Total Body Surgical Blog

Happy Father's day to all the dads out there and the dads of the future!

Today I'd like to share an offer that will make dad happy and also the moms out there.  I frequently talk about things that make women happy but often neglect the men.  Not today!

Men usually don't need much.  Some food, some sports to watch on tv, a little beer, and every now and then....well, you know.  We usually don't like to make much of a fuss about ourselves but today I want to talk about how to rid yourself of a common problem....hair.

We get hair on our chests and back and abdomen that we don't like.  Not only us, but the women in our lives don't like it either.  They want us to shave it, or worse, wax it...ugh!!  We have a much better solution.  Six treatments or so and guess what...no more hair to mess with.

The laser works to stop hair production at its source, the stem cell.  First, we either have you shave the hair off or we will help do it for you.  Then we use the Cutera Prowave to treat the areas in question.  We count the chest as one area, the abdomen as an area, and the upper and lower back as two areas.  Some want the groin area treated as well and this can be done.  Body hair is usually thick and dark, thus making the treatments very effective and requiring around six treatments to reduce the hair growth to almost zero.  These treatments are done with topical numbing cream and are associated with only minor discomfort.  The treatments take about fifteen to twenty minutes after about 30 minutes of numbing.  We recommend a touch up after a year or so if need to get any straglers.

To re-cap..

  upper and lower back...$50.00/treatment times 2 areas times 6 treatments = $600.00

  chest....$50.00/treatment times 6 treatments = $300.00

You can't beat that anywhere!

Make your appointment today, you don't need to see me, we have nurses that are well versed at laser hair removal and can squeeze you in about any time.

Let's talk about a common problem that we can help with.....acne.  Acne vulgaris is a common problem in adolescence that can continue or leave long lasting changes through adulthood.  It most commonly occurs on the face and back but can cause problems almost anywhere.  It occurs in these places most commonly because of glands that produce a large amount of oily material.  The pores become "plugged" with this thick, oily material and bacteria (germs) get in the mix causing inflammation and pimples.  It occurs when hormonal levels are peaking, thus the high rate during adolescence but adult acne is also a common problem. 
Certainly, acne is not a life threatening condition but it can ruin self esteem and lead to life changing and permanent skin damage.  It can cause scarring and pitting of the skin that will carry through life in severe cases.  Many of us have mild and sporadic breakouts that are only a minor problem, but for some, acne is a curse that can ruin social interactions and make us very self conscious.

At Total Body Surgical we take a systematic approach to the treatment of acne.  I like to evaluate at the initial visit how severe the problem is and what potential for permanent skin damage there is.  If the problem is not severe, we start with a good skin cleanser that contains salicylic acid to remove the oil the skin is producing.  I like the clarifying cleanser made by Skinceuticals.  We also like benzoyle peroxide products for a topical kill of bacteria. Retinol or tretinoin is also used topically to help the skin turn over quicker.  This is usually our first line of treatment for even the worst cases.  For more severe problems I will add a topical antibiotic gel or start treatment with an oral antibiotic at low doses to decrease the inflammation and lower the bacteria count.  These steps will usually make the condition improve a great deal, at least enough to make it tolerable.  If not, the next step we use is the Cutera 1064 laser.  The laser genesis treatment is painless and quick with no down time.  We use the laser to gently warm the skin to a temperature  that eliminates the bacteria causing the problem.  This is usually very effective and allows the other treatments to take hold.  It is also a good way to get ready for special events...treat a week or so before and have a clear face!!  These treatments can be done at 4-6 week intervals and are very affordable.

Now for the severe cases...the dreaded Accutane!!!  I am very careful when I choose patients to use this medication.  They must be reliable and have good supervision from a parent.  The i-pledge program must be followed as well which gives good counseling about pregnancy prevention while on the medicine.  Accutane IS a great drug...it works almost universally.  It can, however, have some severe side effects that are not very common (regardless of what the lawyers on TV portray).  It can cause depression leading to suicidal thoughts, headaches that can be severe, birth defects if you become pregnant or make someone pregnant while on the drug, very dry lips and skin, dry eye....and the list goes on.  Most treatment regimens start at full dose and after clearance of the acne we switch to a lower dose program which seems to be effective.  Any of the above problems that become severe may require a stoppage of the medicine. 

I have found that most individuals will require a minimum of 6 months of Accutane and some may need more than one course of the medicine.

For those with permanent acne scarring we offer the Pearl laser.  You must be off of Accutane for a minimum of 6 months to qualify but these resurfacing treatments help tremendously to soften the scarring.  Down time is around 4-5 days and treatments can be repeated to desired effect.

If you need help with acne...give us a call at 918-786-7780...we'll be glad to give you the help you need.  Don't forget our laser hair removal...$50/treatment/area special too!!

Laser days at Total Body Surgical!!!!  We know have the Cutera laser full time in Grove...VERY exciting.  The Cutera laser is one of the most comprehensive lasers, IPL combinations on the market.  The system can nearly do it all, and do it well.  I have many years of experience using this system and it is great at treating a large number of problems.  Let's itemize them:

1.  Laser hair removal.  With the Cutera system we use the ProWave 770.  It is an IPL (intense pulsed light) that can treat large areas and do it very effectively.  In a pinch for smaller areas that are difficult, we have the 1064 YAG which most of the older systems are based on.  Laser hair removal is very popular and has, in the past, been cost prohibitive.  For a limited time, we are offering an exceptional deal...$50.00 per area per treatment.  This will be good through the summer so don't miss it.  Usually facial hair takes about 9 treatments and body hair 6.  This means you can get your underarms done for $300.00.  Take advantage of a great value!

2.  Facial or body dyschromias.  Age spots and redness become a problem as our skin ages.  The IPL Limelight system is great for treating a variety of discolorations on the face, arms, and hands.  This usually requires a series of 3-5 treatments and we usually like to have you on the Obagi skin care system to prevent further damage or recurrence.

3.  Facial veins.  We use the 1064 YAG to treat small viens that occur at the base of the nose, on the cheeks and chin.  The laser targets the pigment and closes the vein, removing it on a permanent basis. 

4.  Leg veins.  We use the 1064 YAG to treat small areas of leg spider veins as well.  For larger areas we usually inject with a sclerosant.

5.  Laser skin resurfacing.  We have the Pearl laser for resurfacing.  This helps with reducing pore size, improving skin color, fine lines, and wrinkles.  The great thing about the pearl is the short recovery time and similar results to the CO2 laser.  Recovery times are about 4 days with great results.  Some may require a series of 2-3 treatments about 2 months apart.

6.  Laser treatment of Hemangiomas or cherry spots on the body or face.  These require only one treatment in most cases and they are eradicated.

7.  Laser Genesis for treatment of acne, to reduce pore size and improve skin tone and texture.  This works exceptionally well with no down time.

8.  Titan treatments for skin laxity in the neck and face using Radio Frequency with no down time.

We are very proud to have such great technology in Grove.  Our pricing is unbeatable and results are outstanding.  Our nurses, Janet and Trish are very skilled at suggestions and advice and are very good at treatments.  We also have the Zimmer system that provides comfort during treatment sessions.  

Come see us soon to arrange YOUR treatment plan and schedule.  Call 918-786-7780 to arrange today.

I guess the test last week was not so good judging from the response.  A few people really loved it so I may consider doing another in a few months....maybe on breasts...lift vs augmentation alone....or....faces, mini vs. full face lift....we'll see.

Today I want to discuss the Pearl laser.  Lasers have come a long way in the past 10 years.  We have gone from a technology looking for a procedure to actually being able to make a huge difference in a number of skin issues.  The great thing is that recovery times and safety have jumped in leaps and bounds. 

There are many reasons to choose laser skin resurfacing.  What resurfacing can do is:

1.  Reduce facial skin discolorations such as brown "age spots" and other discolorations.  These are caused by sun damage and age.

2.  Reduce fine lines and wrinkles in the face, neck, under the eyes, and crows feet.

3.  Shrink pores that are enlarged.

4.  Improve acne scarring.

5.  Improve skin color and texture.

6.  Improve vertical lip lines.

Why the Pearl??  The Pearl laser is fairly new technology that is similar to the CO2 laser.  What makes it good?  There are a number of reasons the pearl is superior.  First is recovery time.  The recovery time from the average treatment is only about 4 days.  This means that new skin reforms quickly, much quicker than the CO2.  Second is cost.  The cost of the Pearl treatment is $1200.  Compared to the CO2 this is less than half.  Third, you don't need general anesthesia.  We usually do the procedure with some mild oral sedation and topical anesthesia. 

The Pearl is made by Cutera..hit this link for more technical information.  Here is also a video from The Doctors that talks more about it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OBi5AcQwWQ

Come see us and you won't be sorry....your youthful skin awaits.

Today, for the final installment on lasers, we are going to discuss the use of lasers to treat veins on the face, legs and elsewhere. 

First, leg veins.  Superficial or spider veins occur very frequently on the legs.  As I have discussed before, when the areas are large, I prefer injections to the laser because I can cover much more ground and cause less dicomfort.  For small areas, however, the laser is very convenient and in most cases works very well.  The veins in this picture are perfect....why??  Remember that laser light is attracted to pigment.  The darker the pigment, when the laser light hits it, heat is generated, the small vein is injured, the flow stops and the vein is gone.  After lasering the vein it turns red and forms a clot that slowly dissolves.  I use the Cutera 1064 laser for the darker veins.  For veins that have a lighter and more red pigment we use the KTP or 536 wavelength laser.

The second area that is most commonly complained about is the face.  Adults of European descent commonly develope visible veins around the base of the nose that are unsightly.  Those with Rosacea get veins that are visible on nose, at the base of the nose, and nearly anywhere else on the face.

The nasal areas we treat with the laser to close the veins.  For Rosacea, it may require several different methods, even systemic medications on some cases. 

The results we get are very good.  In most cases, new areas will arise and will require repeat treatments from time to time we call maintenance.

A third condition that is vascular and can be treated with laser are hemangiomas.  These areas occur in the young and old and anywhere on the body.  They can be very small.  They can also be very large.  Most of these can be closed with the laser.  Larger ones may require several treatments.  They turn dark, dry up, and are usually gone.

There are other uses for lasers but that about covers the more common things and I'm worn out with it.  We have covered how lasers work, hair removal, skin rejeuvenation, abnormal coloration, and vascular lesions....we treat them all.  Something new next week.

Don't forget our specials at Total Body Surgical.  We have a few surgical spots left before the first of the year then the summer countdown begins....believe it or not.

I want to spend some time discussing lasers and how we use them today.  Lasers have been around for some time.  In the past, at least as far as medicine is concerned, they have been a technology looking for an application.  In the past several years, improvements in technology have made them much safer and applications have greatly increased.

  Austin Powers....demonstrated his ignorance of laser technology.  Lasers have been a mystery to most!! 

Laser and intense light or flash lamp therapy are both based on concentrated light.  Let's talk about lasers first.

Lasers are concentrated light that can be used for multiple applications.  They have been used in industrial applications for years. Medical lasers have numerous applications as well.  We use them to to clear up and make skin look prettier.  We use them to remove tattoo's.  They are used to treat veins and vascular problems on the body and face, even varicose veins.  We can remove unwanted hair, laser fat cells, make skin contract, use them to cut skin, and now we can treat toenail fungus which has been a nagging problem.

Pulsed light therapy is based on a bright flash of light shot onto the skin.  Also called a flash lamp, this technology has been used for other applications, photography, etc.  In cosmetic surgery we use it to treat spots and different pigments on the skin of the face or body.

Unfortunately, there is no single laser that can be used for all applications.  Not to get too complicated (because it is complicated) the way we choose what laser or lamp to used is based on the chromophore we are trying to treat.  A chromophore is the part of a molecule or cell that produces its color.  Each laser or flash lamp has a wave length that attacks that color.  This is why one laser or lamp will not work on all colors.  We know what colors we are trying to treat and select the laser or lamp that will work on that specific color.  This is where the art meets the science.  With some applications, we are aiming at water in the skin as the chromophore, especially when resurfacing the skin. 

The most common laser currently used in Cosmetic Surgery are the nd-YAG, the KTP, the CO2, and the pulsed dye lasers.  Each of these target a different chromophore or color.  The newest developments in the technology is the fractional and q-switched technologies.  We used to resurface skin by ablating or lasering the entire skin surface.  Since the skin recovers by healing from the hair follicle, recovery was slower than desired and this scared people.  Fractional lasers give us the ability to divide or fractionate the pulse of light from the laser.  This leaves islands of undamaged skin between the areas treated.  There are more and larger areas for the skin to heal.  The advantages are that healing is much faster and complication rates are less.  The disadvantages are that the treatment is not quite as good and may require more than a single session.  Q switching is a way to modulate the laser output to get a better "quality" of light energy, more intense output per pulse.  I will talk more about Q-switching when I discuss tattoo removal.

Flash lamps also treat specific colors in the skin.  They are used for treatment of brown pigment, red pigment, and hair in the treatment areas.  With flash lamps, we must change the wavelength of the light to treat each problem.

Now that the boring part is over, next week we will begin to explore the problems we treat and what we use to treat them.

Don't forget our nail fungus, lap band, and liposuction deals that are currently running.  We also are having multiple Botox events in Tulsa and Grove to get everyone ready for the holidays!!  Send me a message, fill out a contact form, or call 918-786-7780 to find out when and where.

Does this look and sound familiar??????  BE HONEST!

At Integris Total Body Surgical we see the results of sun exposure (over exposure) all of the time.  When we are young, we all perceive ourselves as indestructable and cover ourselves in oil while baking in the sun.  Today, with tanning beds, there is no winter break from exposure and it seems that I see damage at earlier ages than ever before.  Good skin care is the start of the healing process with retinols and or hydroquinone.  To really get a jump start on healing, we recommend laser skin resurfacing.  The machine we recommend is the Pearl 2700nm laser.  This laser treats abnormal pigments in the skin along with fine lines and wrinkles that go along with sun exposure and the normal process of aging.  The procedure is done in the office with minimal discomfort and the recovery time is only 3-4 days.  The skin after is opalescent, very soft, and looks healthier.  Over the next several months your skin will thicken with new collagen.

Treatments can be repeated at intervals and results can be maintained by chemical peels or repeat treatment.

Check out what The Doctors said.....

Everyone knows THESE guys don't lie!!! Our pricing on Pearl treatments and for packages if multiple treatments are needed or desired are VERY competitive. Cosmetic and skin consultations are always Complimentary. SOOOOOO what are you waiting for? Call us today and we will evaluate your skin and come up with a plan! 918-786-7780