Category Archives: ANTI-AGING + PROCEDURES + MEDICAL AESTHETICS

The Mother’s Day Gift No One Will Refuse

April 16, 2021

BotoxThis Mother’s Day, BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) wants to recognize and celebrate all that you do, mama!

Show your love for all your mama friends (or yourself) by entering the BOTOX® Cosmetic sweepstakes! BOTOX® Cosmetic is giving those who enter and the mom in their life a chance to each win $25,000:*

After entering, be sure to post a photo, video or story of the mom in your life on Instagram now through May 9 explaining how they are more than a mom in the caption. Tag @botoxcosmetic and use the hashtag, #MoreThanAMom

BOTOX® Cosmetic is the FIRST and ONLY treatment of its kind FDA approved for the temporary improvement in the appearance of 3 treatment areas—moderate to severe crow’s feet, glabellar lines, and forehead lines in adults.1  There’s no better way to celebrate the #1 mom in your life than by encouraging them to do something for themselves for being #MoreThanAMom, and if deemed an appropriate candidate by a specialist, their aesthetic routine with the #1 selling product of its kind!2‡

*NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. You must be an Allē℠ Loyalty Program Member to enter or win. If you are not a member, you can sign up at alle.com. It is free to become an Allē Loyalty Program Member. People enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or other federal or state healthcare programs are not eligible to enter the Sweepstakes. Further eligibility restrictions apply, see full OFFICIAL RULES for details. Void outside the 50 U.S./D.C. and where prohibited. Sweepstakes starts at 12:00:01 AM ET on 4/21/21; ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 5/9/21. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. For full Official Rules, visit www.allerganaestheticspromotion.com/mothers-day. Sponsor: Allergan, Inc., 2525 Dupont Drive, Irvine, CA 92612. 

‡A licensed healthcare provider will need to perform an assessment to ensure the patient is an appropriate candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment.

BOTOX® COSMETIC IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & APPROVED USES 

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

  • Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
  • Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, and/or forehead lines.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. They include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; have trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include: dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of your eyelids and dry eyes.

APPROVED USES 

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults.

For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Product Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.  

Don’t Even Think About Self Extractions (But If You Do, Candace Marino Walks You Through It)

May 4, 2020

Spoiler Alert -celebrity esthetician- Candace Marino, aka the LA Facialist is not an advocate of self extractions. According to Candace” It’s the equivalent of giving free condoms to teens – not encouraging it, but if they’re going to do it, let’s make it safe!”

Seeing too many horror stories as clients were sucked into the rabbit hole of the 10X magnifying mirror, Candace believes in saving it for the experts.
That being said, trapped at home with a next facial [potentially] months away, it’s peak pick time so she is breaking down the safest way to self-extract and care for your poor pores!

Here is a basic breakdown of her at home “Pore Protocol”

Cleanse
  • Gentle Cleanser with light acids for mild exfoliation
  • Product Recco: SkinBetter Oxygen Infusion wash/oxygenating acid complex to help prevent/treat breakouts
Heat / DIY Steam [Note: NOT recommended for anyone with melasma or hyperpigmentation.]
  • Favorite/most cost effective way to steam is by boiling hot water
  • Throw some tea in there to give off spa vibes
  • Hover over the pot with a towel over your head to trap in steam for 5 minutes to allow your skin to soften
  • No longer or it can cause TEWL [transepidermal water loss and dehydration]
Direction for Extract but first – PUT down the knife – use clean fingers only – leave digging devices to the professionals to avoid potential permanent scarring or pigmentation issues and injury.
  • Wrap finger in tissue or cotton, gently pinch the skin together and press upward
  • Press only the direction you want the congestion to go. If you’re pressing down into the skin you’re making things worse, and potentially spreading bacteria under the skin.
  • Be gentle and give pores a break in between & minimize nails
  • Leave aggravated or super stubborn acne alone – hard angry or underground is no go
Cleanse — repeat same as above
Ice Roller Product Recco: Stacked — ideal for immediate for inflammation reduction and pain
Tone Product Recco: Biologique Recherche Lotion P50W with AHA/BHA to micro-exfoliate and balance skin
Mask Biologique Recherche Vivant or Masque VIP02

“Pores are not doors – they don’t open or close – but we can improve their appearance” – Candace Marino

TOP TEN PORE IMPROVING TIPS
  1. Extract with caution and care
  2. Keep face free from cellular build up and environmental sludge — triple cleanse
  3. Clean pores will always appear smaller so exfoliate daily [Salicylic Acid is your friend – use it!]
  4. Strengthen collagen and elastin with peptides
  5. Support balance using humectants and moisture binders like hyaluronic acid
  6. Don’t overly dry – limit Benzoyl Peroxide it can create a rebound effect of more production of sebum
  7. Incorporate BHA in skincare daily – add it!
  8. Use hydrating, calming and soothing serum after extractions iS Clinical HydraCool Serum
  9. Retinol for turnover without trauma Better Skin AlphaRet overnight combo of AHA and Retinol
  10. Go for the big guns weekly with a peel AlphaRet Peel Pads with the starring role of Retinoic Acid
FINAL NOTE: little dots on your nose most likely aren’t blackheads, they’re sebaceous filaments.
Blackheads will be raised, textured, truly black, thick and waxy. The skin oils solidify, forming plugs that can dilate the pore further leading to enlarged pores. Sebaceous filaments are the normal function of the follicle. Narrow, lighter in color under the skin — they do not fully obstruct the pore and are not meant for extractions.
top LA facialist Candace Moreno

According to Dr. Ava: It’s The Right Time To Ramp Up Retinoids At Home

April 29, 2020

Retinoids are the A-List of all Vitamin-A derivatives. The gold standard for over 2 decades in wrinkle reduction, pore refining, texture softening, dimming discoloration and fighting acne can however, be highly reactionary.
Not all created equally with some less potent and some a harsher as they essentially work to trick the skin into thinking and acting like its younger self.

“Retinol transition can be outright treacherous with dermal downtime but,
worth every flake in the end” – Dr. Ava Shamban

A bright side Benjamin Buttons skin scenario is the “Qua-Routine” can power through the “rough stuff” red, flaking, raw, irritation and inflammation. Come June, emerge fully “filtered” with visible improvements and glowing reviews.
WHY NOW
  • NEVER too early or too late
  • Best to start when there is limited to sun exposure / outdoor activities [and not a chemical peel, laser or other contraindications in sight]
  • Minimum 1-month commitment to breakthrough the transitional side effects and dermal downtime
HOW THEY WORK
  • Engages skin cell turnover — replacing old with new, fresh cells
  • Thickens skin from inside out
  • Stimulates production of new blood vessels
  • Removes dead skin cells keeping pores clear
  • Eliminates dry rough patches
  • Dims discoloration and smooths scarring
  • Increases collagen and elastin
RETINOID RANGE — NOT ALL A’S ARE EQUAL
  • Retinyl palmitate – lowest strength / converts with enzymes but at 20-25% % less potent than Retinol
  • Retinol Most tolerable middle strength OTC product
  • Retinaldehyde High strength product converts 10 times faster into Retinoic Acid in skin therefore considerably stronger than Retinol
  • Adapalene Strongest OTC option but a little different than the others. It slows process of hyperkeratinization in the pores making it a beneficial acne treatment. Can be used with Benzoyl Peroxide without contraindications.
RX versions include: Retin-A, Tretinoin or Tazarotene, which work faster, no conversion and most effective, but also extra irritating to the skin/sun sensitive. Tretinoin can be less effective if used with Benzoyl Peroxide products.
THE RETINOL RULES:
  • Start at night pea sized amount twice weekly
  • Building up to 3X and then nightly over 4 weeks
  • Another 2-4 weeks of nightly usage will yield real results
  • Add neck/décolleté
  • Use calming moisturizer or serum to hydrate and sooth skin at night
  • Add a hydrating spray by day helps to keep from itching/touching face
  • Wear sunscreen daily SPF 30 – [preferably mineral]
THE REWARD
  • After 2 months of consistent nightly usage peeling redness and all irritations will be gone
  • Game-changing reduction in fine lines, dark spots, pores, texture, tone and acne
Here is a list of Dr. A’s fave  Retinols
Instytutum:
ADVANCED RETINOL TONER
X-STRENGTH RETINOL SERUM
POWERFUL RETIN-OIL
All formulas are developed by our Swiss R&D laboratory and scientists with over 30 years of experience in the skincare industry; they are famous for their cutting-edge innovation, outstanding quality, and high performance-driven actives.
Skinbetter:   
ALPHARET OVERNIGHT CREAM
Evening application. Unretouched clinical photography. Data on file, skinbetter science. Individual results may vary. *Twice-daily application of Even Tone Correcting Serum and evening application of AlphaRet Overnight Cream.
U.SK Underskin: 
ADVANCED RETINOL RESTORER
RETINOL ANTIOX DEFENSE
Experience radiant skin as enchanting as the purest of precious stones! This is the premise of U.SK UNDER SKIN, a brand that relies on excellence and a partnership with renowned Italian laboratory, Monteresearch.


Dermaclara Beauty

February 11, 2020

Dermaclara Beauty is a groundbreaking line of skincare that addresses both wrinkles and stretch marks using medical grade silicone patches and complementary skincare that smoothes, plumps, and prevents. Designed for both face and body, their clarafuse silicone patches utilize Silicone Fusion™ technology, and can be applied easily and discreetly. Clarafuse patches firm, plump, and erase wrinkles and stretch marks. Each patch is reusable up to 30 times.

Dermaclara Beauty’s youth scientists explain how the use of medical grade silicone on skin to create a microclimate (called occlusion) that works to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and stretch marks. Not only that, they discovered that using clarafuse silicone patches, users could delay or even prevent getting wrinkles in the first place! Gentle on the skin, clarafuse encourages hydration and the skin’s natural healing mechanism to effectively smooth, plump, and rejuvenate itself. The process also stimulates natural collagen production, which helps maintain results over time.

NOVEMBER 20 IS NATIONAL BOTOX® COSMETIC DAY

November 12, 2019

Be the first to get the alert! Sign up for Brilliant Distinctions® below to receive notifications on November 20, when it’s finally BO-TIME. This will be an epic one day only event featuring an exclusive offer, so save the date and get excited.

  •  

  • In order to participate in Brilliant Distinctions®, you must first enable Two-Factor Authentication, which requires your mobile number.

You can opt out of receiving emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or by signing in to your profile at BrilliantDistinctionsProgram.com and updating your preferences.

 

EXPAND +

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & APPROVED USES

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

  • Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
  • Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, and/or forehead lines.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. They include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; have trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include: dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of your eyelids and dry eyes.

APPROVED USES

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults.

For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Product Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.