When it’s no longer appropriate, tattoos can easily be removed using medical lasers. Medical Lasers use and intense beam of light to significantly lighten or completely remove your tattoo. Different wavelengths of light remove different colors of ink. When ink particles of your tattoo absorb the light from the laser, they are broken up into tiny fragments. These fragments are absorbed through your body’s natural cleansing mechanism.

Immediately after treatment, your skin may peel and swell somewhat like a sunburn. Patients can expect a slight stinging feeling, like the snap of a rubber band. However, some patients prefer to be numbed up using a local anesthetic.

Treatments can vary form 4 to 20 at eight weeks apart depending on the color of the tattoo. Most patients will see improvement, which can be quite dramatic in 2-4 treatments. Large or heavily pigmented tattoos can require 10 or more treatments for optimum results.

Side effects may include loss of skin pigmentation and superficial scarring.

A Contour ThreadLift™ with patented Contour Threads™ is a safe and effective procedure that offers minimally invasive rejuvenation for sagging eyebrows, sagging cheeks and jowls. Contour Threads™ are the first non-absorbable barbed sutures cleared by the FDA for lifting sagging contours of the brow, mid-face and neck.

A tiny incision or puncture in the temporal area allows for the Contour Thread™ to be inserted under the skin. Tiny barbs on the tread open and gently lift sagging tissues.

The Procedure normally takes approximately 1 hour under local anesthetic. Most patients can return to normal activity within a few days.

When performed by a certified, experienced physician the procedures are very safe and complications are rare.

Sclero Therapy or lasers can be used to treat unwanted blood vessels of the legs. With Sclero therapy a sclerosing solution injected with a micro needle into the vessel which disappears over time.

A typical treatment last approximately 15 minutes associated with minor discomfort.

With Laser Therapy for spider veins a high energy pulse is delivered to the vessel causing it to reabsorb into the body. Laser treatment sessions are generally 15 minutes and multiple sessions are normally required (3-4 treatments). Compression garments are required after both Sclero and Laser Therapy.

A forehead lift or brow lift can smooth out the wrinkles and correct drooping brows and heavy lids. This procedure can be performed under tumescent local anesthesia taking 1 to 2 hours.

Selected muscles are removed releasing tissues that cause wrinkling. The eyebrows may be elevated by removing excess skin at the incision.

Recovery time can last between 7-10 days along with the restriction of strenuous activity for 6 weeks.

Although the exact cause of stretch marks is unknown, body building, weight gain and pregnancy are common causes. Scars can be elevated (hypertrophic or keloids) ore depressed (atrophic).

Whether or not you are treating stretch marks or scars, new laser/IPL technology offers an excellent solution. Also, certain chemical peels and microdermabrasion techniques can be used.

The laser/IPL energy stimulates the collagen to remodel therefore improving the appearance of the scar or stretch mark. The chemical peels and microdermabrasion remove the upper layers of the skin, thereby diminishing scars or stretch marks.

Multiple treatments may be required, however many patients see marked improvement after 4-6 treatments. Patients may experience slight stinging during the treatment.

This is a surgical procedure designed to flatten a protruding abdomen by removing excessive fat and skin. It is best for patients with stable weight with significant excess skin below the navel.

Mini Abdominoplasty is performed using tumescent local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. Many times it is performed in conjunction with liposuction of the upper abdomen and flanks.

Recovery time can be up to 7-10 days along with a compression garment worn for 2-3 weeks.

Meso Therapy is used for fatty deposits in the cheeks, chin jaw line, flanks, underarms and abdomen. It was developed in Europe in 1952 by Michele Pistor MD. It has been very popular in Europe and South America for over 15 years.

Meso Therapy works by melting fat beneath the skin and shrinking fat cells. The breakdown products (destroyed fat cells) are absorbed by the body. Meso Therapy may also help cellulite by destroying the connective tissues that cause dimpling.

Treatments are normally six weeks apart. Anywhere from three to ten treatments may be required. Results are not an immediate as they are with liposuction. Meso Therapy is a fat sculpting technique and not intended for weight reduction.

For many men and women unwanted hair can be a NIGHTMARE!! Previous hair removal processes left much to be desired. More current laser/IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removal systems are safe, fast, gentle and effective.

These systems use low energy light to gently remove unwanted hair. Multiple hairs can be treated at one time, making it possible to treat larger areas such as the back, shoulders and legs in a timely manner.

This advanced technology transcends the older, painful hair removal treatments to deliver long-lasting results.

Laser/IPL hair removal is effective on almost any area of the body where smoother, younger, hair free skin is desired.

The number of treatments you may require depends on the area treated, hair density and hairs growth cycle. Hair grows in cycles and many factors influence this such as age, ethnicity, weight, hormones, diet, medications and metabolism. Some areas are more resilient to treatment.

The laser/IPL slows the growing capacity of hair follicles only in the growth cycle at time of treatment. Not all hair follicles are in their growth cycle during your treatment, therefore multiple treatments are always required.

Laser/IPL removal treatments work in a fraction of a second. Each pulse can feel like a hard rubber band snap and treatment time, as previously mentioned, can take a few minutes to a couple of hours. Little care is required following treatment.

Acne affects three in four teenagers. Hormonal changes stimulate the sebaceous glands (oil glands) into producing more sebum (oil). When the sebum gets trapped in tiny pores or follicles it may cause the follicle wall to bulge creating a whitehead. If the pore or follicle stays open the surface of the plug may darken causing a blackhead. If the bacteria (P. acnes) overly thrives in these pores, bacteria and pus may leak into the surrounding tissue causing a pimple.

Treatments for moderate acne have included topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, Retin-A ™, benzyl peroxide, astringents and others. Many of these treatments have significant risk and side effects or are ineffective.

Now there is a safer, easier way to treat acne. Blue Light photo-dynamic therapy is now FDA approved for the treatment of moderate acne. Blue Light photo-dynamic therapy kills the P. acnes in your skin. The Blue Light can be administered alone or in conjunction with a topical application of ALA (aminolevulinic acid) for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Blue Light treats both active acne lesions and inactive sebaceous glands. Pre-treatment with topical ALA offers additional reduction of lesions, pustules and papules. Patients receiving Blue Light treatments sit in front of the Blue Light delivery system for 8 – 20 minutes. Treatments can be done on a weekly basis. The number of treatments, the treatment time, and treatment interval will vary with the severity of your acne.

Patients receiving topical ALA with the Blue Light delivery system sit with the ALA solution on the skin for approximately 60 minutes prior to exposure to the Blue Light. Once again, the number of treatments, treatment time, and treatment interval will vary with the severity of your acne.

Side effects can include sun sensitivity for a few days post treatment and mild redness/patient discomfort. After 2-4 weekly treatments most patients experience a reduction in their acne as well as long term resolution of hyperactive sebaceous glands.

For more information on this novel treatment for acne please see a professional at Med Spa or Randall Dermatology.

Facial pigmentation is an extremely common disorder affecting mostly women. Usually seen in darker complexioned individuals but can be found in all skin types.

This common condition is exacerbated by sun exposure, pregnancy, birth control pills and certain medications. It can occur in non-facial sun exposed areas but is treated in the same manner as facial pigmentation.

Treatments for this common disorder have included cover-up or opaque cosmetics, sunscreen use, sunlight avoidance, bleaching creams, chemical peels, cryosurgery, Dermabrasion and laser or Intense Pulsed Light treatments.

Generally speaking, all women with this disorder should avoid sunlight exposure and tanning beds during the entire period of treatment and after the completion of treatment.

Topical creams are the main stay of therapy and include various medications such as hydroquinone (2-4%), tretinoin (Retin-A®), kojic acid cream/gel, azelaic acid cream/gel, occasionally vitamin C cream, mulberry extract, licorice extract, alpha Lipoic acid and other topical products.

State of the art treatments include professional application of chemical peels such as Jessner’s Solution, Lactic Acid or Trichloracetic Acid. In the hands of experts, these peels can significantly reduce the appearance of the facial pigmentation.

Lasers and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) systems used by Medspa and Randall Dermatology are some of the most affective treatment options available. Usually 4-6 treatments are required with these systems. Some mild discomfort is occasionally experienced during treatment. Mild redness and light skin peeling may be noticed a few days after the procedure.

Microdermabrasion can also be used to treat pigmentary disorders of the face and is usually combined with other treatments.

The cost of chemical peels can run between $50 to $200 depending on the product and the area being treated. Lasers and IPL systems can cost between $150 to $375 per treatment. Microdermabrasions can cost between $50 to $100 per treatment.

To treat your hyperpigmentation whether on the face, arms or chest please see a professional at Medspa or Randall Dermatology.