Showing posts with label laser treatments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laser treatments. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Tip of the Week: What simple things can I do to make myself look better?

Here are four different types of procedures that can help make you look better and younger. Ask your dermatologist if you are a good candidate for one of the following:

1) Laser resurfacing procedures or peels
2) Fillers
3) Tightening or lifting procedures
4) Botox or relaxing procedures

www.lisabenestmd.com

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

ActiveFX for Great Effects!

By Lisa Benest MD

Time is not kind to our skin. Brown spots, wrinkles and laxity can make us look even older. If you:

• Have a busy lifestyle or cannot be away from work for a long time
• Want noticeable results with minimal downtime
• Want to treat discoloration, fine lines, wrinkles and skin laxity

you should speak to your dermatologist about ActiveFX. ActiveFX yields noticeable, long lasting results after just one treatment. Procedures are done in your doctor’s office, with minimal patient downtime and minimal interference to your work or busy life.

Laser Skin Resurfacing
ActiveFX is a fractional laser treatment for laser skin resurfacing. Laser skin resurfacing replaces damaged skin with new, fresh skin. Using the UltraPulse® CO2 laser, an ActiveFX treatment delivers thousands of tiny laser pulses in a pattern over the skin. Each pulse heats a column of tissue, eliminating pigment discolorations at the surface, smoothing out lines, wrinkles and scars, and creating a zone of heating deep in the tissue. This deep heating contracts existing collagen and further stimulates collagen formation to plump out the skin and continue improvement over time.

In an ActiveFX fractional laser treatment, only a fraction of the skin’s surface is treated by the laser, leaving small “bridges” of untouched skin. This technique makes the healing process much faster and enables you to get back to normal activities sooner.

The primary targets of laser skin resurfacing include:

• Fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the upper lip, cheeks and forehead
• Loose eyelid skin
• Crow's feet around the eyes
• Pucker marks (smoker's lines) and frown lines
• Brown spots and splotchy, uneven skin tone
• Scars, especially acne scars
• Loose skin around the neck and jowls

An ActiveFX treatment
Most physicians perform the procedure in the office with a topical anesthetic cream that is applied 30-40 minutes before the ActiveFX procedure begins. Pain is managed using a cold air blower to the skin, or if desired with oral pain medication. You can drive yourself home after the procedure if you have not taken any pain pills. With a gentle washing and moisturizing regimen, your photo-damaged skin will begin to flake off within 2-3 days. After about 3-5 days, your doctor will probably let you wear make-up. Pinkness should be gone in about a week or two, a little bit more for the neck area.

The results of ActiveFX laser treatment are long-term and, with proper sun protection, can persist for many years. Most effects of treatment become visible right away, whereas others – such as new collagen formation – build up gradually and become more evident over time. Therefore, most people look even better 3-5 months after the procedure. So, if you think that ActiveFX might be right for you, make an appointment with your dermatologist and start looking younger right away.

Dr. Lisa Benest is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank and offers extensive procedures in cosmetic skin care, using the latest and most up-to-date lasers and medical equipment. She is known for her exceptional care and service.

Visit them for a FREE consultation with their cosmetic nurse specialist.

Lisa Benest M.D.
1624 W. Olive, Suite B
Burbank, CA 91506
818-729-9149
http://www.lisabenestmd.com/index.html

Friday, January 23, 2009

Wrinkles - Be Gone!

Lisa Benest MD

Who doesn’t love a baby’s skin – so soft, smooth and perfect. But as we grow, our skin loses that perfection of youth and reflects our life experiences. Wrinkles, age spots and saggy skin can be signs of wisdom and experience, but they can also make us look older than we care to appear. The good news is that today we have more and more non-surgical alternatives that help us to look - and feel - younger. Additionally, non-surgical procedures have minimal recovery times, and can provide instant results!

Dermatologists offer many non-surgical approaches to restoring or maintaining beautiful and youthful skin, including:

Injectibles

There are two types of injectibles: relaxers and fillers. Relaxers, such as Botox, relax the muscles so that the skin that lies over them becomes smoother. It can take from a few days to two weeks for the full effects of a Botox treatment to be seen, but the results last up to four months. Patients using Botox report looking up to five years younger and less stressed. Fillers, such as Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse, Perlane and Collagen replace lost volume by plumping up wrinkles and firming sagging spots. Local or topical anesthetic creams minimize any discomfort involved. Bruising and swelling are temporary side effects, so fillers should not be used for several days before important events. However, the results can last up to six months, and fillers can unwrinkle deeper lines than Botox can reach, as well as work in areas that are not a candidate for Botox.

Lasers

Non-ablative lasers are intense, focused beams of light that lessen signs of aging like brown spots, acne scars and wrinkles. They can also help remove unwanted hair. And unlike ablative laser treatments, which are more aggressive and can cause superficial burning, non-ablative lasers are less invasive and conduct heat to deeper dermis stimulating collagen synthesis. Examples of non-ablative lasers include: IPL, Fotofacials, Trinity and ReFirme. The ablative lasers, such as Active FX/Deep FX will affect deeper layers of the skin, and thus provide even better results with the fine lines and wrinkling.

Peels

There are many different types of peels, and results depend on both the ingredients and how long the peel is left on the skin. Chemical peels can enhance your appearance by reducing blotchy and uneven pigmentation, fine lines and renewing sun-damaged cells. Many offices offer antioxidant brightening and lightening peels, which boost the skin using vitamins C & E, Green Tea Extract and other ingredients to fade stubborn dark patches and restore your skin’s natural smoothness. Chemical peels take 20 minutes and are done once a month until the desired results are obtained. Other types of peels include Green Peel (a 5-day deep herbal peel), Vi Peel, Mesoclat, Fruit Peels and Glycolic Acid Peels .

Dr. Lisa Benest is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank. She and her staff provide comprehensive skin examinations as well as an array of non-invasive, cosmetic procedures and offer a full line of skin care products. To learn more about skin rejuvenation as well as the most up-to-date lasers, schedule a Free Consultation with our cosmetic nurse. Check out our website for a complete list of all our treatments: www.lisabenestmd.com


Lisa Benest can be reached at:
1624 W. Olive Ave #B
Burbank, CA 91506
818-729-9149
www.lisabenestmd.com

Thursday, December 18, 2008

December Specials!!

Get Holiday rates on fillers, laser treatments, lift facials, peels and more for the month of December! Click Here to visit our site!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Adult Acne- Suffer No More!

by Dr. Lisa Benest

Once considered a teenage right of passage, today many people suffer from adult acne. If you have this potentially embarrassing, but very manageable condition, you should know the possible causes for your acne and, more importantly, what treatments are now available to you.

The first step in the treatment of adult acne – or simply to have a youthful, healthy complexion - is to implement the following as part of your overall health and fitness regimen:

● Cleanse twice daily: washing more frequently can trigger an over-production of oil.
● Maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water between meals.
● Eat organic whenever possible: your body does not need the extra hormones and antibiotics found in typical meats, chicken or even farm-raised fish.
● Refrain from touching, picking, rubbing and squeezing pimples or break-out areas.
● Take care to keep hair sprays and gels on your hair but off your face.
● Use a moisturizer if you need one. You don’t have to dry out your skin to treat acne.
● Try an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy.

If these basic steps do not resolve your acne, you should contact your dermatologist to discuss other treatment options. Your dermatologist may go over some of the common conditions that can result in adult acne to help determine the best treatment approach for you. If you are one of the many people who suffer from adult acne, you have probably tried at least one if not many treatments for your condition. Here are some of the most common conditions that can result in adult acne and their respective treatment options:

Stress
Stress can result in a break out. The most effective treatment for stress-related acne is to relax! To spot treat blemishes, you can try a prescription strength topical antibiotic gel. For over the counter options, a dab of tea tree oil or acne treatments containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide (a low strength, such as 2.5%, works as well as a higher strength with less skin irritation). You should see some relief by the next day. In the case of a large or painful pimple, call your dermatologist, as they may have a more powerful option.

Diet
The typical Western diet of processed food, refined carbohydrates and sugars contributes greatly to the incidence and severity of acne. Cutting out refined and processed foods will help keep you blemish free. Avoid artificial sweeteners (Xylitol or Stevia are ok), refined vegetable oils and dairy products. Supplement your diet with omega-3 fish oils. As an added benefit, this type of diet helps control obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol!

Problem zones
If you break out in one or several problem zones, you should suspect anything that comes in contact with your breakout area. It could be your telephone, your bangs or even your toothpaste or hair gel. Once you identify the cause, keep it out of contact with your face (i.e. clean your phone with alcohol, keep your hair off your face or discontinue the product). If you can’t identify the source on your own, your dermatologist should be able to help you figure it out.

Monthly period break-outs
Hormone imbalances can cause acne breakouts. Some birth control pills can keep pre-period breakouts under control by maintaining a balanced hormone level. If a hormone-based acne treatment isn’t an option, consider incorporating a cream called a retinoid (such as Retin-A, Differin or Tazorac) into your skin-care regimen. As an added bonus, you’ll also see a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles!

Chronic acne conditions
Once you are diagnosed, your dermatologist might suggest a prescription medication. These include a variety of creams, or an oral medication such as an antibiotic.

All of these, even chronic acne conditions, are manageable if treated in coordination with your dermatologist. You should also contact your dermatologist to learn about other treatments available only in your dermatologist’s office, such as fruit acid peels or light-based (laser) treatments.

Dr. Lisa Benest is a medical and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank, CA. She and her staff provide comprehensive skin examinations as well as an array of non-invasive, cosmetic procedures and offer a full line of skin care products. To learn more about how to take care of your skin as well as the most up-to-date treatments in skin care, schedule a Free Consultation with our cosmetic nurse. Check out our website for a complete list of all our treatments: www.lisabenestmd.com


Lisa Benest M.D.
1624 W. Olive #B
Burbank, CA
818-729-9149
www.lisabenestmd.com

For permission to reprint this article in full or in part, contact info2006@lisabenestmd.com

To view more articles by Dr. Benest click here: Articles

LASER YOUR WAY TO BEAUTY

by Dr. Lisa Benest


Lasers are high-tech light and energy devices that can now do everything from smoothing wrinkles to reducing acne and sagging skin, all with minimal pain and outstanding results.

Cosmetic lasers have evolved to become one of the hottest modalities in the quest for smooth, younger-looking skin. They not only treat existing problems but they can also help prevent the onset or advancement of certain conditions, such as wrinkles, rosacea, sagging skin or cellulite.

The word “lasers” commonly refers to all cosmetic machines that use light energy and/or radio-frequency energy. Some work to tighten tissues, prompting collagen and elastin production (which helps improve wrinkled or sagging skin). Other lasers direct heat to break up pigment (which removes sunspots). Other lasers focus on the reduction of broken blood vessels or unwanted hair.

Laser Hair Removal is performed with non-invasive laser light, specifically designed to eliminate hair permanently from all parts of the body. Highly controlled flashes of laser beams are selectively absorbed by the hair follicles lying below the surface of the skin. The absorbed light stops hair growth without damaging the skin.

Anti-Wrinkle treatments, such as the Polaris and ReFirme laser systems, are revolutionary new technologies that offer a safe and effective solution for smoothing fine lines, deeper wrinkles and firming the skin. They use the ELOS system, which combines both laser and radiofrequency energy for a synergistic, collagen tightening effect.

Acne lasers are designed to treat both active acne as well as acne scarring. Unlike other therapies that address bacterial symptoms only, the Smoothbeam laser treatment targets the source of acne, overactive oil glands. In addition, the energy from the laser stimulates the skin to rebuild and replenish your own natural collagen and help smooth out the acne scars.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) or Fotofacials use a bright light system to target a spectrum of skin changes. A series of these treatments addresses the brown spots and broken capillaries as well as the dullness of the skin. The result is a smoother, creamier glow to the skin so that foundation may not be needed anymore!

There are many laser systems that effectively treat facial spider veins with virtually no downtime. They also address cherry angiomas, those pesky little red spots that develop on various areas of the body.

No one laser can treat every problem and often a combination of lasers will give you optimal results. In looking for a laser center, it is best to find someone who uses these machines on a daily basis. Remember that a laser is a medical device, so it should always be administered in a doctor’s office, never by a salon or a spa aesthetician.


Dr. Lisa Benest is a general and cosmetic dermatologist in Burbank, and offers extensive procedures in cosmetic skin care, using the latest and most up-to-date lasers and medical equipment. Visit us for a free consultation with our skin care specialist!

Dr. Benest can be reached at:
1624 W. Olive Ave #B
Burbank, CA 91506
818-729-9149
http://www.lisabenestmd.com/index.html

For permission to reprint this article in full or in part, contact info2006@lisabenestmd.com