What Is JUVEDERM®?

Patients that have developed facial wrinkling and skin laxity in the lower half of the face may be suitable candidates for JUVÉDERM® injections. JUVÉDERM® is a soft tissue filler that smoothes out wrinkles to produce a more youthful appearance. (more…)

Treatments for Dark Under Eye Circles

Millions of men and women in the United States have dark under eye circles. The best thing that people can do to minimize the appearance of dark circles is to make sure they get an adequate amount of sleep each night and stay well hydrated.

However, some people still have noticeable dark circles even when they are living healthy lifestyles. In order to find the right treatment for dark under eye circles, you need to first determine their cause. The causes of dark circles include:

• Thinning of the skin: Some people have thin skin in the eye area due to genetics, while other people’s skin thins out as they age. Thin skin under the eyes makes underlying blood vessels more visible. Eye creams that include skin-thickening ingredients such as vitamin C, tretinoin, and retin-A are a good treatment option for those with thin skin under their eyes.
• Excess Pigmentation: Excess pigmentation most often affects people with darker skin tones. Eye creams that contain skin-lightening ingredients such as hydroquinone can help reduce the appearance of dark under eye circles in people with excess pigmentation.
• Puffy Bags: Older men and women that have developed puffy bags beneath their eyes can benefit from lower eyelid surgery. During surgery, the surgeon removes excess fat and skin in the lower lid area to reduce puffiness and shadowing, and improve the patient’s overall appearance.

Laser Skin Tightening versus Surgical Lifting Procedures

Skin tightening procedures are most often used on the face and neck areas to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. However, use of skin tightening treatments on the abdomen, arms, and other areas of the body is becoming more common.

Laser Skin Tightening

Laser skin tightening is a non-surgical treatment that uses an infrared beam of light to heat the deeper layers of skin, separating soft tissues and encouraging collagen to rebuild. The new collagen fills in lines and wrinkles in the treated areas, whether on the face, neck, stomach, or another area of the body. Non-invasive laser treatments are best suited to patients who have fine lines and moderate wrinkling of the skin.

Surgical Lifts

Those patients with deep lines and areas of sagging skin are probably better suited to a surgical lifting procedure such as facelift, neck lift, brow lift, eyelid lift, or tummy tuck surgery. Surgical lifting procedures are more effective in cases of severe skin wrinkling because the surgeon can tighten the skin and muscles in the treated area, then remove extra skin to produce a smoother appearance.

A Guide to Professional Wrinkle Treatments – Which Are Right for You?

With so many wrinkles treatments on the market, how do you decide which are right for you? Patients can now choose from laser skin therapy and injectables, which provide semi-permanent results; plastic surgery procedures, which offer results that can last for years; or professional skin care products, which can help maintain skin’s health. Check out the treatment guide below, and speak to a plastic surgeon or dermatologist to find out which treatments are right for you.

Facial Plastic Surgery

There are various plastic surgery procedures that target the more severe cases of facial wrinkles. Facelift, browlift, necklift, and eyelid surgery tighten and lift specific areas of the face to improve appearance.

Facial Skin Care Treatments

Facial skin care treatments such as chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, laser skin tightening, and microdermabrasion can treat moderate facial wrinkling within three to six treatment sessions.

Injectables and Fillers

Injectables and fillers such as BOTOX Cosmetic, Restylane, Radiesse, and Juvederm are effective in smoothing out moderate wrinkling around the eyes, lips, and nose area.

Professional Skin Care Products

Professional skin care products target specific skin conditions and can help keep skin looking fresh and young in between professional skin care sessions.

How Can I Reduce the Appearance of Age Spots?

Unfortunately, as we age, the effects of the sun begin to show on our faces. The development of age spots, also known as liver, sun, and brown spots, can be prevented and treated with the adoption of a good skin care routine.

Wear Sunscreen

Age spots are caused by exposure to the sun, so daily application of sunscreen can prevent new age spots from appearing, and stop existing spots from getting worse. Use an SPF of at least 30 on your face, neck, arms, hands, and any other area that is exposed to the sun.

Undergo Professional Skin Care Treatments

Professional skin care treatments such as chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, IPL photofacials, cosmelan depigmentation, and microdermabrasion have been shown to be effective in reducing the appearance of brown spots. However, patients who experience the best results typically undergo a series of treatments.

Try Home Remedies for Age Spots

You can try applying lemon, onion, or garlic juice, as well as milk products and apple cider vinegar, to brown spots to help diminish their appearance.