The market is flooded with various claims and products that mislead or simply don't work. Our own Dr. Zubowicz has put his experience and expertise into writing, in order to better inform the public. Click here to read some of his advice.

 
$130.00 per Kit

LATISSE^® is a topical prescription product from Allergan

The FDA has approved Latisse, the first drug to promote eyelash growth. It is produced by the company Allergan.

LATISSE^®, contains the active ingredient of the glaucoma Drug Lumigan, which is also made by Allergan. It is by prescription only.

Eyelash Growth is a known side effect of Lumigan. But Lumigan and LATISSE^® are used differently. Lumigan is an eyedrop, and Latisse gets dabbed along the lash line on the upper eyelids to promote longer, thicker, darker lashes.

LATISSE^® users can expect to experience longer, fuller, and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks.

For more information, click here to download a PDF, or here to see how LATISSE^® could work for you.

Visit our skincare page for even more details on this incredible product.

Finally, an Office Laser That Works

The plastic surgery marketplace is littered with various machines that do not work very well or not at all. In an attempt to tighten skin and correct visible sun damage, patients have spent literally billions on ineffectual treatments. I see patients nearly every day who have spent thousands on disappointing results in the aftermath of painful treatments. I have written about some of these bogus methods in previous newsletters.

I have used a conventional C02 laser for many years. It is a very good tool in carefully selected patients. However, it is a very sharp two-sided saber.

There are occasionally unwanted collateral changes. For this reason, I recommend use of this laser to a very narrow range of patients. It is used infrequently with careful consideration given to the benefits and side effects.

We have offered other topical skin treatments as well as the C02 laser for many years. I have been looking for an intermediate therapy to fill the rather large gap of invasiveness between these two modalities. Until now I have been disappointed with the results of various options that have come and gone. They have been largely ineffectual, costly, and painful. A new laser that is much gentler than the C02, but gets demonstrably good and predictable results ( in properly selected patients) has become available. It is called the Pearl laser. I recently purchased a Pearl laser after treating a number of patients with pleasing results.

One has to remember that a good result is the product of marrying capabilities of a given treatment with the expectations of the patient. The Pearl laser has the ability to successfully treat specific (and relatively minor) aging problems. My satisfaction with its performance justifies the acquisition.

Not Much Pain, But Plenty of Gain

In particular, the Pearl  laser can do its job with very modest discomfort, requiring only a topical paste anesthetic. This allows us to treat the patients in the office without sedation. They can drive themselves to and from the session. Patients have been asked to rate the magnitude of pain for different skin rejuvenation treatments. A rating of 1 implies almost no discomfort whereas a rating of 10 is excruciating pain. The C02 laser rates a 9 or 10, almost intolerable pain, which is why I put my patients undergoing this treatment to sleep. The Fraxel is 5 to 7, tolerable by most patients but still significantly painful. The Pearl scored a pain rating of 2-3. I was personally treated and would rate it as a 0-1.

Only One or Two Treatments Necessary

Another strong advantage is the requirement for only one or two treatments to get the maximum benefit. The Fraxel laser seems to get decent results, but it is more painful and sometimes demands as many as seven separate sessions for best results. In my opinion, this is needlessly expensive and uncomfortable.

I have been told by several colleagues that use the Fraxel that many patients do not get the full benefit of the treatment plan because they cannot complete the required sessions. Frankly, it does seem extraordinarily inconvenient to have to travel to and sit through 5 to 7 episodes.

Brief and Easy Convalescence

Finally, the healing phase after treatment is relatively short and tidy. Many lasers damage the skin so deeply that an open wound ensues, requiring the patient to nurse the treated area with various washes and emollients. The Pearl, on the other hand, leaves the treated area covered by the epidermis that has been ablated. In about 3 or 4 days, this layer of the skin flakes off as new epidermis is generated.

The skin is now pink, much like a sunburn. Makeup can be applied. In about 3 days more, the skin looks a healthy pink without any cover up. Physically, there are really no restrictions even immediately after treatment. Socially, appearance may impose restrictions based on individual circumstances.
 

Your only additional cost will be:

 

• 1 jar of Aquaphor (drug store)
• 1 pretreatment prescription (the nurse will call in to your pharmacy)
• 1 tube of $45.00 numbing cream (purchased at our office)
• 1 bottle of white vinegar (grocery store)
• 1 bottle of Cetaphil Cleanser (drug store)

Dr. Zubowicz is Board Certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Surgery, and the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

He was licensed to practice in the State of Georgia in 1976.