No matter how religiously you take care of your skin, there are those of us that will occasionally wake up with the pimple the size of Texas. Like bell-bottoms and pay phones, acne is supposed to be a thing of the past.  The truth is a study from the American Academy of Dermatology estimates that over half of adult women suffer from acne.

The good news is there are plenty of ways to combat these unwanted guests.

Using Glo Mineral Makeup can help fight adult Acne

1. Never Squeeze.  Easier said than done, we know. While tempting…resist the urge. Picking causes bacteria to spread, leading to more outbreaks and can lead to scars and dark spots on your skin.
2. Hydration is your friend.  Our skin becomes drier as we age, so harsh drying ingredients found in many acne products can be too aggressive
3. Use a salicylic acid cleanser.
4. Beware of pore-clogging makeup. If you are suffering from breakouts, your makeup may be the culprit.  Switch to a non-comedogenic, mineral based makeup like Glo Mineral makeup is free of ingredients that can irritate skin, such as talc and oils.
5. Always remember your sun protection.  Too many acne patients shy away from sunscreens because they are “heavy.”  We can’t stress enough how important sun protection is in your daily routine. The sun’s rays break down collagen and dry out the skin, causing oil glands to overcompensate and cause more breakouts.  There are lots of great new sunscreens available now that offer optimal protection in lightweight formulas.
6. Consider in-office procedures such as deep cleansing facials, exfoliating treatments and chemical peels. When performed on a regular basis, they help to shed the top layer of your skin to minimize both acne and fine lines.
7. Add Retinoids to your regimen.  A pharmaceutical-strength retinoid exfoliates skin’s top layer unclogging pores and increasing cell turnover.

Now that we are past that awkward stage of our life, pimples are no longer welcome. They may not be as frequent as they used to be, but they are still an inconvenience.  Now we can we can fight back with more ammunition than Stridex!

Call 720-848-4300 or contact us here for a free consultation with Michelle Young to start fighting your adult acne.

A frequent question in our office is: “Is there really a difference between your products and products I can buy at the department store or the drug store?”  The answer is YES!

Marketing of over-the-counter (OTC) products has resulted in unrealistic expectations with regard to results. Anyone who is serious about their skin should focus on products that can only be sold through a physician’s office.  Why?

Science

Many products in department stores or drugstores have little or no associated clinical science and offer minimal true value to the patient. In contrast, physician-grade professional skin care products provide a level of treatment that goes beyond that of over-the-counter product lines. At the Visage Center, we also have years of training and expertise that you can’t get in a drug store or cosmetic counter. We can discuss with you exactly what the active ingredients are doing for your skin.

Mark-up

Department store brands can be marked-up 80% for packaging and marketing and generally contain less-effective ingredients. Physician-grade skin care products often have a lower price point than comparable OTC brands, which provides better value at a more reasonable price.  I can’t begin to tell you how many people I know who buy the most expensive product in the department store! They assume that if it’s expensive, it must work. However, there’s no correlation between cost and results.  Remember, an OTC product that has no benefit to the skin is a waste of 100% of your money!

Hype vs. FDA approval

The sellers of OTC products rely on the fact that consumers are looking for the next best thing—but the newest ingredient doesn’t equate to results. At the Visage Center pride ourselves on being an innovative practice with a pulse on what’s “hype” and what works. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) only reviews efficacy claims of products thought to be at a “prescription” level. In contrast, marketing claims made by skin care companies sold in department stores are not regulated, evaluated or verified by a government agency like the FDA.

Amount of Active Ingredients

Physician-dispensed products contain active ingredients at a higher percentage than OTC products. You also have the added benefit of your own skin care consultant to adjust as necessary. Topical skin care is essential in preventing signs of aging and maximizing your cosmetic procedure results. Investing in procedures without investing in good skin care is like leaving your new car out in a hailstorm.

Internet Hoaxes

Though you can sometimes find a deal on a product online, be careful!  There is no assurance that what is in the bottle is what you think you’re buying. Products may be tampered with, expired or improperly stored, which causes the active ingredients to deteriorate. Purchasing from a medical office that buys directly from the skin care company helps to assure that you are getting a high quality and properly handled product.

There will never be a “facelift” in a bottle, and there is no single approach that works for everyone. Schedule a consult with our aesthetician, Michelle, to develop a personalized and comprehensive physician-strength skin care regimen to correct skin damage and prevent future problems.

Belotero Balance® is a new hyaluronic acid (HA) filler that is now available in the US.  Like other HA fillers, such as Juvederm®, Perlane® and Restylane®, Belotero Balance® is made of a substance found naturally in the body.

The big advantage of Belotero Balance® is that it can be injected very superficially. Most HA fillers cannot be injected very superficially without the risk of skin discoloration.  This discoloration is known as the “Tyndall Effect.” When the translucent filler material is injected very superficially, it can produce a bluish hue that is seen through the skin.  Interestingly, the Tyndall Effect is the same phenomenon that gives blue eyes their color. This is good for eyes, bad for wrinkles!

The Belotero Balance® advantage is that it is not subject to the Tyndall Effect.  This allows it to be safely used in the lines between the eyes, around the lips and under the eyes where the skin is very thin.  It provides a very natural look and lasts approximately 12 months.  Make room for the new filler in town: Belotero Balance®!

Call 720-848-4300 to schedule your free consultation at the Visage Center to see if Belotero Balance is right for you!

Belotero Balance

What do we know from well-performed clinical trials & what is promotional propaganda?

Patients undergoing facial plastic surgery us for recommendations on using over-the-counter (OTC) scar products.  These products are aggressively marketed in drugstores and online:  amazon.com, for example, markets greater than 100 scar gel products.  The sheer number of product choices is understandably daunting.  Many products promise to prevent or fade scars.  Not surprisingly, these advertisements often create unrealistic expectations.

Mederma® ($40/150 g tube) advertises itself as the #1 doctor and pharmacist recommended product for scars. This product lists onion extract among its ingredients. Laboratory studies suggest that onion extracts containing quercetin, cepaene, and thiosulfinates “may” improve wound healing by decreasing inflammation, inhibiting scar tissue formation, and preventing infection. However, studies on actual patients do not fully support the benefits of onion extract to improve scar appearance.  In fact, the most comprehensive study reported no statistically significant difference in the 12-week postoperative appearance of scars treated with onion extract compared to a simple petrolatum ointment, such as Aquaphor® ($5/50 g tube).

Vitamin E is another common ingredient in OTC scar products, such as Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Scar Serum® ($12.50/fl. oz). There is only one well-performed clinical trial evaluating the effects of vitamin E on scars and it showed no benefit to the appearance of scars over bland ointment.

Lastly, silicone is an ingredient in many OTC scar products such as Neosporin Scar Solution® ($35/box) and Kelo-cote® ($27/15g tube).  Silicone’s mechanism of action on scars has not been fully clarified, but is likely most related to its promotion of hydration.  Three well-conducted trials studying silicone gel and sheeting have suggested “improvement” in the silicone treatment group when compared to controls.

To summarize, human studies on many over-the-counter scar treatment products show limited benefit and are certainly controversial. Scar hydration strategies, on the other hand, seem to be an effective option to treat evolving scars.  For these reasons, when pressed to recommend an OTC scar gel, we at the Visage Center will frequently recommend the silicone based gels or a simple petrolatum ointment.

Contact us at 720-848-4300 and schedule a free consultation to discuss the management of any facial scars, new or old.  We offer comprehensive management strategies utilizing both non-surgical, and surgical measures.

Table of Contents

• Keeping Your Professional Edge
• Obagi Elastiderm®
• Dr. Adam Terella
• In The News
• Upcoming Events
• “Trick or Treatment”
• Open Rhinoplasty
• Asking the Right Quetions
• Back to School
• LuxG for Spider Vein
• Brow “Stabilization”

Happy New Year!

We’ve all seen it…a person with the beautiful facial skin, but when you look closer, you notice that their neck is a dead giveaway of their true age. We know the importance of good skin care but many people focus on the face alone, forgetting about their neck. If the skin around the neck is neglected, premature aging begins, leading to a loss of elasticity and sagging. Though the neck is an extension of our face, the skin is extra sensitive because of the lack of sebaceous glands. The skin is not quite attached to a bone structure, making it more prone to wrinkles.

The best way to maintain a youthful neck is to include it in your daily skincare routine. You need a specialized product for the neck that targets adipose tissue and elastin in the neck versus collagen in the face.

Formulated specifically for the neck, Nectifirm^® from our new skin care line, Revision^®, utilizes three peptides with vitamin C and E to tighten skin, reduce the appearance of neck lines and clear mottled skin tone.  Flavonoids in Nectifirm^® break up stubborn fatty deposits under the chin and along the neck. Clinical studies show that Nectifirm® tightened and firmed slackened neck skin by 40% in 28 days.

It is possible to restructure the tissue, tighten and regenerate the neck skin to help restore the youthful appearance it once had. Before you neck reveals your true age, make the necessary changes in your skin care regimen now, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

Call us today to schedule your free consultation with Michelle Young!

720-848-4300

Makeup with Meaning

Flawless skin is everyone’s dream. Mineral makeup can help make it a reality. Suitable for all skin types and tones, mineral makeup nurtures the skin with pharmaceutical-grade minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory ingredients and broad-spectrum UV protection.

Embraced by facial plastic surgeons, dermatologists and leading skin care professionals, mineral makeup delivers exceptional coverage and protection following cosmetic procedures and for everyday wear. The Visage Center offers post-procedure protocols that lessen the downtime of procedures, such as laser treatments or plastic surgery. Mineral makeup will not irritate sensitive skin, and will help cover, correct and protect your skin.

What makes mineral makeup different isn’t the ingredients in the makeup but what ingredients are left out. Mineral makeup consists of concentrated pigment. In traditional makeup, the pigment is stretched through the use of fillers. These fillers allow companies to manipulate colors easily and inexpensively and have no benefits for the skin. Mineral formulas, however, are non-comedogenic and are free of dyes, talc, fragrances, mineral oil, harsh preservatives, alcohol, and emulsifiers.

Anti-inflammatory ingredients in minerals are recommended for use in those with sensitive skin or after a chemical, laser or surgical procedure to help cover, correct and protect your skin. Clinically advanced minerals are ideal to soothe and protect skin without compromising or exacerbating sensitive skin conditions. A great choice for acne-prone skin, mineral makeup formulations are non-comedogenic and discourage bacteria growth, so they won’t clog pores or cause breakouts.

Mineral makeup offers many benefits but are there risks? There has been noted concern that mineral makeup micronized into ultra-small particles called “nanoparticles” can penetrate the skin’s barrier and trigger potentially harmful reactions.  However, the particles in mineral makeup really aren’t that small.  Perry Romanowsksi, author of Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm? Top Cosmetic Scientists Answer Your Questions About the Lotions, Potions and Other Beauty Products You Use Every Day says, “if the particles were actually the size of nanoparticles they’d be useless in makeup because they’d become transparent and wouldn’t offer any coverage.”

Bismuth oxychloride, the ingredient that gives makeup its pearly finish has been said to cause skin irritation and acne flare-ups, leading some mineral makeup companies to eliminate it from their formulas.  Chicago dermatologist Brooke Jackson says that only a very small minority of people with highly sensitive skin will find themselves irritated by the ingredient. “These are women who react to so many ingredients that they’ll probably want to have their dermatologist perform skin patch tests to identify what might possibly cause a reaction,” she says. “For the vast majority of women, bismuth oxychloride is perfectly safe.”

When mineral products first came on the market, it was only in powder form. Now some companies are selling “liquid minerals.” However, liquid mineral formulations must contain a preservative since microbes thrive in water.

At the Visage Center, we frequently see conditions such as rosacea and hyperpigmentation. Mineral makeup can often alleviate these concerns by partnering with treatments. In addition, mineral makeup is not just for women. Men can also benefit from their mineral products to help camouflage anything from blemishes to bruising. From post- peels to post surgery, mineral makeup should be an extension of your skin care. Michelle Young, our aesthetician will show you how to apply mineral makeup for best results.

What’s the difference between Facelift and Necklift?

There are as many facelift and necklift procedures as there are surgeons to perform them. Each procedure has its own benefits and limitations. The procedures can be broadly categorized into Necklifts and Facelifts.  Deciding which one is right for you depends on your individual needs and desires and ability to tolerate downtime.

Truth Serum

Serums directly address brown spots, blemishes and wrinkles using high concentrations of active ingredients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Ferulic Acid, and Phloretin. They are typically more potent than creams or moisturizers because they have a high concentration of one ingredient rather than lower concentrations of several. They are also specifically formulated to penetrate the skin. For these reasons, serums tend to cost more than creams or moisturizers—but the benefits are worth every penny!

If your goal is to increase the effectiveness of the active ingredients that you use, a serum is a great option. Since they tend to have a higher price tag, choose a serum that will most benefit your skin.  My personal favorite is Obagi’s C-Clarifying Serum with Vitamin C and Hydroquinone, a great combination to lighten brown spots.

We carry a selection of serums for every skin type.  Call 720-848-4300 for a free consultation with me, Michelle Young—I’ll be happy to help you find the perfect serum to easily fit in your regular routine.

Table of Contents

• OLP Treatment
• Summer Promotion
• New Surgicenter!
• In The News
• Upcoming Events
• Mission Trip 2012
• Skin Summer Camp
• Liposculpture
• Sculptra Aesthetic®