What is a wattle? It's the fleshy piece of soft tissue that hangs down from a turkey's chin. As we have just finally finished our Thanksgiving leftovers, we turn from turkey wattles to the equivalent in humans, the dreaded double chin. Anyone who's taken a selfie in the last ten years knows this is a problem area for many adults and not easily fixed once it develops.
In this season of gratitude, I am thankful for many things, and one of them is Kybella, the new permanent fix for double chins. Kybella is a non-invasive, in-office injectable that dissolves fat cells and permanently gets rid of them. It is FDA approved for the area under the chin where the so-called "double chin" occurs. Most people need two to four treatments total, one month apart, and after that, the result is expected to be permanent.
Side effects are generally well-tolerated and include swelling, bruising, and tenderness in most patients. A rare side effect that was described in the original trial included nerve damage that resulted in a droopy smile, but this effect was temporary and did self-resolve.
It is important to assess whether a patient is a good Kybella candidate. Patients with too much loose skin may need different therapies such as face lift or neck lift. If there is only subtle skin laxity, Kybella could be combined with skin tightening (Ultherapy) of the lower face and neck, performed on separate visits, for maximum effect.
Trinity Vista Dermatology is ready to answer any and all questions you may have regarding Kybella. Don't let your wattle get in the way. Call us today at 817-885-8222.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Ultherapy-An Unexpected benefit for Rosacea patients
By now you've probably heard the buzz about Ultherapy, the skin tightening device that uses ultrasound energy to tighten the skin. We have been using this therapy successfully for over two years here at Trinity Vista and have seen some great results.
What's news this month is that Ultherapy may also improve redness in addition to tightening skin. A study by Dr. Joel Schlessinger showed that two-thirds of patients with type 1 rosacea (mainly redness) improved with Ultherapy. More studies will be performed to validate the results with greater numbers of patients, but in the meantime, these results look promising for offering another treatment to patients with a previously hard to treat condition.
What's news this month is that Ultherapy may also improve redness in addition to tightening skin. A study by Dr. Joel Schlessinger showed that two-thirds of patients with type 1 rosacea (mainly redness) improved with Ultherapy. More studies will be performed to validate the results with greater numbers of patients, but in the meantime, these results look promising for offering another treatment to patients with a previously hard to treat condition.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Rejuvenation of the Chest, a multimodality approach. Sculptra, Ultherapy, and BBL.
The rejuvenation of the décolletage has been a hot topic lately. I have often observed that this area is a tell-tale sign of aging. Since many patients have already addressed aging of the face, their faces look youthful, but there are other areas that show their age, namely the chest and hands. Some new combination therapies to address the décolletage in particular have come about and show lots of promise.
There is often a fine, wrinkled appearance where skin has lost elasticity. This is often worst in the center of the chest right above the cleavage. The combination of Sculptra plus Ultherapy is what works best to address this texture change. Sculptra is a filler that works gradually to stimulate new collagen production. It works with your body's own cells and stimulates them to go to work to form new collagen. Since Ultherapy is used to tighten the skin and form new collagen, we perform the Ultherapy immediately after Sculptra injection to multiply the effects. The Sculptra can be diluted with a little bit of lidocaine added into the mixture. This lidocaine has the added benefit of making the Ultherapy much more comfortable. Patients say the procedure is very easy to tolerate. There is no downtime, and since results are achieved gradually, it will not be obvious to others that any work was done, but gradually the area looks smoother, as if someone ironed the skin smooth. Results should last up to two years.
The other common concern is discoloration. For brown spots and redness on the chest we often do BBL treatment to specifically target sunspots and dilated blood vessels that cause diffuse redness. A series of three treatments is usually needed, and is best performed in the fall or winter when there is not much sun exposure to the area. I suggest doing the Sculptra + Ultherapy combination in summer and then BBL in the fall or winter for a perfectly timed approach.
To maintain the best effects, careful attention to sun protection is needed as this area is easily sunburned. An added benefit can be attained by use of topical antioxidants such as a Vitamin C and E combination serum. Multiple antioxidant products exist, so be sure to ask me or my staff about options.
Trinity Vista is here to help you put your best self forward, so don't forget to rejuvenate this highly visible area!
There is often a fine, wrinkled appearance where skin has lost elasticity. This is often worst in the center of the chest right above the cleavage. The combination of Sculptra plus Ultherapy is what works best to address this texture change. Sculptra is a filler that works gradually to stimulate new collagen production. It works with your body's own cells and stimulates them to go to work to form new collagen. Since Ultherapy is used to tighten the skin and form new collagen, we perform the Ultherapy immediately after Sculptra injection to multiply the effects. The Sculptra can be diluted with a little bit of lidocaine added into the mixture. This lidocaine has the added benefit of making the Ultherapy much more comfortable. Patients say the procedure is very easy to tolerate. There is no downtime, and since results are achieved gradually, it will not be obvious to others that any work was done, but gradually the area looks smoother, as if someone ironed the skin smooth. Results should last up to two years.
The other common concern is discoloration. For brown spots and redness on the chest we often do BBL treatment to specifically target sunspots and dilated blood vessels that cause diffuse redness. A series of three treatments is usually needed, and is best performed in the fall or winter when there is not much sun exposure to the area. I suggest doing the Sculptra + Ultherapy combination in summer and then BBL in the fall or winter for a perfectly timed approach.
To maintain the best effects, careful attention to sun protection is needed as this area is easily sunburned. An added benefit can be attained by use of topical antioxidants such as a Vitamin C and E combination serum. Multiple antioxidant products exist, so be sure to ask me or my staff about options.
Trinity Vista is here to help you put your best self forward, so don't forget to rejuvenate this highly visible area!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Feeling Red??? April is Rosacea Awareness Month
April is rosacea awareness month! I usually don't buy into "insert problem" awareness month or awareness day, but since several new treatments have emerged recently for rosacea, we could all stand some updating and overall awareness.
If you have easy flushing and redness and don't have an underlying medical disorder, you may have rosacea. Other symptoms can include pimples or enlargement of the nose or a dry, scratchy feeling and redness in the eyes. Not everyone has all of these symptoms, and a fair number of people just have redness and easy flushing.
The tried and true treatments (topical antibiotics, topical azelaic acid, and oral antibiotics) as well as avoidance of triggers such as hot and spicy foods or alcohol do help a fair number of patients. If you are left still feeling red, there are two new options. Mirvaso came out last year and is a topical vasoconstrictor that works for several hours, in other words, it can get you through the day so that you don't have redness while you are at work, at school, taking photos, giving a presentation, etc. It does wear off at the end of the day, but people who are very red and embarrassed by their redness have benefitted by this, and it can be lifechanging for those individuals. Another new topical just out is Soolantra. It is a topical ivermectin which decreases some of the pimples and redness that rosacea causes. There are tiny little mites that live on everyone's skin, the Demodex species of mite, and for some people, they are likely the trigger for inflammation in rosacea. Eliminating the Demodex mite is showing really impressive results in terms of reduced redness and inflammation in the skin.
Lastly, we can do a series of photofacials/broadband light treatments to help decrease redness. Topical antioxidants may also help and may be preventive if used on a daily basis. As always, keep in mind that daily sun protection with an SPF containing zinc as an active ingredient is very important and should be used by every rosacea patient. My favorite sunscreen for rosacea patients is Elta MD UV Clear.
If you need any additional information the National Rosacea Society is a great source! www.rosacea.org
If you have easy flushing and redness and don't have an underlying medical disorder, you may have rosacea. Other symptoms can include pimples or enlargement of the nose or a dry, scratchy feeling and redness in the eyes. Not everyone has all of these symptoms, and a fair number of people just have redness and easy flushing.
The tried and true treatments (topical antibiotics, topical azelaic acid, and oral antibiotics) as well as avoidance of triggers such as hot and spicy foods or alcohol do help a fair number of patients. If you are left still feeling red, there are two new options. Mirvaso came out last year and is a topical vasoconstrictor that works for several hours, in other words, it can get you through the day so that you don't have redness while you are at work, at school, taking photos, giving a presentation, etc. It does wear off at the end of the day, but people who are very red and embarrassed by their redness have benefitted by this, and it can be lifechanging for those individuals. Another new topical just out is Soolantra. It is a topical ivermectin which decreases some of the pimples and redness that rosacea causes. There are tiny little mites that live on everyone's skin, the Demodex species of mite, and for some people, they are likely the trigger for inflammation in rosacea. Eliminating the Demodex mite is showing really impressive results in terms of reduced redness and inflammation in the skin.
Lastly, we can do a series of photofacials/broadband light treatments to help decrease redness. Topical antioxidants may also help and may be preventive if used on a daily basis. As always, keep in mind that daily sun protection with an SPF containing zinc as an active ingredient is very important and should be used by every rosacea patient. My favorite sunscreen for rosacea patients is Elta MD UV Clear.
If you need any additional information the National Rosacea Society is a great source! www.rosacea.org
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Texas Heat means it's time for a MiraDry Miracle
"Texas weather sure turns quick," or so the saying goes. We have gone from a week of ice storms to sleeveless weather in less than a month, which can only mean one thing for people who are prone to excess sweat...worry over wet clothing and what others think of them.
A few years ago we didn't have as many options for people bothered by sweat, but today there is a wonderful new device that permanently reduces excess underarm sweat. I call it the miracle of MiraDry. Most people only need one treatment with our new treatment protocols, and we are able to change their lives for the better and increase their confidence in almost every social situation.
Over 90% satisfaction rates over this procedure speak for themselves. The procedure typically involves numbing up the area under the arms with lidocaine and then using the device to heat up the area of skin to just the precise depth where the sweat glands reside. This is usually accomplished in one to one and a half hours in the office setting. There is minor discomfort as the anesthetic wears off and some swelling under the arms that can last about a week. For most patients, using some ice packs and taking a break from working out for a few days is all that is required.
If you or someone you know could use a confidence booster and a drier future ahead, particularly in time for summer, don't hesitate to call Trinity Vista Dermatology at 817-885-8222.
A few years ago we didn't have as many options for people bothered by sweat, but today there is a wonderful new device that permanently reduces excess underarm sweat. I call it the miracle of MiraDry. Most people only need one treatment with our new treatment protocols, and we are able to change their lives for the better and increase their confidence in almost every social situation.
Over 90% satisfaction rates over this procedure speak for themselves. The procedure typically involves numbing up the area under the arms with lidocaine and then using the device to heat up the area of skin to just the precise depth where the sweat glands reside. This is usually accomplished in one to one and a half hours in the office setting. There is minor discomfort as the anesthetic wears off and some swelling under the arms that can last about a week. For most patients, using some ice packs and taking a break from working out for a few days is all that is required.
If you or someone you know could use a confidence booster and a drier future ahead, particularly in time for summer, don't hesitate to call Trinity Vista Dermatology at 817-885-8222.
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