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.

Allergan , Inc Given Warning by FDA: Latisse

Patients have been enjoying the effects of using Latisse since its FDA approval in December of 2008. Since that time there has been a wave of promotional material released as Allergan’s product, Latisse has gained popularity. Allergan has some wonderful marketing materials, and the results that we have seen are phenomenal. However, we should not let that overshadow the fact that Latisse is most certainly a prescription medication and that as with all Rx’s there are risks or side effects associated. The warning given to by the FDA to Allergan had to do with the fact that their promotional materials did not given prominence to the side effects, not that new side effects or other more serious problems have been encountered.

Timeless Skin Solutions & Latisse:
Our patients have seen extremely satisfying results in lash enhancement. The most common side effect that our patients have experienced is an initial redness or itching around the eyes for up to one week, but patients should know, as with any other RX a rare allergic reaction may occur.

Possible side effects:
Specifically for Latisse these include: redness or irritation, bacterial eye infection, allergic reaction, excess hair growth outside the intended treatment area, permanent changes in iris and eyelid pigmentation.
For your protection and to decrease the risk of an adverse reaction visit a physician’s office and never purchase medical grade products off the internet.
*If you feel that you are having an adverse reaction: Intolerable itching, redness and tenderness that lasts over one week, rash ext. Discontinue use and call your physicians office immediately. The physician or staff should document this reaction and be able to send it in to Allergan for review.

Think You Can be Too Young for Botox®? Gen Y Says No.

According to Fox News and news.com.au, girls are now starting to have regular Botox® injections at a younger and younger age as preventative treatment for wrinkles. Here at Timeless Skin Solutions we can attest to that. Two of our young employees, age 23, have started using Botox®. Kate, who used to be bothered by the deep hereditary creases in her forehead, has been getting injected for the past year and loves the smooth results. Amanda, concerned with crow's feet that have just begun to show, started to get injections as a preventative measure, and has also been very pleased with the outcome. Timeless even has Botox® patients as young as 11, one of whom uses just a few units to correct an uneven smile. So, how exactly does Botox® prevent wrinkles? Try thinking about it like this: When you crumple up a piece of paper and flatten it out, the lines remain visible on the paper. You can think about your skin in the same way. Botox® works by relaxing the muscles under the skin, thereby stopping the wrinkling effect you see on the skin's surface. Botox® is a safe and effective way to address fine lines, wrinkles, and slight imperfections for people of all ages.

See the complete article here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,542061,00.html