E Experiments: BOTOX in the Bands, aka The Nefertiti Lift

It's about time I share my experience with 'Botox in the bands', aka the Nefertiti lift. My boss, Board certified dermatologist Dr. Quenby Erickson performed the procedure for me, which I love, love, love.

Side note: this use of Botox Cosmetic Is considered off-label, like many of the ways offices use it these days. But not every office offers this treatment. From my perspective, it's more of an advanced technique, (so do your homework on your provider before trying)

Here's the scoop:

What is it? The Nefertiti lift is a non-surgical technique used to make the Neck, chin and "Gobbler" area look smoother and younger by injecting Botox into the platysmal bands. As it turns out, these bands are partly responsible for the downward pull on the lower face (Either side of the chin) and the development of the dreaded 'turkey neck'.

The Treatment: this simple procedure was done in less than maybe five minutes. It didn't hurt, and after it was done I went on with my day, not giving it another thought. Dr. Erickson used 30 units of Botox to treat me, but everyone will be different. As the Botox kicked in during the next week /10 days, I started to notice that the treatment made a surprising difference to me.

My Results: I originally tried this for experience/learning and preventative purposes, But as the effect set in, I noticed a really nice change that I'm really excited about! To me, it looks like there is less tendency for any 'pulling down' by the corners of my mouth and chin, in addition to improvement in my neck, "gobbler" area ((technical term?? Ha)). My jawline is more defined in an elegant, pretty way. I'm liking that!

My Favorite Part: I love the jawline definition I have now, (even though I would not have necessarily listed that as an area for improvement on myself before). Keep in mind, everyone is different, so depending on how many units (I had 30, but I regularly see 50 plus in the office) and how much lift you need, results will always vary. BUT if you have an open mind and would be satisfied with a nice, subtle improvement, this is worth a go!!

Until next time, Stay fabulous, my friends!

More Fun New Tech Toys: Beauty and Brains

Ok, say what you want about the $280 price tag on this gorilla glass-covered, French-designed, narcissist-fave hard drive but I think it's fab! The Lacie 1TB Seagate scratch-proof hard drive puts the fun in ...um, backing up your computer. No... it puts the fab in ... techy desktop accessories. No... Hmmm.

Well, I'd like to know what's wrong with double-checking your lip gloss placement at your desk with a single glance before greeting a client? Or (more importantly) quickly verifying there is no spinach in your smile after a veg-friendly lunch? I think this is a fun and fabulous find.

Watch a quick vid of this pretty piece here:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U06KicKXg4Until

If that price tag causes you to frown, it's time to touch up your BOTOX. ...And/OR, you can experiment with a budget-friendly and creative mirror alternative: The Glam Screen. I gave this one a try after doing the above ^ double-checks on my actual phone for a while.

It's tiring:

Unlock phone> Camera> Change the camera view to face yourself> Notice how weird and alien-like you look on the self-facing screen-side camera> check for spinach.

This is just too many steps for a girl on the go. Grab a glam screen and call it a day! 

Check out my other new and fun tech suggestion here: The Pearl Mirror Compact

And Until Next time: stay fabulous, my friends!

Fun New Tech Toy: iPhone users, start your Mastercards!

Does anybody out there remember the LED lit mirror compact from BOTOX Cosmetic 'back in the day', (as they say)? The fun and light-hearted silver LED light-up compact was really novel and unique for its time. That sense of fun and creativity in a beauty accessory has been something that I have tried to duplicate over the years. I've longed for that novelty pretty much since Allergan stopped making the chachkies (honorable mention: the rhinestone BOTOX baseball cap. RIP, cute and lightweight hat! You were PERFECT for the gym!)

Well, have no fear, the next generation of fun is here! Check out the Pearl compact mirror charger! This cutie comes in a pretty gift box and provides a full charge for iPhone 6! It started off as a kickstarter, check it out here: Kickstarter Pearl.

I plan to jump on this product. We are multitasking all day long! Who wants to travel with a phone accessory (or beauty accessory, for that matter!) that doesn't multi-task, too?

Until Next time, stay fabulous, my friends!

Look Good, Feel Better!

It's that feeling you get when you're having an awesome hair day. Or, maybe when you have some fresh Botox cosmetic. You're feeling good, and maybe there's a little spring in your step... This is the feeling that can be hard to come by and sometimes fleeting when you are undergoing cancer treatment. Licensed cosmetologists and aestheticians can apply and become certified to lead American Cancer Society's Look Good, Feel Better patient workshops. Workshops are free to participants, and provide free cosmetics, skin care products, and wig styling and head-wrap techniques to help women look good and feel better during a tough time.

Here's me today, just finishing up a workshop for another great bunch of beauties at Elmhurst Hospital.

Here's the website for the program: http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/programs/programs-for-women Pass the info along, if you or someone you know is interested in volunteering for or participating in a workshop!

Click here to view another one of my posts on LGFB

And until next time, stay fabulous, my friends!

Whew, that was a close one: The Valeant/Allergan Saga

Allergan Pharmaceuticals' products (including Botox, Juvederm and Skinmedica, to name a few), their loyalty/partnership programs and their customer service standards are all impeccable. They are truly a class-act company. Even though being acquired by Valeant (or anybody else) does not necessarily mean that these things would change... I think everybody has been sighing with relief after the news that things will be staying put as-is (for now).

Read the Chicago Sun Times article about the would-be Valeant takeover here:

http://www.suntimes.com/business/27394525-420/botox-maker-turns-down-valeant-takeover-offer.html#.U3srwaa9LCQ

Until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

Erickson Dermatology Opens in Chicago!

Here is the blog I am writing for work (Erickson Dermatology in Chicago on Michigan Avenue), thought I'd share the first post! We are soft launching Dr. Erickson's new cosmetic dermatology practice now, and are ready to see patients! We're already doing fabulous things with BOTOX Cosmetic, Juvederm VOLUMA, all the awesome dermal fillers, an amazing new Sciton laser, and a brand new Hydrafacial. YEAH! It's a very exciting time. We also just launched the new website, created by yours truly =)

Check it out! www.ericksondermatology.com

BOTOX for Babies: Part 3- Ice, Ice Baby

Have you been nervous to try an injectable because of bruising or discomfort? Read on… There is a TOTAL laundry list of ways to avoid little bruises or lessen the slight (and temporary) discomfort from an injectable cosmetic treatment, but here is one of my tips based on my experiences in the office:

She's as cold as ice:

Pressing a cold pack onto the area for 5 or 10 minutes before your procedure usually means vasoconstriction –so those little blood vessels are running for their lives, not begging to be hit with an injection (this is what causes bruising). BONUS: it helps dull the sensation, too!

Icing afterward will also prevent or reduce swelling, which is helpful as well. The cold reduces blood flow to the injury and can limit the size of the bruise. Additionally, the cold will decrease the inflammation (this IS an injury, after all) and reduce any swelling that you might have.

5-15 minutes on, and 5-15 minutes off with a cold pack can be helpful after an injection… so if you’re checking your email or watching Netflix when you get home, grab a cold one! (a cold pack, that is!)

Your doc will likely have specific instructions for you, including post-care. Please note: this is post is simply meant to be fun and informative, *not the authority on your health* so please always follow your doctors instructions... and NOT what you read on the internet. (yes, this blog included!)

Keep in mind that there are always risks to every procedure, so chat it up with your physician to make sure these procedures are appropriate for you… Until Next time: Stay safe, and fabulous!

BOTOX for Babies: PART 2- Just give me the drugs, Doc!

Have you been nervous to try an injectable because of bruising or discomfort? Read on… There is a TOTAL laundry list of ways to avoid little bruises or lessen the slight (and temporary) discomfort from an injectable cosmetic treatment, but here is one of my tips based on my experiences in the office:

"Missed me, missed me, now you have to kiss me!"  -your blood vessels

Even if you’re a Seasoned Injection Veteran who's not so concerned with discomfort, I believe you should ask for the topical anesthetic (if you’re not allergic or have other contraindications).

Why? Your doctor might use a topical anesthetic called LET (4% lidocaine, 1:2000 epinephrine, 0.5% tetracaine) which constricts blood vessels. This means that the blood vessels can kind of shrink up and there’s less of a chance of hitting them. I think it’s a win/win: less discomfort, and less of a chance of the dreaded bruise.

Now, this part is purely anecdotal, and just my opinion based on what I’ve personally seen in the office: but I think even topical anesthetic without the epinephrine can help prevent bruises. So, if your doctor’s office doesn’t use LET, I would still ask for the BLT (20% benzocaine, 6% lidocaine, 4% tetracaine) or similar. I haven’t read anywhere that these other compounded topicals are actually proven vaso-constrictors, but if you try it, let me know what you think! Hey, at least it won't hurt!

Your doc will likely have specific instructions for you, including post-care. Please note: this is post is simply meant to be fun and informative, *not the authority on your health* so please always follow your doctors instructions... and NOT what you read on the internet. (yes, this blog included!)

Keep in mind that there are always risks to every procedure, so chat it up with your physician to make sure these procedures are appropriate for you… Until Next time: Stay safe, and fabulous!

BOTOX gets a "NEW" use... wink wink

Day before yesterday, (September 11 2013), the FDA made it official: BOTOX Cosmetic is now indicated for use in the lateral canthal lines, aka: crows feet. Why is no one losing their minds in celebration, you ask??

Up until now, the only FDA indication for BOTOX Cosmetic in the face has been the glabellar lines (the 11's that can form between your brows). BUT, it is often AMAZING in many other places... including those crows feet! How do we know, you ask?

...So, don't tell anybody, (shhhhh!) but just about every physician or nurse who performs BOTOX Cosmetic treatments has totally already been doing this. It's considered 'off-label", (like you're off-roading from the original smooth highway of labeled directions/indications) but BOTOX is done frequently in many other areas.

Even so, Congrats, Botox! We're happy the FDA agrees with what we totally haven't already been doing for years.

**Let's all turn and wink knowingly at each other here, completely free from crows feet**

BOTOX for Babies: Part 1- Thin is not always in

Have you been nervous to try an injectable because of bruising or discomfort? Read on… There is a TOTAL laundry list of ways to avoid little bruises or lessen the slight (and temporary) discomfort from an injectable cosmetic treatment, but here is one of my tips based on my experiences in the office:

Avoid blood-thinning meds and supplements:

Why? Because when the blood is thin, it can flow out of an injured capillary pretty fast, causing a pretty solid new purple beauty mark! Check out my post on what causes a bruise here. This most commonly means avoiding things like:

Ibuprofen

Aspirin

Alcohol

Herbal teas (and Green or Chinese teas)

Gingko

Vitamin E

Fish Oil/Omega 3's

Medications like Plavix and Warfarin

(There should be a complete list of these blood thinning elements and other contraindications available at your doctor’s office.)

Try to avoid any drugs/supplements known to thin blood for about 5 or 7 days beforehand. However, you should talk to your doctor (don't just stop because you read a blog!) if you are on those Rx blood thinners, as you’ll want their professional direction about risk vs. benefit.

This is not a complete list of meds to avoid... and your doc will likely have specific post-care instructions for you. This is post is simply meant to be fun and informative- not the authority on your health, so please always follow your doctors instructions, and NOT what you read on the internet! (yes, this blog included!!)

Keep in mind that there are always risks to every procedure, so chat it up with your physician to make sure these procedures are appropriate for you… Stay safe, and fabulous!

If Michelangelo was into aesthetic medicine, he'd do this...

Michelangelo Buonarroti is known to have described his sculpting as a process where he would 'release' a figure from the block of stone in which it slumbered. The masters of the Renaissance (and contemporary sculptors, too) would often create a model of their ideal figure first. Typically made out of clay, the artist would mold and manipulate the shapes to take form- and create something beautiful.

To me, this is not unlike the soft-tissue filler sculpting methods of today. Injectors will often use combinations of Artefill, Juvederm, Radiesse, Perlane, Belotaro, and/or Restylane to fill in areas that have lost facial volume due to age, injury, or medication/treatment. After the product is administered, they'll sometimes use their hands to manipulate the material and sculpt the filler inside the tissue, (no, it doesn't hurt!) since at this point, the fillers have a clay-like consistency. It absolutely makes me think of sculpting, like the masters of the Renaissance.

I've got soft-tissue fillers on my mind since the fabulous injectable event that I worked last night. We were SO busy, because once you've discovered who to go to for a gentle, natural liquid facelift -or- uplift injection, you don't need to look any farther. Dr. Eliza Parker in Chicago is that physician (and a sort of Michelangelo) for many people. She is a MASTER with the soft tissue filler sculpting techniques and the use of Dermasculpt blunt-tipped micro cannulas. She uses the Dermasculpt cannula instead of a traditional needle, and smoothly threads filler into the tissue. She'll do this as a part of her sculpting technique as her tool to restore lost volume and build a sort of scaffolding, which helps create a structure underneath any lax or sagging facial skin.

If you were to watch her perform an uplift, you could see how she gently moves and sculpts the product to the exact place she wants it to create a very pretty and natural contour, gently lifting jowles and naso-labial folds (nose-to-mouth). Here is a video of Dr Pierone in Vero Beach FL performing an uplift. We were lucky enough to visit him in his office to observe his technique a couple years back. You may find it fascinating...

If you’re in the Chicago-area, I would highly recommend seeing Dr. Eliza Parker for a consultation: her technique is total artistry. She even trains other medical professionals how inject with these special cannulas. Here's Dr Parker's website, so you can check it out!

And if you happen to be in Florida, you could certainly give Dr Pierone a call. Dermasculpt seems to be having trouble with their physician-finder page as I write this, so if you're in any other of the 48 states... (sorry!) check back with them soon to find an MD in your area: Here's the Dermasculpt link for you, and until next time: stay fabulous, my friends!

Botox: Making Mountains out of Molehills

I sometimes get some questions about the 'mole-hills' or little bumps that you get right after a BOTOX Cosmetic treatment. This is a very, very temporary occurrence  (between 5-15 minutes usually) that some people tend to get anxious about or hung-up on. So, I thought I would post pictures of my own latest treatment in an effort to put some worries to rest. The reason these little temporary 'mole-hills' occur:

When the BOTOX Cosmetic arrives at an office, it is in concentrated, sort of freeze-dried or vacuum-dried form. There are 100 units in a typical bottle, but they need to be reconstituted to properly use them and measure them out. Saline is used to do this. The injector will determine how many units need to be injected into each area, and will inject the BOTOX Cosmetic, Diluted with saline, into the area. It takes your body a couple of minutes to absorb it, which is why the molehills occur. They are gone really quickly!

Despite how many questions we hear about this, this little side effect should probably the least of your concerns. Be sure that your injector is a physician or a nurse injector, and that they are using authentic BOTOX Cosmetic. You can even ask them to see the bottle, which has a hologram on it. There are sometimes little bruises (like just bigger than the size of a pin-point) that can occur, and we most typically see them around the eyes (crowsfeet). I didn't get any bruises this time, but every once in a while I will. Usually not a big deal at all!

Always do your homework, and you will be better off!  Here's a full list of side-effects, and always discuss the risk vs benefit of any treatment with your doctor!

Enjoy your treatment and Bye Bye, Crinkle-Eye!