Category: Injectable
Men Are Body-Conscious, Too
When people talk about body image, we often assume that they are referring to women. But men experience similar insecurities about their physical appearance, according to many studies published worldwide.
Many men worry about beer bellies, love handles, man “boobs” and hair loss, among other issues associated with aging.
More than four in five men (80.7 percent) talk in ways that promote anxiety about their body image by referring to perceived flaws and imperfections, compared with 75 percent of women, according to a study from the University of the West of England. The study also revealed that 23 percent of the surveyed men didn’t go to the gym because they were concerned about their appearance and 63 percent thought that their arms and chests were not muscular enough.
A study in 2016 by Chapman University researchers, published in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity, showed that:
- About 25 percent of the men were dissatisfied with their appearance, compared to about 28.5 percent of women.
- More than half of the men had gone on diets in the past year, and nearly 42 percent were unhappy with their weight.
- About 37 percent did not like the condition of their muscle tone.
- About 69 percent felt judged on their looks and felt pressure from magazines and television to have a slimmer and more muscular body.
So, if you are male and concerned about your body shape, you are not alone. It’s likely that you
have dieted and spent hours in the gym. Sometimes, these tactics are not enough for certain trouble spots or for men of certain ages.
In our offices, one of the most popular procedures for men is SmartLipo Triplex, particularly for the neck, abdomen and breast area. SmartLipo Triplex is a minimally invasive method for removing unwanted fat and sculpting areas of the body that you’d like to change.
We also find that Kybella is effective for reducing the double chin, a common male problem that often resists diet and exercise. This procedure slims and contours the area below and around your chin and neck, without surgery.
You may also be concerned about the effects of aging, sun damage and stress, all of which can negatively impact how you feel about yourself at home and at work. Many male patients come see us for Botox, particularly for their foreheads and crow’s feet, and for dermal fillers that minimize the folds around their noses and corners of their mouths. Some of these fillers include Belotero, Juvederm, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Silk and Radiesse. Also, to decrease wrinkles and sagging on the face and around the eyes, many men come to us for Thermage CPT, Infini and Fraxel Repair Laser Treatments.
If you’re not entirely happy with how you look, don’t hesitate to call our office for a complimentary consultation. We’ll try to help you look and feel your best.
See you soon.
Tracking Changes In Your Skin
It seems that summer just began and now, Labor Day is a few weeks away. The time goes quickly, and while you may not feel any older, your skin has another story to tell. Aging plays tricks on the delicate composition of your skin. The best way to ward off the signs of stress is to know what is ahead and take as many precautions as possible.
Here is what you can expect:
In Your 20s and 30s: Get ready. Hormonal changes can happen during this time, causing adult acne. We can treat it, though, with our Pulsed Dye Laser. Also, you may notice the first signs of wrinkles and pigmentation. Botox and Dysport will help minimize lines, keeping them from setting and deepening. Fraxel DUAL and IPL will help reduce discoloration, brown spots and freckling.
In Your 40s: Your skin may look dull and rough, and age spots may appear since the skin can’t repair itself as quickly or as completely as it use to. You may notice that your skin is beginning to lose its youthful glow as skin cell shedding begins to slow down. But, we can brighten and smooth out your skin with Fraxel DUAL and Fraxel Repair laser treatments. Your skin tone will look even, and wrinkles and pores will diminish. During this time, wrinkles may be deeper than they were before. Dermal fillers such as Restylane, Restylane Defyne, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Refyne, Restylane Silk, Voluma, Juvederm, Belotero and Radiesse, and neurotoxins, such as Botox and Dysport, are effective in reducing the appearance of these lines and folds.
In Your 50s and 60s: You may notice that subtle lines have turned into deep wrinkles and previously taut skin has begun to sag. Declining collagen and elastin levels cause your skin to become thinner and more fragile and the underlying skin structure to be less supported. Lasers such as Fraxel Repair and Fraxel Dual can work wonders to resurface skin and stimulate collagen production, which will help lift up and plump your skin, nonsurgically. They will also help to lighten any discoloration caused by sun exposure or simple aging. Loose and sagging skin can be tightened with radiofrequency treatments like Infini and Exilis Ultra 360.
At all times of your life, remember to do what you can to preserve your skin’s natural beauty. Wear plenty of sunscreen (and not only in the summer), avoid the sun as much as possible, steer clear of smoking and cleanse and moisturize often.
If you’d like to hear how we can help you look your most youthful best, call our office for a complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
Less Lip, Please
Like fashion, there are trends in our practice, too. For a time years ago, people wanted the puffiest lip possible, and many of them got what they wanted, even if the results were unnatural and overdone. These days, subtlety is everything, and the lips are a case in point.
Many of you, when you come to my office, are concerned that your treatments will be obvious. One of the biggest giveaways is the lip that is too full for the face.
My guiding principle has always been “less is more.” Much more. When it comes to restoring lips to their youthful state, this approach is essential. My method has three parts: Define, shape and add volume.
Lips tend to thin out and lose fat as we get older. To give them the appearance that they once had, or to plump lips that are naturally thin, I use dermal fillers in small specific ways to create subtle changes that provide maximum visual impact. The secret is balance. If any part of the lips is too fat or too thin, your entire face will look strange.
First, I define the edge between the top lip and the skin above it, beneath your nose. Then, to reshape and plump the upper lip, I make tiny injections in key spots. The upper lip should have variation across the lower border and a bow across the top.
For the lower lip, which typically has a uniform shape all the way across and a little extra volume in the middle, I look at all the angles. From the side, the lip shouldn’t extend out too far or appear puffy. From the front, there should be a touch of extra height.
A variety of lip injection options are available to you, and the results should last from several months to a year, depending on the type of filler that we use. We like to use the hyaluronic acid fillers Restylane, Restylane Refyne, Restylane Silk, Belotero Balance,Volbella and Juvederm.
The injections take only a few minutes, and you should be able to go back to your normal activities right after the procedure.
If you’d like to talk with us about your lips, or any other concerns, call our office today for a complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
Being Thankful for More than Just Juvederm
As another year winds down and the holiday season gets under way, I’d like to thank all of you for entrusting me with your health and well-being. I value your choosing me as your doctor and your loyalty, and feel lucky to have such wonderful patients, an exemplary staff and a supportive community.
Please accept my wishes for a happy Thanksgiving filled with all good things. Enjoy your family, your friends, your time to slow down and appreciate.
We’ll see you next week.
Back to School Means Back to You
The school bells are ringing again and for moms, the sound means one thing–extra time. With kids back in the classroom, why not devote a little attention to yourself this fall?
Whether you are a new mother enduring the lingering effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding or a seasoned mom who forgets to put herself first sometimes, you could be a candidate for our Mommy Makeover, a collection of treatments that will help you feel and look as terrific as you can.
It is not uncommon for young mothers to experience such conditions as acne, acne scarring, melasma (darkened facial skin), cellulite, unwanted fat, unwanted hair growth, prominent facial blood vessels, loose skin, brown spots and stretch marks. Experienced moms may feel that they look tired and worn.
Wherever you are in life, I will customize a specific plan that will address all of your post-baby or super-parent beauty concerns in a way that is easy to accomplish, convenient and stress-free.
Here are a few possible conditions and treatments for all mommies, new and not-so-new:
- For acne: pulsed dye laser, DermaFrac, microdermabrasion
- For melasma: Fraxel DUAL laser
- For cellulite: Cellulaze, Exilis Elite
- For unwanted fat: SmartLipo TriPlex, Exilis Elite
- For unwanted hair growth: Laser Hair Removal, IPL Hair Removal
- For facial blood vessels: Diolite (KTP532) laser, IPL (intense pulsed light), GentleWaves
- For loose skin: Thermage CPT, Exilis Elite, Fraxel lasers, laser wrinkle reduction, SmartLipo TriPlex
- For brown spots: Fraxel DUAL laser, IPL (intense pulsed light), Diolite (KTP532) laser, chemical peels, GentleWaves
- For stretch marks: Fraxel lasers
- For acne scarring: Fraxel lasers, pulsed dye laser, dermal fillers
Please call our office for a complimentary consultation. New seasons are a time for positive change, and we are ready to help you transform, physically and emotionally.
See you soon.
Look Aging in the Eyes: Skim Years with a Botox Brow Lift
We look at your face from the inside out. Knowing how to make subtle changes in your outward appearance requires that we understand exactly how your muscles work beneath the surface of your skin. And, the muscles of your face are some of the most complex.
Some facial muscles work against each other—certain ones lift a given feature while other ones push it downward. The outer part of the eyebrow, for instance, is lifted up by forehead muscles and pulled down by squinting muscles. This push-pull, though, presents a clever option. If we want only the muscle that does the lifting to do its job, we can use Botox to relax the muscle that does the pulling. The result is a nonsurgical brow lift, a treatment of a few simple injections that raises and shapes the brow area and also corrects forehead lines, crow’s feet and frown lines.
Often, the lift measures only about 2 millimeters, but the difference is striking. You will look rejuvenated and refreshed immediately, without undergoing traditional brow or forehead surgery.
Call our office for a complimentary consultation tailored just for you.
See you soon.
Love Your Body with Speedy Summer Fixes
It may not yet be hot enough for the beach, and if you don’t love how you look in a bathing suit, that is good news. But why not love how you look? Why not embrace the season, the suit and your shape?
It’s time to stop hiding. Body sculpting is minimally invasive, safe and quick. With SmartLipo TriPlex laser treatments, we can remove fat from targeted areas of your body. You’ll see a reduction in inches, smoother and tighter skin and a highly defined new shape.
The treatment is done with local anesthesia in our state-of-the-art office, and is particularly effective for abdomens and waistlines–and for both men and women. You’ll see changes in your body that diet and exercise have failed to produce.
We can also reduce the cellulite that ruins any good bathing suit. With the Cellulaze laser, we smooth skin on the thighs buttocks, stomach, upper arms–anywhere where bumps and ripples appear. Despite your rigorous exercise, weight training and high-intensity workouts, cellulite sometimes sticks around. The Cellulaze laser attacks it where it begins, under the skin.
Finally, here’s a run-down of some of our other fast treatments for minimizing lines, wrinkles and folds:
- For crow’s feet and droopy brows: Botox and Dysport
- For tear troughs and hollows below the lower eyelid: Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero
- For sagging and shallow cheeks, temples and jawlines: Voluma XC, Radiesse, Perlane, Restylane and Juvederm
- For nasolabial folds: Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse and Belotero
- For thin and flat lips: Juvederm, Restylane, Restylane Silk and Perlane
Please call our office to schedule a consultation, and see you at the beach.
Last Dash to Summer: The Perfect Time for a Liquid Facelift
Many of you have beaten the calendar and been in to see me these past few weeks. But there is still time for a quick Liquid Facelift before summer officially begins this coming weekend. Among the top nonsurgical anti-aging treatments, the Liquid Facelift can offer instant results, plumping up your sagging spots and restoring a youthful contour to your face.
We use injectable fillers to take years off your temples, brows, upper eyelids, under eye areas, cheeks, mouth corners and jowls. No one is happy to see lines, wrinkles, sagging skin or just a tired appearance in the mirror. With expert precision and careful attention to your facial anatomy, we can erase your flaws, naturally and easily. Your recovery time will be minimal, too.
Here is how we do it:
- Define, lift, shape the cheeks…with Juvederm Voluma
- Erase forehead lines…with Botox or Dysport
- Balance the chin…augment with Radiesse
- Lift the mouth…reduce nasolabial folds and downturned lips to restore a youthful smile
- Open up the eyes…to perk up your entire face
- Elevate the brows…to create a rested appearance
- Reduce eye puffiness…to give structure to under eye area and compensate for bone loss, fat loss and thinning skin
Call our office this week for a consultation, before summer is in high gear. We’ll devise a special plan just for you.
Fillers & Laser Resurfacing VS. Surgery
One of the most common questions I get is whether the non surgical options, such as fillers and lasers, really can offer visible, lasting results, or if cosmetic surgery is inevitable. To answer, it is important to at least have a general understanding of the main modalities of facial rejuvenation. Many factors play into whether someone can get very good results with lasers and fillers, and not need to resort to surgery. It is a topic I’ll discuss further in this week’s blog.
No Discomfort and Down Time
I couldn’t start without addressing the reasons to even consider fillers and lasers before surgery, of which there are many. Many people don’t want to go through the pain and time that it takes to recover from cosmetic surgery. Fillers and most lasers are in and out treatments with minor to no discomfort. Any side effects such as mild redness, tenderness or swelling diminish quickly and can be covered with mineral makeup so that there really isn’t any down time.
Instant Gratification
Result times from surgery can vary based on the kinds of surgery and its necessary recovery time, but most certainly it’s in the weeks to months time frame rather than days. Fillers, such as Juvederm and Juvederm Voluma XC, provide instant results that can last a year or 2. The rejuvenating changes from laser treatments are immediately visible, but increase over a few weeks, as the body is stimulated to produce more collagen. Lasers, such as Fraxel DUAL and Fraxel RePair actually empower skin to act younger again.
What Lasers and Fillers Can Do
Lasers and fillers are a great option when skin still has some elasticity, but needs help with firmness and wrinkles. You’d be amazed that you can look 10 years younger without drastic measures. Lasers stimulate collagen production, which produces a tightening effect on the skin. They also improve skin tone, smoothness, and correct pigmentation problems. As long as there’s still some skin elasticity, a successful alternative to an eye lift is the Fraxel RePair laser to lift and tighten sagging eyelids.
Fillers can be used in a variety of ways to improve wrinkles and restore volume to the face. A cheek augmentation with Juvederm Voluma XC creates a mini face lift. By adding volume to the cheeks, it can tighten the skin around the mouth and nose to decrease marionette and smile lines.
When Surgery is Necessary
As skin gets to the point where it doesn’t have elasticity and is literally hanging, it is time to consult a surgeon. Fortunately, with a great maintenance plan of skin care, Botox, fillers and lasers, your skin can stay younger looking for much longer.
Visit www.DrCovey.com to find out about all the alternatives to surgery with the youth restoring laser and filler treatments available.
Sincerely,
Dr Covey
Causes of lines, wrinkles and furrows…and How You Can Get Rid of Them…
Lines, wrinkles, furrows, folds and sagging skin all form for various reasons. I’m often asked what causes these unwelcome signs of aging, so I decided to write about it in this blog.
Deep lines or furrows are formed, over the years, by facial muscles in motion. These are called dynamic lines due to the muscle activity, and they occur mainly in the forehead, around the eyes (squint lines or Crow’s Feet) and above the upper lip from repeated lip pursing. Botox and Dysport are the top choices for temporarily correcting dynamic lines. These injectables work by inhibiting muscle activity to slow down line formation, smooth out existing lines and wrinkles and prevent future ones from being formed.
Static lines are those lines that are unchanged by muscle motion. They just stay the way they were formed. Eventually, dynamic lines become static also thus making them permanent. Injectable fillers, such as Radiesse, Restylane, Juvederm or Belotero are great choices for eliminating static lines. Fillers plump up the treated areas and restore youthful contours for up to 2 years with our newer, advanced formulas and injection techniques.
Sags and Bags are different than lines and wrinkles even though they all occur with aging. Ptosis (sagging) is primarily linked to the aging process. As we age, there is a gradual reduction of subcutaneous fat cells. This is another form of volume loss that causes the skin to stretch and sag (ptosis) due to skin laxity. This process is clearly seen in the lower part of the aging face such as the jowls or nasolabial folds or saggy upper eyelids and under eye bags from too much fat. If minor preventive treatments are started early enough (20’s-30’s) much of this can be delayed, slowed down or prevented without surgery. Today’s injectable fillers are often called “miracle workers” for good reason.
It’s never too late to get started! Exilis Elite can tighten lax skin, melt stubborn fat, resculpt your face (and body) and restore youthful contours. Popular areas we treat include: face, jowls, neck, chest, back, love handles, bra fat, abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks, knees and more.
Beach Time can be eye opening…many of my patients are coming in for cellulite treatments with our Cellulaze Laser. It is the first and only one that attacks cellulite where it starts…under the skin. This office treatment offers immediate, satisfying results.
My patients love Cellulazetm Laser treatments because they get results! Visit my website www.DrCovey.com for more info on Cellulaze and other age defying treatments I offer.
At East End Laser Care, each patient helps design his or her own personalized treatment plan. This assures you get the results you desire and deserve. Let’s talk soon.
Sincerely,
Dr. Covey
NOSE RESHAPING…with INJECTABLES
NON SURGICAL NOSE RESHAPING
Injectable Fillers are an alternative to surgery for restoring youthfulness to a nose that has changed with aging. Each year over half a million people choose to have their noses reshaped for various reasons. Rhinoplasty surgery used to be the only option for creating the nose patients dreamed of. Now, Injectable Fillers have proven safe and effective in correcting unsightly bulges, humps, bumps, droopy nasal tips, bridge irregularities and more.
Since the nose is the most defining characteristic of the face, the size and shape can either enhance or distort the appearance. The ultimate goal of nose reshaping is to create a nose that looks natural and also blends harmoniously with the other facial features. It can boost self confidence and enhance self esteem. Nose Reshaping, done well, will not change the way you look…but it will restore youthfulness by highlighting your own facial features.
While surgery can achieve more significant and pronounced results, today’s advanced Injectables can achieve remarkable results that patients, who want to avoid surgery, love! The past decade has brought advanced, highly sophisticated Injectable Fillers to the market, and these can achieve wonderful, long lasting results.
OPTIONS for INJECTABLE NOSE RESHAPING
Hyaluronic acid based fillers such as Restylane, Perlane and Juvederm get results that can last for years. The fillers are injected into targeted areas of the nose, to correct those unwelcome imperfections and reshape the contours. Nasolabial Folds are also injected to restore volume to this area of the face and to complement the reshaped nose. The results can be seen instantly.
THE AGING CHIN and JAW
The shape of the chin and jaw also changes with age and should not be missed when restoring facial balance. Augmenting the chin and jawline can easily be done in tandem while redefining the cheeks with Voluma. Instant results can be had without surgery, again, using Injectable fillers such as Restylane, Radiesse, Juvederm and Perlane to restore volume and shape. Augmenting the chin can make it look stronger and diminish shadows that can linger around the corners of the mouth.
BOTOX BROWLIFT…is a non surgical alternative to the traditional surgical BrowLift/ForeHead Lift. Botox can lift and shape the brow area, correcting mild ptosis, while also reducing forehead lines, crow’s feet, frown lines, sad lines and bunny lines. Results offer a rejuvenated, more refreshed appearance without surgery, without downtime or the side effects associated with surgery. Learn more about Botox on my website: www.Dr.Covey.com.
SKINCARE, PEELS, LASER OPTIONS…to be ready for graduations, family reunions, career events and… just because you want to look great! Talk to us about Microdermabrasion for instant results that achieve fresh, healthy glowing skin. Ask us to help you tailor your own Spring Program.
BODY SCULPTING with SmartLipo TriPlex to be Beach Body Ready and Cellulaze to get rid of unsightly Cellulite and EXILIS or Thermage for skin tightening. We are your bodyshaping experts with these and many other options to help you be, feel and look your very best now.
Well, this blog has covered options for restoring facial youthfulness and balance with Injectable fillers, BrowLift using Botox, and some skin rejuvenating ideas. Body Sculpting is a top choice among every age group today for very good reasons…it’s safe and it works. These are all non surgical options… another reason they’re so popular
What are your cosmetic needs and desires? Let’s talk soon.
Sincerely,
Dr. Covey
Youthful Eyes Again with Injectables
My last blog reviewed Liquid FaceLifts using injectables such as Radiesse, Juvederm, Restylane, Belotero, Juvederm Voluma (for amazing cheek lifts) and, of course, Botox/Dysport for smoothing out lines and wrinkles…especially around the eyes and in the forehead. This blog will focus on the eyes because they are such a complex part of the face, and age related changes around the eyes can be dramatic.
THE PATH of AGING EYES starts with lines and wrinkles and progresses over the years. Loose skin, volume loss and even changes in shape occur over time. The eyes are housed in an orbit. This is a little house with two sidewalls, a floor and a ceiling. As we age, the eyes sink back and down and the house gets bigger, thus a changing shape becomes visible. This is due to bone and soft tissue transformations (architectural).
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS:
- Droopy brows and eyelids
- Hooded Eyelids
- Crow’s Feet
- Under Eye bags (puffy)
- Under Eye Hollows and Shadowing
- Aged, sad facial appearance
- Eye shape may change (from almond to round)
Injectables are very effective for improving the appearance of both wrinkles and depressions around the eyes. It’s even possible to diminish dark circles and under eye hollows with a series of injections that smooth the contour from the lower lid down to the cheek. The best options include hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm or Restylane to replace lost volume, and Botox to smooth out lines and wrinkles and prevent future ones. Thermage/Thermal Lift may be used to correct “puffiness” under the eyes and to tighten loose upper eyelids.
Perlane can effectively remove under eye shadows with injections in the tear troughs. This volume replacement eliminates that worn-out look accentuated by puffy tear troughs.
Good skin elasticity is important, so starting at a younger age, with minor treatments and always maintaining them, allows people to delay or even avoid surgery altogether while looking years younger
Hollow eyes are caused by loss of soft tissue volume, in the orbit, and bone density. This combination makes the eye appear “sunken.” This can develop as early as the teenage years. Hollow eyes make you look “aged” as the eyes appear bony, recessed, sunken and gaunt.
Crow’s Feet…get rid of them! Caused by muscles in motion, these worry lines, frown lines, smile lines are all called dynamic wrinkles, caused from years of living and using facial muscles to show expression. Botox and Dysport can safely and effectively erase them and prevent future recurrences. Skin Resurfacing, like the Fraxel Laser, is also a top treatment, done in combo with Botox/Dysport, to get rid of unhealthy skin, lines and wrinkles, and leave you with fresh, glowing skin.
You’ve probably heard the saying: “The eyes have it.” Well, if your eyes don’t have a young, healthy appearance we can change that. Let’s talk soon about your own tailored treatment plan…for your eyes.
Sincerely,
Dr. Covey
