I hope to have at least made a few weary consumers feel more comfortable with the idea of Latisse and answered some of the most frequent questions we get here at the office. Now, if only Latisse could give me Brooke Shields’ awesome hair and incredible height…maybe next year.

“I don’t want to look crazy.”

Recently, during a consultation I was speaking with a patient new to our practice. (I will call her Sarah.) She had never done any type of cosmetic procedure in the past, so in our consultation we were talking over some of her concerns and possible treatments. Sarah shared with me, that although she had been thinking about doing Botox for a long time, that she had hesitated until now due to a slight fear of being pulled or pinched too tight. “I do not want to leave my house and have everyone thinking I look like Joan Rivers!” she explained to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed her articulation of the concern! After speaking with several current patients who admitted that before coming into our office, they had felt the same way, I started to address the concern in all of my consultations. It turns out, that many new patients, like Sarah, have the same hesitation when considering even a non-surgical procedure, like Botox.

We believe in using the laser technology and non- surgical procedures that we have available to improve and maintain the appearance of your skin. As I told Sarah, Dr. Clinton and Allyson are fantastic at taking a patient’s desired look into consideration when doing an injection or laser procedure. To make a long story short, Sarah went ahead with her treatment and sent me a note that she loved the Botox and was glad she tried something out of her comfort zone.

For those of you who may feel the same way, here are some tips on how to improve the way you feel about your skin with minimally invasive treatments such as Botox, dermal filler or laser procedures.

3 ways to get non surgical procedures and not look crazy!!

#1 Choose wisely: a physician that is experienced in doing your desired treatment and a practice that values your opinion, answers your questions, and addresses any concerns you may have. *Dr. Clinton is in the top 6% of injectors in the nation for Botox cosmetic.

#2 Be clear: when speaking with your doctor about what you are looking for, be clear about your wants/needs. Make sure that you and the medical professional are on the same page prior to the treatment. * If we are injecting your lips it is going to be for a natural looking enhancement, so if you want them as big as Lisa Rinna’s…you will have to speak up.

#3 Communicate: after treatment with your care provider be sure to communicate with them about how you feel. This way they can chart on your satisfaction and be able to maintain or improve the quality of your care during future treatments * We always offer a free follow up visit 2-3 weeks after your procedure to see how you are doing, and tweak if needed.

Kate Amicon, Director of Operations

Mommy make-over!!

This past Sunday, Dr. Clinton treated me to a "Mommy make-over!"

During my 9 months of pregnancy, some of my hyperpigmentation returned from all the hormones circling in my body. Not only that, but thanks to my lack of sleep I saw a lot of my fine lines reemerging and was just feeling not all that "Timeless." But, now, thanks to Dr. Clinton, that is all resolved, and Mommy is back in action!

On Sunday afternoon, while many of you were cozying up by the fire, I was having the Pearl laser and a series of injections to revitalize my tired Mommy-face. The Pearl laser is used to improve fine lines, texture, sun damage or hyperpigmentation and promote collage production. Facial fillers are used to restore areas where there has been a loss of collagen...and for me that meant I got 3 syringes - 1 syringe to plump up my nasolabial folds, and 2 syringes in my lips (the better to kiss that sweet little baby of mine!).

I couldn't be happier. Thank you Dr. C!!!

Botox

Frequently, I am asked the youngest age that I will treat a patient. I currently have a patient who is quite young (under age 10) who has asymmetry of her smile. 2 units of Botox, every three months, even out her smile and make it easy for her to be just another kid in grade school. So, there is not an age that is "too young", but rather one where it becomes "just right." Botox is a great treatment for men and women alike. Call the office and we'll help you figure it out. From now until the end of the year, we are running a special. Give yourself a treat, a lift, or just a refreshed look during this busy holiday season!

I Feel Bad About My Neck

There has been a lot of buzz in our office surrounding the hilarious and introspective read, I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron. We love the honest way she looks at life and aging, and she reminds us all that every once in a while we just have to laugh at ourselves and try to enjoy the ride. One of our favorite passages from the collection of essays relays a conversation Nora has with herself that seems all too familiar, “You can put make up on your face, concealer under your eyes and dye on your hair. You can inject Botox and filler into your lines and creases; however your neck remains a dead giveaway. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn't have to if it had a neck." Now, that’s undeniably humorous - but it brings us to a very important question, “What can I do about my neck?” There are a few options that we offer at our office for just that concern. We consider the best option to be the Titan 3D laser treatment. Titan works by using infrared light to travel through your skin and down to the deeper layers. In doing this, the light actually tightens the collagen architecture in the dermis. One of the many upsides of this treatment, in comparison with others, is that although some redness will probably occur immediately after treatment, there is minimal pain involved and absolutely no downtime. With the Titan treatment you should expect to see some subtle results within a few weeks, but the full results will be seen in about six months. Initially, two treatments of Titan are performed about two weeks apart, and some patients may want to do a single maintenance treatment at about the two year mark.

While the Titan is ideal for patients who are concerned with lax or sagging skin, some patients may want to have more immediate results. Many people aren’t aware of this, but Botox is actually used in the neck to relax the muscles and soften the horizontal ‘necklace lines’ and vertical ‘platysmal bands’. This is a great alternative for someone whose concern isn’t so much skin laxity, and who is looking for rapid results. Many patients choose Botox for these concerns as preparation before a big event. However, the results from the treatment will only last for a period of about three months, and would then need to be repeated to maintain.

So, ladies and gentleman, while we do not encourage you to have bad feelings about your neck, we definitely want you to know that if you do; you have options.