Skin Care

September 19, 2011

Abraham Medical Cosmetics Offers Cosmetic Injectable Services Including Botox® and Dysport®

Abraham Medical Cosmetics works in both the general health and cosmetic realms of medical care. Because we’re focused on providing overall harmony between the mind, body, and soul, we understand the importance that overall health as well as physical beauty can play in making a patient feel healthy in every aspect. This is why, along with our family medicine practice, we also offer cosmetic skin treatments.

One of the most popular cosmetic services we offer is facial injectables. As we age, our bodies often do not mirror the vigor for life that we may still possess facial skin loses elasticity as collagen degrades with the effects of time, gravity, and sun exposure. Fortunately, dermal fillers like Botox®, Dysport®, Restylane®, and Radiesse® can help patients combat the signs of aging and look as good as they feel.

Botox® and Dysport® work to relax the muscles that can cause wrinkles and fine lines. Made from different strains of purified Botulinum, these two injectables smooth wrinkles and temporarily prevent further demarcations by blocking the transmitter from traveling from the nerves to the muscles that contribute to a wrinkle-inducing expression. By disallowing the transmitter, the muscle contractions between the eyebrows and along the forehead are softened and the wrinkles are smoothed. Most often performed for forehead lines and brow furrows, Botox® and Dysport® can also be used for crow’s feet and frown lines that show up between the eyes. The FDA has also approved the use of Botox® to curb excessive sweating and for the treatment of migraine headaches.

Restylane® is a facial filler that helps restore volume to areas of the face that have thinned over time. Along with a decrease in the elasticity of our skin as we age, areas that were once full and youthful can often deflate taking away the plumpness associated with healthy skin. Restylane® can refill wrinkles as well as the areas of lost volume that may cause wrinkles including around the eyes for crow’s feet, around the mouth for marionette lines and drooping mouth corners, as well as in the hands to combat the thinning skin that gives away age. Because it is a filler product made from the naturally occurring non-animal hyaluronic acid, Restylane® can also be used to sculpt and plump the lips and cheeks for added volume and fullness.

Radiesse® is similar to Restylane® in that it is meant to restore areas of lost volume and smooth wrinkles. Radiesse® contains calcium hydroxylapatatite in hyaluronic gel, which means that while it contains the same acid as Restylane®, it also holds the added benefit of helping the skin to create more of the elasticity-building protein collagen on its own. It can be used around the mouth for marionette lines, around the nose, and for lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Radiesse® can also be used to help refill depressed scars with results lasting up to a year.

Facial fillers and dermal injectables like these are excellent solutions for patients who do not want to partake in more invasive procedures like plastic surgery, but would like to eliminate signs of aging like wrinkles and lost volume.

For more information on these cosmetic treatments or our expertly trained cosmetic service providers, schedule a consultation or contact us. You can also follow us on Twitter for news and updates.

September 7, 2011

Intense Pulsed Light Treatment: Unwanted Hair and Spider Veins Gone with a Flash of Light?

Intense pulsed light (IPL) uses technology similar to lasers to improve the skin’s condition. IPL produces a high intensity beam of light that is then converted to heat energy to eliminate unwanted areas of skin or hair by causing the body’s natural healing processes to take over and produce new, undamaged cells. By targeting the lower layers of the dermis, instead of the surface skin, IPL produces the hair removal results and skin rejuvenation patients desire without the recovery time associated with more intense light therapies like lasers. However, even though laser skin treatments and IPL procedures are performed for similar reasons, there are technical differences between the two techniques that are important for patients to understand.

Intense pulsed light is not the same as a laser skin treatment in that lasers emit a single wavelength of light while IPL emits a larger spectrum of light. A broad-spectrum light is applied to the area of treatment with a hand-held wand-like application device, and emits light through the layers of the skin to the deepest layer (dermis) or to the targeted area (like a hair follicle) to treat the unwanted condition(s) whether it be hair or visible veins.

September 2, 2011

Abraham’s Wrinkle Free Wednesdays

Beginning September 14th, 2011, take some time to relax and treat yourself to Abraham Medical Cosmetics’ wrinkle-reducing treatments.

August 31, 2011

Abraham Medical Cosmetics Announces Wrinkle Free Wednesday

Abraham Medical Cosmetics is pleased to announce our newest addition to the calendar: Wrinkle Free Wednesdays. Beginning September 14, we’ll be offering two great deals: a free skin care analysis and glycolic peel ($150 value) with the purchase of one Neocutis product or a free Neocutis cleanser with the purchase of two Neocutis products.

A skin care analysis is performed by one of our licensed estheticians and helps to determine which treatments and products will best benefit your skin type and tone. Whether you have dry, oily, or combination skin, our skin care analysis will determine the most effective skin care plan for your situation.

Glycolic peels can help remove blemishes (acne management) and brighten and renew skin. By targeting the deeper layers of tissue to encourage collagen production and removing the outer, dead layers of skin, a glycolic peel stimulates cell restoration revealing fresh, glowing skin.

Neocutis bio-restorative skin creams, cleansers, and serums help reduce fine lines by removing impurities and encouraging skin cell growth. With ingredients like “Processed Skin Cell Proteins” or PSP®, Neocutis can help smooth skin texture and improve skin tone.

Many factors can make you look older including sun exposure, gravity, and time. Whether you’re trying to eliminate your signs of aging or prevent them later in life, Wrinkle Free Wednesday has a package for you.

Contact us for more information on Wrinkle Free Wednesdays or to RSVP. We’re also on Twitter, so make sure to follow us for news and updates.

June 20, 2011

Shedding Light on Photo Damage: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Sun Damage Prevention & Treatment

Sun damage is an infamous factor in the development of skin cancer and aging. Consistent with its notoriety, photo damage is a major influence in the development of aging symptoms like wrinkles, brown spots, and even lax skin. Abraham Medical’s board certified family medicine doctors and trained aesthetic technicians are here to answer your questions about sun damage prevention and treatment:

Do I still need to wear sunscreen if my skin tone is dark?

Individuals with dark skin tones have more melanin in their skin than those with fairer complexions. Even though people with darker skin are less likely to develop sunburn as quickly, they are still susceptible to photo damage with unprotected UV exposure. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone regularly apply a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of at least 30 if planning to be outdoors.

What makes all of the sunscreen brands different?

There are a host of marketing variables amongst all of the sunscreen brands out there, but if your skin does not require a specialty product because of a skin condition, it’s best to look at what type of protection the product offers. Chemical sunscreens (like most sun protection products sold in drug stores) are formulated to attach with the skin’s surface and protect against UVB rays while other products that contain larger particles (like zinc or titanium oxide) provide a physical shield against more UVA rays. It’s best to use a product that provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays, typically labeled “broad spectrum” sunscreen.

I have acne prone skin; won’t sunscreen clog my pores and make me break out?

Abraham Medical Cosmetics offers three Obagi ®sunscreens (RosaClear, Obagi-C®, and Physical UV Block) specially formulated for sensitive skin types such as yours. While all of these products effectively prevent sun damage, it’s beneficial to have a skin analysis to determine which product will perform best for you.

Is there anything that I can do to erase the sun damage I already have?

We offer treatments like Photofacial IPL and chemical peels that can help erase the areas of dark hyperpigmentation and tighten the lax skin that can result from sun exposure; however, it’s important to remember that sun damage is cumulative and the damaging internal effects sun exposure can have on skin cell replication should be prevented with regular sunscreen usage.

To learn more about Abraham Medical Cosmetics’ facial rejuvenation treatments, preventative medicine, or to schedule a consultation, contact our Snellville office or visit our website.

June 6, 2011

Chemical Peels, IPL, and Injectable Treatments Can Provide Freedom from Wrinkles

Dedicated to helping reveal your true beauty, Abraham Medical Cosmetics offers a variety of cosmetic and primary care services. Although it may seem strange to buy skin care products or take cosmetic advice from your family physician, we understand the close relationship between feeling good on the inside and looking good on the outside. That’s why we offer cosmetic services to help keep you looking young.

Whether you’re still concerned with skin blemishes or if you’re face’s fine lines and wrinkles are showings your age, a chemical peel may be the perfect skin treatment to minimize surface imperfections. During a chemical peel treatment, chemical solutions are applied the facial skin to penetrate the damaged, outer layers and expose the beautiful, healthy skin beneath. While some harsh chemical peels can create dramatic peeling, we offer milder peels that require little to no downtime, but still target sun damage, acne, fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone.

Other wrinkle reduction treatments like our photofacial skin rejuvenation can also correct pigmentation issues and acne scars while also diminishing fine lines.

May 17, 2011

Price vs. Experience: Find out Which Takes Priority With BOTOX® Cosmetic

When considering facial injectables, do you shop around for the right doctor or the right price? Although saving money is always alluring, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the Physicians’ Coalition for Injectable Safety warn against “bargain botox.” Many medical providers offer discounts on facial injectables, but reputable medical providers do not offer them at “bargain” prices because they cannot buy the FDA approved, brand-name cosmetic injectables at “bargain” prices from legitimate manufacturers. Due to a rise in counterfeit injectables, patients who seek these extremely low prices risk compromising their health with potentially harmful ingredients and more under qualified providers are willing to buy the off-brand product.

Although BOTOX® Cosmetic is safe when it’s injected by an experienced, trained professional, off brand versions of botox can produce significant health risks. Besides that, an unqualified injector can produce less than satisfactory results. Have you heard about the dreaded droopy eyelid? If not, it’s not pretty and also not easy to fix. It’s best to receive injections from a qualified doctor or nurse injector to avoid complications.