Tag Archives: anti-aging

Facial Procedures

How Effective are Profractional Lasers at Reducing Wrinkles?

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Signs of aging can show up quickly or slowly and steadily. Regardless, they are often shocking lines that seem, in the eyes of the beholder, to cover up the youthfulness they feel on the inside. If you’re not ready for a surgical procedure, your options may seem confined to the beauty or skincare aisles of your local drug store. But laser skin resurfacing in our Montreal clinic also offers a nice middle ground.

How Well Do Profractional Lasers Reduce Wrinkles?

Profractional laser therapy is a fairly mild treatment that involves very little recovery time. The treatment is tailored specifically to fit each patient’s needs, their unique skin conditions and preferred results.

Profractional lasers stimulate the growth of collagen in order to combat skin damage on the face and surrounding areas, including the around the eyes, neck, eyebrows, lips, nose, and chest. Specific conditions this therapy effectively treats include wrinkles and fine lines, acne scars, post-traumatic scars, freckles, aging and sun-damage, loose skin, and stretch marks. The increased collagen growth caused by the laser plumps wrinkles, scars, and sagging skin from the inside out.

Benefits of profractional laser therapy include:

  1. Quick recovery period
  2. Significant penetration to deeper layers of tissue
  3. An more even skin tone
  4. Tighter, more youthful-looking skin
  5. Fewer wrinkles and smoother skin overall

In order for this type of skin therapy to be effective, a patient must undergo a series of one to four treatments over the course of 3 to 6 weeks. The number of treatments is dependent on need, which can be determined by the treatment provider.

Whereas general resurfacing treatments may only reach the first layer of skin, buffing off dead cells and tightening pores, profractional laser therapy uses a powerful micro-beam laser, which penetrates deeply underneath the skin and ripples throughout the treated area. This results in intense collagen stimulation.

During the healing process, you may experience mild redness. However, most patients say this is manageable since recovery only takes about one to three days. Many patients apply makeup and return to work as soon as one to two days post-treatment, making profractional laser therapy a great Saturday morning treat for yourself. Brunch and then laser therapy? We think yes.

To book a consultation for profractional laser therapy or for additional information, contact our team of experts to discuss any questions you may have.

Fillers©

How Do Dermal Fillers and Dermal Volumizers Differ?

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If you want to reduce the visible signs of aging that manifest themselves around the mouth region, then dermal fillers and dermal volumizers are your best bet.

Dermal Fillers

While they’re both useful as cosmetic treatment options, they are not the same thing, so you need to know what they are and how they can best be used.

Dermal fillers and dermal volumizers both have the stamp of approval of both the Canadian and U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration. In terms of dermal fillers, popular options include JUVÉDERM®, PERLANE®, RADIESSE®, and RESTYLANE®. On the other hand, popular dermal volumizers include the likes of Sculptra®.

Below is information you’ll need to help you understand how dermal fillers and dermal volumizers differ and which one might be best for you.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers do their magic by triggering further collagen production in areas surrounding the mouth. They reduce the prominence of wrinkles, loose skin, and folds.

Fillers such as Juvederm and the others mentioned above employ a clear gel that has hyaluronic acid that revitalizes the skin around the mouth. Since the human body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, these fillers employ this substance to stimulate further collagen development to temporarily boost volume.

A cosmetic professional performs the procedure by using tiny needles, and results post-treatment are immediate. In order to achieve the patient’s end goal, multiple injections might be necessary. Downtime is minimal, and the results last up to a year.

Dermal Volumizer

Dermal volumizers are injected into the patient’s face to correct the visible signs of aging around the mouth region. The main differences when comparing dermal volumizers and dermal fillers is that the former uses a different type of acid than the latter, and this leads to a longer-lasting end result.

Again, the most popular type of dermal volumizer is Sculptra, which fixes facial wrinkles, smile lines, and folds by strengthening and enhancing skin tissue volume.

A cosmetic professional doing the procedure will inject a substance into the patient so as to trigger collagen production in the skin. A patient may need as many as four sessions in order to see the best results; however, you should see noticeable improvements after session one. While dermal fillers may last half a year to a year, dermal volumizers can last two years or even longer.

Dermal fillers and dermal volumizer can help you achieve your cosmetic goals, and knowing the differences can help you to choose the right ones. Speak to one of our professionals today to see how to best go about correcting your visible signs of aging.

Botox©

4 Ways to Ensure Your BOTOX COSMETIC® Results Look Natural

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A large majority of women and men who visit medi spas in and around Montreal want BOTOX COSMETIC® injections. When performed by a skilled cosmetic surgeon, Botox can be an inexpensive, noninvasive way to reduce the visible signs of the aging process.

Botox Injection

However, too much of even a good thing can be just that; too much. While a bad Botox treatment will correct itself with the passage of time, it’s best to avoid any mistakes since they’ll make you stand out for all of the wrong reasons.

Fortunately, you can easily avoid an unnatural look! The first step starts with finding a reputable, experienced injector, but below are a few additional ways you can keep your appearance looking natural.

1. Less Is More

If you want to get Botox without looking as though you’ve had Botox, the trick is to get less of the product than you believe you actually need. That way, you can visit your cosmetic professional for follow-up procedures to possibly add a few more units. So rather than possibly injecting too much by trying to do everything in one session, you can do a bit at a time to arrive at a look that you can be proud of.

2. Patience Is Key

Going in for follow-up sessions is a great idea but don’t go back too soon. It generally takes a couple weeks for Botox results to really kick in, so it would make little sense to go back to see your cosmetic dermatologist before that timeframe. Any good cosmetic dermatologist will let you know what would constitute appropriate intervals between sessions.

3. Get the Right Angle

You need to get a skilled cosmetic dermatologist to do your Botox injection, and such a professional will know that getting the right angle is critical to achieving the best results. This is especially important if you want to get Botox around the eye area. By injecting at the right angle, your cosmetic dermatologist can place the needle just barely beneath your skin, which will help you to get the face you want and help prevent bruising, as well.

4. Experience Matters

Don’t make cost the primary factor in choosing a service provider. What you should do is find a board-certified cosmetic surgeon who has expertise. After doing your research, write up a short list of candidates and make appointments to go in to speak with them. Ask questions, find out if they can show you before-and-after pictures of people they have personally worked on, and get their advice on what they would recommend for you.

Botox is definitely mainstream and here to stay, but you need to keep these factors in mind in order to get an end result that you can be proud of! For more information, contact our team today.

Fillers©

6 Uses for JUVÉDERM®

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Over time, the skin on your body tends to lose some of its elasticity and volume. When this happens, the skin hangs more loosely, sags, and develops wrinkles. This can cause you to look much older than you are, which is not ideal. Thankfully, JUVÉDERM® can help reverse the effects of aging for patients in Montreal.

Different Uses For Juvederm

JUVÉDERM, along with similar dermal injectables like Restylane®, is a versatile product that can deliver immediate results with a simple treatment.

Your cosmetic surgeon will apply a local numbing cream to the injection site. After the numbing has taken effect, they simply inject the JUVÉDERM into the skin. The whole procedure usually takes about 30 minutes or less to complete.

Different people show different signs of aging. Some people will have lots of wrinkles and fine lines in one part of their face and smooth skin in another. Other people may contend with sagging skin and deep wrinkles around their mouths. And of course, some individuals will struggle with a wide assortment of aging signs.

JUVÉDERM can treat a very wide array of these signs of aging, including:

1. Crows feet

Those fine wrinkles that radiate out from the outer corners of your eyes can be hard to ignore. Fortunately, they can be easily filled with JUVÉDERM.

2. Forehead wrinkles

Every time you raise your eyebrows, it contributes to wrinkles across your forehead, but Juvederm can smooth them out for an even forehead.

3. Eyebrows

Short, vertical lines in between your eyebrows can make it look like you are always scowling, even when you are in a good mood. JUVÉDERM works well to fill these wrinkles too.

4. “Marionette” lines

These are the vertical wrinkles that run from the corners of your mouth down to your jawline, just like the seams in a marionette puppet – hence the name. If these are a problem for you, JUVÉDERM might be the answer.

5. Nasolabial folds

These are the folds that run from the edge of the nose down to the corners of your mouth. With age, they can become some of the deepest wrinkles on the face.

6. Sunken cheeks

JUVÉDERM is not just for wrinkles and fine lines. If you have lost volume in your cheeks and areas of your face look “hollow,” then JUVÉDERM can help restore volume.

How does JUVÉDERM accomplish all of this? The secret lies with its key ingredient: hyaluronic acid. This is a naturally occurring substance in your skin. It plays a crucial role in maintaining skin hydration and collagen production. As we age, we have less hyaluronic acid present in our skin. Dermal fillers with hyaluronic acid like JUVÉDERM can help restore lost hydration.

For more information on what JUVÉDERM can do for your appearance, contact Dr. Fouda Neel’s office today!

Fillers©

Dermal Fillers FAQ’s

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Dermal Fillers Frequently Asked Questions

Dermal & Soft Tissue Fillers

How do dermal and soft tissue fillers work?

Dermal fillers were originally designed and are still effective to smooth out folds in the deeper layer of the skin (dermis). Common areas for this treatment are the nasolabial folds (laugh lines) and the marionette lines. It was later discovered that dermal fillers could also add volume to locations such as the lips. More recently, new soft tissue fillers have been developed to augment areas that have lost volume through aging, such as the cheeks. Fillers are gradually absorbed by the body, so the result is not permanent.

How are dermal fillers administered?

They are administered by Dr. Fouda Neel himself, who will first consult with you regarding the areas of greatest concern and the areas which will be best treated by using dermal fillers. Numbing cream is placed on the skin prior to any injections; this usually makes the injection of fillers almost painless. Dr. Fouda Neel will use a tiny needle to inject the product into the targeted areas.

Which dermal fillers do you offer?

At my practice, we offer JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® products. Both of these brands use hyaluronic acid, a man-made molecule which replicates one of the principal substances which makes up human skin. Different patients will require different types of dermal fillers, and sometimes, a combination of fillers may be necessary to achieve the desired result. There are many other dermal fillers available on the market, some of which may offer more permanent results. I feel there may be potential problems with such permanent treatments, and therefore we have restricted ourselves to the use of temporary fillers that use hyaluronic acid.

What’s the difference between botulinum-based wrinkle smoothers and dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are different than other injectable treatments because they are designed to add volume to the face in specific areas. Botulinum-based wrinkle smoothing injectables are designed to reduce the amount of movement in the muscles that contribute to dynamic wrinkles. Also, dermal fillers tend to last a bit longer for most patients than other treatments which temporarily inhibit muscle movement.

What can dermal fillers treat?

Dermal fillers can treat a variety of skin imperfections of the face, including marionette lines, smile lines, and thin or wrinkled lips. Newer fillers are proving very useful in adding volume to the cheeks. The best way to find out how dermal fillers can help you improve your facial appearance is to speak with Dr. Fouda Neel and create a treatment plan.

About Dr. Fouda Neel, MD, FRCSC, FAAP

Board-certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Dr.Fouda Neel completed his training in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at the prestigious McGill University training program in Montreal. Subsequently, He enhanced his expertise by pursuing three different fellowships in facial and breast aesthetic surgery. He offers a full range of plastic surgery options for facial rejuvenation, breast enhancement, body contouring, and skin renewal, as well as a number of non-surgical cosmetic enhancement treatments. Dr. Fouda Neel Is an Assistant professor at McGill University and is an Attending staff at McGill University Health Center.