November 2017

Be in the Limelight

The LimeLight Facial is a new, non-invasive approach to skin revitalization using Cutera’s LimeLight. The procedure offers the advantage of improving skin tone and surface imperfections associated with aging and photo-damage. The LimeLight Facial is ideal for any part of your face, neck and décolleté with skin redness, telangiectasia (tiny veins) or brown spots. Light (low contrast) brown spots, which were previously difficult to resolve, respond very well to treatment.

What can you expect from your treatment? When the pulse of light is delivered, patients will experience a mild pinching or stinging sensation. Gel is used to cool the skin before vascular treatments. Anesthesia or pain medicine is typically not required. One to three treatments are usually sufficient to see results. Additional treatments may be recommended, especially for excessively sun-damaged skin. Immediately following treatment, brown spots will start to darken and your skin may appear slightly red. The treated area may be mildly swollen. This typically lasts a few hours and possibly a day or longer. Make-up can be applied to cover the redness.

Remember to always apply broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors to minimize sun damage and the appearance of new spots and diffuse redness.

The Windows to the Soul

Do you have tired-looking, heavy, sagging or drooping eyelids? Does it seem like no matter how well rested you are, you always look tired, and no amount of rest improves the sagging, heavy feeling in your eyelids? An eyelid lift or blepharoplasty is a procedure that corrects the loose skin, muscle and fat on both the upper or lower eyelids. This can provide a younger-looking and “more awake” appearance. Eyelid surgery will also reduce the puffiness that occurs as people get older. Bags that form underneath the eyes can be reduced with a related procedure in which only fat is removed, known as “transconjuctival blepharoplasty.” The procedure can take one to three hours, and in some cases recovery can be as quick as seven to 10 days, with full results occurring up to a year after the surgery. Most patients experience dryness in the eyes and may be prescribed drops to help remoisturize the eyes. You may also be required to wear sunglasses for several weeks after surgery to combat sensitivity. Your eyes may feel tired for several weeks following the surgery, and you may require frequent naps during this time. Eye makeup can be worn soon after surgery, but healing may be faster if you skip the makeup.

Eyelid surgery has become popular among many people of Asian descent. For those who wish to add a crease to their eyes, “double eyelid surgery” may be the right solution. This surgery is designed to make the eyes appear somewhat rounder and larger, exposing more of the eyelashes, and making it easier for women to apply eyeliner. Contrary to popular belief, the surgical addition of a crease and removal of puffiness is not intended to erase the ethnicity of your face.