COSMETIC PROCEDURES

Botox®/Dysport®/Xeomin®

> Botox® > Botox® Cosmetic is commonly used to reduce or eliminate facial wrinkles caused by repeated contractions of certain muscles. These wrinkles are most noticeable on the forehead, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes. They can give a person a tired, sad or angry appearance even when they are not experiencing that emotion. Botox® works by relaxing the muscles so that the overlying skin becomes smooth and unwrinkled. Untreated facial muscles contract in a normal fashion, so routine facial expression is not affected. You will simply look younger, fresher and well rested. It is one of our most popular procedures for both men and women. Dr. Bogle is skilled in advanced techniques including the treatment of wrinkles around the mouth, neck lines or banding, a pebbly chin texture, down-turned corners of the mouth, and drooping eyebrows.

> Dysport® > Dysport® is another option for the treatment of movement related wrinkles on the forehead, between the brows, and around the eyes. The product uses the same active molecule as Botox Cosmetic, but with fewer inactive proteins complexed to it. The two products have the same general efficacy and duration of action, but there are some subtle differences that may make one product preferable to another in individual cases. During your consultation we will review your overall treatment history and goals to determine which product may be the best fit for you.

> Xeomin® > Xeomin® is the third neuromodulator available to reduce or improve motion related wrinkles. It uses the same active molecule as both Botox® Cosmetic and Dysport®, however it has no additional proteins complexed to the active molecule. In most patients, efficacy and duration of action are about the same between the available neuromodulators, however in individual cases, some patients may do better with one product over another.

Injectable Fillers

> Restylane/Perlane® > Restylane® is designed to smooth wrinkles, sculpt lips and shape facial contours. It is a clear, gel made with hyaluronic acid, a natural sugar that is found throughout your body. It carries little risk of allergic reaction. The most common areas for treatment are the glabellar lines (between the eyebrows) and the nasolabial folds (from the root of the nose to the angle of your mouth), and the marionette lines (from the angle of your mouth to the chin). With its unique ability to bind with water, Restylane remains in your skin for many months. Perlane® is a thicker form of Restylane® designed for use in deeper folds and for larger volume filling. Depending on the area of injection, it may have a longer duration of effect.

> Juvederm™ > Juvederm™ is a family of hyaluronic acid filler products. Juvederm™ Ultra is a smooth-consistency hyaluronic acid filler used to soften wrinkles and folds. The product is similar to Restylane ® except that it has a greater amount of cross-linking between the hyaluronic acid particles. This increases the softness of the product, making it particularly suited for those prone to lumping with other fillers. Juvederm™ Ultra Plus is the thicker version of Juvederm™ used for correction of deeper folds and for areas that need larger amounts of filler such as the marionette lines from the angle of the mouth to the chin. Juvederm™ Voluma is the most robust filler in the Juvederm™ family. It tends to have a higher degree of lifting properties and is well suited for correction of volume loss in the cheeks or mid-face region.

> Radiesse® > Radiesse® is a mineral based filler composed of calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres suspended in a cellulose gel. When injected into the skin, the cellulose gel carrier is absorbed after several months, leaving behind a scaffold of mineral microspheres to stimulate new collagen formation. Because the product stimulates your body’s own natural collagen production, results can last up to two years. Some patients may require one or more touch up sessions to maintain best results. The product is best used in large volume areas such as the cheeks, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, or backs of the hands. It is not appropriate for use in the lips.

> Sculptra® > Sculptra® is an injectable product that restores and corrects the signs of facial fat loss by replacing volume. It is different from standard fillers in that it stimulates your body to produce its own collagen and increase skin thickness, rather than simply plumping it up with an injected material. For this reason it is best used in large volume areas such as the cheeks, nasolabial folds, or backs of the hands. Multiple sessions are required to achieve the best result, and the effects last up to two years.

> Artefill© > Artefill© is a long lasting alternative to temporary dermal fillers. While most dermal fillers are eventually absorbed by your body and require repeat injections to maintain results, the patented microspheres within Artefill© serve to provide a long term source of support for collagen growth in the skin. The filler itself consists of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres suspended in bovine (cow) collagen. The PMMA microspheres are “non-resorbable”, meaning they are not resorbed into the body or metabolized, allowing Artefill© to last significantly longer than other dermal fillers. A skin test for sensitivity or allergy to bovine collagen is required one month prior to treatment. Artefill© is not recommended for use in the lips or in areas with thin skin, such as around the eyes. Multiple sessions are required to achieve optimal results.

> Belotero Balance® > Belotero Balance® is a hyaluronic acid filler that is specifically designed to integrate into the skin for the improvement of lines and wrinkles. It is well suited for improvement of areas where there are fine lines, but adding more robust fillers may create too much volume or bulk such as when treating the fine lines around the lips or smile creases on the cheeks. It is also a good treatment option for those desiring natural looking correction of mild to moderate folds. During your filler consultation, we will help you to determine which filler product may be the best fit for you based on your overall history and goals you would like to achieve.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels remove damaged outer layers of skin on the face to help smooth texture, reduce mild scarring, and remove blemishes to promote healthy, glowing skin. Peel formulas and strengths are tailored to each patient. Superficial peels speed up the renewal process of the epidermis and are typically performed in a series of 4 or more. This makes them a perfect option for those with mild acne, irregular pigmentation, or a dull, mottled complexion. They take approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Mild lunchtime or freshening peels can be scheduled with our aesthetics staff.

TCA peels are slightly deeper peels which have the ability to affect the upper dermis. They are useful for the treatment of fine lines, very superficial scarring and irregular pigmentation. Because TCA is a stronger chemical, Dr. Bogle will supervise your treatment course.

We also offer specialized bleaching peels geared toward lightening skin affected by melasma, excess sun exposure, and other pigmentation disorders. Treatment involves an in-office peel combined with a bleaching masque to suppress overactive melanocytes while simultaneously exfoliating off existing pigmentation. Hyperpigmentation peels can be safely performed on both light and dark skin types. Melasma can be notoriously difficult to treat, and some patients may require a combination of therapies involving adjunctive lasers and other topical therapies.

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure in which a solution is injected into unsightly veins to cause the vein to fade or disappear. Since blood vessels are interconnected, a single injection can sometimes clear an entire patch of spider veins at once. At the Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Center of Houston, we commonly treat spider veins on the legs as well as prominent veins on the backs of the hands and chest. Sclerotherapy remains the treatment of choice to eradicate most superficial leg veins, however a special technique called foam sclerotherapy may be used to increase the clearance rate of larger vessels. Very tiny veins may need to be treated with lasers or a combination of lasers and sclerotherapy. We utilize multiple injection techniques (including both standard and foam sclerotherapy) as well as a variety of solutions (including glycerin, Asclera® (polidocanol), and hypertonic saline) to get the best possible results in each individual patient.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion uses fine crystals to buff away the outermost layer of dead skin cells, resulting in a smoother, fresher complexion. Treatments are relaxing and take very little time, making it a popular procedure for those with a busy lifestyle.

The most common treatment areas are the face, neck, chest, and backs of the hands. Microdermabrasion gives a fantastic glow to the skin and can lighten brown spots, improve textural irregularities, reduce pore size, and brighten dull skin. Makeup will go on easier and smoother and you may find that you need to wear less than before. It is also an ideal choice for patients of any age with clogged pores and blackheads.

Collagen Induction Therapy/Microneedling

Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) or microneedling is a procedure which stimulates the skin to produce collagen, thereby reducing wrinkles and improving scarring and other textural abnormalities. The process involves using a medical grade, sterile roller with an array of fine needles to create thousands of microscopic punctures in the skin. These micro-channels set off a wound healing cascade that stimulates the body’s own natural collagen production.

Collagen Induction Therapy is most commonly used as a series of treatments for improvement of acne scars, post-surgical scars, burn scars, stretch marks, and thin, photodamaged skin on the face and body. Although the treatment can be used as an alternative to laser therapy, best results are often obtained when the two modalities are used in combination.