Less Invasive Treatments

The numbers are in from the American Society of Plastic Surgery and it looks like we are making our way out of the recession, one surgery at a time. If your neighbor’s face is looking a bit more symmetrical than it used to; he or she could have been one of the 243,000 people that had a rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) in 2011. Breast augmentations are still leading the way with over 300 thousand procedures performed in 2011.

What do these numbers really mean? If you compare the statistics of 2011 with those from 2000, trends in health, beauty and finances become very apparent.

Weight gain and extreme weight loss has increased:  Weight Loss procedures are up – 3,000% up in fact.  Procedures to remove excess skin after a significant weight loss (100 pounds or more) include lower body lifts (up 3,579%); upper arm lifts (up 4,337%) and buttock lifts (up 235%).

Patients are looking for a less expensive, quicker treatment: Aside from the increase in surgical procedures, the minimally-invasive non-surgical treatments are showing even more growth. Total minimally-invasive procedures are up 123% with Botulinum Toxins (Botox and Dysport) being the top seller with over 5.6 million patients treating their wrinkles.

We’re taking our skincare more seriously: Laser skin resurfacing procedures to treat hyperpigmentation from sun exposure, rosacea, acne scars and fine lines have increased from 2000 to 2011 over 170%.

What will the numbers have to tell us in 2020?

Raise your hand if you wait until the last minute to take care of tasks. Yep, we are guilty too. With the internet, overnight shipping and instant gratification at every corner, the idea of planning ahead really has lost its appeal.

There are still a few things in life that we need to plan ahead of time.  Prepping for a surgery, for example, can take months including the recovery time.  So what about this coming Valentine’s Day? Do you still have time for a quick treatment or two?  It is probably too late to schedule surgery now and be recovered in time for the romantic holiday, but facial injections or laser treatments are still a great idea. Here are your options:

Botox/Dysport: Relax the wrinkles between your eyebrows, on your forehead and around those pesky crow’s feet. On average your results will take 4-5 days to appear and will last 3-4 months. But don’t wait until the last minute, come see us by February 7^th.

Juvederm, Restylane: Erase those smile lines and give a sexy plump to your lips at least 2 weeks before the big day. Your final result will be evident within 5-7 days of treatment and will last 6-9 months. We can stretch this one to February 2^nd.

Skin Rejuvenation: Even out skin tone; erase light acne scars and brown spots; improve your skin’s texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines with a laser treatment. Our laser treatments (in order to get great results) do require a bit of downtime (3-4 days), but if you’re willing to commit you’re going to be very happy with your results. See us by February 2^nd to be ready for your valentine.

Dr. Franckle sees patients on Tuesday afternoons and all day Thursdays.

Only a couple days left before Valentine’s Day – be ready with an appointment!

We would venture to bet that anyone who suffers from migraines is willing to explore just about any treatment to obtain relief from the pain.  The symptoms of migraine (pain, photosensitivity, and nausea) are keeping 30 million Americans miserable for up to a day or even more.  Medication is still considered the only effective solution to conquer these debilitating symptoms, but a plastic surgery procedure has recently been publicized as a revolutionary way to treat migraines.  How?   Supporters are claiming that the glabellar muscles (muscles between the eyebrows) and related nerves which are surgically removed during a browlift are removing a trigger point which can cause migraines.

It has followed that the non-surgical procedures using the botulinum toxins such as Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, and Xeomin, have also made similar claims in being effective in the treatment of migraines.  These popular treatments work to block those same nerves resulting in paralysis of the glabellar muscles.  It was only a matter of time before some doctors starting connecting the two.

All of these claims came about by circumstance; patients receiving a browlift or botulinum toxin treatment that had previously suffered from migraines were claiming that their migraines were cured.  These patients turned to their doctors for answers as to why this happened.  Thus, the connection was made. So far, however, these claims have not stood the test of extensive medical analysis.

So where is allthis buzz coming from? NewBeauty.com performed their own study with 49 migraine sufferers.  The patients underwent a Botox Cosmetic treatment followed by a brow lift procedure and found that 57% had their headache symptoms completely eliminated.

That study may have encouraging numbers but this is not in-depth research!  It would be wonderful if botulinum toxin treatment is eventually proven to be an effective treatment for migraine sufferers.   It is a simple, safe, non-surgical treatment and would likely be well-tolerated by migraine patients.  Until then, it is considered experimental and will not likely be covered by insurance.   My opinion is to watch and wait.  This is currently under investigation by many reputable scientific groups.  Until then, we may just have to call the patients in NewBeauty’s study lucky.

NewBeauty.com Article: http://www.newbeauty.com/dailybeauty/entry.aspx?id=2468

Who remembers the compare and contrast exercises from grade school?  You know – Venn Diagrams, Graphic Organizers, Comparison Trees, weighing the pros and cons. You may have dreaded them back then, but they can be an excellent method in weighing your options and determining what is best for you.  Here we are putting those tactics to use when comparing two injectable fillers offered at our practice.

Juvederm Ultra has been a favorite among our patients for years now while Sculptra Aesthetic is a new addition. Sculptra is an innovative product and very different from other injectables on the market.  Because of that we thought the best way to explain it is to compare with something many patients already know – Juvederm Ultra.

What is it?
Sculptra: Poly-L-lactic acid; A synthetic material naturally absorbed into the body that works to replace lost collagen
Juvederm Ultra: Hyaluronic acid; a naturally occurring, hydrating substance in your skin to correct lost structure and volume.

How quickly does it work?
Sculptra: Results emerge gradually over several months
Juvederm Ultra: Results will be noticeable immediately

How long will it last?
Sculptra: Results typically last up to 2 years
Juvederm Ultra: Results lasting 6-9 months

Where would you use it?
Sculptra is a great option to use in the cheeks were volume has decreased with age
Juvederm can be used to fill in creases around the mouth and to plump lips.

Is more than one treatment necessary?
Sculptra: On average, patients will need three injection sessions over the course of a few months for a full treatment.
Juvederm Ultra: Patients will only need one injection session at a time

What is the cost per treatment?
Sculptra is sold in vials, each vial is priced at $750. Some patients may require more than one vial per session.
Juvederm is sold in syringes with each costing $750. Again more than one syringe may be necessary based on the patient.

Each injectable has its pros and cons.  Sculptra will require more time and money up front, but it lasts for 2 years. Juvederm is less of a commitment at first but you will need to revisit the office in 6-9 months.

Both products are priced equally but …. to welcome Sculptra to the office we are having a special event in which we are offering 20% OFF your total treatment and up to a $150 rebate for our first 10 patients to book an appointment ($50 rebate per vial, up to 3 vials  rebates per patient).

Injectable fillers have become a popular treatment because they are minimally invasive. A quick, relatively painless treatment every 6-12 months can keep you looking youthful without a major surgery.  Because of the growing acceptance and popularity of these products, my patients have become more aware of  the options.  However, due to the many commercials and advertisements, there is always confusion as to which filler to choose.  Below I review a little about these fillers and how they are used in my practice to achieve correction of facial aging.

Laugh lines

Hyaluronic Filler: Juvederm Ultra OR CaHA Filler: Radiesse

Many women have complaints about lines running from their nose to the corners of their mouth.  The “parentheses” if you will.  For this area, we have two great options.

Juvederm Ultra is a longer lasting hyaluronic acid product. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is naturally found in our skin.  It functions to give skin its plump springy texture.  As your body ages you begin to lose HA causing volume loss and facial wrinkles. Juvederm Ultra will immediately reduce the appearance of those dreaded laugh lines.

Radiesse works in a slightly different way.  It will immediately correct creases by restoring volume to wrinkles, but it will also create a longer lasting effect by stimulating the body to create collagen.  It does this by using calcium microspheres to stimulate fibroblasts to make more collagen. Radiesse has been clinically proven to last a year or more.

Lips

Hyaluronic Filler: Restylane

The last place women want to lose volume is in their lips. Restylane, another hyaluronic acid, can fill in your lips and provide the missing plump you are looking for.  I tend to prefer this product in the lips over the others since it tends to stay smooth and resist clumping.

Cheeks

Poly-L-lactic acid Filler: Sculptra

Nothing shows your age as much as volume loss in your cheeks. With a large area, such as the cheeks, an injectable that builds collagen is going to be the best choice.

What makes Sculptra different is the way it works. Instead of replacing lost HA as we discussed before to give an instant result, Sculptra works on the underlying structure of your skin for a long lasting one.  Sculptra works to reinforce your collagen structure gradually restoring a look of fullness. Although Sculptra will not show immediate results, an average of three visits within 2-3 months can last two years or more.