Long gone are the days when I would lie on my parent’s roof with my REO Speedwagon album covered in tinfoil, slathered in baby oil and spritzing Sun-In in my hair… Yes, my friends, I WORSHIPED the sun. Peeling sunburns, cute freckles and a haircolor not found in nature.

Fall is the perfect time of year to hit the “restart” button. I for one tend to wait until fall to fully address my problem skin. Those of you who know me, know that I suffer from multiple skin issues: Adult acne, melasma (hormone induced hyperpigmentation), telangectasias (veins), poiklioderma (sun induced blotchiness/crusty lesions) and Rosacea – although I live in a constant state of “Rosacea denial.” Geez, when I list them it sounds like I should walk around with a paper bag over my head…

I am a “real” person. I LIKE the sun. I have a pool in my backyard. I will not lecture you about a suntan, but I will educate you about how to better protect yourself. Unless you are going to take the paper bag route, you might want to pay attention.

“Fixing” your sins takes effort, time, money and the complete willingness to curb your appetite for the sun. Think of me, and Laura (FUZION’S medically trained Esthetician), as your fairy-skin-Godmothers. As you stand in CVS staring at a sea of bleaching creams, false promises, chemical-laden sunscreens and “miracle wrinkle reducers,” remember all it takes is a phone call to get some professional guidance. Your effort must be multi-faceted:

1. Professional intervention: Fraxel re:pair CO2, Affirm fractionated laser, Intense Pulsed Light, Customized Chemical Peels (check out the Melanage Peel for melasma) and microdermabrasion treatments are the “big guns.” All of these treatments, except the Fraxel re:pair CO2, require multiple treatments. Price ranges $4000.00-$125.00 per treatment.

Take your clothes off! We urge each of you to get an annual Dermatologic evaluation. If there are new, old or changed lesions you should have them examined. If you are a patient of FUZION and need a Dermatologist, please ask. We are happy to help you.

2. At-Home Care: Medical grade creams and serums custom made to enhance exfoliation of sundamaged, aging and “dull” appearing skin. Most commonly, prescription strength retinoids, Hydroquinone, Vitamin C preparations, Human Growth Factors (PSP/TNS), Glycolic Acid preparations, Hyalouronic Acid and physical sunblocks.

Another aid to exfoliation is the Clarisonic Pro. It is our most popular item sold at FUZION. Using the Clarisonic once to twice daily (ask us if your skin can tolerate twice daily usage), will result in tighter, more even skin, diminished symptoms of acne, rosacea, seborrhea and poiklioderma; and will increase the absorption of your skincare products by >300%.

3. Changing your ways: I’m sorry to tell you, but you’ve got to do something! Wear a hat. Wallaroo hats, sold at FUZION, carry an SPF rating of 50. Avoid blatant sun exposure during the heat of the day. Invest in a medical grade PHYSICAL sunblock. Our favorite full body sunscreen is ELTA MD. We also have many combination moisturizers with physical SPFs.

Remember, you can’t hide from the sun. It is capable of damaging your skin through a window*. Most of the damage you see on your skin happened years ago, but that doesn’t mean that you have to live with the signs. So, unless you are buying stock in paper bags, know that there is help for us retired sun-lovers.

By the way, REO Speedwagon still makes me sweat!

*This is a photo of a woman with extensive poiklioderma on the left side of her face from having her work desk positioned in a window.

Lipodissolve involves injections of phosphatidylcholine and sodium dioxycholate, often with vitamins and often compounded right on the premises, that purportedly dissolve fat deposits. However, this procedure and its pharmaceutical composition has not been proven effective or safe. Regardless, it is offered by many facilities that advertise it as an alternative to liposuction, and it is often administered by staff with little to no medical training.

This week, a handful of medspas around the country offering lipodissolve received warning letters from the FDA stating, “The claims made for your lipodissolve products are false and misleading in that they are not supported by substantial evidence or substantial clinical experience.”

The FDA has yet to see credible scientific evidence of lipodissolve’s benefits, but they’ve seen plenty of complaints from consumers who were left with lumps, scars and deformities after undergoing the treatment.

In addition to citing the medspas, the FDA has also sent warnings to a Brazilian company that offers the mixtures. Almost immediately, the company put up a message on their websites stating, “Due to the current facts,” they “do not sell Lipodissolve vials anymore.”

The medspas have two weeks to stop what they’re doing and notify the FDA of their efforts to correct their violations.

The increase in non-invasive procedures administered by facial plastic surgeons was seen across the spectrum of treatments with the greatest increase being Sculptra, poly-l-lactic acid, (up 71 percent). Other increases include chemical peels (up 52 percent), hyaluronic acid (up 48%) and BOTOX® (up 45 percent).

The survey also showed that 77 percent of physicians agree that patients are more educated about plastic surgery options. With more people wanting to look younger, feel better and take an active role in their health, patients are researching different physicians and treatments to find the best one suited to meet their personal needs. Awareness of various procedures, appropriate physicians, best results and recovery times play an important role in the decision-making process.

“We are excited to see patients making educated choices. They are now open to newer, novel treatments and are making smart decisions that are tailored to their needs,” said Daniel Rousso, MD, President of the AAFPRS. “The overall rise in these procedures also shows that more patients are trusting their face to facial plastic surgeons who are trained and focus solely on the face and neck. Because of this, patients are seeing better outcomes.”

In 2009, women continued to be the most likely candidates for facial plastic surgery making up 84 percent of all surgical and non-surgical procedures. However, men and women are equally split when it comes to reconstructive procedures.

Surgical Procedures

In 2000, facial plastic surgeons reported the facelift as the most common cosmetic surgical procedure, followed by blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), rhinoplasty (nose surgeries) and ablative skin resurfacing. These procedures are most commonly performed on patients between the ages of 35 and 60 years of age. For female patients under age 35, the most common procedure performed was rhinoplasty.

The surgical procedures with the largest increases over the past year were ablative skin resurfacing (up 57 percent), revision surgery (up 18 percent) and facelifts (up 14 percent). Decreases were seen in lip augmentation (down 52 percent) and rhinoplasty (down 13 percent).

Medispa Findings

Physicians continue to express concern over procedures performed at medical spas (medispas). 76 percent of facial plastic surgeons surveyed say they are aware that medical directors of medispas are not actually on site for medical treatments. Most cosmetic procedures are performed in a private office (54 percent) setting. Procedures performed in a hospital came in at 23 percent and the number of procedures performed at medical spas or medispas remained unchanged (2 percent). Half of the physicians surveyed are aware of misleading advertising involving injectables, lasers and other cosmetic therapies. 35 percent of physicians believe medispas will become a more popular location for patients undergoing treatments.

Other Facial Plastic Surgery Trends

The facelift is the most common procedure performed on Caucasian patients, African Americans and Hispanics are most likely to have rhinoplasty while Asian Americans get blepharoplasty most often. Overall, 80 percent of AAFPRS members who participated in the survey feel that the future holds more cosmetic surgery for ethnic populations.

In addition, more facial plastic surgeons will offer wellness and lifestyle techniques to enhance the patient experience and to provide a more comprehensive approach.

FUZION takes the guess-work out of finding a qualified expert who understands your needs. Consultations are always complimentary and include a full overview of your concerns and a variety of treatment options. Please let us help you find your beauty.

We at FUZION Medical Aesthetic Boutique take your health, and aesthetic needs seriously. Dr. Goodkind and I are committed to bringing you safe and effective treatments. Education is imperative!  Arm yourself with the knowledge and you will know what to ask, expect and receive. People from around the country read our blog, so we are writing this to educate everyone. I hope you find it informative.

Many people don’t know that there are laws governing aesthetic practices in the state of Connecticut. Did you know that you have to be an MD, Physician Assistant or Nurse Practictioner to operate a laser independently?  If a nurse is operating a laser, their Supervising Physician must be onsite and able to observe, intervene or treat any side effects that may occur.  Each state has its’ own laws, so check with your local Department of Public Health for your state.
1.  Who is the physician associated with the practice? Is their name in clear site at the office? Are you informed of their name and Board Certifications?
2. When is the doctor on site? Do they have an office on site or are they only available by phone?
3. Do patients/clients have access to the doctor?
4. What is the specific speciality of the doctor?
5. What is the specific training and experience of the treatment provider, if it’s not the doctor? How many of these procedures have they done? how long have they worked in aesthetics? Do they hold any special certifications?
6. How often is the treatment provider in contact with the doctor?
7. If a patient has an unexpected reaction, what is the emergency plan? Who is in charge of that plan? Do they have the appropriate qualifications to manage that reaction?
8.What kind of evaluation must patients undergo before their first treatment? Was your consultation performed by a medical professional or skincare specialist?
9. Do you have access to your provider after hours? Do they have prescriptive priviledges to manage any side effects?

10. Who is calling the shots?  Did the consulting professional assess your needs or did you tell them what you saw on tv and that is what was done?

If you are not satisfied with your answers, please keep looking. If you are impressed and feel comfortable then jump in – the water is great! Please contact us with any questions that you might have. FUZION’s highly trained professional staff provides a safe, legal and enjoyable experience. Whether you are interested in make-up, skincare, injectables, laser therapy or full body plastic surgery FUZION has the answers to your aesthetic questions.

Join us on April 7th for Image 101. This is a chance to ask our experts your toughest questions.

• Lower your thermostat
• Moisturize more frequently
• Take warm—not hot—showers
• Drink more water
• Get a humidifier

Now, here are a few new suggestions you may not have heard before:

Bathe less frequently. Most of us don’t need to bathe or shower every day. As Americans, we are a little obsessed with cleanliness. Many dermatologists have talked about our bathing obsession for years. You probably know someone who bathes morning AND night – crazy!! Try bathing every other day, I guarantee your skin will love you in return.

Edit your skin care products and routine. You change your wardrobe from summer to winter. Why wouldn’t you do the same with you skin care? Talk to a skin care professional to see if you should be making a switch! You may need a more hydrating moisturizer or need to add a serum with hyaluronic acid to help create a moisture barrier. [Of course, if you are not sure who to talk to, schedule a complimentary consultation with me now].

DO NOT stop exfoliating, in fact, you may need to step it up! Exfoliation rids the skin surface of old dead skin cells…which makes skin look dry and inhibits product penetration. You may also want to consider some professional exfoliation too, like a chemical peel or microdermabrasion. If you’re not quite sure what to expect with those, watch these videos of Erica getting a chemical peel and microdermabrasion.

Do you have any questions? Don’t hesitate to post a question or ask me directly! We are also hosting a free event next week, January 13 at 6pm at FUZION to discuss How to Beat the Winter Skin Blues. Make sure to join us!

-Laura