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Isn’t summer in Seattle lovely?  We think so. While you’re at the pool, the beach, the golf course, or that barbeque with your friends, remember to use sun protection.  It would also be wise to choose cosmetic treatments that prevent premature aging, so you stay healthy and look your best this summer and in the years to come. If you’re heading out for some fun in the sun, here are a few skin management tips and procedures that can keep you looking hot while you’re out in the hot sun.  

First of all, if you’re not using medical grade skin products, you should be. Second, you should be using sunscreen everyday. Choosing the right sunscreen for your face – one that addresses your skin type and skin conditions – is not always easy.  For days spent mostly indoors, use a foundation with an SPF15 or higher. For outdoors you want at least an SPF45 that is waterproof or water-resistant. The right sunscreen can prevent sun damage, skin problems, and even skin cancer.  Harmful UV rays can damage skin cells deep within the skin’s surface, making your cells vulnerable to toxins (free-radicals) in the environment.

If you exhibit age spots, zap them away with a Fraxel laser or Chemical Peel. Rejuvenate your skin while reducing or removing age spots. 

Professional Facials are another great way to remove dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, and they feel great! If you don’t need an intensive treatment but want to freshen up your look, a facial may be the right treatment choice.

Self conscious about unwanted facial or body hair? Laser hair removal can erase excess hair to keep your skin looking smooth and buff, reducing the need for shaving and waxing. 

Let us help you maintain the health of your skin. Come visit us at Dr. Stacy Cosmetic to find out which treatment will work best for your skin type; then look forward to looking hot all summer long!

Latisse made its way to the market inadvertently, and now its set to become hugely popular.  The hot new eyelash enhancer was born out of a group of popular medications called topical prostaglandins, drugs frequently used to decrease intra-ocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

What was first labeled a ‘complication’ or side effect of using prostaglandins was “hypertrichosis,” a condition characterized by darkening, thickening, and lengthening of the eyelashes.   

 Allergan offered the topical prostaglandin Lumigan in 2001, a drug that contained the active ingredient bimatoprost. Two important precursors to Latisse occurred after the FDA gave clearance for Lumigan.

• Jan Marini Skin Research Inc had over $2 million worth of product seized by the Food and Drug Administration.  The product, Age Intervention Eyelash, evidently contained bimatoprost, which was unapproved for cosmetic use at the time. Allergan later filed a patent infringement suit against Jan Marini and several other companies that had tried to market bimatoprost in their eyelash enhancing drugs.
• Some doctors started prescribing Lumigan off-label to enhance eyelashes.  Knowing the desirable side effects it could produce. But Lumigan wasn’t formulated for cosmetic use and many believed more research was needed to confirm the safety of topical prostaglandins for cosmetic use.  

Clinical trials and further research is exactly what Alllergan Inc did.  In one early study, 278 healthy adults with minimal to moderate eyelash prominence applied bimatoprost or a placebo to their lash line.  The results were favorable; researchers observed that the average patient’s eyelashes were 25 percent longer, 106 percent fuller, and 18 percent darker, while only 3.6 percent experienced itchy eyes and redness, and only 2.9 percent experienced skin hyperpigmentation.  

Latisse received FDA approval late last year for the treatment of ‘inadequate’ eyelashes.  Allergan now owns the patent on use of bimatoprost for eyelash enhancement.

Contact Dr. Stacy Cosmetic for more information on Latisse in Maple Valley, Washington.

Questionnaires sent out by researchers from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) have given us some insight about why patients choose wrinkle treatments. Researchers sent the surveys out last March to 687 patients who had received Botox and/or dermal filler treatment. 

The following statistics illustrate the opinions of the ‘typical’ patient. Who is the ‘typical’ patient?  According to the results, she is “a married, working mother between 41-55 years of age with a household income of under $100,000.”

• Roughly 70 percent of the respondents claimed that Botox and dermal fillers play an important role in their cosmetic routine.  About the same number of respondents said they used both Botox and wrinkle fillers.  
• When asked what their motivation was for pursuing Botox treatment, 34 percent said their appearance looked “stressed” or “angry”. Others said that a friend, family member, or their physician had recommended it, or they were preparing for a social event.
• 66 percent said they received Botox treatment 2-3 times per year. 72 percent of the respondents chose Botox to treat glabellar lines – the vertical lines that appear between your eyebrows.  
• When asked about their motivation to use hyaluronic acid fillers, the majority (63 percent) of patients reported a desire to remove facial wrinkles and folds – mostly the nasolabial folds that travel from the nose to each side of the mouth.

A full summary of the results is available (in MS Word) here.