We are proud to offer cosmetic procedures delivered with quality, safety, privacy, and convenience in mind.  As a measure of safety, surgical facilities often seek accreditation through independent organizations that monitor compliance.  The surgical facility of Allure Medical Spa has accreditation through AAAHC, a nationally recognized entity.  

You can visit www.AAAHC.org to learn about the high standards offered by facilities accredited by this organization.

Recently, 4 docs in Albany, NY were fined for injecting a non-FDA-approved product called Tri-toxin, meant to deliver Botox-like effects.  How do you know if you're getting the real Botox when you visit your doctor for anti-wrinkle treatments?

The real Botox packaging produced by Allergan has a holographic image on the label. Similarly, Dysport, another wrinkle-reducing injection has a hologram on the vial. If there is any question in your mind, ask your doctor if you can take a look at the label on the bottle and the expiration date.  Your physician should not mind.  

A new laser treatment for eyelid wrinkles was published by Dr. Kotlus in the latest issue of Dermatologic Surgery, a peer-reviewed journal.  He describes a "dual-depth" laser treatment using the fractional CO2 laser on the eyelid skin.  The laser is also called ActiveFX and DeepFX, two applications of the laser that treat different levels of the skin.  By treating superficial and deep skin layers at the same time, Dr. Kotlus has been able to improve surface sun damage, brown spots, and deep wrinkles in one treatment. 

Shown here is a patient who received the dual-depth laser treatment at the same time as a lower eyelid lift to shift bulging fat, reducing the appearance of lower eyelid bags. The laser enhances the lower eyelid lift by firming the eyelid skin and creating a smoother appearance. Patients should expect about a week of redness after the laser, although swelling can last longer than a week. 

A recent article (click here to read the story) described chewing gum as a contributor to facial wrinkles. In fact, gum chewers may even experience earlier loss of results after cosmetic fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm. How can this be?

It relates to movement.  Repetitive muscle movement creates lines, and this is why Botox is a wrinkle-reducer. It relaxes the muscles that create creases in the skin.  When there is extra movement, there may be more creases over time.  And this movement can shift and broaden the location of a filler, softening its effects. 

So far these claims have not been substantiated in a clinical trial.  For now, the vilification of gum is just a theory.

Aside from being smooth and plump, a young-looking hand has young-looking skin.  Age spots, brown discoloration, and fine wrinkles are all signs of sun damage that build up over years of exposure. The signs of sun damage on the hands can be alleviated with laser and/or light-based therapies.

Laser resurfacing works to stimulate collagen growth and eliminate pigment.  This leads to a reduction in brown spots and wrinkles. Excellent laser that accomplish these effects include Fraxel and ActiveFX among others.  

In a similar way, photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a photosensitising cream in combination with light therapy to target certain skin cells that have been damaged by sunlight. This treatment can even reduce pre-cancerous areas termed Actinic Keratoses. 

To summarize the steps to younger-looking hands:

STEP 1: Sclerotherapy to treat unsightly hand veins

STEP 2: Replacement of lost volume with fillers or fat

STEP 3: Skin resurfacing to improve sun damage