January 18th, 2011
Natural Skin Care in Del Mar, San Diego
As the aesthetician for Dr. Larry Pollack at Del Mar Plastic Surgery, San Diego, I have a great amount of experience treating patients in the office. For 6 years, I have been working with patients to improve their skin by administering microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and various forms of luxurious facials. At home remedies can be an inexpensive and effective way to pamper yourself.
With the cold weather, our skin feels drier. Here is a great, simple home treatment using products you already have in your kitchen that will make your skin feel amazing. I do this on my own skin once a week during the winter months:
Mix 1 C brown sugar and ¼ C olive oil in a bowl. Take the mixture with you into the shower and wrap your hair in a towel. Gently massage the mixture all over your body. The brown sugar will gently exfoliate while the olive oil will hydrate your skin. I even use a small amount on my face and lips. Rinse off with warm water, and enjoy!
Optional Boost: In the morning, add 1 tsp peppermint extract. In the evening, add 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Make sure to always use sunscreen and come see me for regular skin care treatments!
Kristi
Posted in Facial Procedures, Facial Rejuvenation, Home, Skin Care | No Comments »
November 29th, 2010
Cosmetic Surgery Financing, Del Mar
In the current economic climate, most of us don’t have extra cash reserves for the extra beauty treatments we would like to get. Finding ways to pay for cosmetic procedures is becoming more challenging. Thanks to innovative companies such as Care Credit, several options are available to help pay for surgery. Similar to a credit card, you can charge any procedures performed in the office to your account. This makes it convenient when stopping in for maintenance treatments such as Botox and Juvederm. Care Credit is accepted at thousands of medical practices, so it can be used to pay for other medical services as well. Several options for payment including no interest loans are available.
Rather than putting off the breast augmentation or tummy tuck you have been wanting to have, apply at www.carecredit.com and have your surgery today!
Kate
Posted in Botox, Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision, Earlobe Repair, Eyelid Lift, Facial Procedures, Facial Rejuvenation, Fat Transfer, Fillers, Financing Options, Fraxel, Home, Laser Hair Removal, Liposuction, Mommy Makeover, Skin Cancer, Tummy Tuck | No Comments »
November 29th, 2010
Del Mar Fraxel
Now that summer is gone, it’s time to repair your skin. Even incidental sun exposure in the summer can cause significant UV damage to the skin, promoting blemishes, wrinkles, and dryness. The Fraxel laser is the latest CO2 laser technology that resurfaces and tightens the skin by vaporizing small columns of skin, encouraging collagen production and wrinkle repair.
The laser works by “fractionating”, or splitting, the laser beam into many smaller beams which then penetrate the skin and remove it. Imagine a pin cushion, with the skin now having thousands of tiny holes where skin used to be. Those holes then close, resulting in tighter skin and fewer wrinkles. At the same time, the “damage” to the skin initiates a normal and healthy skin response: collagen production. As we age, the amount of collagen in our skin decreases, causing wrinkling and sagging. After the Fraxel treatment, new collagen is formed, making the skin younger, fresher, and fuller, again helping to reduce or eliminate wrinkles and sagging. Finally, the Fraxel laser also eliminates irregular pigmentation and blemishes, leading to smoother color and skin tone.
The Fraxel laser treatment is done in the office with light oral sedation and local anesthesia. It takes about one hour. For the first 24 to 48 hours after, you need to gently cleanse the skin with a dilute vinegar solution and apply Aquaphor. Most patients do not need pain medication, and are ready to wear makeup in 5 to 7 days. The results continue to improve over 3 months.
Call our Del Mar Plastic Surgery office today to find out more, schedule a consultation, and hear about promotional prices.
Posted in Facial Procedures, Facial Rejuvenation, Fraxel, Home | No Comments »
October 16th, 2010
Move your tummy and hip fat to your breasts and face – The Age of Fat Transfer!
Transferring fat from one area of the body to another has been done for many years with variable success. Over the last 5 to 10 years, newer techniques for harvesting the fat, rinsing and preparing it, and then injecting it have been developed, making the procedure much more effective, predictable, and successful.
I’ve been doing fat transfer for a couple of years, mostly on breast reconstruction patients, to smooth out deformities that occur as a result of mastectomy. Using newer syringe liposuction techniques, with less pressure and smaller cannulae, more fat survives the suctioning process. The fat then has to be cleaned and prepared for injection, and I use the Cytori Puregraft filter system, which gently separates the healthy fat cells from other tissues. This nearly pure, healthy fat is then injected under minimum pressure using small cannulae, which are similar to large but dull needles. All this is done through tiny 2-3 millimeter incisions, or other incisions already there from other procedures.
Studies have shown that there are stem cells in fatty tissue, and these are transferred with the fat. They have been shown to improve skin quality, especially in patients who have had radiation or have significant sun damage or facial aging.
While implants are still the gold standard for breast augmentation, some women want only a small enlargement and don’t want an implant. To get a 1/2 to 1 cup size increase, fat injection can be ideal if you have enough fat elsewhere. (Most women believe they do!). The procedure takes about 1 hour, and there is considerable less discomfort than with standard implant breast augmentation. Anywhere from 50% to 80% of the transferred fat survives and is permanent. Clinical studies in Europe have demonstrated safety, and there appears to be NO increased risk of breast cancer.
For facial rejuvenation, either with a facelift, or by itself, fat is an excellent filler material. Since it is permanent and your own tissue, there is no risk of rejection. I have used fat injection for lip enhancement, nasolabial folds (lines between the nose and corner of the mouth), and frown lines. It is also helpful to enhance cheeks without having to use implants. And, as mentioned, the skin over the area of the fat injection looks better and younger.
Find out if fat transfer is for you. Call our office for a free consultation.
Del Mar Plastic Surgery serves the following communities: San Diego, Del Mar, La Jolla, Encinitas, Poway, Escondido, Vista, San Marcos and North San Diego County.
Posted in Breast Augmentation, Breast Revision, Eyelid Lift, Facial Procedures, Facial Rejuvenation, Fat Transfer, Home, Liposuction, Mommy Makeover | No Comments »
October 13th, 2010
San Diego Eyelid Lift
The first signs of aging show in our eyes. It seems as though one morning we wake up and we just look older. Friends may start commenting on how tired we look even when we feel just fine. There are several approaches to refreshing the eyes—both surgical and non-surgical. Having a little Botox injected around the crow’s feet area (the lines radiating from the corners) will soften the area and help to refresh your look for about 3-4 months.
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is a very common procedure that removes the excess skin and fat from the upper and/or lower lids. The surgery is very short (about an hour) and can be done under local anesthesia with sedation. Recovery is quick and fairly painless. Of course there is some bruising and swelling around the eyes for a few days, but most patients are out and about within a week.
Occasionally, the procedure is combined with brow lift or facelift surgery for those who are ready for a complete rejuvenation; however, blepharoplasty can be performed alone. It should be considered by patients who are looking for a subtle, refreshing change without too much downtime.
Dr. Pollack performs blepharoplasty surgery every week at the Sharp Outpatient Pavilion. Schedule your complimentary consultation today!
Kate
Posted in Eyelid Lift, Facial Procedures, Facial Rejuvenation, Home | No Comments »
September 20th, 2010
Botox San Diego
Dr. Pollack has been injecting Botox Cosmetic for years now safely and effectively. We have a strong group of loyal patients who continually return for injections on a regular basis. Occasionally, I will hear stories from patients who may have gone to another clinic but it just didn’t work as well. They always end up returning to our office. My only explanation for this was that perhaps some offices are diluting the Botox more and therefore, the concentration is different. I have a new theory.
Over the last year, our fax machine piles up with offers from companies who sell Botox and other cosmetic fillers at huge discounts. I never paid much attention until recently. After doing some investigating, we are finding out that more companies are making European and Canadian Botox available in the United States, despite the FDA regulations against it. Botox is a fragile product, and according to law, should be manufactured and distributed in the United States if that is where it is being administered.
It makes sense now when I see some physician’s offering treatments at such low prices. The only place we purchase our Botox is through Allergan. It is guaranteed, and the only way you are protected if you should have a problem. So the next time you get a great deal on Botox, make sure to ask your doctor “Where did this Botox come from, exactly?”
Kate
Posted in Botox, Facial Procedures, Fillers, Home | No Comments »
August 27th, 2010
Ear Lobe Repair San Diego
Over the years, wearing heavy earrings or ear gauges will cause stretching of the earlobes and sometimes even tears where the earlobe was pierced. Many individuals do not realize that this can easily be repaired, and that you will be able to go back to wearing your favorite earrings again within a few months.
Dr. Pollack performs a “mini-flap” on the ear, in an L-shape pattern, by making a small incision where the former hole used to be. This procedure is performed
in the office with a small amount of local anesthesia. By repairing the ear in this way, you will avoid “notching” as the ear heals, and will be able to re-pierce the ear in about six weeks without problems. Dr. Pollack will even re-pierce the ear for you at no charge if you return to the office with an earring.
This quick fix repair can be performed on ears which are already torn all the way through or those that are just stretched. Put your clip earrings back in the drawer and consider having your ear repaired instead!
Kate
Posted in Earlobe Repair, Facial Procedures, Home | No Comments »
August 26th, 2010
Facial Rejuvenation San Diego
Despite one’s best efforts to prevent facial aging–doing regular skin care, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding excess sun exposure–time and gravity may ultimately take it’s toll. Years ago, facelift surgery was done mostly on women over 60, but over the last 20 years, more and more women in their 40′s and 50′s are also taking advantage of new, less invasive facial surgical procedures designed to refresh and repair.
Lately, some bad celebrity facelifts have made some people nervous about having the procedure. My philosophy is that facelifts should restore YOUR youthful look, not pull everything as tight as possible!
Facelift surgery is designed to reposition tissues that have sagged as a result of aging. The facial muscles are tightened, fat is repositioned to eliminate jowls and fill in the cheeks, and excess skin is removed. Short scar, quick recovery lifts are ideal for younger patients with early facial aging. More extensive surgery is required if the signs of aging are more advanced. In either case, the scars are placed for minimal visibility and heal extremely well. Very often, facelift is combined with an eyelid lift, also called blepharoplasty, as well as a browlift to completely rejuvenate the face. The latest trend is to include fat injection into the cheek, around the eyes, and into the lips to add volume and a more youthful appearance.
Facelift surgery takes between 2 and 6 hours depending on how much is done. It is an outpatient procedure, and most patients can return to work and social functions within 7 to 10 days. Regular exercise is allowed after 3 to 4 weeks.
Call us for a consultation, and we can tailor a procedure just for you.
Posted in Facial Procedures, Facial Rejuvenation, Home | No Comments »
As the aesthetician for Dr. Larry Pollack at Del Mar Plastic Surgery, San Diego, I have a great amount of experience treating patients in the office. For 6 years, I have been working with patients to improve their skin by administering microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and various forms of luxurious facials. At home remedies can be an inexpensive and effective way to pamper yourself.
