Silk Touch Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa - Blog

 IF THE PRICE SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE... IT PROBABLY IS!

Recently many advertisers have been offering steep discounts on Botox and Dermal Filler prices. Some people have even seen Botox advertised on Craigslist (SCARY!!).  While everyone enjoys a good deal, when it comes to Botox and Fillers, you should be extremely careful. If you come across pricing that is extremely low, you could be buying illegally imported “Botox” or Fillers from Canada, Europe or even China. These products are not safe to use.

Liquid facelifts rank among the most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures, but the growing demand for toxins and fillers has triggered a rise in illegal injectable products that has become a worldwide epidemic. The availability and use of fake products has emerged as a mounting problem for the aesthetic market as a whole, as doctors report that they are being inundated with offers from offshore vendors pitching cheap toxins and fillers not approved for sale in the EU or the US.

Don’t risk your beauty by being injected with un-safe product from sources unknown.

When it comes to your beauty treatments, injector experience and reputation is crucial. At Silk Touch, we guarentee that we only use verified products from reputible vendors.

Gynecomastia is a condition of over-developed or enlarged breasts in men that can occur at any age. The condition can be the result of hormonal changes, heredity, obesity, or the use of certain drugs. Gynecomastia can cause emotional discomfort and impair your self confidence. Some men may even avoid certain physical activities and intimacy simply to hide their condition.

Gynecomastia is characterized by:

• Excess localized fat
• Excess glandular tissue development
• Sometimes excess breast skin
• Presence unilaterally (one breast) or bilaterally (both breasts) 

The treatment:

This patient had avoided any sort of activity that involved taking his shirt off, and developed gynecomastia at a very young age. 

Dr. Kerr was able to reduce the appearance of his enlarged breast (gynecomastia) by using a combination of Smartlipo and PAL. 

This patient was extremely pleased with his results and the minimal amount of downtime after his procedure. He was ready to hit the beach in no time!

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The other day my friend came to me for advice. “ I have an embarrassing problem”, she said. She then explained to me that lately, she could not control how much she sweats. It had gotten to the point where to she was afraid to wear anything but black, in fear that she would raise her arms and show giant sweat stains. “Please, tell me that I’m not alone in this and there is something I can do.”

I told her that she may be suffering from something called hyperhidrosis, and that she may be surprised to hear that BOTOX® can actually help deal with the sweating. Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating problems are caused by the nervous system. BOTOX® effectively blocks the impulses sent from the brain to the nerves that cause excessive sweating. Deodorants and antiperspirants control sweat by clogging the pores, but are not effective on people with hyperhidrosis.

Surgical treatments for hyperhidrosis include cutting out the sweat glands or cutting the nerves that lead to the glands. These surgical treatments can cause permanent scars and nerve damage. BOTOX® treatments for hyperhidrosis take 10 to 20 minutes. The treatment begins working within the first week and last for six to twelve months.

Where does the sweat go? Your sweat doesn't go anywhere or get backed up because the sweat simply is not produced in the areas treated with BOTOX®. Remember, the rest of your body is free to produce moisture normally.

Our staff is more than willing to meet with you , for free, to discuss the best treatment plan for you. Please give us a call at 208-939-3110. Or click below to schedule your free consultation. 

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime, and over the past 31 years more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined. Because of this, it is absolutely essential that we wear sunscreen every single day - even in the winter. 

Here is a guide for you to reference when ever you have a question about sunscreen. From how much you should use and when to tips for telling when your sunscreen is past it's shelf life. 

What sunscreen should I use?

• The American Academy of Dermatology recommends everyone use sunscreen that offers the following:

• Broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays).

• Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or greater. Water resistant.

A sunscreen that offers the above helps to protect your skin from sunburn, early skin aging, and skin cancer. However, sunscreen alone cannot fully protect you. Dermatologists also recommend that you seek shade when your shadow is shorter than you are and protect your skin by wearing long sleeves, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses whenever possible.

When should I use sunscreen?

• Every day. The sun emits harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays year round. 

• Even on cloudy days, harmful UV rays can penetrate your skin.

• Snow and sand increase the need for sunscreen.

• On a cloudy day, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through the clouds.

• Snow reflects 80 percent of the sun’s rays, and sand reflects 25 percent of the sun’s rays.

How much sunscreen should I use, and how often should I apply it?

Use enough sunscreen to generously coat all skin that will be not be covered by clothing. Ask yourself, “Will my face, ears, arms, or hands be covered by clothing?” If not, apply sunscreen.

To be sure you use enough, follow this guideline:

• One ounce, enough to fill a shot glass, is considered the amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the body. Adjust the amount of sunscreen applied depending on your body size.

• Most people only apply 25-50 percent of the recommended amount of sunscreen.³

• Apply the sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes BEFORE going outdoors.

• Skin cancer also can form on the lips. To protect your lips, apply a lip balm or lipstick that contains sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

• Re-apply sunscreen approximately every two hours or after swimming or sweating heavily according to the directions on the bottle.

The FDA released sunscreen guidelines. How will these affect my sunscreen?

By the end of summer, you’ll begin to see several changes to sunscreen labels. These changes, which are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will provide you with more information about what type of UV protection a sunscreen offers, and what a sunscreen can do.

On the label, you’ll see whether the sunscreen:

Protects against UVB and/or UVA rays.

• Reduces the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging in addition to helping prevent sunburn, or just protects against sunburn alone.

• In order to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging, the sunscreen must offer two things: broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays) and an SPF of 15 or higher. Without both, the sunscreen only helps prevent sunburn.

• Is water-resistant up to 40 or 80 minutes

• Sunscreen manufacturers will no longer claim that a sunscreen  is “waterproof” or “sweat proof.” This is not possible because all sunscreen eventually washes off.

Can I use the sunscreen I bought last summer, or do I need to purchase a new bottle each year? Does it lose its strength?

Dermatologists recommend using sunscreen every day, not just during the summer. If you are using sunscreen every day and in the correct amount, a bottle should not last long. If you find a bottle of sunscreen that you have not used for some time, here are some guidelines you can follow:

• The FDA requires that all sunscreens retain their original strength for at least three years.

• Some sunscreens include an expiration date. If the expiration date has passed, throw out the sunscreen.

• You also can look for visible signs that the sunscreen may no longer be good.  Any obvious changes in the color or consistency of the product mean it’s time to purchase a new bottle.  

Help! How can I stop bruising when I get Botox or fillers like Juvederm or Sculptra?

We get this question A LOT.

To be completely honest, there is no way to guarantee zero bruising. Every time a needle is placed in your skin there is a risk of bruising. This includes vaccinations, giving blood and fillers placed into the wrinkles on your face. No matter what any doctor says, it’s impossible to guarantee that you will not bruise. It happens. If you get Botox or filler regularly, at some time you may get a bruise even if you don't normally bruise. However, a skilled injector can reduce the risk as much as possible.

Fortunately, there are ways to help reduce the chance of bruising,

1. Avoid Certain Medications

These medications increase your risk of bruising: Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Advil) and Naproxen (Aleve). Avoid blood thinning supplements such as fish oils, or any other blood thinning agents. Tylenol is a NSAID that can be used with less risk of bruising but should still be avoided. Stop use of all blood thinning agents 7-10 days prior to treatment to reduce added risk of bruising. 

2. The use of cannula versus a needle 

At Silk Touch, our injectors often are able to use a blunt tipped cannula. Cannulas are ideal when used for certain injection methods and injection areas. A cannula is like a needle that does not have a sharp end. The benefit is that when it is in your skin it pushes blood vessels aside rather than cut into them. This can reduce the risk of bruising and pain.

3. Cool The Skin

Cooling the skin before, during, and after an injection helps to reduce discomfort and causes the small blood vessels to shrink. This can help reduce the risk of bleeding and bruising.

4. Anti-Bruising Supplements

If you know that you bruise easily this is a great option to help reduce incidence and duration of bruising. Arnica Montana is a homeopathic drug that has been shown to decrease the incidence of bruising and is available at our front desk.