Adaptation is a hallmark characteristic of the human species, and 2020 has given us more than enough opportunity to show our adaptability and resiliency. Wearing a face mask in public is now part of our daily reality.
The benefits of face masks in curbing the spread of COVID are well documented. However, this doesn’t make wearing a face mask is always comfortable or good for your skin. In fact, daily use of a face mask can lead to skin complications and acne outbreaks. This doesn’t need to be the case, though.
By following these actionable under-mask skincare tips, you can wear your mask knowing that you’re making your contribution to the pandemic-containment effort while ensuring your skin stays as healthy and radiant as ever.
Use a Cotton Mask
The point of a mask is to act as a barrier between your airways and the external environment. By preventing contaminants from entering your body, and preventing droplets leaving yours, we do our part to protect each other.
This doesn’t mean the mask should be awkward to breathe through. The fabric of a cotton mask is woven tightly enough to act as an effective barrier while also allowing air to flow freely. Surgical masks do this as well, but they can be expensive and should be left for those who really need them.
Use clean masks daily
One of the best practices in using a face mask is to treat it like your underwear – change them daily. This prevents any grime or substantial build-up.
Clean your skin gently and frequently
The face mask can attract dirt and oil. In particular, oily secretions from our own skin may build up on the mask, which can lead to clogged pores – not good.
To avoid this, you should use a gentle, pH-neutral facial wash as often as you need to keep your skin smooth and oil-free. Be aware that overly frequent washing will lead to dehydration, so finding a balance and using a hydrating cleanser is the way to go. We offer only the top-of-the-line clinical skincare products and can help you select the best products for your skin and circumstances.
Choose your makeup wisely
Foundation and concealer also catch dust and oil – which is precisely what we are trying to avoid. It might be prudent to be selective as to where you apply your make up – carry on as usual with your eyeliner and mascara, but being conservative with makeup in the masked region is a great way to mitigate any build-up that may occur.
There’s no doubt that these are challenging times, but adapting with best practices to protect ourselves and others is our only way to carry on.
If you have any questions at all about your skincare, or would like support in developing your ideal skincare routine in Palm Springs, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Maya Kato at 760-610-5558 or fill out her online form here.
“Too much of a good thing” couldn’t be more applicable than when it comes to exposing our skin to the sun. The science behind the benefits of sunlight is well documented – increased vitamin D, dopamine, circadian rhythm synchronization, and sheer enjoyment of being outside in good weather.
However, if proper precautions are not taken before we venture outside, we run the risk of severely damaging our skin and compromising our health.
While prevention IS ALWAYS better than cure when it comes to sun-damaged skin, platelet-rich plasma treatments offer a natural and highly effective method of treating skin that has had too much sun exposure.
How to Protect Our Skin In The Sun
The suns’ rays contain certain wavelengths of light that are harmful to our skin in high doses. The damage caused by these rays can be purely aesthetic, in the forms of sunspots and wrinkles. However, they can also be more insidious and develop into skin cancers.
When going outside, even for short walks, it is best to wear a wide-brimmed hat and loose, comfortable long sleeves to cover your arms. Adding sunscreen to your skincare routine is also highly beneficial in reducing the negative impact the sun has on our skin.
What’s more, the higher the sun is in the sky, the more intense these damaging rays are. Particularly between 11 AM and 2 PM, when the sun is highest in the sky, staying indoors or taking extra protective measures mitigates some of the damage done.
How To Reverse Skin Damage Caused By The Sun
The sun damages skin and often results in hyperpigmentation, sunspots, wrinkles, and fine lines. Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP) facials are a well-documented treatment for damaged skin and are an increasingly popular procedure.
Platelets occur in our blood and are rich in growth factor proteins – i.e., they stimulate cell production. By harvesting a platelet serum from your blood, Dr. Kato can create a natural, personalized anti-aging potion that stimulates cell regeneration and regrowth.
Taking a small blood sample, Dr. Kato refines the platelet serum from your blood then injects it into the areas of your face you want to be treated. The procedure is short, taking roughly an hour, and downtime is very minimal.
PRP treatments are non-surgical and have been shown to improve skin texture, tone, and complexion naturally. While some patients enjoy the volumizing effects of other anti-aging treatments such as dermal fillers or Botox, PRP provides completely natural-looking results without needing repeat treatments.
PRP for Sun Damaged Skin in Palm Springs, CA
You should first and foremost strive to protect your skin from sun damage. But we all know how difficult this can be to do all the time. If you have experience with sun-damaged skin and want a natural solution, consider PRP treatments in Palm Springs, CA.
The developing trend in the aesthetic and cosmetic industry is a desire for natural results. To achieve naturally smoother skin, patients are looking for anti-aging solutions that do not show any visible signs of “having work done.”
PRP facials offer this opportunity. With no foreign bodies or materials introduced to the body, the results are entirely natural and safe. To consult with a leading surgeon in Palm Springs, contact Dr. Maya Kato at 760 610 5558 or fill out her online form here.
Fun in the sun is one of the best ways to spend our days.
Whether it is a day trip to the beach, a weekend hiking and camping trip to the great outdoors, or simply a Sunday afternoon picnic in the park, these experiences are best enjoyed with excellent weather.
But when we venture outside into the unprotected rays of the sun, more than tanning happens to our skin if we don’t take the proper precautions. The UV rays emitted by the sun can cause us serious harm, resulting in aesthetically non-pleasing sunspots and freckles, or, far worse, the consequences of dangerous skin cancers.
Fortunately, a cheap and readily available barrier exists that protects our skin when we enjoy the sun – sunscreen. Most of us use it, but surprisingly, most of us misuse it and don’t get the maximum benefits from sunscreen.
Here, Dr. Maya Kato of Aesthetic Art Facial Rejuvenation covers the five most common sunscreen mistakes and how to avoid them so that you can get the best out of your outside playtime.
Infrequent Application
Sunscreen works by using active ingredients– titanium dioxide and zinc oxide– that sit on top of the skin and block the sun’s UV rays from coming into contact with our skin cells. This prevents damage to the cells, but only for as long as the ingredients are there.
Most sunscreens wear off after two hours and require reapplication to remain active. So, be sure to lather up at least every two hours that you are outside.
Not Using Enough
Most people don’t use enough sunscreen to provide maximum sun protection.
Every part of skin that is exposed to the sun should be covered. For an average adult wearing swim shorts or a bikini, the necessary amount of sunscreen to adequately cover their whole body is around 30ml, equivalent to a shot glass worth of sunscreen.
Not adequately covering your skin is akin to not having sunscreen on, so err on the side of caution and use more sunscreen than you think you need.
Using Old, Expired Products
Once sunscreen is past its used by date, the SPF (sun protection factor) drops rapidly. Because of this, it might not provide any protection.
Be sure to check your sunscreen; if it’s out of date, get a new bottle. It is possible that using out of date sunscreen can lead to early aging by over-exposure to the sun. If you are concerned that you may have existing sun damage, perhaps consider our skin products or a liquid facelift to restore your skin.
Not Making it a Habit
Always be prepared to enjoy the sun with maximum safety. Even your daily fifteen-minute walk from your office to your favorite café can be enough for the sun to damage your skin.
We recommend habitually applying sunscreen to your face, the backs of your hands, and other exposed skin. If you make sun protection part of your skincare routine, you will drastically reduce the aging process.
Its Cloudy – No Need for Sunscreen
This is a prevalent, and bad, mistake.
Many think that clouds work as an effective sun-blocker, but this is not the case. Cloudy days can amplify UV rays by the “broken cloud” effect, which is caused by the refraction of sunbeams.
Learn More
Dr. Maya Kato offers industry-leading advice on sun care, along with some of the best procedures to reverse the sun’s adverse effects on the skin. Reach out to our award-winning surgeon at 760 610 5558 or arrange a virtual consultation from the safety of your own home today.
The winter months often lead to dry, irritated and itchy skin, which appears cracked, unhealthy, and feels horrible. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
Winter skincare isn’t complicated – it only requires some commitment on your part. By following these tips from Dr. Maya Kato of Maya Kato Aesthetic Art Facial Rejuvenation, you can expect to enjoy glowing skin all winter long.
Why Does Winter Dry the Skin?
One of the leading causes of irritated skin during the winter months is excessive dryness. The ambient air is partially to blame, but our behavior has a lot to do with it, too.
Colder temperatures mean the air holds less moisture – thus resulting in low humidity during the winter.
Low air humidity makes it easier for our skin to lose moisture due to the gradient between our skin and the environment. Because the air has little moisture, particularly inside where the air is warmer due to internal heating, it wants to absorb as much moisture as possible. As such, it sucks your skin dry.
Compounding this problem is the fact that during winter, many people are chronically dehydrated. Because we don’t sweat much in the winter, we feel less thirsty. Nonetheless, our bodies still require a minimum of one, ideally two, liters of water every day to function optimally.
When the air is draining skin of its moisture, and we are not adequately replenishing our water levels, the result is getting dry skin.
Yet another winter behavior that factors into excessively dry skin is hot showers and baths. While a hot soak can be just the thing we need after coming in from the cold, the high liquid temperatures open our skin pores – and yes, you guessed it – open skin pores release far more moisture than closed pores do.
One way of addressing dry winter skin is by considering a chemical peel. Chemical peels remove skin damaged during the summer sun and give you a new canvas to work with during winter.
The following tips also aim at helping you retain as much skin moisture as possible during the winter months.
Prepare Your Water Before Bed
Drinking enough water throughout the day is the first step toward making sure your body has the necessary amount of liquid to keep your skin moisturized, delicate, and smooth. For most people, two liters a day is optimal.
One handy trick is to place a full glass on your bedside table before going to sleep. The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is to down the whole glass – this gets your day off to a perfect start and fulfills one-quarter of your daily water intake. Simple!
Finish Your Showers With a Cold Blast
We know – this isn’t the most appealing of suggestions, particularly considering the outside temperatures. But hear us out.
Finishing your shower with cold water has multiple long-term health benefits, including boosting immune function and improving blood circulation. It also closes your skin pores.
After a cooling-off period, your skin will better retain its moisture once you get out of the shower and get on with your day.
Moisturize
This tip might seem obvious, but moisturizing can make the difference between healthy, smooth skin or scaly crocodile hands.
Your shower is an ideal time to use a moisturizing body scrub. Once you seal your pores with the cold blast, you’ll trap the moisture in your skin.
Applying moisturizer after the shower and periodically throughout the day, mainly to body parts like the lips, cheeks, and backs of your hands, further encourage your body to hold moisture and keep your skin silky smooth.
Eat Right
This last tip shouldn’t come as a surprise either. One other complication that winter brings is shorter days and less time spent outside – for many of us, this means a deficiency in vitamin D.
Vitamin D helps keep our skin healthy, our moods up, and our bodies functioning correctly. By eating foods rich in vitamin D, such as egg yolks, cheese, liver, and most fish, we can supplement our vitamin D. (Of course, vitamin D supplements also work well for vegans or people with dietary requirements).
Next Steps
We’ve all experienced dry winter skin. The good news is that we don’t need to put up with it. With these four simple tips, and perhaps a chemical peel, you can enjoy smooth, glowing skin throughout the winter without having to make any significant changes to your daily routine. To discuss winter skincare, don’t hesitate to call Dr. Kato at 760-610-5558 or fill out her online form.
Let’s face it. Summers in Palm Springs are hot and dry. While this can be an excellent break from brisk and wet winter weather, Palm Springs summers can be harsh on the skin. Luckily, the right skincare routine can help minimize the potential damage caused by dry, hot weather. Consider adding these skincare habits to your routine to keep your skin looking dewy and glowing instead of dry and wrinkled.
Always wear sunscreen
Whether its lounging by the pool or hiking at one of the nearby parks, sunny weather undoubtedly means more time outside in the sun. However, increased time outside also means more time exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Extended exposure can cause untold damage to skin cells, hinder the body’s ability to produce collagen and accelerate the aging process. UV rays can also cause sunburns, which can, in turn, increase a person’s risk of melanoma, or skin cancer.
Adding sunscreen to your daily skincare regimen is one of the easiest ways to protect your skin from these serious health concerns. To make it even easier, many high-quality daily moisturizers also include SPF in them, keeping the number of products being used to a minimum. In addition to wearing a daily sunscreen, be sure to wear sunscreen if you’re headed out for a day of outdoor activities and reapply frequently to maintain protection.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
During the toasty summer months, hydration is especially key to maintaining healthy skin and body and for good reason. The dry summer heat raises our internal temperature, causing us to sweat more to stay cool and lose water content. For skin cells, water loss causes the cells to shrivel down, accentuating fine lines and causing the appearance of premature aging.
To prevent looking older than you really are, we recommend adding two key steps to your daily routine: drink lots of water, and incorporate lightweight hydrators into your routine. Increasing water intake will help refill cells from within your body and minimize the risk of dehydration. Lightweight but powerful hydrating serums and products can help cells hold onto more water longer, minimizing the risk of shrivel.
Shower temperature matters
Cold showers can feel amazing after a long day in the sun, and it can be great for your skin as well. Hot water has a tendency to dry out skin, exacerbating the effects of the weather. Instead, swap steaming showers for tepid ones and only stay in until your fingers start to wrinkle – this ensures that your skin cells are fully hydrated.
Go Light
Lightweight cleansers, lightweight serums, and lightweight makeup are your friends once the weather starts to warm up, and for good reason. Unlike their heavier counterparts, these products are designed to sit just above skin without blocking your pores. When looking for new products, always search for water-based, non-comedogenic – these will help you avoid untimely breakouts and won’t leave you feeling greasy or sticky at the end of the day.
Enjoy beautiful skin with help from Dr. Kato
From professional skin treatments to at-home skincare solutions, the team at Aesthetic Art is committed to helping patients achieve beautiful and healthy skin year-round. To help create the best skincare strategy for each individual, experienced Palm Springs cosmetic specialist Dr. Kato works closely with patients to understand their cosmetic goals and current concerns and ultimately build a strategy that fits into their lifestyle. To learn more about our approach to healthy, beautiful skin, call (760) 610-5558 and schedule your consultation with Dr. Kato today!
For many men and women, having beautiful, glowing skin can be the ultimate goal for a better, younger-looking appearance. Rather than waste time and money on over-the-counter products that may not work, these skincare habits are sure to help transform your appearance this year.
Start Fresh with Facial Rejuvenation
What better way to kick off 2019 than with fresh, rejuvenated skin? While at-home exfoliants may be enough to keep dead skin cells, investing in a professional facial rejuvenation can reset your skin for the better.
Options like chemical peel, microdermabrasion, and laser rejuvenation are specifically designed to remove dead skin cells while diminishing to appearances of flaws like wrinkles and scarring. By revealing new skin beneath, you can start the new year with a healthy, glowing look. At Aesthetic Art, plasma rich platelet facials are among the most popular and effective ways for patients to improve the look, feel and health of their skin.
Make Exfoliation an Essential to Your Skincare Routine
After you’ve come in for a professional skincare treatment, make your results last between sessions by adding exfoliation to your daily routine. At-home treatment with a high-quality exfoliant can help remove stubborn impurities as well as dead skin cells from the skin’s surface. This, in turn, helps reduce the risk of pores becoming clogged while leaving your face bright and glowing. To avoid over-exfoliation and drying out your skin, we recommend keeping this habit to once or twice a week. If you do it every day, you may end up drying out your skin or damaging healthy skin cells.
Moisturization is Your Friend!
Glowing skin is well-hydrated skin. When skin gets too dry, it overproduces sebum, an oil which can trap dirt and bacteria in pores and ultimately lead to breakouts. Invest in a high-quality moisturizer (bonus points if it contains SPF and is non-comedogenic) to keep skin well-hydrated and oil production balanced. Your skin will thank you now and in the future!
Eat Intelligently
Your skin’s health starts from the inside out. Just as a balanced diet of fruit, veggies, and protein can help keep skin clear and glowing, too much salt or processed food can have an adverse effect on your body and skin’s appearance. If you’re looking to achieve clearer, glowing skin this year, start by evaluating your dietary choice to ensure they include plenty of healthy and delicious foods and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Get into a Healthy Exercise and Sleep Routine
Your diet isn’t the only habit to impact your skin’s appearance. Consistently getting enough sleep and exercising regularly can also help you achieve beautifully radiant skin. We recommend aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each night as well as completing some form of light exercise daily to help keep your spirits and skin at their best.
Establish a Skin Care Routine
We’ve talked about exfoliation a lot, but that isn’t the only factor patients should be including in their day-to-day skincare routine. Furthermore, it’s important to note that good skincare habits are not a one-size fits-all. It can take the time to find the right skin cleansers, toners, and moisturizers that work in harmony with your skin and create the beautiful appearance you’re looking for. To start off on the right foot, meet with an experienced dermatologist can ensure you get the right products and routine for your skin type and lifestyle.
Start 2019 with Aesthetic Art
It’s never too late to adopt healthy skin care habits. At Aesthetic Art, our Palm Springs cosmetic specialist has helped men and women of all ages achieve beautiful, glowing skin with habits that can be easily followed. Call Dr. Kato at (760) 610-5558 today and schedule your skincare consultation today!
While your skin cells may replenish themselves every few weeks, your skincare regimen plays a critical role in creating a healthy environment for the cells to grow back and helping delay the inevitable aging process. Too often, however, many pay close attention to their facial skin and not enough to the skin covering other parts of the body. If you want your skin to look beautiful for a lifetime, be sure to pay close attention to these areas:
Hands
From when you first get up until you go to bed in the evening, your hands are constantly busy and at work. This also means that your hands are perhaps more exposed to changes in temperature, sunlight, water, chemicals, and other factors that can all leave skin more vulnerable to damage. Furthermore, hands are often the first parts of our body to show the signs of aging.
Rather than leaving these all-important tools exposed to the elements, regularly moisturize your hands throughout the day and apply a good quality hand cream at night. If you’re planning on spending time outside, be sure apply sunscreen to your hands or wear gloves if it’s going to be cold.
Feet
Much like your hands, your feet play a major role in your day-to-day life. Between the physical working, jogging and running between different daily obligations to the shoes you wear to complete daily errands, your feet are quite literally put through their paces and often overlooked in terms of care.
Give your feet the love they deserve. Daily scrubs and moisturization combined with a good soak can help restore and relax tired feet after a long day. For a more luxurious and well-deserved treatment, consider getting a good old-fashioned massage to better relax the muscles and remove tension.
Neck
Unless you’re planning on perpetually wearing turtlenecks, your skincare regimen should also include your neck and chest. Like facial skin, these areas tend to show wrinkles quickly and can prematurely age unwary patients. As neck skin is much thinner than facial skin, early wrinkle development is common among patients as young as their 20s.
To prevent the unflattering “turkey neck,” we recommend starting with daily sunscreen application and moisturization. Massages and sleeping on lower pillows can also help alleviate unwanted lines from developing too early.
Elbows and Knees
Another pair of easy to overlook areas, dry elbows and knees can be serious detractors from an otherwise flawless appearance. Likewise, as skin begins to sag due to the aging process, these areas can become noticeable for the wrong reasons. Regular moisturization and exfoliation can help ensure these joints stay well lubricated and soft. To prevent saggy looking knees, try turning to yoga and exercises that promote muscle growth on the legs and around the knees.
Start Your Skincare Routine with Dr. Kato
Since founding Aesthetic Art, Dr. Kato has proudly helped countless women find the right skincare solutions for their appearance and schedule. By helping patients identify their problem areas and recommending treatments that can be done at home between visits, our Palm Spring cosmetic surgeon is among the area’s top trusted physicians for skin and cosmetic care. To learn more about creating the perfect routine for your skin, call (760) 610-5558 today and schedule your consultation.
Even with the inclusion of countless creams and serums into your daily routine, the aging process affects everyone at some point in their lives. While most expect their first wrinkle to appear on their forehead or next to their eyes, many are surprised when the creases appear on their hands instead. Luckily, innovative options like Restylane Lyft are helping patients turn back the literal hands of time on their appearance.
Why Do Hands Wrinkle First?
Think about it – daily wear combined with the side effects of aging can gradually chip away at your hands’ skin health and appearance. Combined with often subpar hand care and moisturization, your hands are truly exposed to the elements on a daily basis, leaving them susceptible to showing the signs of aging earlier than other parts of your body. As a result, patients may notice a change in the texture of their hands. These common signs of aging include thinning skin, wrinkles, and diminished collagen production, all of which cause the bones, tendons, and muscles of the hands to appear more prominent.
Lift with Restylane Lyft
Like other Restylane products, Lyft relies on hyaluronic acid in order to smooth wrinkles and add volume. The naturally-produced acid is considered the key to skin hydration, making skin appear healthy, full and well hydrated. While most dermal fillers rely on a more viscous formula of hyaluronic acid to add volume to lips and fine lines, Restylane Lyft is designed to be slightly thicker consistency. This more substantial formula uses heavier hyaluronic particles, allowing the injectable to provide long-lasting volume to larger areas, such as the cheeks and hands without discomfort during the procedure.
Why We Recommend Restylane
Choosing the right cosmetic treatment can be a challenge for many. Here’s why we love Lyft for hand rejuvenation:
Simple, Straight Forward Treatment
While self-improvement can certainly be an eye-opening and multi-faceted process, you shouldn’t have to go to extensive lengths just to rejuvenate your appearance. Hand rejuvenation with a dermal filler like Restylane Lyft takes the stress out of cosmetic treatment by providing results in just one session. Many of the patients who visit our Palm Springs often schedule Lyft appointments over their lunch break then head back to work right after.
Proven Success
Restylane Lyft is one of just a few dermal fillers approved by the FDA for use on the backs of hands. Before getting approved for this application, the injectable had been successfully used to smooth nasolabial folds and add volume to sunken cheeks – other common side effects of aging. Furthermore, the FDA study preceding approval found that Lyft provides patients with lasting volume for up to six months.
Diverse Candidacy
As with every other cosmetic procedure, there is a certain group for whom Restylane works best. Luckily, this procedure has a wide net and has been deemed appropriate for patients 22 and older. As the formula is derived from hyaluronic acid rather than a synthetic compound, Lyft is safe and tolerable for many individuals, including those with sensitivities.
Rejuvenate Your Hands and Refresh Your Appearance
At Aesthetic Art of Palm Springs, our goal is to provide patients with cosmetic solutions that improve their appearance and self-confidence. While the hands are easy to overlook during daily care routines, they can quickly impact your overall appearance when not cared for properly. To learn how Restylane Lyft can rejuvenate your hands, call Dr. Kato at (760)610-5558 to schedule your consultation.
Sunny Southern California is known for beautiful weather year-round. While other states struggle with humidity and snow, we’re pretty lucky in that nearly every day is a balmy 75. However, the constant sun and dry heat can take a toll on our skin’s wellbeing and even accelerate the aging process.
If you live in the desert, try these tips for keeping your skin smooth, supple, and protected all year long.
Moisturizer is Your Best Friend
While the dry heat can be a welcome change for snowbirds from wet, snowy climates, those of us who live here year-round know how drying the Palm Springs weather can be on your skin daily. Without proper care, skin can quickly turn flaky or crack, making you look older than you are. Investing in a high-quality skin cleanser and lightweight daily moisturizer can help keep your skin hydrated and supple even on the hottest summer days.
Keeping your body well hydrated is another important step in desert skincare. If you want to enjoy beautiful, healthy skin, be sure to drink plenty of water during the day as well as limiting alcohol intake to the weekends or special nights out.
Protect Your Skin from the Sun
Did you know that Palm Springs boasts nearly 350 days of sunshine year-round? While a day spent tanning and reading by the pool is one of the top relaxing activities for visitors and residents alike, this leisurely activity can also take a toll on your skin if you don’t take the right steps to protect yourself. Regular sun exposure can accelerate the aging process by slowly destroying important elastin – the protein that keeps skin looking smooth. Over the years, this can cause fine lines and wrinkles, leading to the appearance of premature aging. Furthermore, sun exposure can increase the likelihood of developing skin cancer such as melanoma or basal cell carcinoma.
Rather than risking serious damage to your skin and health, we strongly recommend that all our patients wear SPF every day, even the occasional cloudy one. Even if you’ve never burned, a good quality broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher can help protect your skin from fine lines, burns and reduce the risk of skin cancer. In addition to sunscreen, packing a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses can help keep your skin protected.
Smooth Away Dead Skin Cells with Exfoliation
What do dust, oil, and sun exposure all have in common? Each of these environmental factors can accumulate on your skin, increasing acne development and premature aging. In drier, hot climates, the skin can over-produce oils that can clog up pores and create unsightly blemishes across an otherwise clear face. Likewise, dust and dried or dead skin cells can cling to your skin throughout long days, keeping your face from looking clear.
Regularly booking professional deep exfoliation treatments like microdermabrasion and chemical peels can help kickstart your skin’s natural healing process, remove dead skin cells and blemishes, and reveal healthy skin. Likewise, adding a daily or weekly exfoliation treatment to your at-home skincare routine can help keep these environmental stressors from accumulating.
Keep Your Skin Beautiful with Dr. Kato
Whether you’re visiting the desert for the first time or are a desert dweller like the rest of us, our team is here to help you keep your skin clear and ageless. In addition to consultations for creating your perfectly personalized skin care regimen, our Palm Springs dermatologist Dr. Kato can help you build a long-term treatment strategy that helps keep your skin looking younger for longer. To learn more about your options, call our team at (760) 610-5558 to schedule your next visit.
Over the last few decades, Botox popularity has skyrocketed, becoming one of the top non-surgical cosmetic procedures for men and women as well as an innovative solution for a number of physical health problems. However, frequent use can leave some long-time patients with Botox immunity, the plateau at which their muscles are no longer as responsive as they once were. Learn more about this increasingly common condition as well as some of Dr. Kato’s recommended alternatives for keeping a smooth appearance even after your last treatment.
What is Botox Immunity?
As most patients know, Botox is a highly refined version of the Botulinum toxin, a form of neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. When injected into fine creases and wrinkles, this toxin freezes the muscle in place, keeping it from moving for several months at a time and thereby preventing these lines from deepening and more from developing. As the body begins to process the toxin, the paralysis fades unless retreated.
For patients with Botox immunity, the injection gradually loses its potency over time, leaving patients with results that are less effective for shorter periods of time. Once individuals reach this plateau, most are required to get larger doses of the injection each session, look for an alternative, or stop cosmetic treatment altogether.
New research has suggested that there are several potential causes of Botox immunity. For starters, new studies have shown that true immunity develops when continuous injections lead to the natural development of Botox-resistant antibodies. For these individuals, repeat treatment sessions allow the body to slowly build up a tolerance to the toxin to the point where they no longer achieve the same results as they used to.
Not all cases of Botox immunity are the result of true resistance. In some instances, the amount used, injection depth and even age of the Botox material can all prevent the treatment from being as effective as possible. In these instances, choosing a highly experienced practitioner with access to high quality Botox is especially important when making the decision to receive cosmetic procedures.
Solving Botox Immunity
While the idea of Botox immunity can be overwhelming, true Botox immunity is extremely rare, occurring in about 1-3% of patients. As with anything else, moderation and accurate application by a specialized cosmetic surgeon or specialist are the best preventive steps for avoiding true Botox immunity. A trained specialist will know exactly how much to administer, where to administer the injection, and when to recommend touch-ups as well as the frequency of follow-ups. This personalized treatment development will help ensure that your results remain effective after each visit.
Although Botox immunity is rare, there will always be a small percentage of patients facing resistance. For these individuals, there are non-surgical solutions that can help you achieve similar results without having to resort to surgery. One such solution is Dysport, another botulinum-based injectable that uses smaller molecules of the toxin than Botox. This change in the molecular structure of Dysport allows it to bypass any antibodies that may have developed in response to the Botox while still providing the same results. While traditional Botox lasts a touch longer than Dysport, the two options provide incredibly similar results and are FDA-approved for traditional cosmetic needs as well as some physical health problems.
Start Your Botox Treatment Journey at Aesthetic Art Today
Whether used to keep wrinkles at bay or address temporomandibular joint disorder, Botox has proven itself to be a highly effective solution for diverse cosmetic and health issues. Enjoy the full potential results of this treatment and avoid immunity by scheduling treatment with an experienced cosmetic specialist like Dr. Kato. At her Palm Springs practice, the entire Aesthetic Art team is committed to helping all patients make the most of their treatment by creating personalized treatment strategies for all individuals. To learn more about Botox and Dysport treatment, call 760-610-5558 to schedule your treatment consultation.