Monday, March 24, 2014

Under-eye bags and rolls

I treat undereye bags permanently with lower lid laser blepharoplasty, which is the ultimate solution for people who have under-eye bags where there is a fat bulge.  For those who have swelling, or edema causing their under-eye bags, there is a new product made by Living Proof, called Neotensil, which is a polymer which temporarily but quite effectively reduces the undereye puffiness.  It is like putting a hammock for your undereye bags.  Some of my co-workers tested the product and reported high satisfaction, and no complaints of any irritation or strange sensations.  It is also possible to use the product for the under-eye roll (banana or jelly roll) some people have from strong under-eye muscle contraction with expression.  I also like to treat this problem with Botox which helps relax the muscle. 


                                                            This photo is from the Living Proof Neotensil product brochure, from Obagi Medical.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Brows: To Be or Not to Be ?

   Brows are very important for maintaining a youthful, attractive look.  I see alot of female patients at my office that have thinned or almost absent eyebrows from either overplucking, thyroid problems, hormone changes, aging and genetics.  There has been an overplucking trend in recent years that likely originated from a woman's desire to enhance the lateral arch of their brows.  Thinned or barely visible eyebrows can instantly age a person, not to mention look unnatural.  When we first meet a person or begin speaking with a person (whether we know them or not) there are psychologic studies that show the first place we look is the eyes, nose and mouth soon follow.  The eyebrow accents the eye, and is very important as a beauty enhancer. 

  That doesn't mean you should immediately go and paint the eyebrows in.  I have seen brows that have been painted or tattooed-in and look equally strange as if they were absent.  If you do pencil or tattoo them in then be careful to do only as dark as the roots of your hair or the darkest shade of hair on your head, and try not to over thicken them.  In addition, if you're hair is thinned or absent I would consider hair recovery or replacement with either minoxidil or NeoGraft (see below).  Overdone, overthick or too dark eyebrows not only look unnatural but masculinize the face.  Please see my post on permanent make-up, and celebrity weekly featuring Khloe Kardashian for more tips.  If you are losing eyebrow hair for whatever reason, there are some other options that can be tried.  One:  try minoxidil (Rogaine) liquid sparingly twice a day to the face.  This is off-label, may not work, and could irritate the skin so use with caution.  Two:  try NeoGraft eyebrow hair transplant.  It's a permanent solution to the problem, requires monthly trimming (hair comes from head) and may cost $2500 or more.

Enhancing your arch is still advisable to give your eyes a more open and awake appearance, but do it gently and cautiously with limited plucking under the lateral brow where you have a natural arch.
 

Friday, March 14, 2014

Hair-Free at Last, thank God almighty I am hair-free at last

We have come a long way since the 60's and 70's.  Women are now "hairless from the eyebrows down," as Jonah Hill's character in the "Wolf of Wall Street" recently put it.  A current issue of Cosmopolitan proposed the theory to explain this hair-free phenomenon as due to porn stars being bush-free, and the indirect pressure women may receive from their boyfriends or spouses to emulate this look.  Some advocates will profess the beauty and cleanliness of less hair, and others will argue that it adds a strange, juvenile look.  On a positive note, it seems it may be a way for adults to look and feel younger.  While I am not necessarily advocating this look, I don't think it causes any significant health problems except maybe a little less protection from chill when it's cold out.

If you are ready to embrace this look, here is my advice regarding the options available to remove the hair.  If you are committed long-term to being hair-free, do not try shaving alone because you may struggle to keep up and suffer lots of razor bumps in the process.  Waxing may last a little longer and when done well may give fewer bumps and less irritation than shaving. 

Ideally, laser hair removal can be done for permanent "thinning."  What does "permanent thinning" mean?  Most of the hairs do go away in a dark haired person with lighter underlying skin, but there could be a few stray stubborn hairs remaining even after the suggested 6 treatments.  Some locations are more stubborn than others, or more resistant to the laser, especially areas where the hair growth cycle is slower, such as upper lip and chin.  I have treated darker skinned patients, and it is done the safest with the Yag laser (not Alexandrite).  Safe meaning the laser is able to distinguish the hair from the dark skin and not cause too much burning or irritation.  The Yag laser is more painful than Alexandrite and Diode, but it is possible to make the procedure more tolerable with use of cold gel, cold air, and/or numbing cream.  In-office prescription numbing cream (usu. 5-6% Lidocaine) tends to be much stronger than over-the-counter, and is not safe to use in large skin areas. 
 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

DORISWORLD.com

See my story on socialite and blogger Dori Cooperman's website

 

Dr. Karen Stolman of Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center

Dr. Karen Stolman of Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center
by Dori Cooperman March 7 2014
2014-01-24 10.12.03 2014-01-24 12.11.44 2014-01-24 12.12.37 2014-01-24 12.21.22
I was passing through Salt Lake City for the Sundance Film Festival recently and was invited to visit the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center where celebrity Dermatologist and Blogger Dr. Karen Stolman practices in the world’s largest cosmetic devoted laser center. The office is crazy elegant and has a gallery of paintings lining the halls.
She specializes in cosmetic medical care beyond just Botox and Fillers, though I did get a Botox/Filler touch up while I was there. Her office, founded by Dermatologist, Dr. Mark Taylor has over 48 devices including one of my favorite finds, the first Cellucurve in America – weight loss bike (imported from Italy), see my pic. I know I may not be a poster-child for weight loss, but some of my friends are. It speeds your aerobic metabolism of fat as you do low impact biking, by shining warm infrared lights. Patients may test ride the bike no charge, or sign up for multiple sessions – 3-5 per week. If you want to order your own bike, at an estimated $100,000, they will arrange that too, but you may want to wait until the Italian manufacturer upgrades the bike next year to include a wrinkle treatment. They showed me all the ways in which you can fix your wrinkles, scars, brown and red spots and fat pockets.
Patients fly in from all over the world, stay at the Grand America Hotel, have their treatment which is usually priced better than in another bigger city like LA or NY. You’ll be advised to not smoke or drink, and to only watch funny movies, but not because you are in Utah, you will heal much faster post-procedure if you follow those steps and live like a Mormon for a little while.


See www.gatewaylasercenter.com (site) and www.guapapo.com (blog)