Category Beautiful Skin

Maybe I AM A Vampire…

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I have spent my entire adult life never looking like my chronological age, so I am accustomed to people scratching their heads when I reveal my age. When I was 20, I could pass for a teenager, and when I was 30, people thought I was 20 or 21. As the number of years I logged began to creep up more, I noticed slight shifts and changes, such as the loss of the very full cheeks and deep dimples I had when I was younger (the dimples are still there, just not as deep). Yet my appearance still belied my age, and for that I am truly grateful.
Me at 18
What blows my mind is that people now regularly guess my age to be roughly 15 years less than what it actually is. Does this mean I am looking younger as I age? Since we are our own worst critics, I will admit that I see the skin sagging and annoying grey hairs that no one else really seems to notice or pay attention to, so my perception is that I am aging just fine. But then I get a glimpse of what other people might see when I am perusing images from a recent photo shoot. When I look at my face, I don’t have the furrowed lines and flaccid skin that I often see in patients, many of whom are younger than me. Yes, I have had a touch of filler, but not a lot. I don’t undergo any intense skin treatments, nor do I take any super supplements. When I use topical skincare products, they are usually pretty basic, with my current lineup consisting of Vitamin C serum, hyaluronic acid/zinc serum, and a light oil-free moisturizer. I don’t slather any exotic creams on my face, and I certainly have never had any type of facial surgery.Me at 31

I have reviewed images from several years ago when I began competing versus now, and I honestly think I look even younger now. I work out like a beast regularly and do not slack on my routine. I eat clean meals which are balanced and chock full of alkalinizing vegetables and fruits. In addition, I take lots of natural supplements on a daily basis to optimize my nutrition and gain the protective effects of the substances in my regimen.

I have great genetic stock from my Japanese mother and a Hungarian father, so who knows? Maybe there IS vampire blood in me!

Botox Treatments Are NOT An Urgent Issue

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injectables and faceWhile I appreciate the aesthetic benefits and self-confidence boost that injectables treatments confer upon the people who undergo them, I get very annoyed by the sense of urgency which some people adopt when it’s time to get treated again. I am not kidding you when I say I have had patients contact me asking for Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane, Belotero, or Radiesse with a hint of desperation in their voices, as if it was a matter of life or death in getting a treatment lined up immediately.

In a way it makes perfect sense because these non-surgical fixes are a cost-effective way to smooth lines and furrows and restore lost volume. When the clock is turned back the first time and a new patient sees the results of injectables treatments, it’s a wonderful reveal which causes the patient to see himself or herself differently. The neurotoxins (Botox, Dysport and Xeomin) yield effects which last from 3 to 6 months, with muscle function gradually returning over time, along with the corresponding lines and wrinkles. Fillers have greater longevity and dissipate from 6 months to two years after the treatment is performed. The dissipation tends to be gradual, not sudden.

So when I have patients calling the office, calling me or texting me, insisting that they MUST come in IMMEDIATELY for treatment, I almost want to ask, “Where’s the fire?” Sometimes the request is on such short notice that I cannot accommodate it, which sometimes upsets the patient greatly. The response from the patient goes something like, “But I need it NOW! You need to do this for me. I’m sure you can find time in your schedule to stay late or somehow accommodate me.”

Such treatments are NEVER an emergency, and your face isn’t going to fall if you don’t get shot up with neurotoxin or filler immediately. Trust me on this!

Invasix Body Fx Treatments…If You Are Lean, Beware!

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BodyFxI have a problem area which is constantly being tortured in an effort to to correct the issue, namely, mild but stubborn cellulite on my hamstring area. In the past I have tried Exilis treatments, and I always make sure to do infrared body wraps before I compete to minimize the appearance of cellulite in this region. However, the results of both of these procedures are temporary, and consequently I am always on the hunt for something more effective.

Enter BodyFx by Invasix, which is a radio-frequency and vacuum device which allegedly targets fat cells while also tightening the dermis and causing collagen contracture. The promise of less fat along with tighter skin seemed too good to be true, but I was willing to try this technology 1) because I am a physician who specializes in aesthetic medicine, 2) I will be stepping onstage very soon, and 3) I HATE the dimpling on the backs of my thighs.

I was told that the treatment, which combines focused radio-frequency energy, deep tissue heating, and suction coupled negative pressure, would be uncomfortable, but MAN OH MAN! Between the intense someone-is-lighting-me-on-fire heat and the intermittent zapping sensation I experienced at the end of some of the pulses, I was in agony. I am a tough cookie with a high pain threshold too, which should tell you a lot. The procedure was so painful that I was yelling obscenities and grabbing onto the treatment table, getting a great chest workout as I wrestled it like it was an enormous squeeze ball. I know that my body fat is at around 14% right now, that I have very little storage fat on the backs of my legs, and that the leaner a patient is, the more painful the BodyFx treatment tends to be.

Here’s a YouTube video which describes the technology:

I find it amazing that the patient featured in this video only reported mild heat sensation, so I am guessing that she has significantly more body fat than I do. Truth be told, my procedure hurt like the dickens. I had to endure ten minutes on each thigh, with more distal and lateral aspects of my posterior thigh being the most intensely painful areas. It was no picnic!

BodyFx treatments must be performed weekly for an 8 week treatment period, which means that I must endure SEVEN more weekly sessions to see optimal results. A one treatment maintenance every 6 months is also part of the treatment protocol. Oh goodie. I am honestly dreading the pain I will be experiencing later this week when I go in for my second BodyFx treatment. But you know what? If it truly works, all the pain will be worth it.

Eraclea Skincare

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Eraclea skincare

I have tried a plethora of skincare products over the last decade, and have very definite opinions about what is good and what is worthless in the world of topical products. So it is a big deal when I say that I absolutely ADORE Eraclea Skincare Products. These products are exceptional!

I have been using my regular facial cleanser, but afterwards, I apply the Intensive Repair and Protect Serum/Vitamin C, then the Pure Hydration Serum/Zinc and the Hydrating Day Lotion for Normal to Oily Skin. I have been doing this for close to 2 weeks and have noticed that my skin is more radiant than it has been in years. I am not kidding about this! I am excited to try the products in their Repair and Correct line as well.

Eraclea Products feature a patented system called HylaSpongs which maximizes the hydrating effects of hyaluronic acid, and also manage to pack in peptides, antioxidants, and botanical extracts in their formulations.

Another HUGE plus is that Eraclea cleansers and hydration products are reasonably priced at between $35 to $85 per product. You can purchase Eraclea products at medical spas, doctor’s offices or online at http://www.eracleaskincare.com.

http://www.eracleaskincare.com

Does Laser Hair Removal Really Work?

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laser-hair-removal-side-effectsBack in 2003 when I was just beginning my educational foray into aesthetic medicine, I was encouraged to perform laser hair removal on myself. That way, I could witness the process firsthand and thus provide valuable information to my patients about the experience. I would inform the staff whenever I was ready to perform these treatments, then would sequester myself in the laser treatment room and conduct these treatments without any pre-procedure anesthesia.

I used an Nd:Yag laser back then which is generally less effective than a diode laser in treating hair follicles, but I only had access to that type of laser at that time. I treated my underarms, legs and tried to do my bikini line (more on that later). Did the procedure hurt? YES. It felt like red hot rubber band stings all over the areas treated, and some spots literally took my breath away. But I was so determined to get rid of the hair that I toughed it out.

The area in which I got the best results, and which generally yields the best results for patients in general, was the underarm region. To this day I have about 6 hair follicles on each underarm which produce hair, and the hair is so fine, wispy, pale in color and slow growing that I resort to plucking them out every 6 to 8 weeks. Talk about low maintenance! I also no longer have the shadow which hair growth in the underarms produces.

My legs were less responsive, mainly due to the fact that my skin was tan during the entire series. Ideal laser hair removal patients have dark hair and light skin, but this was certainly not the case with me. Even so, I had about an 80% reduction in the amount of active hair follicles.

Then there was my bikini line. It is difficult to perform an intensely painful treatment on oneself without wanting to discontinue such treatment, and this was certainly the case with me when I attempted to treat this area! As a result of my inability to tolerate self-treatment in the bikini line, I am now undergoing a new series of laser hair removal treatments in the bikini area, this time with a diode laser and someone else performing the procedures. I have had two treatments thus far and am already enjoying about a 30% reduction of active hair follicles.

For those of you who are considering laser hair removal, you can expect to undergo 4 to 8 treatments, spaced anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks apart depending on the laser used and the area treated. Each treatment tends to cause about a 15-20% reduction in the amount of hair, and the hair that regrows will grow more slowly over time. The endpoint usually yields about a 95% reduction in hair regrowth.

I think laser hair removal is a great option for just about everyone!