Reflections on Beauty

For all our patients who love tattoos, we’ve recently come across of a new kind of body art called “augmented reality tattoos.”  Basically it’s a barcode that’s tattooed on your skin and, when viewed through a webcam, the tattoo turns into three-dimensional art and animates. Check out the video above to see what we’re talking about. This was created by a Buenos Aires firm called ThinkAnApp, which specializes in augmented reality.

Augmented reality (AR) is poised to become big over then next few years. There are AR business cards, AR games and toys, and even slightly cheesy AR card tricks.

The tattoos are a natural progression of this trend, but it’s still a little mind boggling to see.

There are a few downsides to this otherwise pretty cool tattoo technology.  Let’s start with aesthetics. The tattoo seen in the video isn’t particularly pretty or interesting, so the only people who are going to say “cool tattoo” will be on the Internet (unless you can get it to work with your iPhone – expect that to happen soon).  Second is that tattoos tend to fade and bleed over time.  We’re not sure how this will affect the long-term functionality of the tattoo, but it’s something to consider before taking the plunge.  And finally there’s the idea of being bar-coded.  Maybe it’s just us, but there’s something a little sinister about having a barcode permanently imbedded in your skin.  But there’s always tattoo removal, so things are less permanent than they once were.  But still, it’s a little creepy.

Don’t expect to see these tattoos go away any time soon.  As the web continues to push itself into the center of our relationships, body art like this will continue to grow in popularity.  We hope that as this happens, the barcodes can be integrated more naturally into tattoo designs.  And we look forward to seeing what comes next. After all the nature of these tattoos should allow their online AR art to be modified and changed to fit your mood, match your outfit or to “erase” the name of that “special someone” who is no longer worthy of being displayed on your body. The only thing left will be your imagination.

According to Sarah Stefanson’s recent article on AskMen.com, manscaping is the new buzz word for metrosexual men and may soon become as normal a practice for men as hairless legs are for women.

What’s “Manscaping?” It’s the removal of hair in places such as the chest, underarms, shoulders, back and genital area. Some men remove it all, including “down there” while others focus on just the most rampant of hairy spots such as the chest, shoulders and back.

Here are some manscaping tips for your man (and you!) to consider:

• Remove the hair first that looks the worst

At one time, lots of chest hair was “the look” (think 1970’s) of the manly male. In some subcultures in America, that’s still the case. However, even though most women love to run their fingers through a bit of chest hair, the carpeted look is definitely out. Judicious (and careful!) shaving can solve the harriest chest problems, but if your man is going to do this for the long-term, we recommend laser hair removal for the best results. Shaving leaves stubble, risks cuts and nicks, and becomes a real drag on one’s grooming time. Laser hair removal, on the other hand, can select the right areas to remove hair, leaving a little bit for that finger-running!

• Shoulder and Back Hair is a no-no

Even in the 70’s, shoulder and back hair was—there’s simply no better word than this—icky. It’s unsightly in anything but a full-coverage shirt (and can show through white ones), looks nasty at the beach or pool, and suggests a Neanderthal or worse, a simian—that’s ape in normal-speak. No woman wants her man to resemble King Kong. Again, laser hair removal can get rid of should and back hair for good!

• Hairy necks are out, too

A little hair at the front of the neck is a nice little teaser, but a full neck of hair that continues behind the nape of the neck in the back is unattractive.

• Armpits?

Unless your man is a competitive swimmer or bodybuilder, even the most metro of metro-sexual men leave their armpits hairy. Having said that, if your man has a forest that foments bacteria and contributes to underarm odor, a little bit of laser can do the trick, leaving enough to avoid accusations of femininity while getting rid of enough hair to make applying deodorant effective.

• Going Brazilian?

No woman expects her man to be completely nude of any body hair—especially “down there,” but some athletes do go full-Brazilian to control chafing from their protective undergarments.  At any rate, it’s nice for a gal to find a well-groomed area on a man in the nether regions, which can be controlled with a pair of scissors once a week after showering. As a bonus, less hair down there controls the potential for unpleasant odors.

Manscaping has certainly come more and more into the mainstream over the past few years, as men have begun to realize that they have options when it comes to looking their best in the buff.  One final piece of advice is to start slow – there’s no need to go from hirsute to hairless in a single session.  Trim a bit at a time and see how you like it.  You can always do more manscaping later.

We’re excited to announce our latest Quick Deal!  Anyone who books a facial in Livingston tomorrow (Tuesday 2/23/10) will get their choice of 30% off the list price of their facial – or – a free LED treatment, great for smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. Eligible treatments include our Reflections Signature facial, Dermasweep, Sapphire 3 photoabrasion and more.  Treatments can also be performed on areas other than the face, such as the back.

Just call 973-740-2444 to book your appointment and we’ll take care of the rest.

As always, certain conditions apply.  There are only so many appointments available tomorrow, and we’ll be booking them on a first-call, first-served basis.  Once they’re gone, so is your chance to get this great offer, so please act quickly.  Also, this offer cannot be combined with any others and is only valid for appointments that occur on 2/23/10 in our Livingston office.

Finally a note about the LED treatment – it’s a great thing to try and many of our clients love them.  We typically administer them in a series of treatments, so you won’t see the full benefit from a single free session.  But this is a great way to try it out risk free and see what it’s all about.  If you fall in love with it, we’re happy to extend you special package pricing.  This isn’t meant to be a sales pitch here, we just want to make it clear that the free LED treatment is usually part of a larger series so you’re fully informed when choosing your deal.

Did you know that liposuction was invented in 1974 by an Italian gynecologist? It’s true. It was then brought to America, but it wasn’t until the 80’s that tumescent liposuction was created, giving patients a softer and safer method of body sculpting by adding salt water to the process. Like every medical discovery or device, time brings more technological advances. The latest and safest liposuction available today is provided by laser technology.

What’s the difference? There are key differences in function, safety, discomfort, results and recovery time.

Let’s talk about function first.
Although the function of both traditional and laser liposuction is to remove fat deposits, laser lipo is best for mild to moderate fat removal plus skin tightening, while traditional, surgical liposuction can eliminate larger amounts of fat. Traditional liposuction cannot tighten the skin like laser body contouring can.

There are big differences in discomfort and safety between traditional and laser liposuction.
Discomfort is higher in traditional liposuction, hands down. Incisions must be made and then sutured closed. Sometimes drains are also inserted and removed a few days after the procedure. With laser body contouring, the cannula is much thinner, often requiring no incisions at all, just tiny insertion points that will heal with nothing more than a steri-strip or a small band-aid. Traditional lipo usually requires going under general anesthesia, making the procedure more expensive and adding the risk of anesthesia-related complications. Laser lipo is performed under local anesthesia; you’ll be awake, alert and comfortable during the procedure.

The differences in results from laser vs traditional liposuction
Laser liposuction provides a level of skin tightening that does not occur with traditional liposuction. The high-energy beams of laser liposuction penetrate into the skin and heats up the innermost structures, stimulating new collagen and elastin growth in the skin. This creates better skin function and appearance, which improves over time. Less fat + better skin is, in our minds, the definition of a great result! Here are some laser lipo photos that show the excellent results one can get without surgery.

Another difference between laser and traditional liposuction is the timing of results. Traditional liposuction patients see results immediately. Laser liposuction patients will also see a change immediately, with more changes occurring over several months, as the collagen and elastin proliferate to smooth out the skin.

Recovery is vastly different
Laser liposuction is, by and large, much better tolerated than traditional liposuction. There’s no nausea and headache from general anesthesia, as laser lipo is done under local anesthesia. There are no large incisions and sutures. Also, there is far less bruising with laser liposuction. Generally, patients feel able to be up and about almost immediately, if not immediately, from laser body contouring.

Which type of liposuction is best for your needs?
The best thing is to talk to your physician about which form of liposuction will best help you achieve your body contouring goals.  With its ease of tolerability and minimal downtime, laser liposuction has become the far most popular option with patients at Reflections. You can find more information about the differences between these two procedures on our site, including frequently asked questions about laser liposuction.

We were surprised to learn that a number of our regular patients haven’t heard about Thermage.

If you’re suffering with signs of aging, such as sagging around the jaw line or crêpe-y skin on your neck, the Thermage radio-frequency procedure might be just the thing you need to avoid a facelift for as long as possible. Thermage can also be used on the abdomen to tighten up loose belly skin after weight loss, childbearing or simply aging. In fact, Thermage can be used anywhere you need a better contour and smoother, tighter skin.

Thermage works by applying radio-frequency waves that heat up the collagen beneath your skin’s surface. It doesn’t hurt and there’s no downtime involved. It takes only about an hour per treatment, so you can get right back to your schedule.

You’ll see some change immediately in the skin’s tightness, with more to come in the ensuing weeks and months—improvements continue up to six months.

Thermage can be applied on the face, hands, abdomen, arms, thighs and buttocks. We also use Thermage to enhance the results of laser liposuction because of its ability to tighten skin.

To review, Thermage is

• A non-invasive way to lift, tighten and shape almost any area of the body
• Not surgery and not an injection
• Painless and fast
• A great way to eliminate unwanted areas of fat and improve the appearance of cellulite

Of course, these are just the basics.  We’ve seen great results with Thermage and encourage you to learn more about Thermage in New Jersey at our office and check out the before and after pictures.  You can also contact our office for more information or to request a complimentary consultation with one of our physicians.

While the miracle of childbirth is a beautiful thing, having a baby can result in some less-than-desirable effects on your body: stretch marks, loose skin, visible blood vessels on the face, abdomen and/or legs and fatty deposits can take some of the joy from being a new mom. Thankfully there are treatments that can help.

Stretch marks happen when skin is excessively stretched during pregnancy, causing tiny tears in the dermis, the elastic middle layer of skin that allows skin to retain its shape. When stretched too much, the dermis breaks down, leaving behind shiny, depressed marks that sometimes look like long scars. Stretch marks get their red and purple colors when the stretching causes the blood vessels to dilate. Over time, the color will fade and the bands will become lighter in color than surrounding skin, meaning they are still very obvious to the eye.

The best treatments available for stretch marks are usually a combination of VBeam pulsed dye laser treatments to remove redness, and either Fraxel laser skin resurfacing to stimulate healthy collagen growth, or Portrait laser treatments to stimulate the body to regenerate new skin in these areas.

For moms who suffer from fat deposits and loose skin, a laser liposuction procedure is a significantly more affordable option than traditional liposuction because it’s a less invasive process. The downtime after the procedure is usually only 1 to 2 days, its performed on-site under local anesthesia and it will tighten the skin as well.

Keep in mind that you’ll want to wait at least until your baby is about 3 months old before undergoing any type of liposuction procedure, as it takes about that long for your body to recover from childbirth.

There are many ways to help your post-pregnancy body! These are just a few to get you started in the right direction.

According to a study by German scientists, a new solution for facial wrinkles could be just around the corner!

Physicians have long used light-therapy, also called LED therapy for over 40 years to heal wounds. German scientists reveal that the use of high-intensity LEDs, like those in auto tail lights and computers, could help reduce skin wrinkles when applied daily for several months.

Unfortunately, exposure to intense LED light can generate byproducts that damage cells. To combat that effect, the researchers added a potent antioxidant in green tea extract called epigallocatechin gallate.

After applying a daily combination of LED light and green tea extract to the facial wrinkles of a human volunteer for one month, the volunteer had smoother skin, with “less pronounced wrinkle levels, shorter wrinkle valleys, and juvenile complexion,” the scientists claim. The combination treatment showed promising results in only 10% of the time it took for LED therapy alone to reduce wrinkles.

We’ll be following this interesting discovery and let you know any updates!

Since the FDA approved Latisse® (with its active ingredient Bimatoprost) in December of 2008, there has been an ongoing buzz about its proven results on eyelash growth.  It might surprise you to learn that Latisse® did not originate as a cosmetic product. In fact, the popular eyelash treatment was originally used as in eye drops for glaucoma patients. When lash growth was acknowledged as a side effect to the drops, Bimatoprost was re-approved by the FDA for cosmetic purposes.

Since then, more benefits of Bimatoprost having been surfacing. The use of Latisse® for eyebrow growth is now being explored, as well as for hair growth on the scalp. Patients seeking full eyebrows like Denise Richards or Anne Hathaway may benefit from this in the future. And although it might be costly, the popular eyelash enhancer could be used for future for hair loss treatments as well.

The compound Bimatoprost has also been shown to reduce adipose tissue in mammals, commonly known as body fat. Studies are currently underway to test Bimatoprost injections on fatty deposits in the human body. The cosmetic industry may see a future fat reduction treatment that mirrors Botox and filler injections, making weight loss easier for patients. Don’t cancel your gym membership too soon, though. It will take a few years for said treatments to be approved by the FDA. Bimatoprost is currently only used in the U.S. for glaucoma treatment in and eyelash growth in the form of the prescription Lumigan and Latisse®.

As for side effects, Latisse® is one of the safest treatments out there. During clinical trials, the most common side effect after using the solution was itchy or red eyes, which was only reported by about 4% of users. Bimatoprost has passed FDA regulations twice now, for both medical and cosmetic purposes, just like Botox.