Derm RF

Dermatology 911

March 17, 2010 at 9:48 pm Dr. Katie Rodan 2 comments

By Dr. Katie Rodan

Patient Name: Janie

Gender: Female

Age: 39 years old

Concern: Deep crow’s feet, skin is beginning to look aged

Doctor’s Notes

Janie, a beautiful 39 year old woman, came in to see me for alternatives to blepharoplasty, which is eyelid surgery performed by a plastic surgeon, to correct her aging eyes. While this surgery would remove the bags under her eyes and improve the “hooding” of her upper eyelids, she was surprised to learn that surgery wouldn’t address her primary concern of crow’s feet.

Janie was delighted to find that we could correct what ailed her most right in my office and she could continue to improve the results at home.

Prescription: In the office I injected a little Botox around the eye area to decrease the repetitive muscle contraction that was causing her wrinkles and crow’s feet. Then, I padded her upper cheeks where there was visible loss of fat with the filler Restylane. These procedures, which took about 15 minutes and were performed after applying a topical numbing cream, helped her skin look younger almost immediately. While these procedures are great, they are not permanent (Botox lasts 4 months; Restylane 9-12 months). I explained to Janie that her at-home skincare routine would be a critical component to maintaining great results and improving the overall quality of her complexion. I recommended a topical regimen consisting of regular exfoliation to improve cell turnover and brighten skin, daily application of a peptide-based eye cream to support her Botox results, and nightly use of an anti-aging eye cloth that deposits powerful anti-inflammatory peptides to combat puffiness.

The Bottom Line: If Janie had come in to see me 10 years earlier, I could have saved her “mucho” dollars by explaining the importance of daily application of sunscreen, touting the benefits of a targeted daily skincare routine, and teaching her some healthy habits to keep her eyes looking young, like wearing large sunglasses to minimize squinting. Had Janie gotten on a better path even just 5 years ago, these costly procedures may not have been necessary at this early point in her life. Learn the easy way what Janie had to learn the hard way… an ounce of prevention truly is much better than a pound of cure.

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