Posts Tagged ‘cosmetic procedure’

Fraxel Re:store – Advanced Skin Rejuvenation With Minimal Downtime

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

The next generation of skin rejuvenation is here!  It’s called Fraxel Re:store®, and it provides excellent results to your skin with less downtime than ever before.

The Fraxel fractional laser technology was first introduced in 2005. It has proven so effective that in 2006, Fraxel was awarded Best Product of the Year by Time Magazine and imitated by a growing number of laser manufacturers.

Now, however, the original Fraxel system has been enhanced to lessen downtime. Called Fraxel Re:store®, this device delivers a laser energy (Erbium laser) that does not create open wounds. The skin resurfacing process is spread out over 3 to 6 treatment sessions, depending on the condition being treated.  The typical reaction to the treatment is that of a moderate sunburn. There is minimal downtime and risks compared to traditional or older ablative treatments.

This Fraxel Re:store® laser repairs damaged skin by treating only a fraction of the skin at a time without breaking its protective outer barrier, leaving the area surrounded by unaffected, healthy tissue. It allows the skin to heal much faster than if the entire area was treated at once, using the body’s natural healing process to produce collagen, thereby creating new, healthy, and tighter tissue to replace skin imperfections.

Fraxel Re:store® provides a highly effective, predictable and safe treatment for those with acne scarring, melasma or hormonal skin discoloration, periorbital wrinkles, surgical scars, and age/sun spots. It also appears to improve the appearance of stretch marks.

Fraxel is effective on the face as well as on the hands, arms, décolleté and almost any other area where improvement to the skin condition is desired.

To view before and after photos of actual Fraxel Re:store patients, please click here.

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Posted in Cosmetic Surgery in the Philippines | 1 Comment »

On the Rise: Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Going under the knife? Well, cosmetic surgery no longer had the stigma it once had in the Philippines. More and more people are in search of physical enhancement through aesthetic medical procedures.

According to data gathered by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in 2005, roughly 10.2 million cosmetic procedures were performed in America, demonstrating a 38% increase since 2000. However, this sizeable increase in cosmetic procedures has not been due to an upsurge in the number of surgical procedures, but rather in non-surgical procedures. While an growing number of people might be rushing to the plastic surgeon’s clinic in a bid to look younger, that same number aren’t actually going under the scalpel.

Non-surgical, or non-invasive, aesthetic procedures do not call for incisions in order to produce the desired transformation. Ground-breaking new techniques have made it feasible to attain a more youthful appearance without the downsides of surgery.

Botulinum toxin therapy is one such example. Commonly known as Botox®, it is at present the trendiest aesthetic procedure available, with the annual number procedures shooting up from around 780,000 in 2000 to over 3,500,000 in 2005, and the figures are going up until today. The procedure, involving a series of calculated injections takes only a few minutes and causes minimal pain. In addition, no inactive recovery period is required, allowing the patient to return to their ordinary routine easily.

Due to advantages associated with non-invasive methods, the number of aesthetic non-surgical procedures has gone up by 53%, while aesthetic surgical procedures have actually dropped by 5%. While surgery remains a popular choice among patients, non-surgical procedures offer a practical alternative for the aesthetically-conscious.

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures like Botulinum toxin therapy covers the majority of aesthetic procedures carried out annually, posting figures up to four times those of surgical procedures in recent years. Though shows like Dr. 90210 and Extreme Makeover have radically increased media exposure of surgical procedures, non-surgical methods remains popular for several reasons.

By far, the chief advantage of non-invasive procedures is the cost. Surgery can mean thousands of dollars in fees, and an extended recovery period may entail even more income loss. Non-surgical procedures, on the other hand, have a markedly shorter recovery and cost only a few hundred dollars per session.

Some might contend that non-surgical methods cost more in the long run, since the results of most non-invasive procedures are not permanent. While this may be true, the temporary feature of non-surgical procedures can also allow patients to enhance their looks without committing to a permanent change they may not be ready for.

Cost-wise, there’s a viable comparison between the two kinds of procedures. Consider this: with $10,000, a surgical facelift can create a younger, more attractive appearance for at most 10 years and at the least 5 years before the expected effects of aging start showing; for the same amount, a patient can maintain a more youthful appearance for 10 years with biannual Botox® treatments.

The choice between surgical and non-surgical procedures is best reached with the help of a trained practitioner. The medical options are continuously growing, making consultation with a trained specialist even more important. Thus, whether one goes under the knife or the needle, one ought to weigh carefully the results and ramifications of both types of procedures.

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Posted in Beverly Hills 6750, Cosmetic Surgery in the Philippines | 1 Comment »

Thermage: Rethinking Plastic Surgery in the Philippines

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

The popularity of cosmetic surgery in the Philippines has made many people want to try it, but some of them are not as convinced to go under the knife. They think of the physical pain the surgery may cause, as well as the potential embarrassment they can get when friends and family see them healing and with bandages on. All of these are reasonable concerns, but with the advent of new medical technology, it is now possible to get the same benefits of plastic surgery without having to face its potential consequences. Using non-invasive techniques, cosmetic surgeons can now provide patients with the physical improvements they have been dreaming about.

One such procedure is a beauty treatment known as Thermage. Since Oprah Winfrey introduced this concept in her show, more and more people have been seeking to undergo this non-surgical facelift. Winfrey has been promoting Thermage as she believes in its technology and she has become proud of the fact that there is no recovery period needed. She has championed the treatment in her episodes “Look Younger! Live Longer!” and “How to Stop the Clock on Aging” among others.

What Thermage does is it tightens the neck and the face, not through any invasive means, but by utilizing an innovative radio-frequency method called Thermacool. It gently lifts the skin so that wrinkles are eliminated and the contours on the face are renewed. The Thermacool device uses radio-frequency heat to stimulate and increase collagen production, allowing the skin to tighten and smoothen. The patient will not feel any burning sensation, as the apparatus will also cool the skin’s surface while the procedure is being done. After three to six months, the result will be facial skin that is visibly younger and more vibrant looking.

Thermage is non-invasive, but some patients are known to have experienced mild discomfort during the procedure. To avoid this, some doctors will apply a low dose of local anesthetic before the treatment. Some other side effects that may be caused by the procedure are tenderness, swelling, skin rashes, redness, and blisters. The possibility of having these side effects are quite low (less than 1%) and if they do occur, they usually go away after a few days.

Thermage normally lasts about 20 minutes or up to two hours, if the area to be treated is bigger. As mentioned, there is no need for recovery time — one can go in the morning to have the treatment done and be back in the office or at home after a couple of hours. This cosmetic procedure works on all types of skin and can be used on all parts of the face. Recently, the FDA has also approved Thermage to be used for the eye area and the abdomen. Soon, Thermage will be available for use for the whole body.

If you are one of the many people who would like to gain back that youthful glow, but are not yet ready for aesthetic surgery, then Thermage may be the solution for you. Consult with a Thermage physician to know how this technology can work for you.

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Posted in Cosmetic Surgery in the Philippines, Dermatology in the Philippines | 1 Comment »