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!

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!

Dr. Mauricio De Maio: The creme de la creme in Chicago

  My boss, Chicago Dermatologist Dr. Quenby Erickson and I attended Allergan's Master Class led by world-renown Brazilian Plastic Surgeon Dr Mauricio De Maio last night in Chicago. He is an intriguing speaker, the BEST, actually!

He demonstrated his incredible injection techniques, and showed how he uses Juvederm VOLUMA XC to restore lost volume in different severities of volume loss and laxity. He shared his amazing perspective on genetic aging, lots of advanced facial anatomy, and even told a couple good jokes for some of the most well-known physicians in the midwest. Can't wait to get back to the office and share everything I learned, especially about VOLUMA XC!

Until Next time, Stay Fabulous My Friends!

Juvederm Voluma... In all the right places

So far in my life, I have consistently been trying to rid myself of "volume". Always trying to stay fit began early on in life, even as a pre-teen when my friends alerted me to the whole pressure-to-be-thin thing, something that many women experience.  I'm sure this is a historical and formative part of life for many out there early on. Like me, I think many become surprised when they begin aging, and realize that Volume in SOME places is just about the best thing since sliced bread. There is a funny quote that resonated with me when I first heard it long ago... This quote refers to a lack of fat, and the impact that loss of volume has on the face. It has been attributed to  the French actress Catherine Deneuve, who allegedly said, "After a certain age, you have to choose between your fanny and your face."

Well, if Catherine was around now, she would certainly see the value in VOLUMA, which replaces some of that volume loss with HA, a water-loving material that restores youthful contours... all while you stay low-fat, you fitness buff!

 What's VOLUMA? Click here for one of my Blog posts on it, or here to go to their official site.

Anyway, I was excited to attend the Allergan Juvederm VOLUMA roundtable dinner in Chicago last week, where we learned more about where to place this (first and only) FDA-approved filler for correcting age-related volume loss in the mid face.

Dr James Platis of Chicago presented, and demonstrated just where to place the VOLUMA for the best results. Here he is, mapping it out for us on his gracious and patient demo model.

Until next time, stay Fabulous my friends!

The Chicken, the Egg, and The Changing Aesthetic Landscape

As I write, I am here in San Francisco at the The Aesthetic Academy meetings.  Yesterday I took the Certified Aesthetic Consultant Exam and should have my results in 2-3 weeks. (Keep your finger crossed for me!) And now that the hard work is over, I can take a deep breath, sit back, and learn. A handful of the nation’s top aesthetic physicians are here presenting their favorite technologies for non-surgical rejuvenation, fat reduction and anti-aging. I'm noting a continuous theme with every. single. presentation.

The theme: the industry landscape is changing. For example: in 1997 (and maybe even 2007) a person might go to a doctor, have a surgery, and ride off into the sunset. These days, informed consumers are seeking more progressive solutions with little or no downtime. They have high expectations, plenty of options, and do lots of research.  They aren’t jumping into invasive surgeries. In fact, according to ASAPS, the surgical segment of our industry is only experiencing growth of 3% each year, whereas non-surgical procedures are growing over 10% each year. As I listen, I agree… as a Service Provider, a Practice Manager, and as a patient myself. People want procedures that are better, faster, and easier to recover from.

From my perspective, I see these savvy, well-informed patients demanding these advancements. And I also see (especially at the industry conferences) that the technology is getting better.  But I wonder: is the technology getting better because the market demands it? Or are people starting to access these treatments because the new, effective, non-invasive options are finally available? Which came first? The chicken or the egg?

Whichever scenario is happening, the technology is getting better. Science is looking to affect the skin/tissues on a molecular level. We are hearing more and more about changing 'the behavior' of the tissue. I even heard the phrase “reprogramming genes like software”.  Indeed, genes are kind of like little strings of data, not unlike software.  Heating, cooling, and using all types of energies to manipulate, denature, and contract are becoming the methods of choice for patients AND practitioners.  Very interesting.  So while plenty of facelifts are still happening, it sounds like the future of medicine is going 'molecular'.

Here are the buzz-worthy, popular topics for non-surgical and non-invasive technologies here at the show:

• Microneedling
• Diodes
• RF Devices (radiofrequency, now with less treatments)
• Enzymes, Stem Cells in Skin Care
• IPL, Photo Facial (oldie but a goodie)
• Circumferential Reduction, (Body Contouring and Fat Reduction)
• (Still trying for a great) Skin Tightening modality
• Cellulite Treatments (still nothing permanent, but looking good in the temporary-realm!)
• Micro-cannulas (for injecting soft tissue fillers like Juvederm)
• Voluma (the new filler from Allergan)

More to come from San Francisco!

In the meantime, Stay Fabulous, My Friends!

Va, Va VOLUMA

So excited! ...Where do I start?? Ok, I'll start here: Yesterday, Allergan (makers of BOTOX Cosmetic) announced that they have FDA approval for the first filler specifically formulated for the cheeks. Our new friend's name is  JUVÉDERM® VOLUMA™. This new glorious Hyaluronic Acid (HA) filler is made with Allergan's proprietary VYCROSS(TM) technology. VYCROSS (TM) is a manufacturing method **cross-linking** that makes this HA super-duper smooth and long-lasting.

Another cool fact: Voluma is like the can't-stop, won't-stop, marathon-runner of HA fillers: it can last for 2 years with optimal treatment... which is much longer than others.

By the way, did you know that HA is a sugar that naturally occurs in the skin? SWEET!

Here's a link to Allergan's Voluma Page, and here's one to the Press Release.

You can also click here to see one of my posts about volume restoration in the aging face. 

Oh, and this filler product comes with pre-mixed with Lidocaine (numbing agent). ..........OR without, if you are crazy like that. (kidding... totally kidding!)

Remember to always talk to your doctor about your candidacy for treatments and give your doc the most updated health history info every time you see them.

Until next time, stay fabulous my friends!

Product Review: Latisse

Word on the Street/Company Claims: Longer, thicker, and darker eyelashes can be yours when you apply this bimatoprost opthamolic solution .03% every night to the lash line (like liquid eyeliner).

They are actually not sure why it works- funny, right? In summary, this product was first available as a glaucoma treatment (Lumigan… but was/is used IN the eye as a medication). Basically, a whole lotta glaucoma patients ended up with a whole lotta fabulous lashes! And so after an FDA trial and a repackage (kinda): Latisse was born.

Appropriate for who?:

People who feel like their lashes could be better… and unless you are one of those people gifted with epic lashes: who doesn’t?

NOT so good for:

Those already undergoing treatment for glaucoma, and those who may be having an upcoming opthamalic surgery or procedure,… ask your doctor.

Totally Fabuliz: (Favorite part):

It ACTUALLY works. If you like to put 2, maybe 3 coats of mascara on, you will fall in love with Latisse (and may even find yourself joining the rest of the 1-coat world!) Measurable change takes place over the course of about 16-18 weeks as your untreated lashes fall out naturally and the Latisse’d lashes cycle in.

Just OK:

I would guesstimate that I’ve seen maybe 2 of every 50 patients experience some eye irritation with this product. So while not often, that can happen. Also, there’s a chance of a pink-ness that can develop on your lids. It happened to me, and will go away as soon as I stop using it. Doesn’t bother me enough to discontinue use AT ALL… You can’t stop me now!! MUAHHahahahah (crazy laugh) … ahem… sorry.

Needs work:

The disposable applicators are not as user friendly as a tube/wand package would be. (kind of like Revitalash). However,  since Latisse had to get FDA approval… they went over–the-top with safety so they could get approved, fast. The instructions say that one brush is to be used on one eye, disposed of, and then another brush used for the other eye. TWO applicators EACH DAY? I’m thinking: We apply mascara to both eyes every day with only one wand! I understand that its indeed a bit different here because there’s no preservative… but listen: You can almost hear the landfills crying.

Star Rating: 4 STARS!!!★★★★

★1 Star: Might pass this one up

★★2 Stars: Okay for the money

★★★3 Stars: Really nice product, I’d buy it

★★★★4 Stars: Pretty much deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, want it/need it/ have to have it!

Misc Notes/Other need-to-know's:

Don’t stop using it. Once you have your results you need to keep going! I don’t have a problem with the thought of maintaining though- once you have your fabulous lashes you want to keep them!!

Check out my other blog post with additional Latisse info here, including a video of how I like to use my Latisse, (but always follow the instructions of your doctor!)

Click here for Allergan’s official Latisse Page. And PS- Definitely join their Brilliant Distinctions reward program so you can earn points for your purchases… you can get coupons for $25 off, $50 off, and even more if you spend enough or have treatments like BOTOX  Cosmetic.

Bottom Line:

I'm a Latisse-r for Life. Love. Love. Love.

Fabulous Lashes without Batting an Eye?

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about Latisse lately, so I thought I’d throw something together with my personal tips and some official information, too! 1)   Latisse rocks, but it’s $$$: Here’s a video of how I like to store and use my disposable brushes so you can get more use out of each package. This is considered off-label, meaning it’s not necessarily the way the product is labeled for use- so always do what your doctor or skincare professional recommends!

2)   Let’s not get Crazy: I’ve heard of patients using a makeup brush to apply the product… I would NOT recommend this, as Latisse does not have a preservative in it. Hygiene is of course very important, especially with the eye-area, so stick with the disposables for sure.

3)   Night Owl: Only use Latisse at night, with your contacts out and makeup off. Contacts can actually absorb the product, so be sure not to cut corners here. Apply your eye products and treatment creams first, and Latisse will be the very last step.

4)   Browing out: An off-label use of Latisse is applying it to the eyebrows. I did that once for a period of time to experiment, and found that it would not grow hair where there wasn’t hair already, but that it did make individual brow hairs a bit darker and longer, too, contributing to a bit of a fuller effect.

5)   Changing Eye Color?!?: I think when patients hear this, they freak out and think their blue eyes could turn brown and vice versa- thankfully this is not the case.  To summarize, when Allergan did a 5000 patient study of the Lumigan version of this product (used IN the eye) for the treatment of glaucoma, there was a small percentage of people with hazel eyes that had darkening of the gold-flecks in their eye. This change was found to be lasting. If you have hazel eyes, consider if that would bother you, as it could be a risk… important to consider that it was only happening to a small % of the people using the solution IN the eye, like an eye-drop, which we are NOT doing with Latisse. Other eye colors have not been found to change or darken.

6)   No biggie?: There is a chance that you can get darkening of the lash line where you apply the Latisse, since it’s increasing melanin (and making your lashes darker!) it happened to me, but the trade-off for awesome lashes is just fine with me. It’s kind of a light pink, so it covers easily with a light shadow/I don’t even really notice it. Some of our patients who already have dark eye areas think twice about using Latisse. Thankfully, when you stop using it, it goes away… so no biggie if you ask me.

7)   Keep the Faith:  Latisse can take up to 16 weeks for full results… this is because when you first start using it, its treating the lashes that haven’t grown in yet. So, it can be hard to use a product every night when you don’t see much happening, but Latisse WORKS, so keep up the good work, and hang in there for fabulous lashes!

Here’s a link to Allergan’s Latisse page, please read up for full Rx info and more official business!