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FRACTIONAL LASER RESURFACING - MiXto™ sx

Everyone knows that traditional CO2 laser facial skin resurfacing can produce beautiful and dramatic results by erasing wrinkle lines and years of sun damage, but the healing phase is horrendous and the down time of several weeks is unacceptable for most patients. New technological advances however have eliminated these problems!

The new MiXto Fractional CO2 Laser provides an effective, single treatment procedure for skin resurfacing and skin rejuvenation with minimal healing time. The MiXto combines the benefits of a CO2 laser resurfacing with the new Fractional technology that keeps bridges of skin intact between the treatment areas, allowing rapid healing and little to no down time.

This new Fractional technology breaks the laser beam into extremely small circles of laser light, placing them in a computer generated, precise pattern and treating only a controlled percentage of the skin's surface. This small percentage is just enough to remove sun damage, lesions and the aged appearance. But, don't let the small size of these laser beams fool you, the micro-spot sized beam is powerful enough to penetrate to the deepest depths of the skin, tightening the collagen fibers and stimulating the formation of new collagen, while leaving the surrounding skin intact for quick healing. These most remarkable advances of the MiXto fractional laser, shorten the required healing time and down time to days compared to weeks with other lasers. This also enables patients to get back to their normal life sooner, looking refreshed, more youthful and with healthier skin.

Patients also prefer this laser treatment because little or no anesthesia is required in most cases. There is immediate contraction of collagen fibers to improve wrinkles. Skin laxity is noticeably improved! Just one treatment removes most pigmentation problems, reduces pore size, wrinkles, acne scars and other textural irregularities. It is effective on discoloration from sun damage and aging. It is also an effective treatment of actinic keratoses (pre-cancerous cells that may be invisible to the naked eye).

Overall, this new laser technology provides excellent results without the pain and downtime of surgery or other lasers.

SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS

It's back, Finally!

The controversy is finally over. In November of 2006, The FDA placed silicone breast implants back on the market, making them available once again for breast augmentation. The only restriction being that in order to have breast augmentation performed using silicone you must be at least 22 yrs of age. Any woman 18 yrs or older can still have saline implants and we do still see an occasional woman that requests saline. The old "silicone scare" has not totally disappeared yet. Many women (and their counterparts) are still unaware of all of the scientific studies and data (accumulated over the past 15 yrs while silicone use was restricted to reconstructive use only) - (Link) that has exonerated silicone. This is unfortunate, but as we all know, good news rarely makes the headlines. It's "bad news" that sells!

To fill in the younger generation of women as to the history of silicone:

The use of silicone breast implants began back in 1960. At that time, little testing was required of medical devices prior to them being placed on the market. So, in the late 1980's when these once young and healthy breast implant patients of the 1960's began developing the usual diseases that anyone can get (but no- one knows why), the question was raised of "I wonder if my breast implants caused me to get this disease?" Unfortunately, there was no proof at the time that silicone wasn't the cause. People just assumed that since the disease developed after the implants were placed, that the implants caused the disease.

Unfortunately, since silicone had been used in other body implants and medical devices previously (and still is today) there was not much testing required prior to using it in silicone implants. It was assumed that it was safe. Therefore, there were no studies or data available to reassure these women that their implants were not the cause of their disease.

Due to this great uncertainty, in 1990 the FDA removed silicone breast implants from the market. What followed was a calamity of unfortunate events, including many healthy women, without any medical problems or any indication that their silicone implants were causing or were going to cause them any health problems, having to have additional surgery to remove their implants. This included, the pain, risks, and expense that went along with this (what is now known to have been) unnecessary surgery.

Fortunately for these women there was, and still is, the option of saline implants. Saline implants; a silicone balloon filled with salt water, (Saline; which already makes up 68% of your body weight) have never been indicated to cause any medical diseases or health risks. So, from 1990- 2006 the only breast implant option for most women wanting their breasts enlarged, was saline. Numerous studies regarding silicone then began. This included many studies of the women who had implants placed in the 1960's, and since that time, comparing the incidence of disease in these women to the general public. Fortunately it was found to be the same. Studies also looked at the physiology of silicone in the human body. No link was found to any disease.

However, what was interesting was one little known fact that was brought to our attention. Unfortunately, most people still don't know this and still think of silicone as something bad that doesn't belong in the human body. The fact is that we all already have silicone in our bodies! What most people don't realize is that silicone is in numerous foods, medications and cosmetics. Celery, potato chips, Maalox (simethicone), lipstick, etc, all have silicone in them and have never been indicated to cause any harm.

There were also two large FDA monitored studies that began after the moratorium was placed, which allowed women to have silicone breast implants for reconstructive purposes, either to rebuild their breast after mastectomy or to correct a deformity such as severe asymmetry. These studies followed each of these women for at least 5 yrs after their implants were inserted to evaluate them for an increased incidence of any disease. This study lasted from 1991-2006 and enrolled tens of thousands of women. The results clearly showed no increased incidence of any disease in women with silicone implants compared to the general public.

In November 2006 the FDA therefore placed silicone breast implants back on the market for use in women age 22 or older for breast augmentation or reconstruction.

INJECTABLE FILLER

RADIESSE® is a safe, FDA-approved dermal filler that restores a natural fullness to areas of volume loss of the face. Results are immediate and it typically lasts a year or more. This treatment fills and corrects smile lines, nasolabial folds and wrinkles around the nose and mouth. RADIESSE is made of calcium-based microspheres suspended in a natural gel that is injected into the skin. The procedure can be done under local anesthesia in the office. RADIESSE works with your body to stimulate the growth of your own collagen. Over time, the microspheres gradually break down and are safely and naturally absorbed by your body. RADIESSE does more than just temporarily fill-in facial folds and wrinkles - it rebuilds your skin's foundation and restores your youthful look without the risks of a permanent implant.

PSORIASIS CREAM

Qusamine-ST® with Releven™ is an innovative soothing cream designed to relieve the itch associated with psoriasis. Psoriasis is believed to be an auto-immune disease causing excess epidermal cells to accumulate on the skin surface forming scales, plaques, and lesions. Along with these lesions, itching is almost always encountered in the affected area. Qusamine-ST® with Releven contains a balanced combination of amino acids and amino sugars combined with salicylic acid for dramatic itch relief. In a clinical 6-week study with psoriasis patients, Releven, combination of amino acid and amino sugar, dramatically improved the action of salicylic acid in reducing skin irritation and itching. Qusamine-ST® with Releven™ is steroid free, calms and soothes, is ultra moisturizing, pH balanced, fragrance free and dermatologist recommended.

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