It is definitely weird to hear the same exact answers I would give (except for the pricing, we're less), coming out of a person who is very much NOT me.
The recent interview on Good Morning America shared great information about Fraxel laser skin resurfacing, and in a few minutes, they covered all the most important facts: what kind of results to expect for acne scarring, surgical scars, wrinkles, melasma, etc., how the device is being utilized for people in their teens, versus people in the 50's, and how Fraxel treatments can actually help prevent skin cancer. Kudos to Dr. Rohksar, definitely one of the best Fraxel videos I've seen:
If you "google" the term acne treatment, thousands of different articles will come up.
Those that suffer from acne are so desperate to finally achieve clear skin, that they often fall prey to their own hopefulness... Whether it's the latest acne treatment P. Diddy is hawking, a mixture made in your own kitchen, some medication prescribed by your doctor, or an at-home laser treatment that a reality star swears by, there are a million different options currently being sold to those suffering from acne. We know, because our patients have usually tried all of these.
As a last ditch effort to get clear skin, our typical acne patient has usually already tried everything on the market, and after a series of dissapointments-- they are somewhat skeptical about the efficacy of our seemingly science-fiction-like acne treatments.
And then... they see the results.
By altering the way the skin actually functions, we are able to clear up any occurrence of acne, prevent acne break-outs in the future, and erase any sign of there ever having been an acne problem (i.e. acne scars). In short, many people who had all but given up hope on ever having acne-free skin, now bear the clear complexion of someone born with naturally perfect skin.
CBS cut out the best part of Brian's post-acne treatment (Isolaz and Fraxel) interview during the editing process.
When "Talk Philly" host Pat Ciarrocchi asked Brian about the best part of having clear skin, Brian paused for a second, then looked at her smiled. As honestly and simply as a 19 year old male could say, he answered "The girls."
Obviously more comfortable and confident in his skin after getting rid of his acne and acne scars, it is a delight to see the new twinkle in Brian's eye, and the extra spring in his step.
The technological advancements humans are developing, are consistently amazing. In every realm of life, scientific break-throughs are allowing our quality of living to constantly improve.
Obviously, considering my line of work, the ingeniousness I am the most frequently in awe of are those pertaining to skin care. The efficiency with which we can treat acne and acne scars, has never been attainable before. Any skin color, any age, any race-- if you're a person suffering from acne, technology now exists so that you can allow your skin to be pristinely clear.
It's remarkable, and even though we are doing these acne treatments every day, the results from Isolaz and Fraxel never cease to amaze me.
Witness Jordan's transformation, courtesy of Cosmopolitan Skin Care, Isolaz, and Fraxel:
With the absolutely amazing transformations that we see on a daily basis, further convincing was not necessary, but... it's always nice to know that (MANY!) others agree with you. According to the American Health & Beauty Reader's Choice Awards, Fraxel, Thermage, and Botox were all picked as the BEST treatments in their respective genres.
While skin tightening inquiries were high, the most popular skin tightening device was Thermage. With almost immediate improvements, no down time, and no risk, it is easy to understand why Thermage would be America's most popular choice for tightening the skin on their faces, neck, belly, thighs, buttocks, arms, etc...
Used to treat sagging skin, wrinkles and discoloration, Thermage stimulates growth of new collagen, therefore tightening and improving skin's texture and contours.
An oldy but goody: BOTOX is still number 1 when it comes to facial fillers/injectables! (Having been around since 1994, this is the oldest procedure on the list!)
Despite the negative media hype regarding the use of Botox, people love it, and keep coming back to it again and again for it's wrinkle erasing abilities. Despite several competitors entering the market this year, Botox remained the #1 preferred injectable.
Setting the gold standard for skin resurfacing, Fraxel (by the same company as Thermage, Solta Medical) was by far the most popular in its category.
By promoting new collagen growth, Fraxel is able to rid the skin of acne scars, sun damage, uneven pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, stretch marks, and much more.
Obviously I LOVED this Fraxel/Thermage/happy-ending for everyone story, recently featured on Betty Confidential.com. (It's extra exciting because the article ends with a lead-in to her upcoming Fraxel experiences!)
Is it possible to have glorious skin without a facelift? Yes! -Lisa Cohen
Over time one acquires wisdom, experience, understanding, and aging skin.
My mother had beautiful skin because she stayed out of the sun, though she smoked more than an old Chevy with a faulty engine.
I, on the other hand, who loathe cigs because I almost asphyxiated in her Cutlass Supreme, have suffered the consequences of tanning with baby oil all the way through my young adulthood. So my dewy skin is now lined and sagging in areas. (My lungs, however, rock!)
When it comes to my skin, my husband is diplomatic--a good strategy for survival.
In general, though, I’ve been very happy with the way I look. I’ve had great beauty advice my whole life. My cousins Yaya and Adrianna in Mexico City have inspired me to always look well groomed; coming from two of the most beautiful women I know, I‘ve paid attention. Magali, our young-adult daughter, has given me valuable hair and makeup tips (our son isn’t really good for that). I’m also blessed with a small, quality group of female friends that I treasure deeply. Since we’re all in Silicon Valley, we network and multi-task 24/7. So like an Army recruit, I want to be all that I can be—both in my work and appearance.
I’d heard about some non-invasive skin treatments, Thermage and Fraxel, that could make your skin look absolutely fabulous. The idea of having those treatments came at a great time for me.
I’d been having Botox treatments on my forehead for the past seven years, but the treatments seemed more and more obvious as the skin on the rest of my face began sagging. Yet I didn’t feel ready for a full-scale facelift. My friends who’d had one looked fabulous, but I wasn’t sure I wanted surgery. Thermage, which tightens the skin, and Fraxel, which removes brown spots, seemed like good intermediate solutions.
By the time I went to San Francisco dermatologist Dr. Vic Narurkar, I had done my homework. I knew that Thermage delivers pulses of energy designed to heat collagen, a structural protein deep within the skin. The pulses help build and contract the collagen, which in turn tightens the appearance of the skin's surface. Each energy pulse takes two to seven seconds. On average, the entire face may require 400 to 600 pulses, and the stomach area may require 400 pulses. My face required over 900 pulses, so you can see I’m a challenge!
(Picture to the left shows the author's Before & After, left-hand side is the "before", and the right-hand side is the "After". Photos are courtesy of Dr. Vic Narurkar.)
The treatment, which I had on Nov. 11, took about an hour and a half. Gel was placed on my face over a grid; the only part that was distasteful was when the gel oozed into my mouth. The grid is a guide for the doctor to follow, using a wand that also vibrates to take your attention away from the pain. That was OK; I have an innate high tolerance for pain, anyway. I’m a Republican in Northern California!
The day after the treatment, I saw some very subtle changes in my skin texture. I noticed a smoother neck, a bit of a lift to my eyebrow area, and decreased under-eye puffiness. My face felt tighter. Three days after the treatment I had an even smoother neck, forehead, and undereye area. I think it’s better to have this kind of slight, daily improvement in your skin because really, who wants some lout at work to ask, “Have you had work done?”
The great experience I had with Thermage made me eager to try the next treatment, Fraxel, with Dr. Narurkar. I’ll tell you all about it next time!
(Before & after picture at top of article is courtesy of Thermage.com)
A recent nation-wide study shows that the fanny is mightier than the face... When asked to choose between a slim body, or a young looking face, 60% of people chose a slim body. This is an interesting question for many reasons, one being that until rather recently having a "slim body" or a "young looking face" were mutually exclusive of each other.
Sources attribute French actress Catherine Denevue (pictured at left)for famously first stating this major conundrum many women of-a-certain-age face, when she said that at a certain point, women "have to choose between your fanny and your face."
Wise beyond her years, she succinctly describes the dilemma still faced by women today.
By keeping a lean body, your face is more susceptible to the signs of volume loss that come with aging. If you keep extra weight on your body, your face benefits from an extra fullness which lends itself to a younger countenance, however your body might not be satisfactory to your liking.
As Kathie Lee and Hoda discuss, thankfully there are now ways to manage never getting caught in this paradoxical rut. Due to the amazing advances of aesthetic medicine, people of all ages and sexes can now control their weight and their faces. (Thank you Botox, Fraxel, dermal-fillers, good skin-care products, etc., etc...)
For these, and a wide variety of other common skin ailments, one company has strategically managed to incorporate all the solutions.
Solta Medical, which owns Thermage (used for skin tightening and contouring), Fraxel (skin resurfacing and refining), and Isolaz (acne vacuum), is behind the cutting-edge laser technology created to help banish your appearance woes.
The advantages to non-invasive beauty procedures, including lower cost, no down time, minimal risk with amazing results, has many people happily converting to laser treatments as opposed to the surgery route they would have taken ten years ago.
Meredith Viera of NBC's "The Today Show" recently interviewed real-life women who have under-gone these treatments, with stellar success:
Just this past week I saw another one. At well over six feet tall, this athletic looking teenager (only 16, despite his size) was unable to look me in the eyes as his mother (who looked like a peanut next to her son) discussed his acne problem. With his eyes firmly planted on his feet, his mother told how he used to be involved with every sport team in the area, and kids would flock to their house to play with him. And then puberty stuck, hard.
Pimple after pimple erupted onto his young face, and little by little he ended his involvement with his sports teams, and the friends stopped coming over. Seems so strange to think that pimples could take down a hulking young-man such as this. As I heard the same story coming from a different mother's mouth, the same heart-rending sorrow mixed with hope fluttered in my veins, and I promised them both that we would become partners, and together he would get his life back.
After the hundreds and hundreds of families I've seen who have a loved one suffering from severe acne, the article recently published by the Los Angeles Times is not incredibly surprising. Almost every parent I see relays the same stories about how their once social, outgoing child, became withdrawn and reclusive upon the onset of severe acne. It is always painful to hear about, as the entire family suffers along with the acne patient... but it is all the more rewarding when the patient becomes to come out of their shell again as the acne dissipates with the proper treatment.
Although heart-breaking to read the article below, it is beneficial to society for it to be well documented how much a skin condition seemingly as trivial as acne, can affect the overall mental state of the sufferer, and consequently their entire families.
Karen Kaplan, from the Los Angeles Times, reports on the newly found suicide rates and depression associated with acne:
Acne -- not acne medication -- is probably responsible for the mental health problems of sufferers, study says
September 17, 2010
One of the problems that doomed the acne drug Accutane was a widespread perception that – along with other problems, like birth defects and inflammatory bowel disease – it made patients more prone to depression and suicide. As my colleague Shari Roan reported in a story last year explaining why drug maker Roche Holding pulled Accutane from the market:
“The drug has been publicly and emotionally linked to an increased risk of depression, including suicides, and some families of suicide victims have pressed the Food and Drug Administration for its removal – among them Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), whose teenage son committed suicide after taking Accutane.”
But the link between Accutane and mental health problems is debatable, with studies producing conflicting results.
The latest study to address the matter was published online Thursday in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. An international group of researchers collected questionnaires from 3,775 Norweigian teens (most of then 18 or 19) and looked for an association between acne severity and mental health.
Overall, they found that 11% of the Oslo teens experienced episodes of suicidal ideation. But those who reported having “substantial” acne were 80% more likely to report suicidal ideation compared to teens with clearer complexions. In fact, the researchers found that the worse one’s acne, the more likely they were to contemplate suicide.
Severe acne was also linked with other psychological deficits, including not thriving at school and having fewer attachments to friends. Those problems have also been linked to depression. Here’s how the researchers put it:
“Acne almost certainly causes embarrassment, stigma, shame, guilt, and low self-esteem, which are likely to cause psychosocial problems. Acne may cause depression, which then results in impaired social functioning and suicidal ideation.”
Bottom line: It is probably unfair to blame Accutane for depression in teens instead of the severe acne that led them to seek Accutane prescriptions in the first place.
