Before you do any facial medical procedures, invest in a high quality facial cleanser and hyaluronic moisturizer such as IS Clinical or Skin Medica. These are brands that I use and have clinically validated skincare products but there are many other product lines that are also very good. Innovative skincare products will help improve the texture and clarity of your skin, improve acne skin conditions and prolongs and maintains the results of your facial procedures. Also, be mindful of sun exposure. If you are like me, you love the outdoors so it’s important to wear sunscreen, hats and protective wear when exposed to the sun especially during the strongest UVA and UVB times of the day between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is the time when the sun’s rays are the most damaging to the skin because it is directly overhead. If at all possible, avoid being outdoors during the summer months from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Next, get a professional facial or medical grade chemical peel. I recommend doing a microdermabrasion with an IS Clinical Fire and Ice facial. If done correctly, it will remove the dead skin on your face, improve facial clarity, pore size and skin texture.
Keep in mind that a Medical grade Chemical peel will have some downtime of seven to ten days. The chemical peel I like using is called, The Perfect Derma Peel. This peel contains Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA), Retinoic Acid, Kojic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Phenol, Glutathione and Vitamin C. It is the only peel in the market that has the most potent antioxidant in it called Glutathione. It is suitable for all skin types.
If you have facial or chest (decollete) hyperpigmentation (dark spots) or sun damaged skin, you may also be a candidate to use Intense Pulsed Light (I.P.L.). After the treatment within seven to ten days your dark spots will come to the surface and flake off. Three to five treatments may be necessary to remove your hyperpigmentation.
If you specifically are trying to combat facial wrinkles you can use neurotoxins such as Botox or Dysport. Lasers such as Fraxel or the many different types of Radio Frequency can also help diminish wrinkles.
I prefer using Botox as the neurotoxin of choice. It is still the gold standard when treating facial wrinkles. It is manufactured by Allergan and is produced by the bacterium called Clostridium botulinum.
Botulinum toxin treats wrinkles by immobilizing the muscles which cause wrinkles. It effectively treats the facial wrinkles causing the horizontal lines in the frontalis “worry lines”, crow’s feet around the eyes, frown lines, bunny lines (nasalis), lip lines “smokers lines”, chin crease line (mentalis), neck lines and platysmal bands. Botox takes affect within seven to ten days and lasts between three to six months. Like all injections there is always a chance of possible bruising at the injection site. Don’t do Botox or get any facial injection procedures just before an event. Give yourself some time to heal and for the Botox to kick in usually ten to fourteen days.
Speaking of bruising, Arnica is a natural supplement that I recommend my patients to take a few days prior to a procedure to help minimize bruising. I personally feel it really helps minimize the bruising. You can find this at most health food stores or vitamin shop.
Now let’s discuss the different types of dermal fillers that I have used in the market and the areas they are used for. I feel most patients are not fully informed of where they are used.
Dermal fillers are injectable products frequently used to correct wrinkles, and other depressions in the skin like acne scars. The most common products are based on hyaluronic acids and calcium hydroxylapatite. The brands that I currently use are the hyaluronic acids such as Juvederm and Restylane products and (calcium hydroxylapatite) such as Radiesse. Keep in mind when choosing your dermal filler, only Hyaluronic fillers are reversible if for some reason you do not like the results. A hyaluronidase is an enzyme that dissolves the hyaluronic filler. Within 3 days the filler will be dissolved.
Here is a list of the facial areas and the dermal filler I typically use;
· Lip augmentation: I prefer using Juvederm Ultra XC. It gives you instant plumper lip volume. Juvederm Volbella can also be used if you don’t want the volume but only want to fill in lip wrinkles.
· Moderate deep smile lines/nasolabial lines: I like using Juvederm Vollure or Juvederm Ultra Plus depending on the severity of your lines. Radiesse can also be used in this area but it is a deeper injection. Just before the print of this book, I learned there is another dermal filler that is being used in this area called Bellafill. At this time, I have not used it but it is FDA approved and lasts for 5 years.
· Cheek augmentations: I prefer using Juvederm Voluma. Restylane Lyft or Radiesse can also be used.
· Deep lines in the Glabellar area (between eyebrows) or called “Eleven lines”: Juvederm Volbella, or Restylane silk can be used. They are not as hydrophilic and fill the lines without adding the unnecessary volume. Botox alone won’t adequately diminish these lines. Use Botox together with these fillers to prevent the “Eleven lines” from reforming.
· Under eye tear troughs, “tired eyes”: Juvederm Volbella is my preferred choice. But Restylane Silk can also be used.
As for what non-invasive procedures are best for body contouring, I’d like to stress once again that you should first try to tone and sculpt the body with exercise, proper nutrients and hydration as it is key for not only initial weight loss but overall health and wellness. It will also help with maintaining your post op results. Just follow what I’ve written in my book and you will see more dramatic results from your procedures.
Sometimes even with proper diet and exercise, some people have stubborn fat pockets that seem impossible to lose. That’s when non-invasive body contouring technology should be considered. There are several to choose from such as SculpSure and Coolsculpting. Both will give you results but have different innovative technology behind them.
I prefer SculpSure’s FDA approved body contouring technology because it targets and destroys fat cells safely in only 25 minutes. Without getting into the high-tech science behind it, it basically heats the fat cells up to 42 to 47 degrees Celsius and destroys them, which are then naturally eliminated through the body’s lymphatic system. It can be used to eliminate excess fat cells in the abdominals, flanks “love handles”, back, inner and outer thighs. SculpSure has also been FDA approved to treat the “double chin”!
Although the treatments are effective, two to three treatments may be needed for optimal results. The results are not immediately seen. It takes about 6 -12 weeks for the results to be seen. There is no downtime and you can go back to your usual routine. Maintenance through proper eating and exercise is highly recommended.
Another procedure that helps with the “double chin” is by injecting Kybella. Kybella (deoxycholic acid) injections are used to permanently destroy fat cells in the submental area to improve and contour the chin profile. Most patients require two to three treatments for best results.
Radio Frequency (RF) is a noninvasive procedure that works beneath the surface layer of the skin to promote collagen growth and skin tightening without damaging the epidermis. There are many different types of RF. I’ve used the Apollo Tripollar Radio Frequency and Pelleve. These are great for skin wrinkles, laxity(sagging skin) and depending on the RF type it can be used in the neck, face, thighs and stomach areas.
I’ve also used the Apollo Tripollar RF on patients to stimulate collagen in their thighs. It helped firm and tighten the thighs and therefore helped improve the appearance of their cellulite. Although, there is no downtime. The downfall with Apollo Tripollar RF is that six to eight treatments are necessary and need to be done every seven to ten days for best results. The weekly commitment is usually a problem for most patients to follow.
These are only a few of the many choices available to help enhance and contour your appearance. Do your own research before you do any procedure and make sure you go with a reputable provider. Don’t always believe the savvy marketing that big companies can do to influence your better judgment or rely on Yelp reviews alone. Get a consult done, meet the provider in person and trust your instincts.
If you go back to the basics of living a healthy and fit life, you will already be one step closer to your goals of looking and feeling better about yourself. When you look and feel good about yourself, the world is seen in a positive new light. Smile, be happy and be grateful for living yet another beautiful day on Earth! Follow me on Instagram to see some of my aesthetics work @CatherineAestheticsNow