Planning cosmetic treatments for spring

Sunday April 19 2009 - Times Colonist Editorial Feature

By Dr. Mark Lupin

To put our lives in order, we must plan.  We plan our grocery lists, vacations, daily activities… If we want to really get organized, we set personal goals to more affectively achieve our dreams.

So, why not plan our cosmetic treatments to fit with schedules.  Now that spring has sprung and with summer upon us, getting prepared now will allow us to feel confident wearing those colourful and light summer dresses, bikini swimsuits and breathable footwear.

Let’s begin with the legs.  If veins, brown spots, unwanted hair, cellulite and/or generous thighs bother you, there are ways to improve or remove.  Technology has advanced to the point that a combination of lasers can be used to treat both red and blue veins without injections.  Similarly, several laser systems can effectively treat brown or black hair covering large areas at a time and respecting natural skin colour.  The Thermacool system from Thermage, approved for cellulite treatment, is unique as a single treatment helps tighten loose skin.  Ultrashape remains Canada’s first and only non-painful, no downtime focused ultrasonic treatment to reduce fat and improve the body profile.

While some sun is good, too much is not pretty and is not healthy.  Brown age spots, red veins and a crepe quality to the skin may be evident.  Damage to the collagen and precancerous changes may occur on the surface.  Red veins and brown age spots can be treated individually or a procedure termed photorejuvenation may be considered to tackle both together.  If precancerous changes occur, the addition of a presciption-based light sensitizing lotion termed Levulan® can be helpful in a procedure termed photodynamic therapy.  If wrinkles or a crepe quality need to be improved, the Fraxel laser is often the best option.

Myriad possibilities exist for the face and neck, with the best treatments looking the most natural.  One of the most exciting advances is in revolumizing with dermal fillers and using combinations of modalities such as Fraxel re:pair laser resurfacing with botox and fillers.  It can be thrilling to erase a tired or stressed look, lift the cheeks, redefine lips that have lost their edge and remove unsightly red veins or moles.  For the busy professional who cannot afford downtime but still would like to improve several aspects of the skin, Revlite lasertoning combined with an infusion microdermabrasion treatment series can be a nice introduction.

As a dermatologist, I would be remiss not to mention the importance of protecting the skin against the harmful aspect of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.  While we need a few minutes of sun to boost vitamin D levels, the skin can only make so much vitamin D after which only an inactive form results.  Because skin cancer is on the rise and some types are eminently preventable, it makes sense to enjoy the sun but to do it wisely.  Beyond sunscreens, consider adding an antioxidant night cream such as Revaleskin - derived from coffee berries and with 10 times the potency of vitamin C.