Cutis Medical Laser’s Weblog

You may be familiar with the use of botulinum toxin A (or the brand Botox® for the purposes of this discussion) to reduce frown lines and lines around the eyes. But did you know that Botox® can effectively and safely contour and slim down the face? This is known as non-surgical facial contouring.
Many Asians have rounded or squarish jaws. A broader face may be the result of prominent muscles on the sides of the face. These muscles are known as the “masseter” muscles are the main muscles used for chewing and biting. Injecting Botox® in these muscles can reduce their size and give a square face a much more tapered or oval appearance.

Below is a typical before and after photo showing the effect of just injecting Botox® to the masseter muscles. Botox® temporarily reduces the action of these muscles so that the muscles become don’t bulge, and so that the face slims down over the course of the treatments. Within two months, you can already see the effect which can last from 3months to 1 year depending on the dose of Botox® used. The most common comment the patients tell us is that everyone thinks they have lost weight as their face has a more aesthetic elongated shape.

This is truly a painless and quick way to improve one’s facial shape without surgery. Talk to us to find out if this procedure is right for you. Call us at 6327 9700 to set up an appointment.

Our next glominerals workshop will be on Monday, March 2nd 7pm to 9pm at Cutis Medical Laser clinics at 81 Club Street (6327 9700). Fatimah, a very well known make up artist here in Singapore, will be conducting the workshop. Please call 6327 9700 to reserve your seat. You can bring your friends along but make sure you call as we are limiting the number of people to 15.

See you on March 2nd.

gloEye maven kit - from the glominerals spring collection 2009

Every morning, just as most women look at themselves in the mirror and apply a variety of skincare products and beauty enhancing make-up, most men go through the gentleman’s tradition of shaving. That “perfect shave” is the ultimate goal- so that the skin on the face becomes so smooth, without any nicks, cuts or irritation.

The fact is, men care about their skin just as much as women. Men of all ages are paying more attention to their appearance, which is why one of the hottest trends in the US and other parts of the world is the return to the traditional “wet shave”. The wetshave requires shaving while keeping your face as wet as possible, so that the blade of your shaver floats over the surface without irritating your skin, rather than dragging the skin, thus causing irritation, redness (so-called “razor burn”), and “shave bumps”.

You will need the following ingredients for wetshaving- a gentle facial cleanser, a good shaving brush, quality shaving cream, a good razor, and a gentle, non-irritating aftershave lotion.

A good shaving brush releases and mixes the hot water with the shaving cream as you brush your face and neck. A good brush also exfoliates the dead skin, and lifts the whiskers off your face. Genuine badger hair makes the best brush as the hair absorbs hot water and is the most comfortable on the face (in contrast to boar’s hair which is stiffer and rougher on the face).

Quality shaving cream is the next ingredient. Most men prefer glycerin-based cream as these deliver great skin protection while making the shaving process such a luxurious pleasure. Fabulous scents of the top-of-the-line shaving cream can also make you actually look forward to shaving, not to mention make you smell so good to the women around you.

You will also need a high-quality razor. Many “shaving connoisseurs” only use non-disposable razors with the classic double-edge safety razor, but even disposable cartridges work well.

The following are the basic steps to get you that “perfect shave”.

1. Men should shave after a hot shower- the steam opens pores, which causes the hair to stand up, making these easier to shave.
2. Wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser, so that dirt doesn’t get trapped into your pores.
3. Dip your shaving brush into hot water the swirl the wet tips of your brush on the surface of your shaving cream. Paint your face up and down all over your face and neck until you have a thick layer of rich lather covering the shaving area.
4. Pick up your razor and shave downward on your face and neck in the same direction that the hair grows- this will remove most of the hair without irritating your skin. If you want a closer shave, wet your face again, apply more shaving cream and shave very lightly upward against the grain. Note that this second shave against the grain is what may lead to redness, razor burn and ingrown hairs, so do this only if necessary and with an extremely light touch.
5. Once you’re finished shaving, rinse your face with cold water to close the pores- rinse your shaving brush and shake it dry.
6. Gently pat your face dry with a clean towel, and finish with a good after shave or moisturizer. Many men splash an alcohol-based aftershave lotion, but the alcohol may actually irritate or inflame the skin and hair follicle. That would be like applying alcohol when you have a scrape- which can cause a burning and tingling sensation. Instead, choose a gentle moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.
7. Finally, make sure you apply a broad-spectrum sunblock that offers both UVA and UVB protection.

Once you get used to these steps, you will begin to enjoy the tradition of shaving. For questions or advice on skin care products appropriate for your skin, talk to your doctor.

The glominerals spring collection 2009 is all about eyes and lips. We really like glominerals as it not only gives our patients a beautiful natural look, we can also use it after most of our treatments. The absence of talc lets the skin breath and the make up feels very light on the skin – our patients just love it. The spring collection will be available at the end of March.

Most of us worry about growing old. Some may focus on our waists getting thicker over time, others may worry about a receding hairline, or on one’s wrinkles. Especially in these times of economic uncertainty, as we grow older, doubts about our ability to remain competitive with younger colleagues may come up.

In a study by Johnson¹, it was shown that attractive people, even among the elderly are perceived to be “youthful”, and are thought to be more successful in work and in life. In fact, his study concluded that attractiveness is largely determined by the appearance of youth and vigor in an individual. Such an improvement in one’s perception of attractiveness has been shown to directly translate in improving self-esteem, lifting a low mood, and making it easier to interact with others. What does it mean for our day to day lives? These findings suggest that there is nothing wrong with trying to look our best. Regardless of our age, this is a natural desire that allows us to feel better about ourselves and for others to perceive us as full of energy and youthful. In fact, clinical studies show that patients who have undergone aesthetic treatments have an improved sense of well-being², felt more confident in social situations³ and reported improved quality of life⁴.

Now with the latest developments in health, we are able to make graceful and more natural improvements in our appearance even as we age. In an earlier article, I discussed the importance of exercise, nutrition and lifestyle habits in health aging. In this article, I will focus on non-invasive treatments that allow us to optimize our appearance as we grow older.

Aging changes the face in several ways. The three most common changes are shown below. An overview of possible treatment options to address these most common concerns is also presented.

1. The skin becomes lax due to loss of collagen, and a normally oval face becomes rectangular or pear-shaped. The cheeks drop resulting in an exaggeration of the nasolabial fold and development of two lines on the sides of the mouth. These lines may make a person appear sad, and is a common complaint among Asian patients. Lack of collagen also results in our pores becoming more prominent.

There are several treatments that can improve skin laxity by building collagen in the dermis. These include the Titan, an infrared device that is also known as the “non-surgical facelift”. A photo of the Titan treatment is shown below. Titan has been demonstrated on skin biopsy to increase the amount of collagen in the skin⁵. Another collagen building device is Thermage, which in contrast to the Titan, is a radiofrequency treatment.

Treatments to reduce pores include laser rejuvenation treatments that stimulate collagen formation to close the pores. An example is Laser Genesis, which has been shown to result in building of collagen over the course of several treatments⁶.

Nasolabial lines or deep lines around the nose can also be temporarily addressed by injectable fillers. These dermal fillers, so-called because they “fill a line” come in various forms with varying duration of their effects.

1. Expression lines become deeper and more prominent. These lines which form due to facial expression and muscle contraction are the lines on our forehead (“frown lines”), next to our eyes (“smile lines”), around our lips (“lipstick lines”) and others. Over time, these lines that form due to muscle contraction become fixed, and can make us look “always angry” even when we are not using the muscles of expression.

A simple way to temporarily reduce these expression lines is injection with botulinum toxin A (popularly known as Botox, but includes another brand known as Dysport). Botulinum toxin A works by temporarily weakening the muscles that form the lines of expression.

1. Accumulation of sun damage resulting in changes in skin texture including development of fine and coarse wrinkles, formation of tiny blood vessels on the face (spider veins, telangiectasia), and sun-induced pigments including freckles, age spots or liver spots.

There are several treatments that can reduce the effects of sun damage. Some of these treatments may require a series of sessions, such as pigment removal by IPL. Other treatments may only need one or two treatments such as resurfacing devices (for example the Pearl), so-called because the damaged surface of the skin is gently removed, while stimulating the formation of new “baby” skin.

As we age, including these difficult economic times, we may seek quick fixes especially those with no downtime and are less expensive. When these treatments are performed for the right reason, it may make you feel more positive and empowered. In considering these treatments, talk to your doctor about whether these are right for you.

References:

1. Johnson DF. Appearance and the elderly. In: The Psychology of Cosmetic Treatments Overview of Psychology of Cosmetics., New York: Prager Publishers, 1085:1127-43
2. Edgerton MET, et al. Surgical results and psychosocial changes following rhytidectomy. Plast Reconstr Surg 1363; 33: 503-21.
3. Marcus P. Psychological aspects of cosmetic rhinoplasty. Br J Plast Surg 1984; 37: 313-18.
4. Rankin M, et al. Quality of life outcomes after cosmetic surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg 1998; 102: 2139-47.
5. Goldberg DJ, et al. Treatment of skin laxity of the lower face and neck in older individuals with a broad-spectrum infrared light device. J Cosmet Laser Ther 2007; 9: 35-40.
6. Schmults CD, et al. Nonablative Facial Remodeling. Erythema reduction and histologic evidence of new collagen formation using a 300—microsecond 1064-nm Nd:Yag Laser. Arch Dermatol 2004; 140: 1373-1376.