Category: Juvederm
The Skin Cycle: What You Can Expect, Decade by Decade
Your skin has a natural plan. With each year that passes, it undergoes assorted stressors, some that it has experienced before and some that are brand new. And it reacts to these changing stimuli in different ways, subtle and not-so. Unfortunately, while you may not feel any older, your skin has another story to tell. Aging plays tricks on its delicate composition. But do not despair–you have strategies at your disposal for warding off the first signs of attack. The trick: know what’s coming and take as many precautions as possible.
Here is what you can expect:
In Your 20s and 30s: Get ready. Hormonal changes may happen during this time, causing adult acne. We can treat it, though, with our Pulsed Dye Laser. Also, you may notice hints of wrinkles (yes, they begin early) and pigmentation. Botox and Dysport will help minimize lines, keeping them from setting and deepening. Catching them early is more effective than waiting until they are extreme. Fraxel DUAL and IPL will help reduce discoloration, brown spots and freckling.
In Your 40s: Your skin may begin to lose its luster, appearing dull and rough. Also, age spots may appear since the skin can’t repair itself as quickly or as completely as it used to. You may notice, too, that your skin doesn’t glow as much, since skin cell shedding begins to slow down. But, we can brighten and smooth out your skin with Clear+Brilliant, Fraxel DUAL and Fraxel Repair laser treatments. Your skin tone will look even, and wrinkles and pores will diminish. During your 40s, wrinkles may be deeper than they were before. Dermal fillers such as Restylane, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Silk, Voluma, Juvederm, Belotero and Radiesse, and neurotoxins, such as Botox and Dysport, are effective in reducing the appearance of these lines and folds.
In Your 50s and 60s: Subtle lines may have turned into deep wrinkles and previously taut skin may have begun to sag. Declining collagen and elastin levels cause your skin to become thinner and more fragile. As the underlying skin structure is less supported, the skin falls down and droops. We have many laser treatments that can work wonders to resurface skin and stimulate collagen production, which will help lift up and plump your skin, nonsurgically. The treatments will also help to brighten and lighten any discoloration caused by sun exposure or simple aging.
At all times of your life, remember to do what you can to preserve your skin’s natural beauty. Wear plenty of sunscreen (and not only in the summer), avoid the sun as much as possible, steer clear of smoking and cleanse and moisturize often.
Call our office for a complimentary consultation. We’ll help you look your most natural youthful best.
See you soon.
Eyes: Windows To Your….Age
No one really wants to reveal his or her age. But there are places on our bodies that can give secrets away, namely, the eyes.
The skin surrounding your eyes is extremely delicate, making it susceptible to cosmetic problems that make you look older than you are. Also, because it moves so much during facial expression, lines and wrinkles form over time. Crow’s feet emerge on the outside of the eye and creases appear underneath the lash line, for instance. Add dark circles, hollowing, drooping lids and puffiness, and you will appear tired and worn. Perhaps you’ve tried creams that claim to tighten skin or cold tea bags and cucumbers that temporarily reduce fluid retention, but you are still not happy when you look into the mirror.
We offer a range of nonsurgical treatments that will help return a well-rested look to your eyes and ultimately, your face. Depending on your individual needs, we can craft a personal plan that will help you look refreshed and more youthful, with minimal downtime and recuperation.
Here are a few of our most popular eye treatments:
- Thermage CPT
- Botox
- Dysport
- Dermal fillers (Belotero, Juvederm, Restylane, Restylane Lyft)
- Fraxel Repair Laser
- Fraxel DUAL Laser
- Laser Wrinkle Reduction
- Clear & Brilliant
- Microdermabrasion
- GentleWaves Photomodulation
Come talk with us about how we can help. Call our office today to schedule your complimentary consultation. And meantime, keep applying that sunscreen.
See you soon.
Men Are Body-Conscious, Too
When people talk about body image, we often assume that they are referring to women. But men experience similar insecurities about their physical appearance, according to many studies published worldwide.
Many men worry about beer bellies, love handles, man “boobs” and hair loss, among other issues associated with aging.
More than four in five men (80.7 percent) talk in ways that promote anxiety about their body image by referring to perceived flaws and imperfections, compared with 75 percent of women, according to a study from the University of the West of England. The study also revealed that 23 percent of the surveyed men didn’t go to the gym because they were concerned about their appearance and 63 percent thought that their arms and chests were not muscular enough.
A study in 2016 by Chapman University researchers, published in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity, showed that:
- About 25 percent of the men were dissatisfied with their appearance, compared to about 28.5 percent of women.
- More than half of the men had gone on diets in the past year, and nearly 42 percent were unhappy with their weight.
- About 37 percent did not like the condition of their muscle tone.
- About 69 percent felt judged on their looks and felt pressure from magazines and television to have a slimmer and more muscular body.
So, if you are male and concerned about your body shape, you are not alone. It’s likely that you
have dieted and spent hours in the gym. Sometimes, these tactics are not enough for certain trouble spots or for men of certain ages.
In our offices, one of the most popular procedures for men is SmartLipo Triplex, particularly for the neck, abdomen and breast area. SmartLipo Triplex is a minimally invasive method for removing unwanted fat and sculpting areas of the body that you’d like to change.
We also find that Kybella is effective for reducing the double chin, a common male problem that often resists diet and exercise. This procedure slims and contours the area below and around your chin and neck, without surgery.
You may also be concerned about the effects of aging, sun damage and stress, all of which can negatively impact how you feel about yourself at home and at work. Many male patients come see us for Botox, particularly for their foreheads and crow’s feet, and for dermal fillers that minimize the folds around their noses and corners of their mouths. Some of these fillers include Belotero, Juvederm, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Silk and Radiesse. Also, to decrease wrinkles and sagging on the face and around the eyes, many men come to us for Thermage CPT, Infini and Fraxel Repair Laser Treatments.
If you’re not entirely happy with how you look, don’t hesitate to call our office for a complimentary consultation. We’ll try to help you look and feel your best.
See you soon.
The Liquid Facelift: Instant Happiness
Not many people are happy about lines, wrinkles, sagging skin or a tired appearance. Among the top nonsurgical anti-aging treatments, the Liquid Facelift can offer instant results for these concerns, plumping up your droopy spots and restoring a youthful contour to your face.
With injectable fillers, we can take years off of your appearance. Targeting your temples, brows, upper eyelids, under-eye areas, cheeks, mouth corners and jowls, we can help to erase the signs of aging, naturally and easily. With expert precision and careful attention to your facial anatomy, we’ll help you look as young and refreshed as possible. Your recovery time will be minimal, too.
Here is how we do it:
- Define, lift, shape the cheeks…with Juvederm Voluma
- Erase forehead lines…with Botox or Dysport
- Balance the chin…augment with Radiesse
- Lift the mouth…reduce nasolabial folds and downturned lips to restore a youthful smile, with Restylane
- Open up the eyes…to perk up your entire face, with Belotero, Juvederm, Restylane, Restylane Silk
- Elevate the brows…to create a rested appearance
- Reduce eye puffiness…to give structure to under eye area and compensate for bone loss, fat loss and thinning skin
Now is a terrific time for a Liquid Facelift. Call our office this week for a consultation, and we’ll devise a special plan just for you.
See you soon.
Getting Cheeky
Though it’s often a less obvious sign of aging, sagging and flattening cheeks can concern many of you. With time, you may lose the natural curve of your cheek, causing your skin to droop and your profile to lose definition. The shape of your cheeks has a huge impact on the look of your entire face. So, if you’re not happy with them, you may not feel so terrific in general. With a simple dermal filler, we can restore youthful fullness, in a natural and subtle way.
Previously, aging cheeks were corrected with invasive traditional surgery that tightened the overlying skin and lifted the deeper soft tissues. Now, Voluma XC, an injectable filler, can produce the same result, providing a lift that is free of incisions, anesthesia and recuperation time.
Juvederm Voluma XC is an FDA-approved filler that instantly adds natural-looking volume to the cheeks. It is made from a naturally occurring complex sugar, and studies have shown that results may last as long as two years after treatment. Voluma XC has been available in Europe since 2005 and is used in 72 countries nationwide. The next time you come in, be sure to ask me about how it might work for you.
And remember…
If you haven’t yet registered for my seminar this coming Saturday, do so now, as seats are filling fast. On Saturday, April 1, at 10:30 am, join me for my Spring Beauty Seminar and hear about the latest in cosmetic treatments. You’ll learn about the newest and most effective dermal fillers, the best techniques for removing excess fat, and you’ll see live Kybella and Liquid Facelift treatments.
RSVP (631) 878-9200 or register online at www.drcovey.com
Atlantis Banquet & Events Seastar Ballroom, 431 East Main Street, Riverhead
Meantime, think about coming in for a complimentary consultation. We’ll talk about what’s troubling you and how we can help you look and feel your best.
See you soon.
Rescue Those Aging Eyes
So much of your appearance–how young or old, happy or sad, or refreshed or worn out–begins with your eyes. If you feel you’ve lost the sparkle that you used to have, you’ll be happy to know that we can help.
The delicate skin in this area is extremely thin and becomes thinner with time. Because it contains little subcutaneous fat, it is vulnerable to conditions such as dark circles, bags or swelling, hollowing, and drooping lids and brows. Also, it is especially sensitive to stress from facial movements such as laughing, squinting and frowning, repeated motions that contribute to the formation of lines and wrinkles such as crow’s feet.
Also, the thick collagen network that gives skin structural support begins to break down with time. Your body’s internal processes and external factors such as sun exposure increase the levels of enzymes that break down collagen.
What can help: We have a repertoire of nonsurgical treatments that are safe and effective. Here is a quick run-down:
Dermal fillers, such as Belotero, Juvederm, and Restylane will plump up crow’s feet, lines and wrinkles under the eye and hollowing that may result as we age.
Injectables such as Botox and Dysport will help minimize crow’s feet and lines caused by normal facial expression.
Lasers, including Fraxel Repair, Fraxel DUAL, Laser Wrinkle Reduction and Clear & Brilliant, will help add smoothness, glow and luminosity to the area around your eyes.
Finally, Microdermabrasion and GentleWaves Photomodulation are two more useful techniques for brightening your eyes by restoring vigor to the delicate skin surrounding them.
We’re confident that all of our treatments will help you look happy and younger and feel that way, too.
Call our office today to schedule your complimentary consultation. I’ll develop a treatment plan just for you.
See you soon.
Treat Yourself Now: Schedule a Mommy Makeover
If it’s been about six months since you’ve had your baby, you may be feeling more like yourself. You may have lost most of your pregnancy weight and stopped nursing, you may be sleeping more, you may be back at work. But there may be a few cosmetic issues that have lingered, and really bother you. Most new moms aren’t prepared for some of the changes that their bodies will endure, but many of them are reversible.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can take a toll on the skin and body, specifically the face and stomach. It is not uncommon for you to experience an array of conditions, including acne, acne scarring, melasma (darkened facial skin), cellulite, unwanted fat, unwanted hair growth, prominent facial blood vessels, loose skin, brown spots and stretch marks.
You may be feeling that you don’t have the time or the energy to address these issues right now, but your self-esteem and general well-being are important. A few simple cosmetic treatments can boost your overall mood more than you may imagine. Now, with a few holiday weeks coming up, you may find that you have some extra time to invest in yourself.
Here’s how I can help:
- For acne: pulsed dye laser, DermaFrac, microdermabrasion
- For melasma: Fraxel DUAL laser
- For cellulite: Cellulaze, Exilis Elite
- For unwanted fat: SmartLipo TriPlex, Exilis Elite
- For unwanted hair growth: Laser Hair Removal, IPL Hair Removal
- For facial blood vessels: Diolite (KTP532) laser, IPL (intense pulsed light), GentleWaves
- For loose skin: INFINI™, Thermage CPT, Exilis Elite, Fraxel lasers, laser wrinkle reduction
- For brown spots: Fraxel DUAL laser, IPL (intense pulsed light), Diolite (KTP532) laser, GentleWaves
- For stretch marks: Fraxel lasers, Infini
- For acne scarring: INFINI™, Fraxel lasers, pulsed dye laser, dermal fillers
Also, mark your calendars for our Two Days of Holiday Merriment on December 13 and 14. Check your email and our website for discounts and details.
Meantime, call our office to schedule a complimentary consultation. I’ll tailor a post-baby treatment plan just for you.
See you soon.
Your Pre-Holiday Beauty Boost
When the calendar flips to November, the holidays aren’t far behind. It’s the season for looking your best, and dramatic results are possible, even in just a few weeks.
There is still time for many quick in-and-out treatments that will make all the difference in your appearance. Instantly, you’ll look fresh and rested, and you’ll feel invigorated, too…just the right recipe for the holiday season.
Here are a few suggestions for the upcoming weeks…
Try a nonsurgical mini facelift that will tighten skin and boost collagen production. With Thermage CPT, we can treat the skin on the eyelids, under-eye areas, abdomen, arms, legs and sagging buttocks. It’s the most effective lift treatment for a multitude of concerns, and the results are dramatic. Or, you can try an Exilis treatment, which tightens, firms and tones loose and sagging skin and reshapes and melts stubborn fatty deposits anywhere on your face and body. Popular areas treated with Exilis include the face, jowls, neck, “love handles,” “bra fat,” abdomen, thighs, hips and buttocks.
Minimize lines and boost volume in your lips with Volbella, the latest filler for adding shape and definition to your mouth area.
Reduce wrinkles and tighten skin with Infini, a high intensity focused radiofrequency treatment that’s also terrific for minimizing acne scarring.
Restore facial volume with dermal fillers such as Voluma, Radiesse and Restylane Lyft. These will reduce hollowness and diminish lines that have formed with age.
Smooth out forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet with Botox or Dysport.
Fill in smile lines, marionette lines or nasolabial folds (lines that stretch from the outer edge of the nostrils to the outer tip of the lips) with Juvederm, Restylane or Radiesse.
All of these quick treatments are nonsurgical, requiring no anesthesia or downtime. You can be back in full swing immediately, looking younger and feeling that way, too.
Call our offices this week to schedule a pre-holiday appointment.
See you soon.
Love Your Lips: Definition, Shape and Volume
When it comes to restoring lips naturally, I like to think of it as a three-pronged approach: Define, shape and add volume.
To give your lips the youthful appearance that they once had, I carefully use dermal fillers in specific ways to create subtle changes that provide maximum visual impact. The secret is balance.
First, the edge of the top lip that borders your skin above it, beneath your nose, is defined. Then, injections are gently placed in key spots to reshape and plump the upper lip, keeping it looking natural. The upper lip should have variation across the lower border and a bow across the top.
The lower lip typically has a uniform shape all the way across, with a little extra volume in the middle. When I look at your lip from the side, I want to make sure that it isn’t too puffy, and when I look from the front, I like to see some extra height.
Lip injections take only a few minutes, and you should be able to go back to your normal activities right after the procedure.
As we age, our lips tend to thin out and lose fat, causing us to look and feel older or less attractive. A variety of lip injection options are available to take care of your concerns, and the results should last from several months to a year, depending on the type of filler used. We like to use the hyaluronic acid fillers Restylane, Restylane Silk, Belotero Balance and Juvederm.
So, call our office to talk about how we can give you back the lips of your youth.
And…thank you to everyone who visited with us this weekend at our Fall Beauty Seminar. We look forward to seeing you in our offices in the coming weeks.
See you soon.
September, Seriously
Fall is the time for getting back to work and hitting the books. With vacation time behind us, we tend to become more serious in general about our day to day lives and responsibilities. An important part of every day is how we feel, with happiness being the overwhelming goal for many people. When we are happy, we typically do better–at work, at home, at school, and everywhere else.
How we feel about ourselves determines, in no small part, how happy we are. The more assured in our abilities, the more secure in our emotions, the more enthusiastic about the experiences we have, the happier we seem to be. How content we are with our appearance also plays a role in our overall well-being. It is an old adage–”Look good, feel good”–but I think that it is true.
We can help bring it to life for you, and now is a good time to start, or to begin again. Fall is self-improvement time, the perfect season for getting serious about making subtle changes that will enhance your natural good looks and your confidence.
Here is what we recommend for this month:
Lift Your Spirits, and Your Skin: Using advanced dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Radiesse, Restylane and Restylane Lyft, we can lift and contour facial features, restoring your natural fullness exactly where you need us to. Nonsurgical and virtually pain-free, this “liquid facelift” can reduce wrinkles, lines and folds, create a more rested and fresh look, and return your face to its curved former self.
Sometimes, we “lift” the entire face; sometimes, we target specific spots, such as bags under the eyes, marionette lines, sagging eye lids, jowls and flattened cheeks. We can even disguise bumps on the nose, a method that will keep you out of the operating room and free of anesthesia, recuperation and downtime.
No More Turtlenecks: Particularly effective for this area, microneedling is a treatment for boosting your skin’s natural production of collagen and elastin, which are two of the most important substances for keeping your skin plump and youthful. Tiny needles, ones that are much smaller than the needles we use with dermal fillers, penetrate the top layer of your skin, triggering your body to create the new collagen and elastin. Results may include improved texture and firmness, and I’ve seen terrific success in the reduction of acne scarring, pore size and stretch marks.
Say Eye: Touted as the first nonsurgical facelift, Thermage CPT will actually transform skin all over your body. The Thermage CPT thermal lift will tighten loose skin on the eyelids, under-eye areas, abdomen, arms, legs and even your sagging buttocks. Thermage CPT, one of the most effective lift treatments for a multitude of concerns, yields dramatic results without incisions and recuperation.
In the eye area, for instance, Thermage CPT reduces “hooding,” improves texture, and tones and softens fine lines and crow’s feet. The treatment is a safe, effective and unique option for “eyelid rejuvenation.” The Body Shape procedure is ideal for men and women who are looking to help firm sagging skin and reduce unwanted bulges that dieting and exercise alone cannot seem to change.
Shape a Better You: SmartLipo TriPlex is a minimally invasive method for removing unwanted fat and sculpting areas of the body that you’d like to change. A laser treatment that virtually melts fat cells and suctions them away, the TriPlex technology is updated from the original SmartLipo system in that it uses three wavelengths of laser light and yields better fat removal, tighter skin and high-definition body sculpting capabilities.
Call our office for a complimentary consultation, and we’ll help devise a treatment plan just for you.
See you soon.
Go Minimal
People are continuing to choose minimally invasive cosmetic treatments instead of undergoing traditional surgical procedures. The reasons by now are obvious–why endure incisions, anesthesia, pain and long recuperations when you don’t really have to? We, of course, agree wholeheartedly, and make it our mission to provide the latest, most effective and safest state-of-the-art treatments possible.
This past year, 14.2 million minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in the U.S., and the ones chosen the most are also some of our most popular. Here’s a Top Four list for 2015:
Botox: 6.7 million procedures were performed, up 1 percent from 2014 and 759 percent since 2000.
Dermal Fillers (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Voluma): 2.4 million procedures were performed, up 6 percent from 2014 and 274 percent since 2000.
Chemical Peels: 1.3 million procedures were performed, up 5 percent from 2014 and 14 percent since 2000.
Laser Hair Removal: 1.1 million procedures were performed, up 52 percent since 2000.
Each of these treatments will make a subtle and natural improvement in your appearance, in very little time. In keeping with our less-is-more philosophy, these popular procedures effectively restore your youthful and vibrant look–and boost confidence, too–without much effort.
If you haven’t seen us for one of these easy treatments, give us a call and schedule your complimentary consultation. We’ll devise a plan tailored just for you.
See you soon.
Tracking Changes In Your Skin
It seems that summer just began and now, Labor Day is a few weeks away. The time goes quickly, and while you may not feel any older, your skin has another story to tell. Aging plays tricks on the delicate composition of your skin. The best way to ward off the signs of stress is to know what is ahead and take as many precautions as possible.
Here is what you can expect:
In Your 20s and 30s: Get ready. Hormonal changes can happen during this time, causing adult acne. We can treat it, though, with our Pulsed Dye Laser. Also, you may notice the first signs of wrinkles and pigmentation. Botox and Dysport will help minimize lines, keeping them from setting and deepening. Fraxel DUAL and IPL will help reduce discoloration, brown spots and freckling.
In Your 40s: Your skin may look dull and rough, and age spots may appear since the skin can’t repair itself as quickly or as completely as it use to. You may notice that your skin is beginning to lose its youthful glow as skin cell shedding begins to slow down. But, we can brighten and smooth out your skin with Fraxel DUAL and Fraxel Repair laser treatments. Your skin tone will look even, and wrinkles and pores will diminish. During this time, wrinkles may be deeper than they were before. Dermal fillers such as Restylane, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Silk, Voluma, Juvederm, Belotero and Radiesse, and neurotoxins, such as Botox and Dysport, are effective in reducing the appearance of these lines and folds.
In Your 50s and 60s: You may notice that subtle lines have turned into deep wrinkles and previously taut skin has begun to sag. Declining collagen and elastin levels cause your skin to become thinner and more fragile and the underlying skin structure to be less supported. Lasers such as Fraxel Repair and Fraxel Dual can work wonders to resurface skin and stimulate collagen production, which will help lift up and plump your skin, nonsurgically. They will also help to lighten any discoloration caused by sun exposure or simple aging.
At all times of your life, remember to do what you can to preserve your skin’s natural beauty. Wear plenty of sunscreen (and not only in the summer), avoid the sun as much as possible, steer clear of smoking and cleanse and moisturize often.
If you’d like to hear how we can help you look your most youthful best, call our office for a complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
