Services

Cosmetics

Botox and Fillers

What is the difference between “Botox” and “fillers”?

This is a common question when patients are looking for facial rejuvenation. Botox refers to a neuromodulator protein that is used to relax wrinkles caused by muscle movement. The protein will lead to inability to form a frown line or forehead wrinkle thus giving a more refreshed and younger appearance!

Areas that are most commonly treated with neuromodulators are the “frown lines” in between the eyebrows, “crow’s feet” around the eyes, and horizontal wrinkles on the forehead. Your treating dermatologist will use her/his extensive knowledge of facial muscular anatomy in order to give you a very natural look.

Multiple neuromodulators are available, in our Harrisonburg upstairs office, including: Botox® and Dysport®. They all work by similar mechanisms and your treating dermatologist will discuss with you which product will be best for you.

The neuromodulators are all injected using a very small needle which causes minimal discomfort. Sometimes there may be tiny small bruises at injection sites, but other than that, there is no downtime after your treatment.
You can go right back to work!

Dermal fillers are products that are injected just below the surface of the skin to correct volume loss and sagging. During the natural aging process (which can be accelerated by sun damage!) we lose skin elasticity and underlying fat pads, leading to deep creases and hollowing of the facial skin. This loss can be rejuvenated by injection of dermal filler products to plump these areas and restore volume for a more youthful appearance. The fillers also stimulate collagen production, which adds to your youthful appearance!

There are many dermal filler products on the market and each have different properties which can be tailored for use on specific areas of the face. Which filler to use will be a decision that you will make with your treating dermatologist. We are currently offering complimentary consultations for our patients. During this appointment your dermatologist will discuss which fillers will be right for you!

Products And Other Aesthetic Services Offered At Our Harrisonburg Upstairs Office

Neuromodulators

Botox®
Dysport®

Dermal Fillers

Juvéderm Voluma®
Juvéderm Volbella®
Restylane® Lyft
Revance RHA Redensity®

OTHER SERVICES:

Icon Laser

About Skin Revitalization

Uneven skin tone is a common aesthetic problem we all notice as we age especially if we have an active lifestyle out in the sun. After years of unprotected sun exposure you will notice brown spots, freckles, sun spots. You may also notice unwanted vessels around your nose or rosacea on your cheeks. These common concerns can now be removed and you can reveal your glowing complexion with skin revitalization.

Skin revitalization is ideal for reducing the appearance of pigment on your face, chest or hands including age spots, sun damage, freckles or birthmarks. It is also the perfect solution for unwanted vessels on your face including spider veins, broken vessels or rosacea (redness/flushing of the cheeks). In just a few quick treatment sessions you will see a reduction in the appearance of brown spots and vessels leaving you with a more even skin tone and beautiful looking skin.

How It Works

Icon™ utilizes optimized pulsed light technology which, unlike lasers, uses many wavelengths of light with special filters that deliver the best wavelengths to treat specific aesthetic conditions. As the handpiece glides over the area being treated, specialized pulses of light are delivered into your skin and target brown spots, sun-damage and vessels without causing harm to the surrounding skin. Once these targets absorb the energy they are destroyed and will slowly disappear through your body’s natural healing process. You will see your brown spots turn darker in color and flake off over the next few weeks. You may also see an immediate improvement in your vessels with a continued clearance over the next few weeks.

What To Expect On The Day Of Treatment

Before the optimized pulsed light handpiece is used, a gel is applied to your skin where you will receive treatment. You will also be provided eye shields to protect yourself from the light during treatment. The treatment will begin with the provider guiding the Icon™ handpiece over the treatment area. You will feel cooling while the handpiece is gliding over the treatment area to provide a comfortable session. You may also feel a slight rubber-band like snapping when the energy is being delivered into your skin which disappears almost immediately however, a warm sensation after the treatment is common. Depending on the size of the area, treatments can take just minutes.

After the treatment, the gel will be removed and a cooling gel may be applied to your skin. Bandages and ointments are not necessary due to the nature of the treatments being so minimally invasive. For a few days after your treatment, you may feel like you have a mild sunburn but can resume your normal day to day activities immediately following treatment.

If you are a laser skin revitalization patient, please be aware of the following:

Remove all make-up and lotions prior to the treatment.
At least 4 weeks prior to your appointment, discontinue unprotected sun exposure, tanning beds and tanning creams on the areas receiving treatment.

Post Treatment Instructions For Skin Revitalization

Immediately after the treatment, it is common to feel a mild sunburn-like sensation around the treatment site, which typically lasts 2-24 hours. Redness and/or swelling may accompany this and usually resolves in 2-3 days.
Avoid sun exposure on the treated area and use a sunscreen SPF 45 or greater at all times throughout the course of treatment.
The pigment may initially look raised/darker with a reddened perimeter. The pigment will gradually turn darker over the next few days and begin crusting and eventually flaking off of the skin from day 7-21.
The vessels may undergo immediate graying or blanching, or they may exhibit a slight purple or red color change. The vessels will fully or partially fade in about 10-14 days.