STRETCH MARKS & CELLULITE
The skin is composed of the outer epidermis and deeper dermis which gives the skin its strength and thickness. A stretch mark or linea distensae occurs during pregnancy rapid weight fluctuations, or nursing when the skin can be over extended beyond its capacity. Consider stretch marks "fault lines" of the underlying dermis. Though no treatment can 100% eliminate them, there are a number of state of the art procedures offered at SCA that can greatly reduce the appearance.

Juvéderm®
Aging is a given but wrinkles, folds and dark hollows don't have to be! Combining Juvéderm's TRUSTED family of products with both traditional and revolutionary techniques, our certified beauty injectors at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ can help you with the PERFECT POUT, the SMOOTHER FACE and the LIFTED LOOK you have been searching for.
As the name of the category suggests, fillers work by filling those areas in the face and body perceived as lacking volume. Unlike Botox® and Dysport® which work by weakening facial muscles responsible for wrinkles and folds and lasers which work by altering the skin's actual structural and chemical makeup, fillers physically FILL CONCAVITIES and highlight CONVEXITIES. Admittedly, there is a bewildering array of fillers on the market today bombarding both patients and physicians alike with claims of being the latest and greatest. However, both Dr. Haworth and his team at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ like to keep it as simple as possible. He has instilled in his team that the true efficacy of any particular filler lies in the hand controlling the syringe and not what is in it. No matter how "silky", "lifting", "smoothing" or "beautiful" the new filler is advertised to be, the end result is mainly controlled by the beauty injector and less by the substance itself.
Our credo at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ is to EMBRACE every person as a UNIQUE patient needing a CUSTOMIZED approach to filler placement. We go the extra mile to vet what we believe to be the BEST filler solution for each patient's individual cosmetic concern. What we don't do is simply provide a non-curated list of fillers available on the market today.
Basically, there are two types of fillers: temporary ones and those that are more permanent. Among the temporaries are Radiesse® (calcium hydroxlapatite) and the hyaluronic acid (HA) based gel which include Belotero® and those of Restylane® and Juvéderm®. The more permanent fillers available in the US include both fat (which is performed with a surgical procedure called fat transfer) and Bellafill®.
Healthy skin contains an abundance of a substance called hyaluronic acid (HA). Factors such as age, and sunlight can reduce the amount of HA in your skin. When skin lacks of HA it can cause loss of structure and volume, creating unwanted facial wrinkles and folds such as lines around your nose and mouth- “laugh lines,” “smile lines” or “parentheses” (nasolabial folds) and less voluminous cheeks and lips.
Using a dermal filler like Juvéderm® is a safe and effective way to replace the HA your skin has lost, restoring volume and smoothing facial wrinkles and folds.
Juvéderm is an FDA-approved family of injectable fillers used to treat a variety of reasons, including lifting the cheeks, smoothing marionette lines around the mouth, and plumping the lips. It may also be used to fill pitted acne scars or reduce the appearance of aging hands. Juvéderm fillers are made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the skin.
We offer JUVÉDERM® in two formulations— JUVÉDERM® Ultra for versatility in contouring and volumizing facial wrinkles and folds, and JUVÉDERM® Ultra Plus, a more concentrated formulation for volumizing and correcting deeper folds and wrinkles. Results generally last between nine months to over one year.
Among the many concerns that can be treated with Juvéderm® are:
1. DEEP LINES and FOLDS such as the "nasolabial folds, or "parenthesis line," marionette folds, "smokers lines" for those vertical wrinkles, frown lines, etc.
2. The horizontal "necklace lines" or visible grooves that run transversely across the neck.
3. Facial atrophy such as HOLLOW, gaunt CHEEKS, TEMPLE concavities and "tear troughs" or dark UNDER-EYE circles.
4. Facial beautification including cheek augmentation, jawline ENHANCEMENT as well as nasal shape and SYMMETRY improvement ("nonsurgical nose job").
5. Rejuvenating long, atrophic flaccid earlobes.
6. SCARS including those caused by acne.
7. Aging of the HAND including hollowing, visible tendons and veins.
*Individual results may vary. Some concerns which can be successfully treated with Juvéderm® are FDA off-label uses.
Juvéderm® is for both women and men. Indeed, more and more men are getting cosmetic treatments to look good and stay competitive in the job market. With less stigma associated with plastic surgery nowadays, many men in their mid 40s and above want to look their best and of course do so naturally.
PREPARATION
1. Juvéderm® treatments typically consist of a number of injections using a very small needle. To minimize the chance of getting a bruise from any injection, it is recommended you abstain from medications and supplements that could thin the blood. Common examples of these are listed below. Self-CA can provide you with a printed more comprehensive list of medications, vitamins and nutritional supplements to avoid 7-10 prior to your treatment. Of course, consult your physician before discontinuing any medications or supplements you may have been prescribed.
Supplement / Medication Stop # Days Prior to Procedure:
• Fish Oil --- 10 Days
• Aspirin Products --- 7 Days
• Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, other NSAIDS --- 5-7 Days
• Vitamin E --- 7 Days
2. Although many patients do not bruise from a treatment, if a bruise should occur, it may be visible for as long as 7-10 days. Consider this when selecting a date for your treatment.
3. Use of homeopathics including BROMELAIN, ARNICA and PYCNOGENOL can reduce swelling, bruising and inflammation while accelerating healing.
4. Avoid heavy use of alcohol 10 days prior to treatment to decrease the chances of bruising and/or swelling.
5. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not receive treatment.
6. If you have a history of oral herpes, we recommend you pre-treat with an anti-viral three days before your scheduled visit.
7. We may advise you to stagger other treatments, such as laser, IPL, microdermabrasion and peels to a different day from the Juvéderm® These treatments can increase blood flow or heat the skin, in turn promoting bruising and reduce the effectiveness of your Juvéderm®
THE VISIT
If you are a new client, expect to be here at least 45 minutes. We will review your medical history, go over the procedure, expectations and answer any questions you may have. Follow-up procedures should take approximately 15-30 minutes. Some report that being injected with feels like a pinch.
Juvéderm® does not require an allergy test.
Our expert injector will examine the soft tissue of your face to assess the depth of wrinkles and folds to determine your treatment. Juvéderm® Injectable Gel is available in two formulations—Juvéderm® Ultra for versatility in contouring and volumizing facial wrinkles and folds, and Juvéderm® Ultra Plus, for volumizing and correcting deeper folds and wrinkles. We will take pre and post injection photographs so you can see the difference once the treatment is complete.
Though not required, our expert injector may use topical or injectable numbing agents prior in order to ensure patient comfort during the treatment.
Juvéderm® Injectable Gel will be carefully guided under your skin to augment, or fill, wrinkles and folds. Following the injection, treated areas may be gently massaged. The procedure can last anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes depending on areas being treated.
AFTERCARE
1. Swelling, redness, and tenderness may occur after your treatment and usually resolves within 72 hours.
2. Cold compresses may be used immediately after treatment to reduce swelling and any discomfort.
3. Avoid touching the treated area within 6 hours of treatment so you do not accidentally injure your skin. After that, the area can be gently washed with soap and water. Do not massage the injected areas for 48 hours unless instructed to do so by one of our team members at Our Self-Centered Aesthetics™.
4. Until redness or swelling subsides completely, avoid exposure of the treated area to intense heat (sun lamp or sun bathing) or extreme cold weather.
5. If you have suffered previously from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to another occurrence. Ask your treatment provider about medications that may minimize a recurrence.
6. Avoid taking aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, St. John’s wort, and high doses of Vitamin E supplements for 3 days after treatment. These agents may increase the risk of bruising and bleeding at the injection site.
7. Avoid aesthetic lasers, microdermabrasion, or IPL over areas with Juvederm® Injectable for a minimum of 6 weeks after treatment unless advised to buy one of our professionals at Self-CA.
After the treatment, some temporary injection-related reactions may occur, including redness, pain, firmness, swelling, itching, brushing, discoloration, lumps and bumps. These are usually mild to moderate in nature and clear up on their own in 7 days or less. If you experience swelling at the injection site, you can apply a cold compress for a short period of time.
One of the risks with using these products is unintentional injection into a blood vessel, and while rare, the complications can be serious and may be permanent. These complications, which have been reported for facial injections, can include vision abnormalities, blindness, stroke, temporary scabs, or permanent scarring.
As with all skin injection procedures, there is a risk of infection.
Your cost not only includes the price of the product, but more importantly, the skill and expertise of the specialist injector. As with all successful beauty injections, Juvederm® is first and foremost a technique-sensitive treatment—look for someone who is licensed and trained and has experience treating patients with these medications.
Be wary of discount products or “cheap” Juvéderm®—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Our team of medical professionals at Self-Centered Aesthetics will take the time to understand your treatment goals and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

Bellafill®
Under the guidance of Dr. Haworth, Self-Centered Aesthetics™ has over a decade of experience with Bellafill®. Not only does it provide INSTANT RESULTS but it continues to work overtime by stimulating your own natural COLLAGEN PRODUCTION. Indeed, it is the LONGEST LASTING filler.
As the name of the category suggests, fillers work by filling those areas in the face and body perceived as lacking volume. Unlike Botox® and Dysport® which work by weakening facial muscles responsible for wrinkles and folds and lasers which work by altering the skin's actual structural and chemical makeup, fillers physically FILL CONCAVITIES and highlight CONVEXITIES. Admittedly, there is a bewildering array of fillers on the market today bombarding both patients and physicians alike with claims of being the latest and greatest. However, both Dr. Haworth and his team at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ like to keep it as simple as possible. He has instilled in his team that the true efficacy of any particular filler lies in the hand controlling the syringe and not what is in it. No matter how "silky", "lifting", "smoothing" or "beautiful" the new filler is advertised to be, the end result is mainly controlled by the beauty injector and less by the substance itself.
Our credo at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ is to EMBRACE every person as a UNIQUE patient needing a CUSTOMIZED approach to filler placement. We go the extra mile to vet what we believe to be the BEST filler solution for each patient's individual cosmetic concern. What we don't do is simply provide a non-curated list of fillers available on the market today.
Basically, there are two types of fillers: temporary ones and those that are more permanent. Among the temporaries are Radiesse® (calcium hydroxlapatite) and the hyaluronic acid (HA) based gel which include Belotero® and those of Restylane® and Juvéderm®. The more permanent fillers available in the US include both fat (which is performed with a surgical procedure called fat transfer) and Bellafill®.
Bellafill® is the new name of Artefill® in the US and Canada. Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, which often dissolve within a few months, Bellafill® creates one of the LONG-LASTING improvement in your skin. It is composed of microscopic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres suspended within a base of smooth collagen gel. Once injected, Bellafill® IMMEDIATELY reduces the look of wrinkles, folds and smile lines-in fact it improves the appearance of any area that is being treated right after it is placed. Over time, your body uses the microspheres to create a "scaffold" onto which your own collagen can develop. This collagen, in turn, forms a foundation that RESTORES VOLUME to wrinkles, folds and scars (if they are depressed, course) reducing their appearance. These NATURAL-LOOKING results feel soft and SMOOTH through 5 years and beyond.
Among the many concerns that can be treated with Bellafill® are:
1. DEEP LINES and FOLDS such as the "nasolabial folds, or "parenthesis line," marionette folds, "smokers lines" for those vertical wrinkles, frown lines, etc.
2. The horizontal "necklace lines" or visible grooves that run transversely across the neck.
3. Facial atrophy such as HOLLOW, gaunt CHEEKS, TEMPLE concavities and "tear troughs" or dark UNDER-EYE circles.
4. Facial beautification including cheek augmentation, jawline ENHANCEMENT as well as nasal shape and SYMMETRY improvement ("nonsurgical nose job").
5. Rejuvenating long, atrophic flaccid earlobes.
6. SCARS including those caused by acne.
7. Aging of the HAND including hollowing, visible tendons and veins.
In the largest and longest study on injectable fillers, Bellafill® outperformed in patient satisfaction, longevity, and safety. At the end of the study, 83% of patients were still satisfied with their results 5 years later. Dr. Haworth and his team at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ believe that Bellafill® can basically provide not just very long-lasting but almost permanent results!
*Individual results may vary. Some concerns which can be successfully treated with Radiesse® are FDA off-label uses.
PREPARATION:
1. Unlike other fillers on the market, Bellafill® does require a SKIN TEST to determine if you have an allergy to its collagen component. During your initial consult, a minute bleb of Bellafill® is injected within the skin of your forearm similar to a TB or PPD test. Generally 2 to 4 weeks will be allowed to pass to assess whether you develop an allergy to it or not. If no allergy is detected, your Bellafill® treatment can proceed. In the thousands of patients that Dr. Haworth has injected with Bellafill®, only one developed an allergy to the skin test.
2. Bellafill® treatments involve injecting the substance with either a very small needle or a blunt flexible cannula to keep bruising to a minimum. To further lessen the chance of getting a bruise, it is recommended you abstain from medications and supplements that could thin the blood. Common examples of these are listed below. Self-CA can provide you with a printed more comprehensive list of medications, vitamins and nutritional supplements to avoid 7-10 prior to your treatment. Of course, consult your physician before discontinuing any medications or supplements you may have been prescribed.
SUPPLEMENTS AND MEDICATION:
Stop # Days Prior to Procedure:
• Fish Oil --- 10 Days
• Aspirin Products --- 7 Days
• Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, other NSAIDS --- 5-7 Days
• Vitamin E --- 7 Days
2. Although many patients do not bruise from a treatment, if a bruise should occur, it may be visible for as long as 7-10 days. Consider this when selecting a date for your treatment.
3. Use of homeopathics including BROMELAIN, ARNICA and PYCNOGENOL can reduce swelling, bruising and inflammation while accelerating healing.
4. Avoid heavy use of alcohol 10 days prior to treatment to decrease the chances of bruising and/or swelling.
5. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not receive treatment.
6. If you have a history of oral herpes, we recommend you pre-treat with an anti-viral three days before your scheduled visit.
7. We may advise you to stagger other treatments, such as laser, IPL, microdermabrasion and peels to a different day from the Restylane® These treatments can increase blood flow or heat the skin, in turn promoting bruising and reduce the effectiveness of your Restylane®
THE VISIT
If you are a new client, expect to be here at least 30 minutes. We will review your medical history, go over the procedure, expectations and answer any questions you may have. During your first visit, you will only be administered a Bellafill® allergy skin test in your forearm which is almost painless-that is, of course, if you are not going to be receiving any other separate treatments. You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment within 2 to 4 weeks and if your allergy test is negative, your first true Bellafill® treatment may take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes depending on the number of areas to be treated.
Our expert injector will examine the soft tissue of your face to assess the depth of wrinkles and folds to determine your treatment. We will take pre and post treatment photographs to document the improvement once the treatment is complete.
Though not required, our expert injector may use topical or injectable numbing agents prior in order to ensure patient comfort during the treatment.Some report that being injected with feels like a pinch. Either a needle (which is associated generally with less discomfort) or a cannula (which is associated with less bruising) will be recommended.
Bellafill® will be carefully guided under your skin to augment, or fill, wrinkles, folds and scars. Bellafill® adds volume and shape to the treated area. Following the injection, treated areas may be gently massaged after 24-48 hours unless instructed otherwise by one of Self-Centered Aesthetics™ expert beauty injectors. The procedure may take anywhere from 15-60 minutes depending on the number of areas to be injected. Upon injection, the collagen gel in Bellafill® adds INSTANT VOLUME to your lines or acne scars.
Over time, your own collagen and other tissue use the PMMA microspheres as self-propagating support for LONG-LASTING smoothness. Individual results will vary-lip enhancement is not recommended with Bellafill
AFTERCARE
1. Swelling, redness, and tenderness may occur after your treatment and usually resolves within 72 hours.
2. Cold compresses may be used immediately after treatment to reduce swelling and any discomfort.
3. Avoid touching the treated area within 6 hours of treatment so you do not accidentally injure your skin. After that, the area can be gently washed with soap and water. Do not massage the injected areas for 48 hours unless instructed to do so by one of our team members at Our Self-Centered Aesthetics™.
4. Until redness or swelling subsides completely, avoid exposure of the treated area to intense heat (sun lamp or sun bathing) or extreme cold weather.
5. If you have suffered previously from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to another occurrence. Ask your treatment provider about medications that may minimize a recurrence.
6. Avoid taking aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, St. John’s wort, and high doses of Vitamin E supplements for 3 days after treatment. These agents may increase the risk of bruising and bleeding at the injection site.
7. Avoid aesthetic lasers, microdermabrasion, or IPL over areas with Bellafill® injectable for a minimum of 6 weeks after treatment unless advised to buy one of our professionals at Self-CA.
After the treatment, some temporary injection-related reactions may occur, including redness, pain, firmness, swelling, itching, brushing, discoloration, lumps and bumps. These are usually mild to moderate in nature and clear up on their own in 7 days or less. If you experience swelling at the injection site, you can apply a cold compress for a short period of time.
As with any skin injections, there is a very low risk of infection. Rarely, granulomas (small, accumulations of collagen) may be noticed within the areas treated with Bellafill®. These usually appear two weeks after treatment. Fortunately, these generally can be easily reversed with an injection of a dilute steroid based combination.
One of the risks with using any filler is unintentional injection into a blood vessel, and while exceedingly rare, the complications can be serious and may be permanent. These complications can include vision abnormalities, blindness, stroke, temporary scabs, or permanent scarring.
Your cost not only includes the price of the product, but more importantly, the skill and expertise of the specialist injector.
As with all successful beauty injections, Bellafill® is first and foremost a technique-sensitive treatment—look for someone who is licensed and trained and has experience treating patients with these medications.
Be wary of discount products or “cheap” Bellafill®—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Our team of medical professionals at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ will take the time to understand your treatment goals and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

Lumenis® ResurFX®
We know all too well at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ that everyone wants naturally youthful, tight and wrinkle-free skin. We can now help you achieve that with ResurFX®, a gentle and virtually PAIN-FREE skin resurfacing laser used in a SERIES to treat your BROWN SPOTS, FOLDS and WRINKLES.
There are a variety of factors that contribute to appearance of AGING SKIN. Excluding the innumerable voluntary and involuntary contractions our muscles make during every day expression, our genetics and exposure to sunlight and pollution play a major role in the senescence of our skin. A number of MICROSCOPIC CHANGES occurs within the structure of the skin itself as it ages. As dermal COLLAGEN THINS out, more MOISTURE IS LOST in concert with decreasing oil/sebum production. The skin's elastic fibers fall into disarray leading to LOSS OF SKIN ELASTICITY. The subcutaneous FAT ATROPHIES. All of these changes affects the integrity of the dermis itself allowing the skin to wrinkle and sag. Eventually, regardless of our genetic makeup, we all end up with some degree of SAG, WRINKLES and COLLAPSE.
There are a seemingly infinite number of treatment options for wrinkle reduction, from over-the-counter beauty products to surgical options such as a face-lift and everything in between. Most products work by just hydrating or swelling the skin, temporarily providing only a short-term reduction in wrinkles. Indeed, as soon as the swelling effect disappears, the original wrinkles return exactly as they were before. Only SURGERY, ablative solutions (DERMABRASION and deep chemical PEELS) and energy based treatments, such as fractional LASER solutions provide an effective way to treat wrinkles for long-term results. Most dermatologists and plastic surgeons understand that the correlation between length of recovery is directly related to potential outcomes-essentially, the longer the downtime, the more significant a result. However, with recent innovative fractionated laser technology, this downtime/outcome dependency is changing because of the unique way laser energy is delivered deep into the dermis.
SKIN RESURFACING involves removing a certain amount of the surface layers of skin. Laser skin resurfacing provides an element of facial rejuvenation that a facelift cannot provide. Dr. Haworth equates facial rejuvenation to the making of a bed worthy of the cover of a magazine such as Architectural Digest. The facelift is equivalent to the actual making of the bed (nipping and tucking, so to speak) while the laser is the equivalent to washing and ironing the sheets. No matter how well made the bed is (think the "perfect facelift" result) if the sheets remain wrinkled, it will not make the cover of the magazine! Although most often performed on the face, skin resurfacing may be performed elsewhere on the body but with lower energies at the discretion of the practitioner.
Different procedures, alone or in conjunction, vary in strengths and have a range of benefits beyond reduction of laxity including improvements in fine lines and wrinkles, firmness, texture, pore size, the appearance of photodamage (such as vascular and pigmented lesions), and a general healthy glow.
In addition to microdermabrasion, chemical peels, photofacials, and fractional skin resurfacing, we are proud to offer you an even more aggressive treatment for skin resurfacing – the ULTIMATE in SKIN REJUVENATION – Lumenis® ResurFX® Laser Resurfacing with Dr. Randal Haworth.
ResurFX® is a newly FDA-approved device designed to LESSEN FINE LINES and WRINKLES, soften SCARS, SKIN TEXTURE and tone, and promote collagen growth. ResurFX® is a non-ablative laser meaning it STIMULATES COLLAGEN production in the skin without harming or fully removing the outer layers. It prioritizes patient COMFORT just as much as effectiveness to produce skin that is TIGHTER, more even in color and ultimately, more YOUTHFUL. The ResurFX® is most similar to the Fraxel Re:Store laser, a 1550 nm wavelength laser device (utilizing the ERBIUMcrystal) which has become a standard of minimal downtime laser skin resurfacing. Indeed, Dr. Haworth previously used this device but feels that ResurFX® has a number of advantages setting it apart from the previous Fraxel technology. ResurFX, a 1565 nm wavelength device, is performed without a disposable tip to the laser. Unlike the 6 to 8 passes required with Fraxel ReStore, a ResurFX® treatment is conducted usually with ONLY 1 PASS to the targeted area of skin; this leads to greater patient comfort.The laser creates microscopic “holes” in your skin surface that stimulate both new collagen growth and tightening. Patients are delighted at how TIGHT and FIRM their face, neck, and décolletage become after this amazing procedure. Healing is accelerated by preserving fine “bridges” of skin and there is much LESS DOWNTIME and risk compared with older, fully ablative laser technology.
ResurFX® can significantly improve the appearance of sun damage and wrinkling of the skin. It is often the TREATMENT OF CHOICE for mild acne scarring or for those patients desiring meaningful skin improvement with minimal downtime. Vertical lip lines around the mouth, crow’s feet around the eyes, surgical or burn scars, and brown spots related to sun exposure all can be helped with ResurFX®.
Skin Resurfacing with ResurFX® is Self-CA's comfortable solution for:
– Sun spots
– Fine lines and WRINKLES
– STRETCH MARKS or striae
– HYPERPIGMENTATION or discoloration
– Uneven skin tone
– SCARS from acne or surgery
– Lax or LOOSE SKIN
...all with minimal to no downtime
Under the aegis of Dr. Haworth, Self-Centered Aesthetics™ is proud to offer the Lumenis® M22 ResurFX®, for fractional laser resurfacing. His experience with this HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED device allows Dr. Haworth to customize the lasers settings and treatment method in accordance to the outcome desired with PREDICTABLE and manageable downtime.
PREPARATION
1. Come to your appointment both well hydrated and not on an empty stomach—some patients get light-headed from not eating before a treatment.
2. Consider quitting smoking cigarettes if you are a frequent smoker, as the smoke can promote complications.
3. Be sure to use sunscreen anytime you go outside in the month leading up to your first laser treatment to avoid any negative reactions. Do not tan or use self tanner in the areas to be lasered for at least four weeks prior.
4. You must be off any Accutane, tetracycline antibiotic or St. John's wort for at least 6 months.
5. Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen before your treatment to avoid unnecessary bruising. Take Tylenol or any other pain medication without aspirin if needed to avoid any discomfort.
6. Stop Tretinoin, Retin-A, Retinol 5 days before and Skin lightening products (Hydroquinone 4%) 3 days before.
7. Be sure that your treatment area is free of perfumes, lotions, moisturizers and makeup. Do not bring jewelry or valuables to the procedure.Dress in comfortable clothes with a loose fitting, button or zip-up top. If you have long hair, wear in back in a ponytail away from face and neck.
8. Avoid waxing for one week before and 2-3 weeks after your laser resurfacing.
9. Take the appropriately prescribed medications as instructed both prior to the procedure, the morning of and during the postoperative period. One of the medications is Valtrex as prophylaxis against cold sores.
THE VISIT
Expect to be here at least 60-120 minutes. We will review your medical history, go over the procedure, expectations and answer any questions you may have. Under the guidelines of Dr. Haworth, a CUSTOMIZED TREATMENT approach will be formulated specifying what laser energy settings to use, as well as how to apply it for your particular skin and condition. We will take pre and post treatment photographs to document the improvement once the treatment is complete.
A NUMBING CREAM will be applied for at least 30 minutes. Following that, if so desired, you will be given VALIUM and Demerol as well as tactical numbing injections which serve as nerve blocks to the face. Our certified professional at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ will then apply protective eye shields before commencing the procedure.
Depending on your mutually agreed-upon pre-procedural cosmetic expectations in terms of wrinkles, lightening and tightening as well as the number of areas to be treated, the Lumenis® M22 ResurFX ® laser skin resurfacing procedure will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. A ZIMMER® COOLING device will be utilized for added insurance against any discomfort. Most patients report the sensation of sparklers during the procedure.
Once the procedure is finished, your eye shields will be removed and a protective HEALING OINTMENT applied to your face. For more extensive treatments it is advisable to have a designated driver take you home, especially if you were premedicated before the procedure.
AFTERCARE
1. Immediately after your first and follow-up treatments, a moisturizing cream formulated to both promote healing and combat bacteria will be applied. We may subsequently change this for you in the unlikely event an allergy to the cream should arise. Follow this regimen as instructed. Generally, it is advisable to wash your face with the recommended cleanser every 4 to 5 hours then apply the healing cream. It is important to not scrub your face when cleansing yet aim to remove all cream from the last application before applying another.
2. Once the heat sensation dissipates (up to 2 hours post-procedure), most experience litlle to no discomfort. You can return to your normal activities the day after your procedure with minor redness and swelling similar to a mild sunburn. You may apply the specially healing Oxygenetix® makeup to cover any redness you may have immediately after the procedure.Do not pick at your skin.
For soothing relief, it is recommended to utilize cold compresses 10-15 minutes every hour. These will also help control the initial post procedural swelling. DO NOT rub aggressively.
Advil (ibuprofen) 800 mg three times per day or Aleve 500 mg two times per day may be taken as an anti-inflammatory to help decrease discomfort and swelling. For itching, Benadryl 25 mg up to four times a day.
3. During the healing process, you should limit sun exposure and wear a broad spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen/block with zinc for at least six weeks, if you're regimen. After the initial healing has been complete, Self-Centered Aesthetics™ will recommend a restorative and maintenance skin regimen.
4. Shave with caution or avoid it altogether until you are comfortable. Do not wax your face until instructed you may do so. Generally, you must wait at least six weeks before doing so.
5. Resume all your normal activities immediately-in fact it is encouraged, but try to avoid excess perspiration especially on the treated areas.
FOLLOW-UP TREATMENTS
Since the ResurFX® is a procedure with limited downtime, patients will mainly experience the full benefits of this remarkable laser technology when completed as a series of treatments. Typically, 3 to 4 treatments spaced about one month apart are necessary to obtain best results, although this can vary between individuals and their idiosyncratic goals.
*Results and patient experience may vary
There are typically no major side effects or downtime aside from minor inflammation. For a typical treatment with ResurFX®, the skin may be swollen for one to two days and mildly pink to red for 3 to 5. Most patients may resume their normal activities the day after the procedure and may makeup the next day. Although patients do not peel after the procedure, the skin may feel mildly rough like fine sandpaper for approximately 1 to 2 weeks after the treatment. Albeit the ResurFX® is a very safe laser, there are few, but rare, risks to be considered when undergoing any form of laser treatment. Among these are infection, scarring (possible keloid scarring in darker skinned individuals) hyperpigmentation as well as hypopigmentation. If you experience an inordinate amount of unexplainable pain, blistering, burns, ulcers or signs of infection, contact Self-Centered Aesthetics™ as soon as conveniently possible. Occasionally (approximately 5% ) experience a delayed allergic reaction to the post procedural healing creams which manifests as a rapid onset of intense redness, bumps and itching. If you experience this, again, contact our staff immediately and wash off all residual creams. We will prescribe topical steroids and an alternative soothing gel to rapidly reverse this situation.
Pricing of Lumenis ResurFX® laser for skin resurfacing depends on the areas to be treated and how many will be recommended to help reach your goals. During your initial consult, our laser professional at Self-Centered Aesthetics™ will recommend a specialized treatment plan to help you reach your goals as well as attractive pricing options when treatments are performed in multiple sessions.