Was This Really in Newsweek This Week?

“Advances in nonsurgical techniques have created a whole realm of possibilities for those seeking a new and improved look without plastic surgery……. The Hotel Carlsbad Plaza in the Czech Republic offers cryotherapy, where guests, mainly locals, stay for several minutes in a room where the temperature is below freezing. The goal is to stimulate free-flowing collagen, the main hormone responsible for a silky-smooth complexion, which is plentiful in youth but fades with age (carlsbadplaza.net). Locals also can’t get enough of the dry carbon-dioxide bath, which wraps the body in a plastic bag filled with the natural gas, reducing swelling and allergic reactions, and healing any scars. At the Terme di Saturnia Spa & Golf Resort in Maremma, Italy, clients can try Isophoresis, an alternative to liposuction that uses ultrasound to force vitamins and plant extracts below the skin to break down fat deposits. They dissolve into the bloodstream and are eliminated through the bowels and kidneys (termedisaturnia.it; from $240, compared with $2,000 for a basic nip-and-tuck).”

Really?

I thought better of Newsweek. Perhaps the next article will be about how you don’t have to do all that messy surgery and nasty chemotherapy anymore. Just wear a few crystals and your cancer will melt away like butter!

I swear, I am so close to opening my cat poo spa at the Four Seasons. All cat poo, all the time. Tabby poo for cellulite, rare, expensive persian kitty poo for wrinkles, etc. I figure that if I price it high enough, there will be a waiting list in no time!

Seriously, though – be careful out there. There are few laws governing beauty treatments. As long as it is not harmful, no-one is going to prosecute a company for promoting treatments that do not work. So try to do some research on the treatments you are considering.

Do the cat poo test.

Is there any scientific evidence that the procedure you are considering works? If not, then it might be in the same wrinkle fighting category as cat poo.

Posted in Botox, Uncategorized, collagen, fillers, wrinkles | 2 Comments »

Crow’s Feet Lines

Dr Rivkin,

I recently had botox in the crows feet area, which has worked quite well in the area immediatley adjacent to the eye.

Unfortunately, my most significant crows feet area is at the 45 degree angle (5 o’clock if you can visualize that) Sort of like the Hugh Jackman type of lines, which might look sexy on a guy, but aren’t nearly as appealing on a woman.

My doctor was going to inject that area, then changed her mind, saying she thought it could possibly lead to bags under my eyes.

I understand this can happen, but in your opinion is this likely to happen, or is it only a percentage of people that it will effect.

I’m quite disappointed that whilst I’ve eradicated some of the crows feet, the most signficant ones are still very prominent at the front area of my cheek.

Can Botox ever be used successfully in this area if one is careful?

Or alternatively, would it help if I built up my rather flat cheeks with Juvederm or similar, to ease the line problem by giving a fuller cheek look.

Thanks,

Jane

hi jane,
i think that, if done carefully, botox can be very effective in that area. you just cant put too much in there. i would go with 4 units in 2 injections. and give it 2 weeks to take full effect. i would put one injection at the upper cheek area and then one about a centimeter underneath the lower lid margin.
juvederm can also help that area, but i would have to take a look at you to be sure. it is injected superficially and tends to smooth out those lines.
hope that helps

Posted in Botox, Uncategorized, wrinkles | 1 Comment »

Lupus and Botox for Vertical Lip Lines

Might take you a week to answer..LOL
here goes:
1.My father had Lupus, found out at his death bed. autoimmune disease, I could possibly inherit it. So I know Collagen is out!
2. Im RH Neg blood, Does this matter?
3.Im allergic to Pennicillin terribly..
4.When I had my wisdom teeth removed back 20 yrs ago, I developed 1 cysts on outside lower cheek area (both Cheeks).
5.I just developed 2 corneal ulcers in my left eye, one in 2007 and another smaller one in 2008…I was using AMO contact cleaner..not sure if thats what caused the ulcers though….
Would any of these be of concern if I want to address my vertical lip lines? with??? You tell me what would be best..
Thank you

hi
i would try botox first for the vertical lip lines
blood type doesn’t matter.
lupus isn’t a problem for botox
penicillin allergy, corneal ulcers or the cyst you’re talking about are not a problem.
botox should last a good 3 months and the effects should be subtle and natural.
hope that helps

Posted in Botox, Uncategorized, wrinkles | No Comments »

Eyelid droop after Botox

Hi, doctor.

I have an eyelid droop after Botox injection between my eyebrows. Only one eye though. My left eye is half closed. How long will it take for it go back to normal. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? Thanks a lot

unfortunately, this can happen.
its rare, but if botox is placed incorrectly, or you have unusual anatomy, it can happen.
your doctor should be able to give you iopidine – an eye drop that should help a bit.
mostly, though it is a matter of time. usually you will see a major improvement within a month or so.
hang in there.

Posted in Botox, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Should I get Botox or fillers?

I am in my mid-30s and have just noticed some new wrinkles on my forehead as I tend to raise my eyebrows a lot. If they are new, slight wrinkles and not deep do you think I will need a filler or should Botox be enough?

It sounds like you are only just starting to see expressive lines on your forehead. This is a perfect time to start with Botox because you can really have a good preventative effect. My recommendation is small doses of Botox (8 to 12 units) — enough to weaken the muscles and reduce the lines but not so much that you are paralyzed. Over time, if you do a little Botox regularly, you will delay new lines from coming up.

Board certification in plastic surgery is important for facelifts and in dermatology for skin cancer. For Botox, however, experience is what counts. You can tell who is an experienced injector from the Allergan (Botox company) website and go there. And try to have the most experienced injector in the office do the injections. If that’s the doctor, great. If he operates all the time and his nurse injects every day, however, have her do it.

Web reference: http://www.westsidemedicalspa.com/botox.html

Posted in Botox, wrinkles | No Comments »

Botox price and where to get it

I am in my late 20s and looking to get my first Botox treatment for frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet. I don’t want to get ripped off, so can someone please tell me – What is the normal cost of Botox? How many units of Botox do most people need to smooth wrinkles and prevent wrinkles? Does the cost of Botox fluctate depending on where in your face you get it injected?

The price of Botox and how many units are injected in each area really varies among physicians and geographic areas.

There is also conflict about who people should or should not go to for Botox treatment. Both to avoid getting “ripped off” and to get a good, natural looking result.

In my clinic, Botox is $12 per unit. I charge by the unit and encourage patients to know how many units they get in each area they have treated. I agree that charging by the “area” encourages under-treatment by the injector – they still charge the same whether they are using 10 or 20 units. In general, though, you should do your homework and find a Botox provider who is experienced, knowledgeable and has been around for a while with a loyal clientelle. Providers who are in it for the volume business and don’t care about repeat clients or forming a relationship with their clients should be avoided.

Units I use:

Forehead: 8 to 12

Glabella: 12 to 20 (usually 16)

Crow’s feet: 12 to 20 (usually 16 – and that includes a bit under the tail of the eyebrow to give a lift)

Chin: 8

Upper lip: 4

Jaw for Teeth Grinding / TMJ: 16 to 60 (usually 20 per side)

I wouldn’t go shopping for champagne and caviar at JONS or K-Mart. I also wouldn’t get Botox at the local mall. I would go to a doctor’s practice – that way, if there’s a problem, you have someone to speak to.

A quick note about an ongoing turf battle.

The doctor does not have to be Board Certified in Plastic Surgery. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to inject Botox (which is not to suggest that Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are all rocket scientists). It does take a bit of knowledge, a good hand and some common sense. Nurses, PAs and physicians who have decided to specialize in cosmetic procedures should have plenty of that. Board Certification just means the doc has completed a specialization in something. It does not mean that he/she is good at everything. There are plenty of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who are always operating and therefore rarely inject. Theses people are not good injectors. There is no Board Certification for injection and laser procedures, by the way.

http://www.westsidemedicalspa.com/botox.html

Posted in Botox | 1 Comment »