Face rejuvenation

Ageing maybe classified into ‘intrinsic ageing’ and ‘extrinsic ageing’.  Intrinsic aging occurs in areas that are protected from damaging UV radiation, whilst Extrinsic aging occurs on exposed areas such as the face, chest and hands, often as a result of sun damage or smoking. Most patients have a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic aging, however in Queensland, extrinsic aging plays a significant role in ageing of the skin.

1. Replacement of loss volume
2. Stimulation of new collagen
3. Relaxation of dynamic muscles that contibute to coarse wrinkling
4. Stimulation of collagen and elastin to reduce fine wrinklling of the skin
5. Addressing photodamage- sun spots, rough dry skin
6. Addressing uneven pigmentation and uneven skin texture.

Forehead

• BTX anti wrinkle treatments
• Fractionated Photorejuveantion Laser
• Fractionated laser
• TCA chemical peels

Eyes

• BTX anti wrinkle treatments
• TCA chemical peels
• Fractionated Photorejuveantion Laser
• Fractionated laser
• Microlaser peel

Cheeks

• Fractionated Photorejuveantion Laser
• Fractionated laser
• TCA chemical peels
• Fillers
• BBL/IPL
• Microlaser peel

Lower face

• Fillers
• BTX anti wrinkle treatments

Neck

• Fractionated Photorejuveantion Laser
• BBL
• Vascular laser

Hands

• Fractionated Photorejuveantion Laser
• TCA chemical peels
• More on hand rejuvenation

Décolletage

• Fractionated Photorejuveantion Laser
• BBL
• TCA chemical peels

At Westside Dermatology we use a selection of lasers for facial rejuvenation. Dermatologist often combine 2 or 3 different lasers in the one treatment session to give optimal results whilst reducing downtime.

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Fractional laser has provided a revolution in the treatment of facial rejuvenation. Fractional lasering induces thousands of micro-punctures whilst leaving surrounding tissues intact. This allows the skin to heal much faster than if the entire skin was treat at once (old school laser resurfacing). Fractionation stimulates collagen production in addition vaporizing both superficial and deep pigmentation. It promotes the skin’s healing process to create new, tighter tissue, with improved skin texture.

What are the main advantages of  Fraxel/ Fractionated Laser Therapy?

ProFractional has the unique ability to penetrate very deep into the skin, but with very little heat damage to surrounding tissue.  This combination allows for efficacious collagen remodeling (due to the deep treatments) and a high safety margin (due to low thermal damage) on all skin types.  This combination makes ProFractional one of the safest, yet most effective resurfacing lasers available today.

What areas of the body can be treated?

Most skin areas can be treated.  Popular treatment areasare the face and neck, although many people also treat thechest and hands.  Your laser dermatologist can adjust the laser settings appropriately for the specific area being treated.

How long will it take to recover?

Complete healing typically occurs within a few daysand most patients usually feel comfortable enough toget back to normal activities and apply makeup a day or two afterthe treatment.  There may be some swelling that willsubside within several days following the treatment.

When should I expect results?

As your skin heals in the days following your treatment,you may notice a general tightening effect. However, thetrue benefit of ProFractional is the collagen remodeling thatoccurs during the 4 to 6 months following your treatment.  It may therefore take several months to see maximum benefit from your treatment.

More information on Fractionated laser treatments

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BBL is an innovative light-based technology that sets new standards for treating skin conditions associated with aging, active life-styles and sun damage. BBL light energy allows your dermatologist to design treatments personalized for your skin andprecisely treat age and sun spots, small facial veins, and many other skin defects. BBL phototherapy is noninvasive so you can receive comfortable and effective treatments to fit your schedule, even on a lunch break.

How does BBL work?

BBL deposits pulses of light energy that gently heats the upper layers of skin. Within the skin, the light energy is absorbed by targets, such as fine, broken vessels that cause redness and brown spots or pigmented lesions that are caused by an overproduction of melanin. This scientific and biological process destroys the target, eliminating it from the skin and restoring it to its natural beauty, blending its natural tones, making it more vibrant and youthful in appearance and touch.

What conditions can be treated with BBL?

• Pigmented Lesions (e.g., freckles, age spots, )
• Vascular Lesions (e.g., small blood vessels, rosacea and other micro-capillary flushing conditions)
• Skin laxity
• Uneven Skin Texture
• Unwanted Hair

BBL Phototherapy Treatment

BBL laser treatments- Patient Testimonials

moreFractional laser - the skin heals completely within 2-3 days.

This is the most commonly conducted facial rejuvenation laser procedure at Westside Dermatology. Fractionated Photorejuveantion combines two ‘lasers’ into one treatment to give far superior results than either procedure alone. In the past, IPL has been a proven method of photorejuvenation, and can safely and effectively reduce superficial pigmentation. The limits of IPL however has been hampered by the number of treatments needed (often up to 4 treatments ) and the inability to safely and consistently treat darker skin types. Additionally deeper pigmentation is relatively resistant to IPL/BBL treatments. With Fractionated Photo Rejuvenation we combine a more specific form of IPL know as BBL (Broad Band Light) together with a shallow resurfacing technique known as Fractionation to give far superior results then IPL alone.

How does Fractionated Photo Rejuvenation work?

BBL/ IPLaddress the superficial pigmentation, whilst Fractionated Laser penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin, targeting deeper pigmentation as well as stimulating collagen formation. Stimulation of collagen is necessary to improve skin tone, whilst reducing pigmentation improves texture.  Fractionation involves delivering very tiny columns of laser light into the dermal layers of the skin. The ‘ fraction’ of the skin’s surface treated is determined by your treating dermatologist, and is dependent on factors such as your skin type, the type of pigmentation and recovery time.

Fractional laser resufracing and laser micropeel

More information on Westside Dermatology’s Fractionated Photorejuvenation

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At Westside Dermatology we have replaced microdermabrasion with Microlaser Peeling- this procedure is an outer- to mid-epidermal laser peel that precisely removes a thin layer of skin to a selectable depth.  MicroLaserPeel is an advanced clinical method to improve skin texture, tone, and luminosity, and is easily customizable to each patient’s individual goals. Because only a thin layer of skin is removed, healing times tend to be very rapid.

How does MicroLaserPeel work?

The MicroLaserPeel procedure uses a laser wavelength that is preferentially absorbed in the water of the epidermis.  The laser instantaneously heats the water to a high temperature causing it to vaporize or ablate the skin. MicroLaserPeel precisely ablates skin anywhere from 4 to 50 microns deep (a micron is very small – e.g., a fine human hair might be around 40 microns thick). Ablating the top layer of the epidermis removes old, tired-looking skin and depending on depth, will remove some light blemishes such as sun spots and pigment irregularities. During the healing process new, healthy cells re-grow, generally improving the overall appearance of the skin. MicroLaserPeel may be used alone or in conjunction with other procedures, such asFractionated laser therapy or BBL/IPL.

What conditions can be treated by MicroLaser Peeling?

Microlaser peels can treat conditions such as pigmentation due to freckling or photoaging. Additionally skin texture, blemishes and fine wrinkling can be improved.

For deeper wrinkles BTX or Fractional Laser Therapy give superior results compared to Microlaser treatments.

More information on laser micropeels

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The use of BTX injections can dramatically reduce dynamic wrinkles around the frown lines (wrinkles between the eyebrows), crow’s feet(wrinkles around the eyes) and smokers lines (wrinkles around the mouth). This treatment is effective with a safety record spanning 20 years.

What is BTX?

BTX is a natural, purified protein that relaxes wrinkle-causing muscles creating an improved cosmetic appearance. The active ingredient is a muscle relaxant obtained from the bacterium Clostridium botulinium and is manufactured in sterile laboratory conditions. Botox is a prescription only medicine.

How does BTX work?

Botulinum toxin binds to nerve endings and prevents the release of chemical transmitters that activate muscles. This way, the natural, purified protein relaxes the muscles that cause wrinkles.

This process may take up to 2 weeks for the maximal effect to be seen. After a few months the nerve endings usually grow new connections to the muscles and the effect wears off. The injections are typically repeated about two to three times a year, as directed by your Dermatologist.

What does treatment with BTX involve?

The first step is to have a consultation with a consultant dermatologist. They will evaluate whether BTX therapy is appropriate for you, discuss the expected outcome, and answer any questions you may have.

BTX is a non-surgical treatment for wrinkles. A small amount of Botox is injected into the selected facial muscles with a very fine needle. Discomfort from injections is minimal and brief and comparable to an ant bite.  Ice application or anaesthetic cream can be applied ½ hour prior to the procedure to minimize discomfort.

Slight redness at the injection site is frequently seen, but this usually fades within a few hours. Makeup, if desired can be worn after the BTX procedure.   Results are usually seen after a week, however may take upto 2 weeks for the full effect to become apparent.

How long does BTX last?

Botox lasts, on average, three months to four months in most patients. With repeat Botox treatments the effect tends to last longer as muscles weaken over time.

Is BTX safe?

The use of BTX is safe, with a track record of over 20 years. In fact BTX injections are commonly used in much higher doses to treat children with cerebral palsy to reduce muscle spasms and lazy eye syndrome.

More on BTX treatments

Fillers can be helpful for wrinkles and creases in the lower half of the face, particularly the crease running down from each side of the nose to the corners of the mouth. They are a safe, non-surgical and effective method of lifting, rejuvenating and shaping the face.

What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are used to fill or replace loss volume due to the reduction in skin collagen and elastin. Fillers provide an immediate dose of collagen and ground substance, instantly filling hollows, furrows, wrinkles and lines. Westside Dermatology use fillers consisting of a natural substance called hyaluronans and is allergy free.

What areas can be treated?

• Lips
• Smile creases
• Cheeks
• Frown lines, creases and wrinkles
• Acne scars and chickpox scars

What does the procedure involve?

After a consultation with our Filler Specialist, we will discuss and advise on how fillers may benefit you, including what filler to use, what area to treat, and most importantly discuss the expected outcome, duration of results and costs.

Filler procedure involves multiple fine injections to the treatment area. We often use a combination of ice and a numbing cream prior to the injections, reducing the discomfort to a manageable level. The procedure takes between 20 to 40 minutes depending on the treated area.

What will I look like after the treatment and how long will the results last?

Immediately after the filler procedure, you can expect slight redness and swelling- this is absolutely normal. This inconvenience is temporary and settles within a day or two. Light make up maybe applied if desired. The majority of patients feel comfortable enough to resume their work and normal activities after treatment. Bruising may develop a day or two after fillers, but will settle over 3-5 days.

The longevity of fillers will depend on the areas treated, and the type of fillers used. On average, they last 6-8 months, however, much like one’s metabolic rate, there is also an individual variation in the longevity of fillers in different people.

What is the best dermal filler for me?

Westside Dermatology offers a variety of temporary fillers, each suited to different applications. Our Specialist Injector will advise you on which dermal filler is best, depending on the location, longevity and results you desire.

**Westside Dermatology do not perform Permanent Fillers due to the increased risks of serious side effects and complications.

Can dermal fillers be combined with other treatments?

Absolutely! Fillers are only one arm of the rejuvenation process. Fillers are frequently combined with BTX Anti - Wrinkle injections, which relax the underlying muscles. Balance is the key to natural facial rejuvenation. Apart from treating loss volume, the use of Fractional laser and TCA peels can improve skin texture, tone and clarity.

More on Fillers

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Chemical peels refer to a range of treatments for the skin. Peels regenerate and resurface the skin at varying depths depending on the agent and concentration used. Superficial peels remove the dead layers of the skin and can help improve uneven pigmentation, whilst medium depth peels target the deeper layers of the epidermis. Deeper peels have the ability to stimulate collagen production, which improves both texture and tone.

Glycolic acid peels (AHA peels)

This peeling agent is the most commonly used chemical peel and is frequently referred to as the ‘lunch time peel’. Side effects are uncommon, recovery is quick (within an hour or two), and the procedure is affordable ($95 per peel.)  Our peel concentration starts at 20% and typically ends at 70%.  We recommend a series of 5-6 peels spaced between 2-3 weeks apart.

AHA peels are ideal for – uneven pigmentation/ uneven skin tone and mild photodamage

More on chemical peels

TCA (Trichloroacetic acid) peels

This peel is aimed at reaching the deeper layers of the skin. Depending on the concentration, a downtime of upto 6-8 days can be expected for TCA peels on the face, and upto 12 days for TCA peels on the chest. One treatment with TCA peel can improve pigmentation, uneven skin tone and improve texture by upto 60%. TCA peels can also be use on the chest and neck area, however in these area we recommend a series of 3 peels to minimise side effects.

TCA peels are ideal for- heavy sun-damaged skin, stubborn pigmentation including melasma, wrinkles and freckles.

More on TCA peels

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The application of prescription creams from Westside dermatologists can compliment treatments such as laser rejuvenation, chemical peels, and BTX. These prescriptions are designed to slow down the aging process, reduce the incidence of pigmentation and stimulate collagen formation.

Topical retinoids

Compounds derived from vitamin A including Tretinoin and Tazarotene are designed to reduce sun damage, fine lines, and pigmentation. Retinoids can also stimulate collagen formation to increase skin tone. Your dermatologist may customise a skin care regime involving retinoids to suit your skin type.

Sunscreen

The use of a high factor SPF is an essential part of skin care. Depending on your skin type your dermatologist can advise you as to what products are best suited.

Glycolic acid preps

This home kit preparation can be incorporated into your daily regime. If suited, we often combine glycolic acid with a retinoid for compounded effects. Glycolic acid can reduce superficial pigmentation, and improve skin texture over time.

Costings and downtime of procedures

moreDr. Davin S. Lim

Dr Davin S. Lim

Rejuvenation of the skin is dependent on many factors, including the skin type of the person, the degree of background sundamage, balanced by the downtime available to the patient. The first step is to book in for a consultation with a dermatologist. We will carefully assess your skin, address your concerns and provide you with options to rejuvenate your skin.