Category: Restylane
Midsummer’s Day Dream
Close your eyes and think of one thing about your appearance that you’d like to change. I bet that there is something, since most everybody has a wish list of some kind. The exciting news is that your day dream can probably be a reality.
Whether it is the hollowing of your cheeks that has occurred in the last year or so, or the double chin that persists despite your highly toned body, or those pockets of fat that just won’t go away despite your dieting and exercise, we have solutions that will fulfill your wishes for how you want to look.
Not too long ago, you couldn’t fill lost volume with Restylane, Juvederm or Voluma. Or minimize submental fat under your chin with Kybella or eradicate actual fat cells with SmartLipo Triplex. In recent years, cosmetic treatments have given you the opportunity to restore your youthful appearance, appear rested and refreshed and feel simply great about yourself.
So, as summer hits its stride, why not dream a little? It’s a great season to wish for what you want.
Call our office today to schedule a complimentary consultation. We’ll talk about your specific wants and desires and help plan a course to satisfy them as best we can.
Meantime, remember the sunscreen.
See you soon.
Recharge Those Eyes
When you really want to know how someone feels, you look into his eyes. They can often hold the answers to many mysteries. Unfortunately, they can be a lot more obvious about your age.
The skin surrounding your eyes, because it is so delicate, is at risk for a multitude of cosmetic problems that make you look older than you are. And, because this area is involved in facial expression, the natural movement of the skin causes lines and wrinkles to form over time. Crow’s feet, additional lines and wrinkles underneath the lower lashes, dark circles, hollowing, drooping lids and puffiness all contribute to a tired appearance. Perhaps you’ve tried creams that claim to tighten skin or cold tea bags and cucumbers that temporarily reduce fluid retention, but the concerns remain.
We offer a range of nonsurgical treatments that will help return a well-rested look to your eyes and therefore, 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.
Take a look at some 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
- LED Photomodulation
Come talk with us about how we can help. Call our office today to schedule your complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
Stop the Vanity: How to Improve Your Looks, Within Reason
All good things, taken too far, can become, well, not so good. Too much steak, too many luxuries, too much confidence. And in the case of cosmetic treatments, too much fiddling with your natural good looks.
The archetypical theme of “virtue turned to vice” can easily be applied to what we do. Moderation, as it is in so many other areas of our lives, is the key to success, and it is our personal mantra. Often, we find ourselves advising you to restrain from doing too much and instead, take the less-is-more approach.
So, how do you know when you have done just enough to enhance your appearance? Cosmetic treatments are a terrific way to refresh your look and can help you to feel younger, more vibrant and energized. They can be transforming, physically and emotionally. As you consider your options, it’s important to know why you are thinking about having a procedure done. If you are coming to see us because you have a specific concern about a specific area of your body, that is the optimal reason to have treatment. But, if you see this experience as a way to solve other issues in your life–ones that are not directly connected to physical appearance–then you might get those thoughts in order first.
We offer a unique, individualized and thorough consultation that will help us help you determine your reasons for coming to us. (Granted, we are happy to report, most of you seek us out for the very best reasons.) And, we will define for you the likely results so that your expectations are realistic.
So, whether you are a first-time client who is curious about Botox or dermal fillers, such as Restylane or Juvederm, or you are a returning client who wants to maintain a fresh and youthful glow, perhaps with a nonsurgical Facelift, or you are someone who is frustrated by extra pounds that diet and exercise can’t minimize and has decided to try SmartLipo Triplex, we can help you sort out your best options for improvement. Most important, we will trust our years of expertise and philosophy of natural good looks as we guide you along the way.
To find out more, call one of our offices for a complimentary consultation. Summer is a great time to devote to yourself.
Finding the Filler That Fits Your Face
Though we’ve been using dermal fillers for some time now, how we used them is always changing. For me, nothing is routine, because you are not routine. Each of you comes in to see me with not only a unique face, but also your own personal needs, desires and goals.
With all of these factors as a guide, I select the proper fillers to use in the proper places. In the end, your results will be optimal for you, not for the patient who walked in before you. This is why your treatments will help you to look naturally refreshed, youthful and more like you. A better version of yourself, we like to say.
To address your specific concerns, we use injectable fillers at different levels of the skin. Some fillers target fine lines. Some provide volume, and others add structure. Here is a basic guide to the best fillers currently available and some of the ways that we use them.
Belotero Balance addresses both deep wrinkles and superficial lines. Made from all-natural hyaluronic acid (HA), Belotero Balance can plump up your lips and discreetly smooth out laugh lines, upper lip lines, crow’s feet and marionette lines.
Juvederm is a gel filler that helps reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles in the nasolabial folds, the deep grooves or lines that extend from the corners of the nose down along the mouth. It is available in two forms – Ultra and Ultra Plus. Juvederm is the most advanced HA formula available today.
Juvederm Volbella is specifically developed to boost lip volume and soften the appearance of lines around the mouth, commonly referred to as “lipstick lines” or “smokers’ lines”. Volbella can even be used to replace lost contours in the lip area, giving your face a more youthful appearance overall.
Juvederm Voluma XC is the first and only FDA-approved filler that instantly adds natural-looking volume to the cheeks. Derived from a naturally occurring complex sugar, It also works well to minimize crow’s feet, frown lines, worry lines, deep furrows and folds that appear around the eyes, nose, upper lip and mouth. 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.
Radiesse is a safe, effective long-lasting treatment for unwanted defects in the face and hands. On the face, Radiesse helps to minimize smile lines, augment cheeks and restore lost volume. In the hands, it can diminish the appearance of veins and tendons and also plump up sagging skin.
Restylane is successful in minimizing severe wrinkles and folds, including nasolabial and lip wrinkles. It is available in many additional formulations: Restylane Defyne is made with a special technology that offers maximum flexibility and support to the treated area and helps soften more severe lines and folds on the face. Restylane Refyne is specifically formulated to minimize the lines in the lower half of the face while maintaining natural movement and facial expressions. Restylane Lyft is a nonsurgical age eraser for deep lines, wrinkles and folds, and restores volume to deflated areas of the face. Restylane Silk consists of extra small and smooth particles that help restore contour, fullness and smoothness to your lip and mouth area, giving your face a younger and fresher appearance.
So, whatever your goal is, we can tailor a treatment plan just for you. Please call our office and schedule a complimentary consultation today.
See you soon.
I Never Thought I Would Do This
Thank you all for attending our Spring Beauty Seminar this past weekend. I was happy to see so many of you there and am hoping that you learned all that you could about the latest cosmetic treatments that we offer. I look forward to seeing you in our offices in the coming weeks, particularly as the temperatures climb. I like to call spring “The Beauty Season,” since so many of you want to look your best as you spend more time outdoors.
For those of you who are considering our nonsurgical cosmetic procedures for the first time, I understand that the idea of it may get in your way. Mainly, you may not want anyone to know that you’ve been in for treatment.
So, here are a few first-time procedures that no one will know that you’ve had (and that you will forget that you’ve had by the time you’ve left our office). With no incisions, anesthesia or downtime, your treatment will be our little secret, if you want it to be. All that will be obvious is your rested and youthful look.
Botox: Worry lines, frown lines, laugh or smile lines, crow’s feet …these are all “dynamic” wrinkles caused from years of living and using facial muscles to show expression. The more emotion we show, the deeper the wrinkles and lines can be. Botox injections can safely and effectively soften lines and reduce wrinkles. Botox is also known as “cosmetic denervation” – a nonsurgical cosmetic procedure that many patients have come to depend on to show results in a few days. The procedure takes under ten minutes, too.
Dermal fillers: Juvederm, Radiesse, Restylane (Defyne, Refyne, Silk and Lyft) and Voluma are a few of the FDA-approved treatments that restore fullness and contour that has diminished with age. These treatments are quick and easy, and show immediate results in all areas of the face, including cheeks, mouth, chin, nose and lips, as well as the hands.
Microdermabrasion: Microdermabrasion is simple, convenient and popular among patients showing early signs of aging, sun exposure and other facial imperfections. It not only exfoliates the skin’s surface, but also promotes new cell growth in the basal, or deepest layer of the skin. It also cleans the pores and stimulates collagen networking to further improve the skin’s texture. After the treatment, your skin will have a new fresh-looking glow.
Intense Pulsed Light: If your facial skin has lost its youthful glow, Intense Pulsed Light Rejuvenation can help to restore a vibrant appearance. The procedure delivers broadband light through the skin, helping to decrease redness, pigmentation, lines and pore size, and improve the overall texture and tone of your skin. IPL can be used on the face, neck, chest, hands and legs. Also known as a “photofacial,” the noninvasive treatment treats imperfections including birthmarks, spider veins, rosacea, fine wrinkles, sun and age spots, vascular lesions and acne and acne scarring.
For new and return patients, please call our office to schedule a complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
Less Lip, Please
Like fashion, there are trends in our practice, too. For a time years ago, people wanted the puffiest lip possible, and many of them got what they wanted, even if the results were unnatural and overdone. These days, subtlety is everything, and the lips are a case in point.
Many of you, when you come to my office, are concerned that your treatments will be obvious. One of the biggest giveaways is the lip that is too full for the face.
My guiding principle has always been “less is more.” Much more. When it comes to restoring lips to their youthful state, this approach is essential. My method has three parts: Define, shape and add volume.
Lips tend to thin out and lose fat as we get older. To give them the appearance that they once had, or to plump lips that are naturally thin, I use dermal fillers in small specific ways to create subtle changes that provide maximum visual impact. The secret is balance. If any part of the lips is too fat or too thin, your entire face will look strange.
First, I define the edge between the top lip and the skin above it, beneath your nose. Then, to reshape and plump the upper lip, I make tiny injections in key spots. The upper lip should have variation across the lower border and a bow across the top.
For the lower lip, which typically has a uniform shape all the way across and a little extra volume in the middle, I look at all the angles. From the side, the lip shouldn’t extend out too far or appear puffy. From the front, there should be a touch of extra height.
A variety of lip injection options are available to you, and the results should last from several months to a year, depending on the type of filler that we use. We like to use the hyaluronic acid fillers Restylane, Restylane Refyne, Restylane Silk, Belotero Balance,Volbella and Juvederm.
The injections take only a few minutes, and you should be able to go back to your normal activities right after the procedure.
If you’d like to talk with us about your lips, or any other concerns, call our office today for a complimentary consultation.
See you soon.
Sparkle This Holiday Season
This week, as the holidays approach, you might want to think about a last-minute touch-up that will have you looking and feeling your most beautiful.
Dermal fillers and other wrinkle-reducing treatments, including Botox and Dysport, are speedy ways to give your appearance a subtle refresh. Safe and effective, these treatments smooth skin and add an indefinable sparkle to your overall appearance.
Also, now is an optimal time for scheduling procedures that are good to take care of during the winter. SmartLipo and Fraxel are just two that yield results that improve over time.
Meanwhile, we wish you and your families a beautiful holiday and a safe, peaceful and happy new year. My staff and I hope that you enjoy this time with the special people in your lives.
See you soon, and all best,
Dr. Covey
Pre-Holiday Quick Fixes
Now that it’s December, many of you are thinking about the upcoming holidays and the events that typically come with them. There’s no better moment for looking your best. The good news….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…
Thermage CPT: A nonsurgical mini-facelift that will tighten skin and boost collagen production. Whether it’s your eyelids, under-eye areas, abdomen, arms, legs and even your sagging buttocks, Thermage can make dramatic improvements.
Exilis Ultra 360: This laser treatment 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, chest, back, “love handles,” “bra fat,” abdomen, thighs, hips, buttocks and knees.
Dermal Fillers: Restore your facial volume with dermal fillers such as Voluma, Radiesse and our entire line of Restylane treatments, including Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne. These will minimize hollowness or lines that have formed with age. The procedures take just minutes, and the results are longlasting. For plumping your lips, you can try a variety of hyaluronic acid fillers, including Juvederm and Restylane.
And of course, there is Botox and Dysport, which are highly effective at smoothing out forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet. Finally, for smile lines, marionette lines or nasolabial folds (lines that stretch from the outer edge of the nostrils to the outer tip of the lips), Juvederm, Restylane or Radiesse are quick fixes that provide noticeable results instantly.
All of these treatments are nonsurgical, requiring no anesthesia or downtime. You can be back in full swing immediately, looking younger and feeling that way, too.
See you soon.
Lips, Naturally: It’s All About Balance
Many of you have a simple request when you come to my office: you don’t want anyone to know that you’ve been there. One of the biggest giveaways is the overdone lip.
My guiding principle has always been “less is more.” Much more. When it comes to restoring lips, this philosophy is critical. To restore lips to their more youthful selves, naturally, I like to utilize a triple-play: Define, shape and add volume.
To give your lips the appearance that they once had, I carefully use dermal fillers in small specific ways to create subtle changes that provide maximum visual impact. The secret is balance. If any part of the lips is too fat or too thin, the result will affect the entire appearance of your face.
First, I define the edge between the top lip and the skin above it, beneath your nose. Then, I place gentle injections 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.
As for the lower lip, which typically has a uniform shape all the way across with a little extra volume in the middle, I take all angles into account. 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.
Lips tend to thin out and lose fat as we get older. 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, Volbella and Juvederm.
So, call our office to talk about how we can give you back the lips of your youth.
And…Remember to register for our upcoming Fall Beauty Seminar, scheduled for this coming Saturday, October 14 at 10:30 am. You’ll learn about the latest cosmetic treatments, including Infini, the nonsurgical approach to reducing sagging skin and wrinkles on the neck, and Kybella, the fat-melting “double chin” injection. You’ll also see me perform treatments and “glimpse the new you” on computer imaging. We’ll be offering exclusive discounts and free gifts to attendees.
RSVP (631)878-9200 or online at www.drcovey.com
Atlantis Banquet & Events Seastar Ballroom
431 East Main Street, Riverhead
See you soon.
The Hit Parade of Eye Concerns: Your Four Favorites
The delicate skin above and under your eyes is prone to all sorts of issues. And, since your eyes are central to your overall expression, any small problems seem to have great impact. The aging process tends to reveal itself significantly in this thin skin, but there are tried-and-true treatments for minimizing its negative effects.
Droopy Lids and Brows:
You may think that this issue requires traditional surgery. But we have effective ways to lift drooping skin above the eye, without any incisions or downtime. The Thermage thermal lift is one of the best nonsurgical treatment for this area of your face, stimulating your body to create collagen that has been lost with age. You’ll have smoother and tighter skin for years.
Puffiness or Sunken Spots:
Though you may be getting the rest you need and drinking plenty of water, it’s still possible to develop puffs of skin or hollowing in the tear troughs under your eyes. Depending on your unique situation, we can improve the appearance of these conditions in several ways. First, Thermage will help lift and firm the delicate skin. Also, Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero are dermal fillers, made from natural injectable hylauronic acid, that will instantly plump and smooth under eye hollows.
Crow’s feet and wrinkles:
The natural movement of the eye area during expression will, over time, create lines and wrinkles. We can use Botox or Dysport injections to help minimize stubborn, deep-set wrinkles that crop up as we age. These treatments smooth out the lines by blocking nerve impulses to the muscles that cause the creases. In as soon as a week, your eyes will appear bright and refreshed, and wrinkles will be minimized.
Dark circles:
While there isn’t a cosmetic “concealer” treatment to replace your makeup, there are non-invasive procedures that can reduce the causes that make the dark circles apparent. These dark circles are usually accentuated by the shadows that form between puffiness under the eye and the hollows coming from the tear trough. Addressing both the bulge and the hollow tear troughs, we can help to minimize the shadow, or the appearance of dark circles. Thermage will lift the eye area. Hylauronic acid fillers Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero will restore fullness and smoothness to sunken or hollow tear troughs.
One of the most common areas of the face to be treated, the eyes endure a host of issues. Schedule a complimentary consultation today, and we’ll help you determine which treatments are the best for you.
See you soon.
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.
The Most Desirable Lips
It’s not hard to notice a beautiful pair of lips. You just recognize them when you see them. But what, exactly, makes them so attractive?
Earlier this year, a study published in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery analyzed how lip surface area and top-to-bottom ratio impacted people’s opinion of overall beauty. Researchers showed focus groups a photograph that they then adjusted and found that lips with a 53.5 percent increase in surface area and a 1 to 2 ratio of upper to lower lip were considered the most attractive. Also, lips that made up about 10 percent of the lower third of the face were also deemed to be the most beautiful.
We, of course, when boosting your lip volume, don’t follow any sort of formula. We look at your face and lips and determine the best balance and most natural-looking solution. Using state-of-the-art fillers such as Restylane and Volbella, we add fullness that you may have lost over time, restoring your appearance to its former youthful look.
If you are interested in plumping your lips or minimizing folds and wrinkles in the lip area, call our office for a complimentary consultation. We’ll explain your options and devise a treatment plan just for you.
See you soon.
