With Radiesse, amazing changes can be achieved in the fight against aging. The smile lines around the mouth that get deeper with age can be completely smoothed out. A saddle deformity in the nose can be straightened without surgery. The hollowed areas that occur in the hands with more advanced aging can even be filled in, giving the hands the smooth texture of youth. Unlike Juvederm, Radiesse is not generally used in the lips due to the risk of nodule formation that might be visible under the thin skin of the lips. This is not typically a problem in other areas.
Radiesse is not the only long-lasting dermal filler. Artefill is another long-lasting dermal filler. Artefill is made of methyl-methacrylate microspheres and so is a permanent material. This has its own advantages and disadvantages. A permanent filler is not a good choice for a novice or first-time user of injectable fillers. Once in the skin, the microspheres cannot be removed without surgery. In select patients, however, this may be a good choice.

It is true that there will soon be an instantly-removable ink on the market, called Freedom-2 ink.  This is the ink that takes only 1 laser treatment to be completely removed.  When I ask artists if they plan to use this ink, most of them don’t like the concept of their work being able to be so easily removed.  Many, if not most, feel that this introduces vanity into tattooing and say that they would refuse to use it.  On the other hand, the marketplace may dictate the use of this ink, if enough people demand it and refuse to get any other ink put on.

It’s not just an issue of using Freedom-2 ink, though.  It is also known that certain types of tattoo inks are much harder to remove than others.  Organic charcoal or india-ink based black inks are much easier to laser remove than metal oxide-based black inks.  Some tattoo artists know this and prefer to use the metal oxide inks because they are so permanent.
So the point is, if you are getting a tattoo and are concerned that you may want to possibly have it removed in the future (even a tiny chance), you should consider the kind of ink that your artist is going to use on you.  Agree on the type of ink before they start, as it will be too late once it’s in your skin.

I just had to tell you again how very pleased I am with the Radiesse injections I had yesterday.  I inspected your work again as soon as I got in my car and later in the evening when I got home and I can’t believe what a flawless job you did.  I usually leave the office looking swollen and blotchy but I was good to go the moment I left your office.  You are simply THE BEST!!!!!!!  Thank you so much for taking the time to do the job right.  I’ll see you again in a year or so when I need a touch up. - N. H.

Just wanted to let you know that I saw Jeannine for botox this afternoon.  While I was extremely nervous, she put me at ease and explained everything really well.  She was great!  I am very excited to have been introduced to your clinic.
I actually asked Jeannine about a couple other things and didn’t realize that today there were specials for Juvederm as well.  I am thinking I would love to try that too at some point in the future.  Just wondering if you guys have these “parties” periodically.?.? Hope to meet you next time.  I will definitely be recommending your clinic and Jeannine.  Thanks!!!  - M. B.

Botox is a chemical derived from bacteria that works by blocking the responsiveness of muscles to nerve impulses. In tiny doses, as in standard medical practice, when botox is injected into facial muscles, it causes them to relax and stop working for an average of 3 months. So, if someone has overactive facial muscles that are causing wrinkles, such as between the eyebrows and around the eyes, Botox can be injected in a pinpoint fashion to relax these. It targets those muscles only, producing a specific and predictable improvement in frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines. Such wrinkles are all caused by overactive muscles that are not necessary for a happy, normal appearance. They can be treated to produce a relaxed, youthful look. Obviously, you would not want to immobilize all the muscles of facial expression, as this would look unnatural. Some muscles in the face are essential for function, such as the lips and eyelids, and these are not typically treated either.

Juvederm is very different from Botox. It is not an active biochemical. Although it is made by bioengineered bacteria, it is consists of hyaluronic acid. This is a structural molecule within the skin that has no chemical activity on nerves or muscles. Juvederm acts by filling a depression in the skin where it is injected. Thus it can be injected under and within wrinkles to make them flatten out and to make them disappear. It can also be injected into lips to make them plumper. Juvederm is FDA-approved to last up to 1 year in the nasolabial folds. It can be used anywhere there are deep wrinkles, such as a very deep furrow between the eyebrows, deep lines around the corners of the mouth, and anywhere else.

Juvederm and Botox are often used together since they work on different aspects of lines and wrinkles. It is common to get Botox for upper face wrinkles, such as crow’s feet and forehead lines and Juvederm for lips or nasolabial folds. At Tattoo MD, a custom solution that addresses your specific needs will be tailored for you. Whether it is for Juvederm, Botox, or tattoo removal, consults are always free! Contact us for an appoinment.

The amount of energy in a laser shot can be varied from low to high. Most patients think that the higher the energy, also called fluence, the faster their tattoos will come off. This is not quite true. There is a maximum amount of energy that a tattoo can absorb. If additional energy is applied, then it is converted to heat which can injure the skin. As there is less and less remaining ink to absorb the laser energy, the fluence can be increased. The majority of the energy does not encounter tattoo ink and is reflected away. Less heat is generated and thus a higher energy can be safely used. There is of course a limit to how high the energy can be set.

Another aspect is beam profile. The laser beam that hits the skin is ideally completely uniform in energy from outer edge to the middle of the beam. This is not necessarily so. Laser manufacturers have continued making improvements in beam uniformity but this used to be more of a problem. Older lasers sometimes had higher energy in the center of the beam which could cause hot spots and non-uniform tattoo removal.

Some colors of ink absorb the available laser wavelengths very poorly. This makes them more difficult to fade with a laser. Colors such as yellow, pink, and purple are more difficult to remove than colors such as black, blue, red, and green. This does not mean that those colors cannot be removed at all, but that removal is more difficult and expectations should be lower.

Some inks may contain metal pigments, such as iron and titanium, that are much harder to remove than other inks. India ink, for instance, is much easier to remove by comparison. Since patients (and even tattoo artists) almost never know what the inks in their tattoos are composed of, there is no way to predict when this will be a problem.

The mechanism for laser hair removal works based on the hair shaft being darker than the surrounding skin and absorbing relatively much more light. This causes the hair follicle to be damaged while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. If the skin is tanned, it may absorb too much light, making the laser hair removal either unsafe or much less effective in that circumstance.

You must avoid sun exposure and tanning, including spray-on tans prior to the procedure, so that you go in completely untanned. After the procedure, it is important to strictly avoid the sun and use sunblock on sun-exposed areas for several weeks.

At Tattoo MD Medi-Spa, the laser hair removal procedure is tailored to your specific skin and hair colors. We exercise the utmost caution to maximize safety.

In the procedure, Radiesse mixed with anesthetic is injected under the skin. Pain is minimal. The material is then massaged into the necessary areas. Initially, moderate swelling may develop that is treated with ice and elevation, but generally subsides within a week. Some bruising may also occur. Typically one 1.3 cc syringe is used per hand for significant muscle atrophy, but would depend on the amount of filling desired.

In addition to Radiesse, treatment of sun damage and skin discoloration may be desired as part of the rejuvenation procedure. A chemical peel such as a glycolic or a Vi Peel may be very beneficial to achieve a completely revitalized look to the hands.

These different wavelengths are also differently absorbed by the natural skin pigment, melanin. 1064 nm is virtually not absorbed by melanin., but 532 nm is most strongly absorbed by melanin. That means that a darker-skinned patient has higher risks of skin-pigment lightening, called hypopigmentation, when the shorter wavelengths of laser are used. A red tattoo is best treated with the 532 nm laser. In a caucasian, if there is mild hypopigmentation that may or may not occur, it will not be noticeable. In a darker-skinned patient, such as African-American, the removal of a red tattoo may leave a mark that is more noticeable than the original tattoo.

The hypopigmentation is not necessarily permanent and often returns to normal, but the risk of a persistent light spot where the tattoo used to be has to be considered. Therefore, when getting tattoos removed with a shorter wavelength laser, such as 532, we inform the patient of the risks of hypopigmentation. For dark-skinned patients, this occasionally factors against getting a tattoo removed.

Microdermabrasion is performed using a either crystals or a diamond-tipped tool. The traditional method involves crystals that are shot out through a cannula, similar to sandblasting. The suction portion of the cannula removes the used crystals and the skin debris. The disadvantage of this method is that not all the crystals are able to be removed by suction. Some of them fly into the air, into your hair, or may be inhaled. It’s a messy process. Somewhat newer is the crystal-free microdermabrasion technique. This uses a vibrating diamond microcrystal tip on a cannula that performs the same function as the aluminum crystals. It works just as well without the mess and potential for respiratory problems.

During the treatment, the skin is stripped not only of dead skin cells and debris but moisture as well. An important part of the treatment is to apply a moisturizer afterwards. Sun avoidance and sunblock are also important to help prevent hyperpigmentation. After the treatment there may be some facial redness or irritation. This usually doesn’t last more than a few hours but could occasionally last longer.

Generally, microdermabrasion is part of a skin care regimen that may include chemical peels, Botox and regular facials, as part of a treatment regimen that is customized to a particular person’s needs. It is a good way to maintain your skin’s youthful appearance and combat the effects of sun damage, environmental toxins and natural aging. Contact TMD Medi-Spa for more information and to make an appointment.