Archive for the ‘Treatments’ Category

Stop Sweating Bullets - Try miraDry! Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Millions of people are embarrassed by excessive underarm sweating or axillary hyperhidrosis. It can cause poor self-image and anxiety, not to mention the money wasted on stained clothing. End the stress with miraDry!

We are so excited to introduce the miraDry System, which is FDA cleared for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. The miraDry procedure non-invasively delivers precisely controlled electromagnetic energy to the region where the sweat glands reside and eliminates them. Because the sweat glands do not regenerate after treatment, you should see a dramatic and lasting reduction of underarm sweat.

Two procedures are typically recommended 3 months apart to maximize the results and duration. Each procedure appointment will generally last about an hour. Your underarms will be sore or swollen for a short time, but most patients are able to return to work on the same day of the procedure, and can typically resume exercise within several days.

Your body contains over 4 million sweat glands, with only about 2% located in the underarms. The elimination of this 2% will not affect the body’s ability to cool itself. In this regard, the effect of this procedure is not significantly different than anti-perspirants that suppress sweating when applied daily.

So get ready to throw out that drawer of anti-perspirants that don’t work and throw on that silk blouse or dress shirt you’ve been afraid to wear. Enjoy the freedom of miraDry. Contact our office for more details!

Another botulinumtoxinA Wrinkle Treatment Enters the Market: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA) joins the Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) and Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) market as the latest injectable treatment for wrinkles.

According to Dermatology Times, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA, Merz Aesthetics) for temporary improvement of moderate to severe glabellar lines.

According to a Merz statement, the approval is based on the results of two multicenter U.S. clinical trials involving 547 healthy adults. In both studies, Xeomin injections significantly improved the appearance of glabellar lines in 30 days when compared with placebo. Headache was the most common adverse reaction observed.

Under the brand name Bocouture, Xeomin is already approved in 14 European countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. It was FDA-approved in 2010 for the treatment of cervical dystonia and blepharospasm.

Xeomin will be available nationwide in the spring of 2012, Merz officials said.

Clever Marketing Campaign or New Wrinkle Treatment - What is the “Vampire Facelift”? Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

More and more patients have been asking my thoughts on the “Vampire Facelift”. This new anti-aging treatment uses a patient’s own plasma, which is centrifuged out of blood taken from their arm, mixed with a fibrin rich gel and injected back into the skin. The matrix does not add volume to the skin, rather, the idea is that your own collagen builds in the areas the matrix is injected over a few weeks to soften lines and wrinkles. The whole process takes about 30 minutes and costs anywhere from $800 - $1200. The procedure is marketed to those who dislike synthetic fillers and want to use something more “natural” for a subtle change in their appearance over time.

I couldn’t agree more that being conservative with anti-aging procedures is the best approach, however the results of “Vampire Facelift” seem too unpredictable for the cost. While fillers like Restylane, Perlane or Juvederm are synthetic, they are gels composed of hyaluronic acid, which is naturally found in the skin. No allergy pre-testing is required. These fillers are also very predictable with a long safety record and costs starting at $600. There is also evidence that your own collagen is stimulated with these injections as well. An experienced injector should be able to deliver results that are subtle and look natural with a sense of instant refreshment for the patient. Waiting a 2 -3 weeks for results that may or may not appear with the “Vampire Facelift” doesn’t seem to be worth the time and trouble.

Ultherapy on EXTRA! Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Monday, July 4th, 2011

We are always thrilled to see treatments we love in the office gain national recognition! The television show, “EXTRA”, has a new story featuring Ultherapy and its benefits. Click below to watch.

Our office not only uses Ulthera technology, but has performed the most Ultherapy treatments on the West Coast. Ultherapy uses ultrasound to stimulate collagen, which promotes tighter, firmer skin over time. It can be used on nearly any body part and is especially great for the face, neck and arms. Please contact the office for details on how Ultherapy might benefit you!

Dry Skin, What’s Itching You?

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

If you are like most people this winter season, you’re itchy. There are many contributing factors that can ultimately lead to this scratchy annoyance. Virtually all patients suffer from some form of dry skin during winter months. Soaps and frequent, long showers can cause sensitivity, because the harsh chemicals and steamy temperatures can remove lipids. In addition, dry air conditioning reduce the atmospheric humidity as well, which leads to decreased moisture levels in the skin. Left untreated, dry skin can actually lead to complications such as atopic dermatitis (a form of eczema). Other complications can occur such as folliculitis, or the inflammation of the hair follicules, as well as cellulitis, the infection of the skin tissue. In order to prevent or alleviate dry skin, harsh soaps should be avoided and mild cleansers should be used to clean the skin. Immediately applying lotions or oils to help trap in water on the surface of the skin is recommended as well. Special creams, known as barrier creams, that are specially formulated for hand, are particularly effective as they stay put despite frequent hand washing. If these methods are not effective, then make an appointment with your physician to determine if the cause of your dry skin is actually a condition. When there is irritation to the skin and dryness, the skin barrier becomes impaired, and we are more prone to developing infections. In these cases, treatment with prescription medications is necessary to clear infections and calm down inflammation so that the skin barrier can heal and re-form. In any case, there are many ways to alleviate you dry, itchy skin.

A new way to reduce eyelid wrinkles without excessive downtime….

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Genetically, or due to age and sun damage, some people have poor quality, thin crepy eyelid skin. If there is not too much excess skin, eyelid surgery will not be helpful or necessary. In the past the best treatment was regular use of eye creams and laser resurfacing or deep chemical peels. Dr. welsh now offers a procedure with less downtime “the Madonna Eyelift,” developed by Dr. Bruce Katz in NYC. This procedure is a lighter fractional CO2 laser procedure that has minimal down time. 3-4 treatments are necessary to see results, but it is a relatively painless procedure and takes only about 20 minutes with 3-4 days of a mild sunburn effect. Dr. welsh had the procedure done on a Wednesday and was able to work Thursday and Friday without patients noticing.  Results can be improved by use of the Clarisonic Opal or one of our anti- aging eye creams. The Clarisonic Opal is Opal is a breakthrough for your eye area, targeting fine lines, puffiness and dark circles. It uses proven sonic technology to apply eye serum more effectively than manual application. The gentle sonic action infuses the Anti-Aging Sea Serum into the outer layers of the epidermis. In just one minute, Opal provides more than 7,500 micro massages to instantly hydrate, smooth and brighten the appearance of the eye area. Eye creams such Replenix Retinol Eye Cream or our new Skinmedica TNS Eye Repair reverse aging in the eye area by offering collagen building properties along with DNA repair. A younger, smoother eye is now easier than ever to achieve.

Finally! An Alternative Acne Treatment- Notes From a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Saturday, November 13th, 2010

There is now have an additional option for treating acne in patients who want fast clearance and a comfortable result. Isolaz harnesses the power of vacuum suction, coupled with a painless broadband light, to deep clean your pores from the inside out . This treatment is a great option for teenagers, pregnant women, those seeking an alternative to oral medications, or anyone who wants beautiful, clear skin!

Isolaz therapy uses a vacuum first to remove white heads, blackheads, and inflamed pimples while deep cleaning the pores. A broadband light source is then used to destroy the P. acnes bacteria, a bacteria that leads to clogging and breakouts, and also reduces redness in the skin. A full face treatment takes between 20 and 30 minutes and is very gentle, even for patients with sensitive skin. And the best part is, Isolaz works quickly and the results last. Some patients actually start to notice a favorable effect within a few days, with results improving with each session and being maintained months following treatment. Patients typically schedule three to four sessions of Isolaz, spaced one to two weeks apart. If downtime is a concern, then this is the treatment for you. Isolaz has virtually no downtime and no significant adverse side effects. Patients often notice and refreshed and radiant look to their skin following treatment. If you are struggling with acne and are looking for a fast, effective treatment, call our office for more details.

Some of Our Favorite Lasers Have Been Getting Some Amazing Press!

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Isolaz, an effective acne treatment that harnesses the power of a vacuum and broadband light to offer a painless cleaning and extraction of the pores, was featured on The View during an October 15^th segment called “Things That Make Your Skin Crawl.” Doris Day, MD, a Board Certified Dermatologist based in New York discussed how Isolaz is one of her favorite treatments. In the segment she states, “It’s great for acne but it also helps extract the contents of the milia without creating trauma or irritation to the skin and then there’s an intense pulse light that gets rid of the redness.” Visit www.weloveskin.com or www.isolaz.com for more information.

Thermage, a non-invasive skin tightening procedure that uses radio frequency to stimulate the body’s natural renewal of collagen which results in tighter, smoother skin; softened lines and wrinkles; and an overall younger looking appearance both on and off the face, was featured on the September 20^th episode of the Dr. Oz Show. In a segment titled “Ultimate Aging Show by the Decade,” Dr. Day discussed aging solutions for women in their 40s. She explains that the Thermage procedure is a great no downtime solution for skin tightening both on the face and the body. “Thermage is a great non-invasive, non-surgical way to get great skin tightening in a very natural way,” said Dr. Day. Visit www.weloveskin .com or www. thermage.com for more information.

Also, watch for Ulthera, the latest in non-invasive skin tightening to appear on the Dr. Oz show Thursday, November 11^th! Visit www.ulthera.com or www.weloveskin.com for more details.

Zeltiq featured on Dr. Oz!; Notes From a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist.

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

CoolSculpting by Zeltiq was recently featured on the Dr. Oz show as part of their segment discussing fat reduction. Below are the links to the videos. Enjoy!

Dr. Avram discussing the science behind CoolSculpting:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/cutting-edge-plastic-surgery-pt-1

Dr. Tanzi demonstrating the procedure on a patient:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/cutting-edge-plastic-surgery-pt-2

Say Goodbye to Your Unwanted Love Handles: CoolSculpting by Zeltiq Receives FDA Clearance For Non-Invasive Fat Reduction!!

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

Great news everyone! CoolSculpting by Zeltiq has now been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for the non-invasive reduction of fat. This means that Zeltiq has had to prove through many rounds of scientific testing that their product does exactly what it claims: a procedure which delivers a proven method for the selective reduction of “love handles” or flank. Used off label, Zeltiq has been proven to reduce areas of fat in the stomach and back as well.

There has been a strong demand for non-invasive procedures that address the concerns of people who are not overweight, but have pockets of fat that they cannot rid of through traditional methods of diet and exercise. Until now, the only methods of fat reduction were invasive surgical procedures. CoolSculpting is the exciting new non-invasive approach that gently cools unwanted fat cells in the body to induce a natural controlled elimination of these cells. This reduces buldges in the area treated, on average about 20%. Patients typically begin to see results as soon as three weeks following treatment, with the most dramatic results occurring over a period of two to four months.

Unlike other methods of fat reduction, there are no needles, surgery, or downtime! An applicator is placed on the patient in the area to be treated and suctions the fat into a chamber while cooling the underlying fat layer, leaving the skin unharmed. A cold gel pad is placed on the skin in order to protect the outer skin tissue. The procedure takes one hour per area treated, while you are free to read, watch a movie, or get to all of those work emails that have been building up in your inbox! Following treatment, you are able to return to work or finish out the rest of your day with no downtime! Several weeks after the procedure, the cooled fat cells begin a process called apoptosis (natural cell death). These cells then begin to shrink and then are selectively, painlessly, and permanently destroyed, leaving you with a leaner, slimmer waist!

Candidates for this procedure are those individuals who are near their ideal body weight, who eat well and exercise regularly and have pockets of fat that have not responded to a healthy lifestyle. This is a long- lasting spot reduction for a specific area of fat. If you think you are the ideal candidate and are looking for a non-invasive proven and safe method of fat reduction then call our office today!

Kathleen Welsh, MD

415-292-6350

2299 Post St, Ste 312

San Francisco, CA 94115