Monthly Archives: January 2012

January 28, 2012 · 9:50 am

4 Treatment Options To Erase Acne Scars

Today’s Question: I had bad acne that is finally clearing up. Unfortunately, it has left behind scars. How can I get rid of them? Charlotte, Claypool

Answer: If having acne isn’t bad enough, the scars it can leave behind are a painful reminder of the often embarrassing condition. Not that it makes it any easier, but you are not alone,Charlotte. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 80 percent of people between the ages of 11 and 30 have outbreaks of the skin disorder at some point. Those outbreaks can not only scar our self-esteem, but also our face. The good news is there are several treatment options to erase those acne scars including: medical skin care, chemical peels, dermal filler and fractional laser.

1. Medical Skin Care: Medical skin care is a great option to not only lighten and erase acne scars that look like red or purple marks the acne has left behind known as Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), but also to improve the overall health of your skin. By combining prescription-strength retinol to exfoliate the skin with prescription-strength hydroquinone to lighten the skin, you will see a marked improvement in your scarring in as little as six weeks.

2. Chemical Peels: Chemical peels work beautifully in combination with medical skin care to treat both red and purple acne scars as well as pitted or pockmark scarring. Today’s chemical peels combine the strongest acids without causing pain during the peel or weeks of downtime afterward. They will help to continue to exfoliate the dead skin off of your face as well as to lighten the scars’ pigmentation. A series of medium-depth chemical peels can also help to significantly reduce the size and appearance of the pitted type of scarring as well.

3. Dermal Fillers: Dermal fillers can be a great temporary solution to hide deeper, wider pitted acne scarring. They work by partially lifting the depressed scar and filling it in to bring it back up to level with your skin. This procedure causes minimal downtime or pain, but can cause some bruising and swelling. Fillers typically last six to 12 months.

4. Ablative Laser: Pearl Fractional® laser treatment is a permanent option to dramatically improve or remove the pitted acne scarring. This laser treatment removes the outer layer of skin, removing the scar tissue and then stimulates the growth of healthy, new skin. Removing only a small portion, or a “fraction,” of the skin ensures a safe treatment with a rapid recovery.

Charlotte, you don’t have to live with your acne scars any longer. Schedule a consultation with your medical skin care professional for a skin evaluation and find out which treatment option will be most effective for you to get rid of those acne scars for good!

Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on medical cosmetic procedures.

Do you have a question for Jennifer, about this article or another cosmetic skin care issue? Please call Vein Institute & Medical Spa at 574-267-1900 to have your questions answered and considered for future columns. Questions can also be submitted online at http://www.veinmedicalspa.com

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January 20, 2012 · 4:54 pm

6 Steps To Younger Looking Eyes Without Surgery

Today’s Question: I’m noticing my eyes are showing signs of aging. Is there anything I can do to slow this down? Alexa, Winona Lake

Answer: Whether you’re concerned with crow’s feet, puffiness, or fine lines around your eyes, Alexa, it’s true that the eyes are the first place we show signs of aging. The skin around the eyes is much thinner and more delicate and shows visible signs of aging more quickly than other areas of the face and body. Every time you smile, laugh or squint, your eyes are getting a workout etching those lines into your face. Please don’t stop smiling and laughing, Alexa! Instead, here are a few options you can try to help slow down the aging around your eyes and instantly brighten them.

1. Protect: Any day of the year, the sun’s harmful rays reflecting on your skin damage it and cause premature wrinkles. Be sure to apply a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 daily. In addition, wear a pair of sunglasses while driving to not only add additional sun protection, but also to prevent you from squinting and working those eye muscles.

I love Obagi’s Sun Shield SPF 50. It’s lightweight and doesn’t feel greasy. Plus, it’s fragrance free and great for all skin types.

 

 

2. Correct: Prescription retinol should be in every woman’s skin care regime. It is clinically proven as the ingredient to reduce wrinkles and stimulate collagen to fill in the wrinkles you already have. Be careful to only use retinol at night and use it sparingly. Do not allow it to get too close to the lash line.

3. Hydrate & Stimulate: The skin around our eyes does not have any oil glands like the rest of our face. It is important to find an eye cream with antioxidants that will both hydrate the delicate skin around the eye, protect it from free radicals in the environment and stimulate collagen. You can also use a sonic infusion device that will make your eye creams penetrate deeper into the skin around eyes for even faster results.

The #1 prescription eye cream is Obagi’s Elastiderm. It is more than an eye cream, but also an eye treatment. I also love Clarisonic’s Opal for fine lines. You see immediate reduction in fine lines and wrinkles and look more refreshed.

 

 

4. Highlight: Makeup can instantly refresh your tired eyes. Try applying a highlighter on the brow bone, inner corner of the eye and around the temples of your eyes. It will give your eyes an instant lift!

Our makeup artist loves jane iredale’s highlighter called Complete. It instantly gives your eyes a lift and a soft glow.

 

5. Laser: If you want to take it a step further, there is a laser procedure called Titan®. It uses light energy to heat up the dermis deep beneath the skin’s surface to help tighten the skin and build new collagen. Titan is an all-natural option to tighten and enhance your skin tone. Any sagging skin will be tightened and fine lines and wrinkles will soften as your body begins to produce more collagen to fill in those lines.

 

6. Injections: Expression lines around the eyes can also be treated with an injectable medication such as Botox® or Dysport®. These medications help relax the muscles and soften the wrinkles. After receiving the treatment, you will still be able to smile, frown, and look natural. This quick 10-minute procedure can easily be done over the lunch hour.

As you can see, Alexa, there are numerous options to slow down the signs of aging around your eyes. Before you start any treatment, be sure to talk to your medical skin care professional to develop a treatment plan best suited for you.

Jennifer Kauffman is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Coalition of Advance Practice Nurses of Indiana. She received her Nursing and Nurse Practitioner degrees from Goshen College, and Indiana Wesleyan University. Jennifer is a Clinical Instructor nationally to physicians and nurses on medical cosmetic procedures.

Do you have a question for Jennifer, about this article or another cosmetic skin care issue? Please call Vein Institute & Medical Spa at 574-267-1900 to have your questions answered and considered for future columns. Questions can also be submitted online at www.veinmedicalspa.com or emailed to jamie@veinmedicalspa.com

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January 19, 2012 · 3:04 pm

Vein Institute & Medical Spa Selected To Carry New Wrinkle Treatment

WARSAW, Ind. — Vein Institute & Medical Spa, Inc. in Warsaw is among a select group of practices nationwide chosen to participate in the early release of Xeomin, the latest injectable wrinkle treatment. Xeomin will not be available in most of the country until April, 2012.

“I am so excited to start working with this new product,” Jennifer Kauffman, Board Certified Nurse Practitioner, said. “Botox has had the monopoly on the market for the last 12 years. This new option will only benefit the patient.” 

Like Botox® Cosmetic and Dysport®, Xeomin is FDA-approved for the temporary correction of moderate to severe frown lines between the eye brows. Manufactured by Merz Aesthetics, Xeomin has been used in Europe since 2008. The U.S. is the 20th country to approve its use. Botulinum type a products are typically recommended for cosmetic treatment of: forehead lines, frown lines and crow’s feet.

This drug acts similarly to Botox and Dysport. As Botox and Dysport currently are the “Coke-Pepsi” equivalents in wrinkle fighters, Xeomin will add to the “taste test” for the elimination of unwanted facial wrinkles. It is hoped that having three agents made by different companies will help to bring the cost down of the products.

Xeomin is a simple, painless, in-office procedure. The entire procedure typically takes less than 15 minutes and involves only minimal discomfort. Patients can return to work or daily activities immediately after. Full results will be visible between three to seven days after injection, and typically last between three to six months. Like Botox and Dysport, results can actually improve over time with repeated injections, as the muscle becomes conditioned to being relaxed.

For more information, call Vein Institute & Medical Spa, Inc. at 574-267-1900 or visit www.veinmedicalspa.com.

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