One of the latest trends in beauty are cremes that promise to repair your genes by using stem cells. These products contain ingredients that support the body’s own natural efforts to protect and heal the skin.  But what are they and do they really work?

Stem cells have the ability to develop into a lot of different structures, creating new tissue and repairing damaged tissue. The stem cells in beauty products can  come from apples, grapes and other botanical sources. Some studies suggest that apple stem-cell extracts may boost the activity of skin cells and possibly even stimulate the production of new cells.  The one thing that we know for sure is that apples and grapes are still great for the skin. They are powerful antioxidants that eat up free radicals.

The body has thousands of different peptides. Peptides are essentially proteins that are chains of amino acids that send a specific message to a specific cell. Peptides are now being used in beauty products. The peptides in these products help to repair wrinkles by identifying the cells damaged by ultraviolet rays and ordering the body to repair them.

Probiotics are a form of healthy bacteria that are generally found in the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics are associated with anti-inflammation and claim to give you glowing skin. What really happens is that the probiotics support your body’s own ongoing healthy cell renewal rate and helps your body retain moisture.

Please contact our office, Del Mar Plastic Surgery in San Diego with any questions/concerns or to schedule a complimentary consultation, 858-450-9100. Thank you!

Marci

The defination of ’sensitive skin’  is simply an ‘abnormal reaction to common ingredients and conditions’ . In most cases, what causes irritation is a compromised skin barrier. Causes can be the drying effects of cold and wind, cleansing to often and with harsh soaps, over-exfoliation, allergies or perhaps an underlying condition such as rosacea or acne. The good news is that there are things that we can do to help minimize the effects. There are many products out there that are free of the most common irritants, which are frangrances, alcohols, and preservatives but still have powerful anti-agers.

Prescription-strength retinoids, such as Retin-A and Tazorac, work fast to minimize facial lines, speed up cell renewal rate and produce collegen and leave skin clearer and brighter. But for people that have sensitive skin, it can lead to redness, itchiness and flaking. Even over-the-counter products may be too much for some. I recommend retinol products that also contain anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as green tea, white tea, or oat derivatives. You may also look for hyaluronic acid that will help the skin retain its moisture.

The most effective skin-lightening ingredient is hydroquinone. Hydroquinone inhibits melanin production, but can aggravate sensitive skin. I recommend natural amino acids, licorice, soy, kojic and mandelic. They will alleviate hyperpigmentation more gently. Look for products that are formulated for sensitive skin and that say “brightening”.  But most importantly, make sure to use your sunscreen to keep spots from getting any darker or forming new ones.

Dullness is caused by the build-up of dry, dead skin cells. Removing them can be tricky. Grainy scrubs can be too scratchy and people tend to scrub too hard. Chemical exfoliators like glycolic acid and topical vitamin C can leave you red and stinging. The key is to use products specifically formulated for sensitive skin that can be used as often as every other day. If you exfoliate once a week, you will not see as much of a cumulative benefit.

Chemical suncreens that contain avobenzone and oxybenzone, block the suns rays but can lead to redness and irritation. If you tend to get red or itchy after applying an SPF, try switching to a broad-spectrum formula that uses natural ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and many now contain calming ingredients such as oatmeal, chamomile and aloe.

Please contact our office, Del Mar Plastic Surgery in San Diego with any questions/concerns or to schedule a complimentary consultation, 858-450-9100. Thank you!

According to a report on ABC News earlier this month, Botox for men is becoming increasingly popular, especially as a gift.  What was once considered a treatment mostly for women is now a trend seeing huge growth.  Botox relaxes the muscles in the forehead and frown lines, thus promoting a more relaxed appearance.   With the competition for jobs these days, many men are seeking every bit of competitive edge they can.  Last year over 300,000 men had botox treatments according the the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.  This reflects a 10% increase over the previous year.    In addition, it has been reported that the men seeking Botox treatment are of all ages and personality types.  Even men normally not particularly interested in a “beauty routine” seek Botox to help reduce wrinkles.

If you or someone you know is interested in Bro-tox, Dr. Larry Pollack has been performing injections for over 10 years and spends time with each patient to customize the treatment.  Call our office today at 848-450-9100 or email kate@delmarplasticsurgery.com.

Kate

On an average day, I get at least 4 or 5 calls or emails requesting the price of a breast augmentation.  I have learned that patients seeking this surgery are often price sensitive and are sometimes seeking the best “deal”.  If you have seen an ad in the local newspaper for a breast augmentation for $3900 and call an office and are told it is $6500, it leads to more questions.  Why is there such a difference?  What should I really be paying?

I can’t tell you what to pay for your breast augmentation surgery, but after 16 years of consulting for Dr. Larry Pollack, I can offer you some great information in your search for a doctor.  First of all, keep in mind that this is major surgery.  You are not getting a haircut or a manicure.  Searching for price is important, but should not be the most important factor in your decision.  Below is a breakdown of  the costs associated with breast augmentation surgery:

Surgeons fees:   Typical surgeons fees for the procedure range from $2500-$4000 nationwide.  This pays for your doctor’s expertise, time, office visits, and all of your care.

Breast Implant fees:  Breast implants come from only 2 manufacturers.  The cost averages about $800-$900 per pair for saline implants and $1800-$1900 per pair for silicone gel.  This is what it costs to buy the breast implants for you.

Operating Room fees:  This is where fees will vary greatly.  Cost depends on the facility and the time it takes the physician to perform the breast augmentation procedure.  Most of the discounted procedures you find are performed in an “office facility”  or the surgeon’s own surgical suite.  Make sure to check the accreditation and the safety factors of the facility and don’t choose to have surgery in someone’s office clinic.

Anesthesia fees:  This will vary as well.  Most surgeons will perform the breast augmentation procedure under general anesthesia.  Again, its best to have your anesthesia administered by a board certified anesthesiologist.  This is not an area you want to cut corners.

All this being said, for a breast augmentation procedure you should expect to pay $4500-$5500 for saline implants and $5500-$6500 for silicone gel implants in the San Diego area.  If you find it being offered for less, make sure to ask what is included/not included and don’t be afraid to ask for the breakdown of cost.  Most importantly, choose a doctor you are comfortable with and whose staff you like!  You are going to be spending a lot of time with them.

Please contact our office, Del Mar Plastic Surgery in San Diego with any questions/concerns or to schedule a complimentary consultation, 858-450-9100.

Happy Breast Aug Hunting!

Kate

It’s the little things in life that can drive you crazy. When you look at yourself in the mirror, you may think; Where did that wrinkle come from? Why can’t I get rid of all of these blackheads? What’s up with all of these broken capillaries?

Here is my list of the top ten skin issues and how to repair them.

Issue #1
Combination Skin

Do you have dry, itchy cheeks but a big blemish on your nose? I suggest looking for products that have salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is great for removing surface oils and niacinamide which is hydrating for the skin. You should treat combination skin like it is dry, with gentle, oil-based cleansers and regular cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Remember that oil desolves oil. You can also use a clay mask in the t-zone only to absorb excess oil  without drying out the skin.

Issue #2
Persistant Pimples

Consistancy is the key when fighting acne if you want to see results. You should use a cleanser or scrub with alpha or beta hydroxy acids, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide daily to wash and exfoliate. In an emergency, you can spot treat with a drop of benzoyl peroxide mixed with hydrocortisone cream on the blemish. Just don’t over do it with the hydrocortisone (it’s a steroid cream), acne could become worse. If your skin becomes too dry, decrease exfoliation to two times a week and look for a moisturizer that is noncomedogenic and make sure that you use a gentle cleanser. Do not use soap! Soaps can cause skin to dry out and become inflamed. That will trigger redness and more breakouts.

Issue #3
Dark Skin Spots

If you have dark skin, any slight slight  mark(from injury, picking acne ect.) can turn into a hyperpigmented spot. Dark skin can also get dermatosis papulosa nigra which is a brown freckling around the eyes and checks. A good sunscreen is the best protection. Gel-based ones have a consistency that is better for dark skin.

Issue #4
Crow’s Feet

If you are concerned about crows feet (wrinkling around the eyes), your best investments are a pair of sunglasses and a good eye cream. Your sunglasses will keep you from squinting in the sun and creating more.  It is also important to keep your eye area hydrated. The skin around your eyes is the most fragile skin on our face. Daily use of eye creams with peptides is recommended. Peptides will stimulate collagen and hydrate the fragile skin.

Issue #5
Acne Scars

Acne scarring can be challenging to get rid of. There can be post-inflammatory(red spots) and pitted depressions. If you have post-inflammatory scarring, a prescription retinoid or retinal will help to fade the spots gradually as will using sun protection. Chemical peels will fade them even faster. If your scars are the pit variety,  I would consider Fraxel laser treatments, but the best thing to prevent acne scarring is to not pick at your face. If you have acneic prone skin, a series of facials every two weeks will get the bacteria under control and you underway to clear skin.

Issue #6
Stubborn Blackheads

The best way to tackle your blackheads is with a great facial! Nothing beats a deep pore cleansing, steam, extractions and a clay- based mask for those stubborn blackheads. Using products with salicylic acid will break down the sebum that gets stuck in the pores and causes blackheads. Clay-based masks will pull out impurities and tighten the pores.

Issue #7
Patchy Redness

Whether it is rosacea or broken capillaries, you can get rid of your patchy redness. You should use only products for people with sensitive skin, stay out of the sun (heat and light can dilate and damage the delicate capillaries). Make sure to wear sunscreen every day, even indoors. If redness is severe, wear an spf with a green tint as green cancels out red. Spicy food, caffeine and alcohol can trigger flushing. Eating bananas can help as well as they are loaded with vitamin K which is known to strengthen capillary walls.

Issue #8
Brown Spots

Hyperpigmentation or brown spots can make you look even older than wrinkles do. The first way to deal with them is to wear sunscreen or you will get even more and the ones you have may get even darker!  Secound, is to use products with retinol, vitamin C, niacinamides and soy. These have all been found to fade hyperpigmentaion. Third, is to have regular facials, microdermabraisions and chemical peels repeated every three to four weeks.

Issue #9
Dark Circles

Dark circles around the eyes are difficult to treat because they have so many different causes: genetics, allergies, sun damage and even vascular problems. Make sure that you are using a great eye cream. Many now have pigment reducing vitamin C, retinols and soy.  These will help with the pigmentation and keeping the eye area well hydrated.

Issue #10
Puffy Eyes

To reduce your puffy eyes, you need to get more sleep, drink extra water and avoid salty foods. For a quick fix, you can lay back and place a lukewarm chamomile teabag or a frozen teaspoon over each closed eyelid. If you chose the frozen spoon method, make sure to first coat each eye with eyecream. You can also place a cool, damp green teabag over each eye. The caffeine will relieve water tension.

Please contact Del Mar Plastic Surgery with any questions or to schedule a complimentary consultation.

It seems as though there are often trendy buzz words used in the world of cosmetic and plastic surgery and keeping up with what they all mean can be a daunting task.  The liquid facelift or is one of the hottest new trends in non-surgical facial rejuvenation.  For those who are not quite ready to undergo a major transformation or who want to get their “feet wet”, this combination of services may be just right.

A liquid facelift or nonsurgical facelift usually entails a few injections—performed in the office—of Botox and fillers.  Botox is used in the forehead, frown lines and crow’s feet areas to smooth creases and reduce future wrinkling.  In addition to Botox, filler, such as Juvederm, Restylane, or Radiesse is injected to plump remaining lines on the face such as smile lines and the pesky lines around the mouth.

Most packages also include some form of facial peel–either microdermabrasion, laser, or chemical peel to freshen the skin and give you a healthy glow.  Of course, any of these services alone will improve the way you look and feel, but combining them in one visit will surely turn back the clock!  Consult with Dr. Pollack about your liquid facelift today!

Kate

We all know the anti-aging basics. (In a word: Sunscreen). Here’s the skin-care news you can use to start looking younger right now!

“You look so young.”   These are the words we long to hear- and we will go to great (silly and expensive) lengths to hear them. But at a certain point, maybe we should stop and ask ourselves: Is it really eternal youth that we should be pursuing? Should that be our goal? We all see people in the public eye who try to turn the clock back dramatically and end up looking freakish. When they stop trying so hard, they start looking better!

More and more doctors are warning of the dangers of pursuing youth at all costs- the frozen features, the painfull tauntness, the total absence of facial lines. Instead, we should think of “age maintenance“, which is finding the age at which you are happiest with your looks and doing the best that you can to slow down-not reverse or halt altogether-the aging process.

Consider the fact that the face has three different components: muscle, fat and the outmost layer of skin itself.
When we are young, those three parts are all one piece in a sense; but as we get older, each part of us may age in different rates depending on both our genetics and our environments. Muscle sags; we lose volume and plumpness as our face loses fat and bone; the outer layer of skin wrinkles. The idea behind age maintenance is to find what you consider a sweet spot in your appearance-say your mid thirties-and to restore what you have in looks. In other words, prevention is best and restoration is fine. It’s going to far that gets so many women into trouble.

Of course you will age. But there is more and more that you can do to slow the clock- on all parts of the face and body and for all skin types. Basics of good skin care include, a good skin-care regimen of cleansing, exfoliating, sunscreen, regular facial treatments and if money allows, the use of Botox/fillers and lasers. By doing this, you can radically slow down the process. Even more critical? You will look like yourself and not a cartoon of yourself as the years go by.

To acquire additional information and services offered at Del Mar Plastic Surgery, please contact us at 858-450-9100.

Marci

I have been the front office coordinator for Dr. Larry Pollack for close to ten years. Recently, I took on a new role when my daughter announced she was getting married!! All of the sudden I realized (as young as I am) that I was going to be “the Mother of the Bride”. As part of my strategic planning, I started on a skin care program with our aesthetician, Marci, immediately. It consisted of a series of mini peels and facials. Dr. Pollack then gave me a “liquid facelift” which included Botox on the forehead and eyes and some Juvederm filler in my lips. I experienced no down time and it was nice to look a few years younger and feel confident in all of the wedding day photographs. If you have a special event or wedding coming up in your future, this is a great way to get your skin in shape and minimize your pesky little lines. The day turned out perfect and I feel great about how I look!! Thanks Marci and Dr. P!!!

Tanya

Many women have a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, after pregnancy because the skin and muscles have been stretched, resulting in loose skin and bulging. But what about getting pregnant AFTER having a tummy tuck? Is it safe?

The answer is yes… but. I usually counsel women to wait to have a tummy tuck until after they have had all their children, but sometimes this is impractical or unpredictable because of unplanned pregnancies, second marriages, or just a change of heart.

A tummy tuck tightens the abdominal muscles and removes loose skin, so you should wait at least a year if possible before getting pregnant after a tummy tuck. After that time, the muscles and skin should stretch normally to allow the baby to grow. If a pregnancy occurs sooner than a year, it may be more difficult for the uterus to stretch, but it should not affect the pregnancy.

However, your beautiful, tight, smooth post-tummy tuck look might be lost after another pregnancy, and a revision surgery might be necessary.

Please contact our office, Del Mar Plastic Surgery with any concerns or questions, 858-450-9100.

Dr. Larry Pollack

Over the last 10 years, more men than ever have been consulting with me to try to “look better.” Whether just to look as young as they feel, or to stay competitive in an increasingly challenging work environment, male cosmetic surgery is on the rise.

The most common NON-SURGICAL service men request is Botox. Botox injections are a quick and inexpensive way to eliminate frown lines or soften crow’s feet lines. I also have many men using fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Radiesse for deep nasolabial folds (the lines between the nose and mouth) to look younger without surgery.

The most popular male cosmetic surgery procedures requested include; eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), facelift, and liposuction. Eyelid surgery, usually including upper and lower eyelids, removes excess skin and the puffy fat to correct the “tired look” that many men complain about. The scarring is minimal and most men return to work in 5 to 7 days.

Facelift has become more common among men over 50, in part due to newer techniques like the “Short Scar Facelift.” As the name implies. the scars are minimal and the recovery time is short, but the neck tightening and cheek and jowl lifting can make you look 10 years younger.

Finally, liposuction remains a popular male cosmetic surgery procedure. Even those who work out regularly and eat a healthy diet can develop excess fat on the abdomen, hips (love handles), and breasts. Liposuction is a safe and effective way to remove the fat with minimal scarring and rapid recovery.

For a free consultation with Dr. Pollack, call 858-450-9100 or email us at kate@delmarplasticsurgery.com.