Treating Syringomas

Syringomas are difficult to permanently remove because they originate from the deep dermis level of the skin.  The most common forms of removal include shaving, chemical peel, electrocautery, and lasers.  All of these methods are intended to superficially flatten the bumps caused by syringomas.  These treatments often have to be repeated regularly.  Smaller growths are easier to remove using these methods.  Although this is not a long-term solution, it carries less risk of scarring, permanent tissue damage, and slow-healing.

Deep Dermis Treatment

In order to completely remove syringomas, the treatment needs to penetrate the deep dermis under and around your eyes.  There are many different opinions among physicians about which method is the most effective.  Some physicians use CO2 lasers, while others prefer the deeper laser resurfacing of a Fractional CO2 laser.   Likewise, deep electrocautery may also effectively remove the lumps, however, all of these methods carry a risk of scarring.  Even after the syringomas are removed from the deep dermis level they can still return.  The overgrowth of eccrine sweat glands is not related to any external causes, but is a genetic trait that can’t be treated with skin creams.

Factors for Successful Removal

Smaller syringomas are easier to remove so the earlier you address the problem the better results your doctor can achieve.  Although the bumps can always be removed using chemical peels or shaving, there is a substantial risk of scarring.  Electrocautery and CO2 lasers can damage the delicate tissue around your eye and the deeper the penetration, the more damage can be done.  Removing syringomas requires a skilled hand and experience with lower eyelids.  Dr. Steinsapir utilizes his advanced understands the structure of the lower lid and skin healing to minimize skin damage that can be associated with the treatment of the syringoma.  Generally he will recommend removing one or two syringomas to learn how your skin responds before performing a larger scale treatment.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology.  Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.  Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Where is Surgery Performed

Chemical peels are an in-office procedure that can be performed in a relatively short period of time.  You can combine your treatment with other in-office procedures when appropriate.  However, trying to perform a chemical peel on yourself is a sure way to turn a safe procedure into a disfiguring one.  Chemical peels are safe and highly beneficial when performed by an experienced cosmetic surgeon.  They are not appropriate as a do-it-yourself, home project to save some money.

It might be possible to obtain the agents used for a chemical peel from unscrupulous merchants from the Internet.  However, if you try to perform this procedure on yourself, you can permanently alter the coloration of your face by introducing irregularities, scars, and hypopigmentation.  Improperly performed, these agents can burn your skin with permanent consequences.  A great deal of skill, judgment, and experience is needed to safely perform a chemical peel.  A surgeon who has mastered chemical peels will also instruct you in follow-up care for your skin after the initial treatment and closely follow you.  With this guidance in monitoring your progress, long-term problems that might develop can be managed, mitigated, or avoided altogether.

Types of Anesthesia

There are many different types of chemical peels.  The type that is best for you depends greatly on your skin type and concerns.  The issues that affect your skin determine the type of peel procedures that will provide the most benefit. Common concerns include: acne with or without scaring, dark spots that have developed over time, skin aging from sun exposure, and intrinsic skin aging including lines.  As peels increase in strength, the need for anesthesia in the form of oral sedation, and local numbing of the face to make the procedure comfortable increases. Also the post-procedure skin care demands increase in complexity and length to ensure that the face heals quickly and with the best possible result.  Please do not underestimate the need for expert care in this regard.

Common Complications

As with any cosmetic surgery procedure, invasive or non-invasive, complications can occur.  Infections may occur anytime after the second or third post-operative day.  The signs are prominent swelling, significant amounts of devitalized skin and redness beyond what would normally be expected, and pain. Infections are often the result of neglecting post-procedure instructions.  It is for this reason that Dr. Steinsapir insists on close follow up. The procedure represents an important investment in time, energy, and expense but it is essential to proper healing.  Other potential complications include: scarring, temporary or long term eyelid malposition, color and pigmentary change, persistent redness, and possible allergic reactions.  There is no way you can handle these concerns on your own after try to do your own chemical peel.

Estimated Time for Recovery

Generally, the deeper facial peels produce results that rival what can be accomplished with surgery.  Redness following TCA 35% can persist for 3 weeks to 6 weeks; following phenol 89%, redness can persist for 3 months to 6 months, and following a Baker’s phenol, it can persist for 5 months to 12 months. However, it will only take 9 days to 12 days to reach the point at which make-up can hide facial redness.  Men tend to heal faster than women.  Only a personal consultation with an experienced chemical peeler will provide a basis for estimating recovery time for your personal considerations.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Lips

Your lips are one of the first parts of your face to appear aged.  With a loss of volume and an increase of lines around the the mouth makeup has a tendency to exacerbate the problem by feathering.  Full soft lips are not just a sign of beauty, but also a sign of youth.  Fortunately, your lips are one of the simplest fixes without the need for surgery.  Fillers can provide a very natural solution to lips that are thin or losing volume.

With so many fillers available on the market today – Restylane®, Radiesse, Perlane, Juvederm, Artefill, Sculptra, Matridex, and even silicone oil – it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the options.  However, not all of these fillers should be used as lip fillers under normal circumstances.  Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Juvederm, and Perlane are much more suitable for lip augmentation than permanent and semi-permanent fillers.  This is because they are much more forgiving, do not tend to lump, and can be simply and easily adjusted with the enzyme hyaluronidase.

Dr. Steinsapir prefers the use of Restylane as the best filler for lip volume deficiencies.  This is because the lips are very sensitive and irregularities can arise.  Fortunately, Restylane doesn’t tend to form bumps, and an experienced physician specialist can skillfully place Restylane for natural looks and long-term benefits.

Under Eye Fill

Dark circles under your eyes, or even a hollowness above your cheekbones is easily improved using a similar method as with the lips.  Dr. Steinsapir also prefers Restylane to reduce the appearance of dark circles because it can be easily adjusted.  Despite what the old wives tales say about dark circles and getting enough rest, persistent dark circles are actually the result of your lower eyelid muscle showing through the delicate and thin skin of your lower lid area.  When there is no subcutaneous fat between the skin and the muscle, the area appears dark and sunken.

The treatment requires a skillful hand but once placed and adjusted, the treatment is completely natural and can’t be detected by others. No wonder this has become the most popular eye dark circles treatment.

It is critical that the injecting physician assess how you do after the treatment because a certain percentage of treatments require an adjustment.  Dr. Steinsapir explains that everyone holds a slightly different amount of water in the tissues and small areas of fullness can spoil an otherwise great result.  For this reason, he encourages his patients to follow up about a week after treatment to assess how the service has settled.

Microdroplet BOTOX® and Dysport®

Of course, forehead wrinkles and brow lines are considered unfeminine, even among the older generations of stars like Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, and Jane Fonda.  Despite all of these women being over 60, all their photographs show them with smooth foreheads and full cheeks despite their features showing other signs of aging.  Maintaining a youthful appearance is a large part of looking feminine because it’s these features in women that are signs of femininity.

Unlike standard treatment methods, Microdroplet™ BOTOX® and Dysport create brow lift without forehead paralysis.  Microdroplet™ BOTOX® works with greater precision with your facial muscles.  The care and interest Dr. Steinsapir has shown in inventing this treatment demonstrates his dedication to achieving a beautiful, more youthful appearance without impeding the ability to express emotion.

Standard injection methods tend to freeze the forehead.  The forehead can’t move and the eyebrows drop like stones.  What looks good is a gently lifted eyebrow, no crows feet lines or brow pinch, and a forehead with reduced lines that is still able to move.  Imagine a BOTOX® or Dysport® treatment that allows you to have natural expressions!

Chemical Peel

Flawless skin has always been the ideal for beauty and as we all age, men and women alike, our skin develops flaws and spots that may not have been there when we were young.  But cosmetic products are not marketed to men so there is even more pressure on women to maintain clear, beautiful skin.

There are many types of chemical peels available and they treat many types of concerns, so it can be difficult to figure out which chemical peel is right for you.  But the chemical peel is truly an art form with versatile abilities depending on your needs, so it’s vital to understand that for a successful face peel with profound results, you’ll need an expert in performing facial peels who has extensive treatment experience and understands how to combine science and aesthetic planning for the best results possible.

Chemical peels can effectively treat facial concerns like aging skin, fine wrinkles, dark spots, acne, creases, loss of elasticity in the skin, and other concerns.  This frequently makes the chemical peel an excellent alternative to surgery that removes excess skin for the lower eyelid.  A chemical peel in the eyelid region is a minimally invasive procedure that preserves your natural features while rejuvenating your appearance.

Pigmentation is always an important consideration to any chemical peel.  The range in skin colors and complexions is complex, so this is something to consider with your doctor on an individual basis.  Fortunately there are many people who can and do benefit from chemical peels.  Your doctor can tell you more about skin-types as classified by the Fitzpatrick scale, and let you know what that means for you and your candidacy for a chemical peel.  A chemical peel can also help improve concerns with irregular pigmentation.

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

How does invisible eyelid surgery work?

According to the doctor who “invented” this procedure, invisible eyelid surgery involves both “subconjunctival blepharoplasty” (usually called transconjunctival blepharoplasty) and a simultaneous “advanced” laser treatment performed by a dermatologist.  Using a micro-fractional CO2 resurfacing laser to treat lower eyelid skin by “tightening” the area following removal of fat through an incision made on the inside of the lower lid (transconjunctival incision), this procedure touts a younger and refreshed appearance of both the upper and lower lids without cutting surgery.  And all this has a recovery period of about a week and no one will be able to see any evidence that you’ve had surgery!  Now that sounds too good to be true.

Why the skepticism?

When you break down the idea of “invisible eyelid surgery” into its basic parts, all you’re really left with is lower eyelid blepharoplasty and CO2 resurfacing; two procedures that have been offered by cosmetic and oculoplastic surgeons for years.  Invisible eyelid surgery isn’t a new idea as the advertising physician would have you believe.  It’s simply two existing procedures packaged together and given a brand new name!  No surprise this is often how “new” things are invented in Beverly Hills all the time.

The risks of transconjunctival blepharoplasty

The idea behind the transconjunctival blepharoplasty is to remove the lower eyelid fat pads to eliminate puffiness around the lower lid that makes you look tired and aged.  But transconjunctival blepharoplasty is not without some serious risks that, if performed without skill or experience can result in permanent damage.  This approach of permanently removing eyelid fat is an old approach to lower eyelid surgery.  It can be effective for a small number of people.  The more current approach is preservation of this fat using a procedure called an arcus marginalis release.  Simply throwing away the fat can cause a hollow lower eyelid.

The risks of CO2 laser resurfacing

Deep CO2 laser resurfacing has fallen out of fashion because of the negative experience many have had healing from these treatments.  There is a very real risk that your skin will suffer from permanent depigmentation, and that the scarring caused by such treatments will likely affect the texture of your face.  This is because the treatment depth needed to improve deep facial lines makes post laser resurfacing scars, particularly skin texture changes, relatively common.  In fact these types of skin texture changes and skin depigmentation are so common that many surgeons think that this is the expected outcome of the service!

Micro fractional C02 laser is an effort to reduce this damage.  These treatments do provide freshening of the skin but generally are not powerful enough to reduce lower eyelid lines.  Chemcial peels, although they require much more training than a laser treatment are still the preferred methods.  In some cases, the chemical peel was all that was needed for the lower eyelid contour to be much smoother even without lower eyelid surgery!

What kind of eyelid surgery will work for me?

Dr. Steinsapir says this a lot, so it should come as no surprise: the best lower eyelid surgery is customized for the individual and designed to meet his or her particular features, goals, and medical needs.  This means that the lower eyelid surgery ideal for one person may be a specialized type of blepharoplasty while for another it may be a midface lift designed to correct tissue descent and return it to its proper anatomical location in the lower eye area.  Once you and your oculoplastic surgeon determine the best procedure, together, you and your surgeon must customize it even further to fit your features and obtain natural results.  Dr. Steinsapir observes: “people don’t do well with a one size fits all, cookie cutter approach.”

About Dr. Steinsapir

Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.

Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.

Before and After Chemical Peel for Asian Eyelid

Before and After Chemical Peel for Asian Eyelid

If you are interested in whether a chemical peel may help your Asian eyelid, please realize that the tremendous diversity between every eyelid, including Asian eyelids, means that there is no one approach that will work for every Asian eyelid.  The right solution for you will depend on other factors, like the precise nature of your concern, the condition of the skin and eyelid, your skin’s pigmentation, and so on.  Your doctor will take all of these factors into and design your treatment approach accordingly.

How can a chemical peel help me?

Chemical peels can effectively treat facial concerns like aging skin, fine wrinkles, dark spots, acne, creases, loss of elasticity in the skin, and other concerns.  There are many cases when a chemical peel will compliment an eyelid surgery.  For example, an eyelid surgery like Asian blepharoplasty can correct excessive fullness of the eyelid by removing some of the fat, creating a double fold, or addressing Asian eyelid ptosis.  Since removing extra fat can slightly loosen the skin in that region, a chemical peel can help to firm the skin here.  This frequently makes the chemical peel an excellent alternative to surgery that removes excess skin for the lower eyelid.  A chemical peel in the eyelid region is a minimally invasive procedure that preserves your natural features while rejuvenating your appearance.

Pigmentation is always an important consideration to any chemical peel, including a chemical peel for Asian skin.  The range in skin colors and complexions is as complex as the range in eyelids, so this is something to consider with your doctor on an individual basis.  Fortunately there are many people with Asian skin complexions who can and do benefit from chemical peels.  Your doctor can tell you more about skin-types as classified by the Fitzpatrick scale, and let you know what that means for you and your candidacy for a chemical peel.  A chemical peel can often help improve concerns with irregular pigmentation.

Who can provide the best chemical peel for Asian eyelids?

You need an expert in providing the most effective and safest chemical peels in conjunction with the best eyelid treatment available.  We recommend that you consult with a specialist who makes facial and eyelid surgery the core of their practice to help you reach your facial aesthetic goals, and be sure that he or she has extensive experience in your specific concerns. Dr. Steinsapir specializes in both chemical peels and Asian eyelid surgery, with an emphasis on surgery and minimally invasive techniques customized for your particular situation and goals.  Contact us today for your no-risk consultation, where you can learn more about how to best meet your eyelid concerns, and if an individualized chemical peel will help.

Chemical Peel Before and After Photo

While many people greatly benefit from different types of chemical peel, including an acne facial peel, not everyone is a good candidate for the chemical peel.  For example, certain skin types are sometimes not compatible with chemical peels, and certain medications are not either.  Unfortunately, if you’ve had recent Accutane treatment, a chemical peel that might be a great fit for you under normal circumstances may need to be postponed.

Why can’t I have a chemical peel during Accutane treatment?

Accutane, also called isotrentinoin, is a highly effective medication that controls severe acne.  It effects the oil glands and stem cells in the skin while inhibiting angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels).  Accutane has long term effects, including some of the above as well as inhibited healing of the skin.  Medical reports associate Accutane use with increased scaring after facial treatments, as Accutane delays healing this increases the risk abnormal healing after a chemical peel.

Since there is evidence that these healing inhibitions can be long-lasting even after Accutane treatments have been completed, we recommend that you wait twelve to twenty-four months to pursue a chemical peel treatment.  The chemical peel is a profound procedure that works because of the skin’s ability to heal itself while improving epithelial covering.  When performed by an expert specialist, the results are truly astounding, but if you’ve had Accutane treatment within the last two years then you may heal with scaring while people without a history of Accutane treatmet will not scar.  Accutane and chemical peels should never be undergone at the same time, even though both are excellent options for the right people.  Due to your increased risk of scarring, you should always wait after Accutane treatment before considering any facial procedure that has the potential to create scarring.  It’s a good idea to wait two years after treatment to get your facial peel, and be sure to consult your dermatologist and inform the doctor who will perform the chemical peel of your complete medical history, including Accutane use.  If we examine laser resurfacing vs chemical peels, we find that the risk that laser treatments may result in scars is at least as high as the risk of chemical peel scars, with the added risk of changes in skin texture and discoloration.  The best thing you can do right now is take excellent care of your skin, follow your doctor’s advice, and wait a couple years until after you have complete Accutane treatment, and then seek out a consultation from a master chemical peeler.

Consult with a Physician Who Cares

Chemical peels help to open up pores and can reduce acne, but you must be sure to not use a chemical peel with an incompatible treatment.  Dr. Steinsapir performs expert chemical peels in Los Angeles and always prefers to err on the side of caution rather than risk scarring.  That is why he will ask you about your medical history, including Accutane treatment, and advise you to consult with your dermatologist too before proceeding with a chemical peel.  If enough time has passed, you may be an excellent candidate for a chemical peel or another treatment like Fotofacial in Los Angeles, depending on what you and your cosmetic doctor decide is your best option.

We invite you to a no-risk consultation with Dr. Steinsapir.  He’ll help you understand how chemical peels work and if you are a good candidate for one.  Dr. Steinsapir has an extensive background in chemical peeling combined with practical experience, and he is esteemed as having both the medical and artistic vision needed to masterfully perform a chemical peel.  Call us today to learn more about how Dr. Steinsapir can help you.

Chemical Peel Before and After Photo

Wear Sunscreen

Minimizing sun exposure is the singlemost important and effective measure you can take to prevent your skin from looking aged.  In face, about 90% of the changes we see that we associate with aging skin are caused from photodamage.  Preventing photodamaged skin is not just about looking younger, either; it is about improving your health and preventing dangerous conditions like skin cancer.

While it can be glamorous to visit the tanning salon in a convertible, understand that both the sun and tanning salons expose you to harmful ultraviolet (UV) light, which causes the bulk of photodamage for most people with aging skin.  It can take some years for the effects to add up to visible damage, which is why it’s just as important to wear sunscreen when your skin still has the glow of youth as it is later in life.

Many people with sun-damaged skin benefit from a Photofacial (also called Fotofacial) or a chemical peel to correct problems like dark spots, fine facial lines, deep furrows and creases, loss of youthful skin elasticity, and changes in the skin’s overall coloration.

Wearing sunscreen isn’t going to reverse sun damage on face overnight or replace a cosmetic facial treatment if you are to the point where you need treatment, but it will prevent a lot of problems down the line and make your treatment last longer.  Whether you are absolutely satisfied with beautiful skin, you need too see a cosmetic surgeon in Los Angeles to treat aging skin, or you have recently had treatment, you should be wearing sunscreen to protect your skin from aging faster and developing serious health problems.  Sunscreen is for everyone.

Drink Lots of Water?

Hydrated skin looks healthier and younger. However, there is absolutely no evidence that drinking eight glasses of water a day actually hydrates the skin in a meaningful way.  Some say that drinking lots of water keeps nutrients moving through your body and toxins moving out.   But really this is more popular nonsense than actual science-so don’t drive yourself nuts polluting the earth with empty plastic bottles that once held fancy water from France.  Often the best daily approach is to use a good facial moisturizer to help hydrate the outer layers of the skin.  These products don’t need to cost hundreds of dollars to make a difference.  The fancy products that get touted on the talk shows are often no better than the $30 moisturizer from the drug store so don’t spend $300 for a moisturizer from the department store; that just is not worth it!

Eat a Healthy Diet

This should be a no-brainer, but the way we eat shows up in our skin.   However for the most part we get all the vitamins we need from our over able diets.  So unless you are living on cigarettes and potato chips, taking tons of vitamin supplements will not help you in the same way that a truly healthy lifestyle will.  Your skin especially needs essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6.  You can find this in foods like walnuts, fish, and flax seed oil.  However, there is no need to do this in excess and your current diet probably contains all of the essential oils your skin needs.

Whenever possible, opt for whole wheat grains over “white” breads.  Eat fruits and vegetables, nonsaturated fats, and low-fat dairy products.  Balance is key.  Use common sense and the advice of your doctor or dietitian.  Your whole body will feel better.

Improving the way you eat is not going to give you a facelift if you need one; it will, however, help you feel good and protect your skin from rapid aging.

Quit Smoking

Our skin contains natural enzymes that constantly repair our skin.  Although they can’t stop our skin from aging, they keep it healthier for much longer by fixing damaged skin every day.  Cigarettes contains dangerous free radicals and toxins that destroy these enzymes that work to repair our skin, and smoke products also destroy elastin and collagen, which keeps our skin young and healthy.  If you are a smoker, remember that everytime you smoke you are speeding up the aging process in your skin.

Please stop smoking.  Your health will benefit in countless ways, and the state of your skin will stabilize and stop aging at such a rapid rate.  We’re not saying that it will be easy, but there are a lot of great resources out there to help you quit.  Be sure to set a date for when you’ll be smoke-free.  This will help make your goal a reality.

Control Your Acne

Some people are naturally more proned to acne than others.  While there is some debate about what exactly causes acne, we all know that it doesn’t look good and can leave behind permanent scars.  Consult a dermatologist to help get your acne under control.  This will help to keep your skin young and prevent acne pits and scars from developing.  Your dermatologist will be able to help you assess the best treatment plan.  Dr. Steinsapir may be able to help you with a chemical peel to treat acne if you are a good candidate for this safe procedure.

Please note that Accutane, a powerful treatment, is not compatible with most cosmetic procedures as it impairs your ability to heal.  This can be a great treatment for some, so talk to your dermatologist about your options.  Do be aware that you won’t be able to have many cosmetic procedures for a year or two after you end your Accutane treatment, so be absolutely sure to disclose any history of Accutane treatment with your cosmetic surgeon before pursuing further treatment.

Take Time to Destress

Stress shows up in our skin, often contributing to lines and creases in the face.  Gravity, stress, and age all take their toll on our skin.  Be sure to find time to relax and get enough sleep in addition to the guidelines above.  You’ll look and feel better!

Consult with an Expert

You don’t have to care for your skin without help.  Your regular doctor, dermatologist, and cosmetic surgeon can all educate you about how to keep youthful skin and how to treat problems of aging skin.  Dr. Steinsapir specializes in facial cosmetic procedures in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, including keeping facial skin young, through minimally-invasive treatments that provide natural results.  Call us today to schedule your individualized consultation with Dr. Steinsapir, who can answer your questions about how to both treat and prevent aging skin.

Yes, the facial chemical peel cost is higher if you have it done right by a doctor, but that’s before you consider the cost of damaging yourself. If you try to perform this procedure on yourself, you will likely permanently alter the coloration of your face by introducing irregularities, scars, and hypopigmentation.  Further, you will not know how to care for your skin after the initial treatment without a doctor’s guidance in monitoring your healing.  In the end, you will have to bear the emotional cost of your damaged appearance and the financial cost of finding the best doctor who can help you reverse some of the destruction you have caused.  You wouldn’t do brain or heart surgery on yourself, right?  How about facial surgery?  That really is what is involved in doing your own chemical peel.

What can a doctor do that I can’t?

A chemical peel may seem deceptively simpler than it is.  Those who are just learning about the procedure often mistake it is merely a matter of dipping the face in a beneficial substance and then washing it off.  In truth, correctly performing a facial chemical peel takes a cosmetic surgeon years to master through education and first-hand chemical peel experience.  A licensed and highly trained cosmetic surgeon can perform a chemical peel so well because he or she understands the following:

•    The indications for a chemical peel treatment
•    The different skintypes classified in the Fitzpatrick scale
•    How each skintype responds to chemical peels
•    What concentrations and combinations help each skintype
•    How to give you enough treatment to see results
•    How to not give you too much treatment, which will damage you
•    How each type of problem respond to different treatments
•    How to assess the condition of your skin
•    Factors like skin thickness, sensitivity, sun damage
•    How your medical history effects your current treatment needs
•    Who is a good candidate for a chemical peel
•    Who is not a good candidate for a chemical peel
•    What to do in the rare incidence in complications
•    Post chemical peel treatment and how to follow up with care for your skin during and after the healing process
•    How to apply the chemical peeling agents differently to each facial area depending on the needs of the skin in each area
•    The powers and limits of each type of chemical peel

This is not something that any instruction manual can give you.  This is not something you can learn without training in biology, anatomy, medicine, and chemistry and many years of clinical experience.  This is not something you can learn without being mentored over a year or more.  This is not something you can “pick up” this weekend with a kit you ordered on the internet.  Most importantly, chemical peels are not a do-it-yourself activity.

Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of nonsurgical, minimally invasive treatments like the chemical peel is the fact that there are those who think that because it is so safe in a doctor’s office, it is something they can do at home in the kitchen.  Individuals trying to save a few bucks by treating themselves may be surprised and upset to see their experiment go so horribly wrong, but these poor at-home results don’t surprise a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in chemical peels and understands their complexity.  It is true that chemical peels are very safe, but only when performed in a medical setting by a qualified, experienced cosmetic physician who specializes in chemical peels.

Think of it this way: If you broke your leg, would you try to make a cast for yourself at home?  Of course not!  Doctors treat broken bones in emergency rooms everyday and consider this a safe, important procedure, but you would never dream of doing this to yourself.  Similarly, there is a lot more to the art of a chemical peel than you may imagine.

Finding the Best, Safe Treatment

Dr. Steinsapir specializes in individualizing each chemical peel to a patient’s unique facial needs.  He will answer your questions and develop a safe, effective treatment plan based on your individual goals.  Call us today to find out how a chemical peel performed safely on an outpatient basis can help you.

Forms of laser resurfacing are appealing to many doctors because they are easy to learn the public’s infatuation with lasers make the services easy to market.  In fact, surgeons can be trained in a two-day course on how to use a laser while it can take two years of intense fellowship to understand the art and versatility of the chemical peel.  The chemical peel is complex and adaptable, but after spending $150,000 on a laser,  a doctor will want to recoup these costs and will have little incentive to offer laser resurfacing alternatives.

Superficial Improvements

There are several facial laser treatment problems, one being that you may pay a lot for an expensive technology that doesn’t make a meaningful difference in your appearance.

The cost of this expensive technology is passed onto you, the client, which is fair, but it can mean that results are disappointing when you consider the price you pay.  For example, Fraxel laser treatments are considered very mild.  They do freshen up your complexion but will you be disappointed with the results if you don’t make enough progress in tightening the skin or providing dramatic improvements?

Laser peels are also usually performed with an erbium laser, and they are considered so mild that the treatment is rendered superficial, producing results comparable to microdermabrasion.  While this provides minimal improvement, the machine is still very costly, and you will have to pay a lot for this type of service.  Fractional C02 laser resurfacing achieves results that are similar to light chemical peels and certainly much more effective than microdermabrasion.  Again how you feel about the improvement has to be balanced against what you have had to pay for the service.

Side Effects from Overagressive Treatments

Deep CO2 laser resurfacing has fallen out of fashion because of the negative experience many have had healing from these treatments.  Before considering such a treatment it’s important to understand the real risk that your skin will suffer from permanent depigmentation, and that the scarring caused by such treatments will likely affect the texture of your face.  This is because the treatment depth needed to improve deep facial lines makes post laser resurfacing scars, particularly skin texture changes, relatively common.  In fact these types of skin texture changes and skin depigmentation are so common that many surgeons think that this is the expected outcome of the service!  This creates a permanent unnatural color change in the skin.  Will this type of change be worth living with?  For many younger individuals, the answer is no.  However, some older women who rely on foundation to improve the tone of the complexion may find that it is not a problem to continue the use of foundation to add color to the face after deep CO2 laser and appreciate the improvement in facial lines.

Facial laser procedures began as a promising technology that some even believed would replace the time tested and reliable chemical peel, but now we are seeing that the technology has ultimately been a disappointment.  In order to achieve line improvement with laser resurfacing, the unwanted treatment side effects are unavoidable.  With other kinds of laser, we see that the laser peel is so mild that the improvements, for many, are not worth the financial costs.  These problems can be traced back to the inflexibility of laser treatments making them suitable for treating a narrow range of complexion issues.

Laser Resurfacing vs. Chemical Peel

A chemical peel has the ability to rejuvenate your skin and restore your face’s youthful appearance through a carefully designed treatment plan.  Chemical peels are truly an art form with many options that make your treatment customizable and safe, and they’ve been the preferred facial resurfacing method for much longer than laser treatments have been available.  There is still a very small chance of change in pigmentation, but when we look at the chemical peel vs. laser treatment we see that the chemical peel is less likely to produce unwanted skin color and texture problems.  However, due to the experience and level of skill needed to perform this procedure, only a very limited number of surgeons are truly qualified to perform these procedures

You need an expert in chemical peels.

Dr. Steinsapir is a considered a master chemical peeler who is able to custom-tailor a peel to your unique needs.  He specializes in achieving natural results with little down time by using minimally invasive procedures like the chemical peel.  It is his philosophy to approach your needs on an individual basis and then carefully plan your treatment.  Because Dr. Steinsapir never standardizes cosmetic treatments into a cookie-cutter, assembly-line approach, he can help you achieve benefits that work just right for you.  Please contact us today to learn more about how a chemical peel or another option can achieve your personal goals.

Chemical Peel Before and After Photo

When Do I Need a Chemical Peel?

Your doctor will go over this with you at your consultation.  Some general indications are:

•    acne with or without scaring
•    dark spots that have developed over time
•    aging skin from sun exposure
•    intrinsic skin aging
•    fine lines
•    creases and deep furrows
•    loss of skin elasticity
•    scaly dry skin with irregular brown spots
•    premalignant lesions
•    an overall yellowish hue to the skin due to chronic sun damage

Some patients may benefit from other procedures, like a facelift or facial filler, which can only be determined by an experienced surgeon at an individual consultation.

Which Chemical Peel Should I Get?

This depends on factors like the condition of your skin and what kinds of problems it has, your treatment goals, your skin color as classified by the clinical Fitzpatrick scale (which factors in how easily you sunburn), and other individual conditions.  To give you an idea of available chemical peels, here are some that are effective depending on the personal circumstances:

Alpha Hydroxy Agents

This peel is usually delivered in a series of treatments to improve mild brown spots and freshen the skin tone.  We derive alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) from fruit and dairy products, most commonly using glycolic acid to smooth the skin.  If your skin is suffering from discoloration and darkening from damage, skin bleachers combine synergistically with AHA to lighten the skin nicely.  Repeated treatments yield new collagen and elastin, which is thought to reduce skin sagging.  AHA can be used in an acne facial peel to improve your complexion, too.  Very low concentrations of about 2-15% are available over-the-counter, which generally are not concentrated enough to cause dramatic improvement on their own, but can be used as an effective at-home treatment in conjunction with stronger treatments from a cosmetic physician.

Jessner’s Solution

This balance of resorcinol, salicylic acid, and lactic acid is a mild treatment that can be combined with TCA to treat the skin more deeply.  When combined with TCA, which by itself is a mild to moderate peeling agent, Jessner’s Solution is a mild peel with increased skin effects.  Generally, those being treated with Jessner’s peel alone need frequent treatments (perhaps monthly) and would likely benefit from a stronger peel performed two or three times per year, which would create similar or better results.

Trichloroacetic Acid

Depending on your needs, your doctor can apply trichloroacetic acid (TCA) in any number of strengths to achieve your desired results.  Depending on the concentration strength, your doctor may administer a regional anesthesia and oral or intravenous sedation to ensure your complete comfort.  After TCA treatment, your skin will be fresher and smoother.  Generally the maximum concentration of TCA used is 35%.   TCA solutions of 50% are less predictable and can sometimes result in scaring.  The better option is to opt for an effective but less concentrated treatment that will provide predictable benefits without unwanted scars or use phenol which will safely peel deeper into the skin.  The exception to this is the so-called Cross method using 95% TCA for acne scar pits.

Phenol

This peel, when made into an 89% solution, creates a medium-deep chemical peel used to peel the face.  Phenol formula is remarkably effective at addressing problem lines, improving all but the deepest ones.  The tightening of the facial skin achieved with this treatment can, in some cases, rival facelift results without the need for surgery.  This peel can address sun damage, sun-spots, pre-malignant actinic keratosis, which left untreated can progress to in-situ squamous cell carcinomas. Since this agent is both strong and effective, your doctor must be cautious in its application.  Conservative applications are best because, when overdone, phenol can contribute to scaring, but in lower quantities it is a reliable, powerful treatment.  Very few patients require treatment of this depth on their whole face.  Instead, your doctor should use phenol to treat only small areas of the face where problems are most severe.  It may take 10 to 12 days to heal from a phenol peel while your skin rejuvenates.  Because the skin can stay red up to four to six months, some patients wear coverup and love their results, while many men find that this subtle hue readily blends into their complexion without concern.

Are Fruit Peels Safer Than Chemical Peels?

It’s important to understand that fruit peels are chemical peels, but milder and usually less effective than the chemical peels outlined above.  The word “chemical” scares a lot of people, but it’s important to understand that everything is a chemical, scientifically speaking, and chemical peels have a safe track record.  Fruit peels are generally made of mild alpha hydroxy acids and citric acids extracted from fruits.  Some may think it’s better simply because they hear the word “fruit” instead of “chemical,” but this peel is superficial with minimal benefits.

Should I Get the New Melange Peel?

This peel, which you receive at an office and then leave on for several hours at home, does receive a lot of internet hype.  There have been fantastic claims made about the Melange Peel. It is important to separate marketing hyperbole from reality: while you can expect mild improvement in skin tone, the real issue is do you get real value for what you have been asked to pay?

Expert Treatment

Chemical peels are not something a doctor can learn in a weekend seminar, but something a doctor must perfect by treating hundreds of faces.  The peel is an art form and your physician will assess the best peel or combination of peels for your unique situation.  Find a board certified surgeon with actual fellowship training in cosmetic surgery who has a long history performing facial peels for satisfied patients.

Dr. Steinsapir demonstrates his face peel expertise through years of experience, and his chemical peel before and after photos demonstrate his skill as both a cosmetic surgeon and an artist.  Call us today to schedule your consultation and find out which peel is most suitable to your needs.