Healthy Skin Expert Dermatology Advice

Soft Lift Treatment Information - DLK on Avenue Cosmetic Clinic Yorkville, Toronto

DLK’s Soft Lift™ Treatment is a safe and effective solution for people who want to treat the lines around the eyes, forehead and mouth and to restore fullness of the cheeks, lips and chin.

By using a combination of BOTOX Cosmetic® and Juvéderm™ dermal filler, Soft Lift™ creates a balanced and natural-looking makeover in just one session. Soft Lift™ is an effective treatment at any age and addresses multiple signs of aging. The effect is balanced, subtle and entirely natural looking.

TREATMENT BENEFITS:

• Safe and effective treatment of lines and wrinkles;
• Balanced, subtle, natural looking;
• Immediate results that last up to 12 months;
• Quick, non-surgical lunch-time treatment.

THE PROCEDURE:
The entire Soft Lift™ procedure takes approximately 40-60 minutes. BOTOX Cosmetic® is a purified protein that relaxes muscles and smoothes away wrinkles. BOTOX Cosmetic® has a well established safety history and is used to treat horizontal forehead lines, frown lines between your eyebrows and crow’s feet around your eyes, creating a more relaxed and refreshed appearance.

Juvéderm™ is a safe, injectable gel used to instantly improve appearance by smoothing lines, wrinkles and restoring lost volume for up to a year. Made from Hyaluronic acid, a sugar naturally found in the skin, Juvéderm™ is used to smooth away the lines around the nose and the mouth, to enhance lips and to restore lost fullness to the cheek and chin areas.

THE AGING PROCESS
Aging is a natural process in whereby cells begin to renew themselves more slowly. This means less collagen and Hyaluronic acid to support and fill out the layers of skin. Environmental effects, pollution, sun exposure, stress and smoking can all increase this effect and impact the appearance of your skin. Over time, this combination of factors contributes to the three Ds of aging;

Deterioration - fine lines, wrinkles and textural change
Descent - droopiness or sagging skin
Deflation - loss of fullness or volume

Soft Lift™ combines the use of BOTOX Cosmetic® and Juvéderm™ to address these signs of aging for smooth, natural-looking results with no downtime, in just one treatment session.

THE TREATMENT:
The day of your appointment.
Please allow time before your appointment for filling out forms and for consultations if making your initial appointment. BOTOX Cosmetic® and Juvéderm™ are injected using a tiny needle into the various facial muscles and areas that create wrinkles.

Before the procedure.
You will be lying down during the treatment. No anesthesia is required, although we e Doctor or Registered Nurse may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream.

THE RESULTS:
You will see results within days, and wrinkles, lines and volume continue to improve for up to a month, and can last for up to 12 months. The onset of Botox is 3-10 days after treatment and the onset of Juvéderm™ is immediately after treatment and continues to improve 3-10 days after treatment.

POST-CARE:
After Soft Lift™ treatment there will be some mild redness which lasts less than an hour. Rarely, there can be a slight headache or some minor bruising and swelling. Most patients return to regular activity immediately. Sleeping or strenuous exercise should be avoided for 4 hours after injection. You should contract your frowning muscles 3 times every 10 minutes for the first hour after treatment. Do not rub or massage the treated areas for 24 hours after treatment.

If you would like to book a consultation with Dr. Lisa Kellett or a complimentary Skin Rejuvenation Consultation with Registered Nurse Diana Phillips to discuss DLK on Avenue's Soft Lift Treatment please schedule an appointment by clicking here.

Content provided by Allergan

Ask a Dermatologist: Understanding Men’s Skincare Concerns

Much has been made in the press about the growing men’s skincare market. But as a dermatologist, you have insight into how men approach the whole idea of caring for skin. To start, how do your male patients differ from female clients?

Dr. Lisa Kellett: My male patients are very results oriented and often make quicker decisions about going ahead with treatment once they’ve decided that they have found the right physician. Younger male patients are more open to new treatments especially those that are advanced technologically.

Cosmetics: What are the most common skincare concerns men come to you with?
Dr. K.: Men complain of looking tired, brown spots on the back of their hands and face, dark circles under their eyes, large pores, spider veins and blotchy uneven skin. I’m definitely seeing more male patients today compared with five years ago.

Cosmetics: How does male skin differ from a woman’s?
Dr. K.: Male skin often has thicker dermis and tends not to be as sensitive as female skin.

Cosmetics: How do you address the issue of acne with male patients? This can have such a devastating effect on a person’s self-confidence during teen years.
Dr. K.: I think deep down male teen patients have the same insecurities as female teen patients. But they don’t voice them as readily. After all, everyone wants healthy-looking skin. I’d say it is important to keep in mind that guys can be very embarrassed by acne and to treat them with care.

Cosmetics: What product should a teenaged guy use every day?
Dr. K.: Everyone should be using an SPF 30 product daily. An alcohol-based sunblock spray is especially good for sun protection in acne-prone skin.

Cosmetics: At what age, should men change their skincare regime?
Dr. K.: It depends on the patient, but in general, by the age of 30, men should be looking at a more anti-aging routine.

Cosmetics: What information do beauty experts across the country need to know about men’s skin?
Dr. K.: Men’s skin has the same basic needs as female skin. The first and most important is sun protection. Next is good nutrition, a retinol or Vitamin A product for aging and a monthly skin self-evaluation. It’s important to check for any abnormally shaped moles or spots and have them checked by a doctor if they change in shape or size.

Cosmetics: What have your learned working with male patients over the years?
Dr. K.: I think that male patients are my most grateful and happy patients especially because I specialize in non-surgical enhancement. I have lots of stories of memorable clients both celebrities and average men, but I will take them to my grave with me and protect their secrets.

From Cosmetics Magazine - September/October 2009

Truth Serum - Does your skin really need a serum? Top derms weigh in.

Layering is a big transformation for fall, and not just on the catwalks. Once considered a luxury skin treatment, serums - which you apply before your moisturizer - have hit the mainstream.

A serum is a concentrated formula created for a specific concern, and its benefits are purported to be cumulative. “Serums are clear liquids that contain active ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins,” explains Dr. Peter Vignjevic, a Dermatologist based in Hamilton, Ont. They’re also multi-taskers: Besides fighting wrinkles, serums can improve your skin’s texture, hydration and tone.

SPECIAL DELIVERY
The secret to getting the most out of the skin-care product is its delivery system - the method by which active agents like retinol, ceramides, and vitamins get into your skin. And that depends on whether a product is formulated as a cream, lotion, or serum. “Serums offer a more stable environment for unstable compounds,” says Dr. David Zloty, a Vancouver based Dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of Dermatology at the University of British Columbia. “They generally contain a higher concentration of silicone or glycols, and the active agents can be fat-loving. They tend to mix together more easily, and the ingredients are less likely to come out of the solution - but that depends on the quality of the formulation.” Say Dr. Lisa Kellett, a Toronto-based dermatologist: “Serums contain (more) actives because they’re created in a more concentrated form.”

Vignjevic and Kellett recommend serums as a part of the daily skin-care regime, but how they work is up for debate. Vignjevic and Kellett hypothesize that certain serums penetrate more deeply because they contain smaller molecules then those of moisturizers. “Most serums penetrate to the lower levels of the stratum corneum (the outer layer of the epidermis),” says Zloty. However, he adds, the active agents can stimulate signalling pathways that could transfer their benefits to deeper layers. And now there maybe a breakthough delivery system: after five years of research, this fall Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a Dermatologist based in Connecticut, is introducing Cold Plasma, which has been formulated to prevent and correct signs of aging with a delivery system charged by phospholipids, which mimic the lipids in the skin cells. Because they are skin compatible, nutrients are quickly absorbed through the cellular membrane, were they can be most effective.

SECRET AGENTS
Some ingredients in serums, such as retinol, have had impressive results. “There is little evidence that cosmetic and anti-aging products can produce similar effects to prescription – only topical retinols,” says Stewart Long, scientific advisor for Boots Skincare. “But our results shows that (the retinol-based No7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum) stimulates production of fibrillin, a component of the skin’s elastic tissue.” Besides retinol, Vignjevic recommends serums with vitamins C and E which he says can help repair sun damage and improve texture and hydration. If you have sensitive skin, start with a low concentration of retinol because it can be irritating. And, since over–the-counter products are not required to list the percentage of actives on their labels, consult a dermatologist first.

TARGET PRACTICE
No matter what serum you use, exfoliate your skin first, says Dr. Yves Hebert, a Montreal-based physician who specializes in aesthetic medicine. Then, “morning and night, apply a thin layer on clean skin and massage it in,” says Vignjevic. Since serums aren’t as hydrating as moisturizers, you will still need a lotion or cream and, of course, sunscreen.

From ELLE Canada - October 2009 | Written by Michelle Villett