A BETTER YOU Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Center offers medically supervised skin care programs.   These programs and treatments provide you with an alternative to surgery in rejuvenating and improving your skin tone and texture or they can maintain and prolong your cosmetic surgery results.

Over the years our skin in addition to the natural process of aging is exposed to several damaging factors such as sun exposure, smoking, hot and cold changes, hormones, chemicals, and other environmental toxins, which ultimately result in the loss of our soft, clear and smooth skin.

Your use of a daily medically supervised skin care/health program can help you maintain a youthful complexion and correct some of the damage that has occurred over the years.

To understand your options in skin care treatment you need some basic knowledge on skin and what the latest available products can offer you.   The skin is composed of two layers: the outer layer called the epidermis and the inner and deeper one, the dermis.   The cells of the epidermis are constantly dividing and moving to the surface.   When these dead dried skin cells pile up on each other, our skin appears dull, dry and rough, and in some cases they can clog pores leading to acne formation.   Pigment (melanin) can accumulate at the bottom layer of the epidermis and cause blotching or age spots.   The dermis layer is the thickest of the two layers of skin.   It contains proteins ( collagen is the most predominant and elastin is responsible for the elasticity of our skin ), water, hair follicles, blood vessels, nerve endings, sweat and oil glands.  The keratin is the very tough and protective layer of skin composed of proteins which acts as a barrier with the outside world.

Your skin may be categorized within the following types:

1.   Environmentally Damaged Skin.   Fewer cells are replacing the old ones resulting in the pile up of dead cells, loss of oils and other protective factors.   The skin appears dull and dry. In more severe cases one can observe pre-cancerous skin lesions.

2.   Hyperpigmentation.   This type of skin is usually the result of photosensitizing agents and/or hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause. Sun exposure always worsens this condition.

3.   Hypersensitive Skin.   It usually is a genetically very thin skin that becomes injured when combined with environmental conditions such as wind, sun exposure, detergents, etc.    It also lacks epidermal lipids leading to a weak skin barrier, which permits moisture evaporation resulting in tiny cracks and fissures in the skin.

4.   Acne-prone Skin.    It is basically good skin that is out of balance because oil glands become overactive secondary to various stimuli such as hormones, stress, diet, sun exposure, etc.   This overabundance of oil attracts debris and provides an ideal condition for bacteria to grow resulting in enlarged pores and bumps under the skin.   All ages are affected.   Active Acne has a genetic predisposition in which there are contributing factors such as cell shedding dysfunction, oil irregularity, environmental conditions, stress/hormones and personal habits.   Acne is controllable but not curable.   Most cases can be controlled through home care and skin care treatments.   There is a teen acne and an adult acne and these are treated differently.   A common agent used for both is Benzoyl Peroxide which penetrates the skin releasing oxygen.   This helps clear the skin.   Active acne requires antibiotic treatment such as Tetracyclines or Erytromycins.  If you have acne you must be careful to avoid sun, stresses, cosmetics, drugs and certain foods. Pregnancy can also aggravate it.

Aesthetic Skin Care products condition the skin through deep cleansing and exfoliation ( removal of the dead surface cells and debris ), they improve lymphatic/blood flow and restore the protective keratin layer.

Most of these products contain a mild acid such as naturally occurring fruit acids that are available in different strengths according to your particular need.   The action of these acids is to chemically penetrate and separate the most superficial layer of your skin and peel it away.   These products are then combined with bleaching, cleansing and moisturizing agents to give you a more smoother and softer skin.   In addition you obtain a healthier skin because these products tend to improve skin elasticity, normalize the oil production, restore the protective effects and increase skin tone in addition to diminishing fine lines and wrinkles.

Our Clinical Skin Care experts can tailor for you one of our clinical treatment program that will leave your skin healthy and more youthful.   Our skin care lines include OBAGI and NU-DERM.   Remember that products that you can purchase in stores are deliberately low strength and designed to cause minimal reactions in order to keep people happy and often are much more expensive.   The stronger products that we offer under our medically supervised care program will usually give you stronger results.   Some of these products are photosensitive and require you to avoid bathing in the sun and of course the use of sun-blocking agents, sun protective clothing and other sun protective measures are strongly recommended at all times for everyone.

OBAGI AND NU-DERM  CLINICAL  SKIN CARE

These skin care treatments are considered the very best  and are designed if you need a supervised medical program to renew and restore your skin.   You will benefit from this tailored especially for you program if your skin is environmentally damaged, discolored, acne prone or hypersensitive.   This program is formulated for you to improve such concerns as skin clarity and tone, pigmentation problems, dryness, firmness and elasticity and the appearance of fine lines. These skin care regimens work at the cellular level and are not to be confused with the skin products sold in the various department stores.   The products are extremely effective for all skin types and their purpose is cleansing, correction, stimulation and protection.   Often Retin-A is prescribed simultaneously to enhance the result.

RETIN-A

This is a cream derived from vitamin A, which penetrates the skin and stimulates the formation of new collagen.   Retin A can correct damaged skin and improve the fine wrinkles and lines by a peeling effect.   This results in redness and scaling, which is common and expected, but disappears with time and usage. Therefore sun exposure must be avoided.

OBAGI BLUE PEEL

You may have already heard about it since it has been performed throughout the world with great success.
This remarkable 20 minutes in-office procedure is the hallmark of the Obagi Skin care program.   It can be performed on the face as well as the neck, arms, hands and legs.    It promotes and restores healthy skin and can remove many of the sun damage spots and fine lines.  The bluish tint, where it derives its name, washes off in 24 hours and within one week you are generally all healed.  This peeling should not disrupt your lifestyle and it is safe, controllable and economical.

MICRODERMABRASION

Also called Particle Skin Resurfacing, Power Peel, Derma Peel, etc. is an inexpensive nonsurgical procedure designed to make your skin smoother and younger.   It literally can make your skin glow.   Often two or three treatments can obtain the skin result that you are desiring which then can be maintained with our medically supervised skin care program.