| Treatments & Products | |
FOTOFACIALRF/ IPL Colour Correction The FotoFacial RF is a patented technology developed by a dermatologist and plastic surgeon. It is a series of treatments to the face, hands or body using intense pulsed light energy and radiofrequency energy combined in the same pulse. This is known as ELOS technology. The procedure is beneficial in the treatment of a number of cosmetic skin concerns including rosacea, sun damage, age spots, skin laxity and pore size. The light energy is absorbed by brown spots, blood vessels and redness leading to their elimination. The radio frequency energy stimulates production of collagen and elastin, thereby reducing fine lines and improving the skin’s tightness. There may be mild discomfort but a topical anesthetic can be applied prior to treatment to reduce or even eliminate this sensation. A cooling system is also used to provide comfort. There is no downtime! You can immediately return to your usual activities.You may notice some redness and perhaps swelling immediately after treatment. This will diminish over the next 24 hours. Browns will darken and may become crusty and slough off. You can apply makeup after treatment. Starting this fall Soma will be offering Syneron's Refirme Skin Tightening procedure. This procedure is a safe, non-invasive and virtually painless technology for effective skin tightening. The ReFirme Skin Tightening procedure, via wrinkle reduction, features revolutionary ELOS technology that enables you to comfortably achieve a more youthful, tightened and lifted appearance. The combined Bi-polar Radio Frequency and Light energies of ELOS technology precisely heat the dermal tissue within the target treatment area. This stimulates collagen production and produces a firming effect in lax skin. Fine wrinkles are reduced, noticeable lifting can be observed and the texture of your skin becomes more elastic. ReFirme treatment is quick, safe and has no downtime! Is ReFirme right for me? ELOS technology enables ReFirme Skin Tightening to be safe and effective for all skin types. When can I expect results? Most patients see gradual and cumulative results throughout the ReFirme Skin Tightening treatments. The total number of required treatment sessionsdepends on your skin condition.
Botox Cosmetic is a simple, non-surgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily smooth moderate to severe frown lines, crows feet and more. Botox works by relaxing the muscles that cause wrinkles giving you a more refreshed appearance. Botox Cosmetic is an injectable purified protein derivative. It works by reducing the activity of the muscles that cause lines to form and is administered in extremely diluted dosages. Treatment takes about 10 minutes and involves a few tiny injections. A very small needle is used to inject the Botox into the muscle. There is minimal discomfort. Following the procedure you may experience a very small bruise at the injection site. Improvement can be seen within several days and lasts up to 4 months. Botox has been safely used for ophthalmic disorders for over 10 years. When Botox was used to treat ophthalmic patients, one physician noticed that the lines around her patients eyes improved. In April 2001, Botox Cosmetic was cleared for use in Canada for patients with facial wrinkles. Since then many satisfied people have been safely treated. Dermal fillers are used to correct deep folds, wrinkles, superficial lines as well as used to shape facial contours and enhance lips. At Soma, we use Restylane, Perlane or Juvederm – all of which are hyaluronic acid based gels. Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally found in our bodies. It is bio-degradable and is a non-animal product. There is no risk of transmitting disease or causing an allergic reaction. During the consultation the doctor will listen to your concerns and recommend the product that will work the best for the specific areas. No pre-testing is required and the results are immediate. The gel is injected into the skin with a needle. A topical anesthetic may be used if you are concerned about the injections being uncomfortable. When the lips are being enhanced a local anesthetic is often used to relieve discomfort. After the injections you may experience some swelling, bruising, redness, itching or tenderness. These symptoms will usually resolve within a few days. Some people may experience a hypersensitive-type reaction that includes symptoms such as redness and tenderness that start a few days to four weeks after injections. Most symptoms are self-limiting and usually resolve within two weeks. The doctor will see you for a follow-up appointment two weeks after injections. The results can last a long time, from six to nine months and a follow-up treatment can be done at that time.
What is the VolumaLiftTM Treatment? The VolumaLiftTM is a procedure that is designed to bring back youthful beauty, vitality and attractiveness through the volumetric replacement of soft tissue that has been lost with age. The VolumaLiftTM is a volumetric facelift, restoring "the fullness of youth" safely, effectively and non-surgically. As the name itself implies, the VolumaLiftTM produces a "rested" and "lifted" look. What happens when we age: As we age our facial skin and soft tissue undergoes the "3 Ds" of aging deterioration (wrinkles, pores, texture, brown and red pigmentation), descent (droopiness of the soft tissue) and deflation (loss of the above supportive fat buttresses). For skin deterioration, we have the FotoFacial RF, Botox, intradermal fillers and medical skin care. For descent, we have FotoFacial RF. For deflation, the VolumaLiftTM. How is the VolumaLiftTM treatment performed? Your VolumaLiftTM physician will take an injectable gel product (Restylane, Juvederm, etc) and inject specific amounts of the product into the specific fat buttress regions, restoring the 3 dimensional structure to the soft tissue envelope, plumping out, filling and lifting the overlying facial skin and restoring the attractive "fullness of youth." How long does the VolumaliftTM take to perform? Once you've finished your consultation and you and your physician feel you are a VolumaLiftTM candidate, the actual injectable facelift and volumization takes less than one hour to perform. Is the VolumaLiftTM painful? The VolumaLiftTM is not very painful. The skin is frozen with local anesthesia prior to the procedure and the needles are passed through only the frozen skin. The injectable gel used during a VolumaLift is deposited very deeply along the facial bones, where there are very few pain fibers. The injectable fillers are much more painful when injected into lines than when they are used deeply to contour and shape the face. There is virtually no pain after the VolumaLiftTM is completed. Are there any risks to VolumaLiftTM? The VolumaLiftTM is very safe but you may experience some bruising and swelling, asymmetry (which is correctable), as well as a very remote chance of allergic reaction or infection. Lumpiness may occur, but is usually palpable and deep and not visible. Simple massage will usually correct any lumpiness. Can I combine my VolumaLiftTM with other procedures? Yes, the VolumaLiftTM goes well with FotoFacial or photorejuvenation, Botox, intradermal line fillers, Thermage and ThreadLift. Physicians may elect to combine several of the minimally invasive procedures together for best results. How long will VolumaLiftTM last? The duration of your injectable lift effect will vary depending upon the product used, between 7 - 8 months to years. The off-the-shelf gel fillers, such as Restylane, Juvederm, etc may only last several months when injected into the dermis and skin, but will last much longer when injected deeply along the bone. Is there any downtime after a VolumaLiftTM? Yes, there is an unpredictable degree of bruising (everyone is different). One should plan on between 1 - 3 days before you can use camouflage makeup effectively. One should also discontinue any medically unnecessary aspirin, NSAIDS and blood thinners. Microdermabrasion is recommended to anyone who wants a fresher appearance. This deep exfoliation revitalizes dull, dry, flaky skin, improving the texture and tone of your skin. It’s a quick and effective form of exfoliation that is safe for all skin types. Skin will appear softer, brighter and smoother. It can diminish the appearance of fine lines, pore size and age spots. Microdermabrasion is safe, nonsurgical, no anaesthetic is required and there is no downtime – it is known as the “lunch hour face lift”. This treatment is a good choice for skin that is sensitive to chemicals. It only takes 15-30 minutes. For best results, a series of 5-6 treatments, spaced 1 to 3 weeks apart, is recommended. After only one treatment you will notice smoother, softer skin. Mild pinkness and tightness of the treated skin will sometimes follow treatment; this will fade within 24 hours. Exercising immediately afterwards may make the area blotchy in appearance; this will resolve over the next 12 hours.
This treatment is used to soften fine lines and wrinkles, improve the tone and texture of their skin and decrease pore size. It may reduce the appearance of mild acne scars as well as improve acne and pigment problems. A glycolic acid peel is a simple procedure that improves skin texture by removing damaged outer layers. Peels are available in a range of strengths- from 20% to 70% glycolic acid. A series of increasingly stronger peels may be needed, depending on your skin’s condition. There is a two week pre-procedure routine that introduces your skin to glycolic acid (if you are not already using it). There are some products and procedures that increase your sensitivity to the peel and should be discontinued a week before the peel. These include electrolysis, waxing, hair dyes, retinol and other exfoliant procedures (such as microdermabrasion). The procedure itself takes about 20 minutes. Afterwards you may experience redness, stinging, itching or mild discomfort. These reactions subside within a few days. You can have peels done once a month to maintain the results achieved. Sunblock is recommended. LaserPeel 3G is a laser skin refreshening treatment, specifically designed to peel the skin layer by layer, allowing the doctor to control the depth of skin removed. The LaserPeel can range from a superficial peel to a moderately deep peel. It will effectively reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles, sun damaged areas and acne scars. At the time of the consultation a medical questionnaire and assessment will be completed and the doctor will set up a treatment plan including the depth of the peel and the number of peels required to achieve the desired results. To alleviate any potential discomfort during treatment we provide a topical anesthetic to be applied to the skin. The treatment can take up to an hour, and the doctor may recommend up to three treatments done monthly. You can expect to have redness and peeling - in fact your skin will look very much as if you have a sunburn. The duration of redness/ peeling will depend on the depth of peel. There is a post-treatment skin care regime to follow and this will be discussed at the time of consultation. Traditionally ablative procedures can produce dramatic results. Results are long lasting if the recommended skin care regime is followed and sun block is used.
BLU-U is a treatment for moderate acne without antibiotics or other medications! It is a special blue light that can kill p. acne bacteria in your skin. The p. acnes bacteria are responsible for the pimples associated with uncomplicated acne. This treatment is simple, safe, and painless; you simply sit with your face close to a blue light for a short time, usually 15 minutes once or twice per week for 5 weeks. After several weeks the blue light can control your acne, or clear it up for a long time.
Levulan Photodynamic Therapy- Acne This is the most recent advance in acne treatment. A solution called 5-aminolevulanic acid (Levulan), a photosensitizing agent, is applied to the skin and then the BLU-U is used to activate the solution. It treats the acne by 3 modes of action: destroying the bacteria, unclogging pores and decreasing the activity of the sebaceous glands. Levulan Photodynamic Therapy- Photorejuvenation Levulan used in combination with a light source (ELoS, BLU-U) effectively treats actinic keratoses (precancerous sun spots) as well as moderate to severe acne. It also enhances photo rejuvenation results, improving wrinkles, pores, skin texture, rosacea, sebaceous hyperplasia and pigmentation. There is a potential for PDT to prevent skin cancer. This treatment involves minimal discomfort. The Laser Nurse will apply the Levulan after a facial scrub. The Levulan is activated with the Aurora and /or BLU-U after a period of 30 minutes to 2 hours. During treatment you may experience tingling, prickling or burning sensation that goes away after treatment. After 3-7 hours you can expect slight redness, peeling and flaking of the treated skin. Stay out of the sun and bright light for the next 48 hours. The PDT solution is still active for 24 hours after treatment. Depending on the severity of the skin condition being treated, a person may require up to 5 treatments, performed about 4 weeks apart. Article on Levulan and IPL: www.cosmeticsurgery-news.com/article2268.html Article on Photodynamic Therapy: www.cosmeticsurgery-news.com/article2708.html Sclerotherapy and Compression Therapy Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical office procedure that treats spider veins and varicose veins. A very small needle is used to inject a medicated solution into the veins causing them to close down. They are gradually reabsorbed by the body. An important part of the treatment regime is the use of compression stockings. They improve the effectiveness of sclerotherapy treatment by approximately 25%. There are many benefits of using these stockings immediately after treatment as well as at other times when your veins may be under increased pressure. Not everyone is a candidate for sclerotherapy. A consultation is the first step to finding out if this is the best treatment for you. You can get a referral to our clinic from your family physician. At the consultation one of our certified fitters will measure you for compression stockings and go over how to apply and care for them. The doctor will review your medical history and an exam will be performed. The doctor will discuss your treatment options and further arrangements will be made if sclerotherapy is the choice for you. There are a few things that will make the treatments more effective: do not use ibuprofen or aspirin 2 days before treatment, do not shave your legs, do not use any creams or lotions on your legs and bring shorts. Prior to treatment you will have an opportunity to ask any questions and express any concerns. Treatments can take up to 30 minutes and you could require up to several treatments. You can expect some bruising and perhaps some little “bee-sting” type lesions at the injection site. These lesions improve quickly, however the bruising will last longer. After treatment we recommend you wear the stockings daily - the length of time will be determined by the severity of your condition. A follow-up appointment will be scheduled for 2-3 weeks time. All post treatment instructions will be reviewed before you leave our office. After the initial set of treatments, some clients choose to return to the clinic at regular intervals, perhaps annually, to maintain the appearance of their legs.
ULTRASOUND GUIDED FOAM SCLEROTHERAPY- An Alternative to Surgery! Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy is a method of treating large varicose veins and junctional incompetence that previously were treated by ‘vein stripping’. The procedure requires two steps. The first step is an ultrasound to ‘map’ the leg veins. This gives us a picture of the complexity and source of the problem. The next step is treatment. Under ultrasound guidance, a foam sclerosant(medicine that closes the vein) is injected into the vein of concern. The foam irritates the wall of the vein and causes it to ‘stick closed’. Over time the vein scars down. It is visible on ultrasound and so can be guided where it is needed. Most people resume normal activities in 1-2 days. Varicose veins and spider veins are chronic conditions. One of the best preventative measures is the continued use of compression stockings. Compression therapy works by increasing the blood flow in the vessels, decreasing the diameter of the veins, decreasing backflow or reflux in the superficial veins which in turn improves the calf vein muscle pump. Compression therapy decreases swelling and pressure in the tissues of the legs and improves circulation in the capillaries, thereby improving the delivery of nutrients to the skin. The stockings improve circulation, thereby relieving the physical symptoms (heavy, aching legs) and slowing down the recurrence of varicose and spider veins. Besides their use for varicose veins, they are recommended for use on long trips- or any period of prolonged immobility- varicose veins in pregnancy, leg swelling of pregnancy, superficial thrombophlebiits, post thrombotic syndrome and other related conditions With a physician’s referral the initial consultation is covered by MSI. MSI will only cover treatment of the larger varicose veins. You can discuss this with the doctor at the time of your consultation. MSI will not cover the cost of treatment of spider veins and small varicose veins regardless of whether or not they cause you symptoms. The compression stockings are covered at least partially by most private insurance plans.
Using the patented ELoS technology, we can successfully reduce hair of all colors and textures on a variety of skin types. Men and women alike, with black, blond to grey hair are valid candidates for this treatment. Treatment can be done on a variety of skin types and hair colors and types by using a combination of intense pulsed light energy with radio frequency energy. Depending on hair colour and type treatment can take as few as four to as many as eight sessions - possibly more with very stubborn grey hair. Patients can expect about 20-25% reduction in hair with each treatment. Side effects of this treatment might include some redness of the treated areas, but will quickly subside within 24 hours. There can be some mild discomfort with this treatment but a cooling system is used to reduce this sensation. For areas that are particularly sensitive a topical anesthetic can be applied 30 minutes before treatment. http://www.syneron.com/patients.html |
