Archive for the ‘Fillers’ Category

Why I Chose Dr. Karlinksy for Botox and Restalyne Treatments (by a regular Cobble Hill, Brooklyn mom who shall remain nameless)

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

So, my decision was made. After having done enough research on Botox and facial fillers to feel confident that they were safe—but also having learned that injection techniques and observance of safe product storage standards were of major importance—I was ready to find my doctor. But how—and whom?

Now, it’s not as though I didn’t have recommendations. Over the years, a handful of neighborhood moms had slipped me the name and number of their go-to injector under the table. (No one wants to bawl out: “HERE’S THE NAME OF THE GUY WHO GIVES ME MY BOTOX.”) But I had a few reasons for pause.

First, I didn’t want to have to schlep to Park Avenue for this. Honestly, I barely have enough time in the day to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner; bring children to and from school; do laundry; scrub bathtubs and toilets; and work for a darned living—only to make a special day-trip into Manhattan to do something that already felt rather decadent to begin with. So, no Park Avenue.

But there was another reason I was leery of poncy Manhattan cosmetic surgeons. I checked out some of the references that had been passed along to me, and I just didn’t like their whole affect: slick, oddly snooty, overly familiar in a way that I found creepy and offensive. I wanted a smart, prudent doctor who wouldn’t push me towards treatments that I didn’t want or couldn’t afford. Moreover, the women who had referred me to these guys looked, well, kinda injected: slightly swollen, frozen, off somehow. I just wasn’t into it.

Lastly, I had to admit that I wanted a woman doctor. Men seem to have a tough time understanding this, but there are women—including me—who just want a little lift for no reason other than that it makes them feel good when they look in the mirror. That’s it! They’re not doing it because they’re specifically trying to look good for guys. For me, and for many women of my age, feeling good when you look in the mirror does a lot to boost general outlook and self-esteem away from the mirror. That’s why cosmetic therapy works: It makes you feel good! I wanted a woman doctor who understood this.

So, requirements in hand, I started doing Web searches. All the results were men—but one: Victoria Karlinsky, M.D. of New Look New Life Surgical Arts. I checked to make sure that she was actually board certified; I checked all her credentials; I read every word of this Web site. But what really caught my attention was the frankness and prudence of her Botox counsel: a) don’t waste your money on it unless you plan on doing it regularly because the effects are cumulative; and b) she not only thought it was a terrific treatment as a cosmetic surgeon, but also as a user herself.

I thought: This is my kind of woman. So, I made my appointment.

Take advantage of our Fall “Face” Special: Treat Yourself to a Fresh Look!

NEXT WEEK: Why I LOVE Botox and Restalyne–and Dr. Karlinsky!

 

How I–a Regular Brooklyn Mom–Researched Botox and Restylane Before Taking the Plunge

Monday, October 11th, 2010

By a regular Cobble Hill mom (who shall remain nameless)

Before I could bring myself to give Botox and facial fillers a try, there were two things I had to do. The first was to make sure this stuff would not kill me or make me sick.

After doing my due diligence on researching facial fillers, such as Restylane and Juvederm, I concluded that there was zero to be concerned about. Both fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in all mammals, particularly around the eyes and in the joints. No warnings, no reported cases of complications—and its effectiveness in filling in the deep grooves around the mouth and “removing” the bags under the eyes was beyond obvious. So, no worries.

Botox, however, presented another story. Anyone who has ever heard of what’s in Botox has to wonder: Is injecting botulinum toxin—the same bacteria that causes food poisoning botulism—really an okay thing to do? No matter how much a person hates her permanent scowl lines, she wants to know if there are any real side effects, short- or long-term, that are deal-breakers.

There were real reasons to think that there might be in 2009, when an Italian study on lab rats showed that the botulinum toxin could travel from an injection site to the brain. Oh, that’s great, I thought as I read through the study. That’s just what I need: to have my case of “Mommy Brain”–a condition well-known to mothers everywhere, characterized by the staggering inability to remember anything other than what is going on in the moment–exacerbated by botulinum toxin poisoning.

It turned out, however, that such cases resulted from off-label uses of botulinum toxin (meaning, not approved by the Federal Drug Administration), such as pain and severe spasms in the limbs of children with cerebral palsy and migraine headaches—and that in such cases, the toxin had been injected into the bloodstream.

Injected in the proper dosage by a board certified, experienced cosmetic surgeon, botulinum toxin is never injected into the bloodstream, but into specific muscles. According to the FDA, which issued warnings about off-label uses of botulinum toxin, there was “no definitive serious adverse event reports of distant spread of toxin effect have been associated with dermatologic use of Botox/Botox Cosmetic at approved doses.”

The real issues with possible dangers of botulinum toxin injections for wrinkle control clearly emerged when patients went to unlicensed practitioners for them. First, only an experienced cosmetic surgeon knows beyond a shadow of a doubt how to properly inject it. Second, botulinum toxin type A–the kind used in Botox Cosmetic–must be carefully stored and handled. There are extremely strict regulations surrounding the temperature in Botox storage, expiration dates, and the use of opened vials–regulations which may not be observed by unethical (or simply uninformed) operations.

So, now I knew two things. One, I was definitely going to do it. Two, I was definitely not going to do it with anyone other than a board-certified cosmetic surgeon whom I trusted absolutely—and who was not going to make my face look like a frozen mask. That left me with only one question: who?

Take Advantage of Our Fall “Face” Special: Treat Yourself to a Fresh Look!

 

A Brooklyn Mother Confesses Her Love of Botox and Restylane Injections

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

September 20, 2010

By a regular Cobble Hill mom (who shall remain nameless)

Part One: The Woman, the Issue, the Revelation

I have told exactly one person—my closest mom friend—and I’ve sworn her to absolute secrecy. I didn’t want to tell anyone, but after she kept insisting that I must really have “found happiness” in spite of the relentless wrinkle- and eye-bag-producing circumstances that characterize all mothers’ lives, my conscience began to trouble me. I broke down. “Look, lady, I haven’t found happiness, okay?” I said. “I’ve found Botox and Restylane.”

Now, let me first make it clear that it was not part of my plan for aging with dignity to inject my facial epidermis with botulism or synthetic fillers. If you had asked me a few years ago about such cosmetic treatments, I would have scoffed smugly. But that was a few years ago. I am now almost 42, I now have three children (one of whom is under 2—and not a good sleeper), I’m a writer (not a stress-free line of work), and I looked every bit as plum tuckered-out as I still am. And, frankly, it was getting to me.

It was a flat-out bummer to look in the rear-view mirror and spy the crows’ feet atomizing from the sides of my eyes like icicles on a frosty window; the marionette lines grooving each side of my mouth; the sour-puss “11” festering between my eyebrows; the “five-head” to which my forehead had resigned itself. In a word: depressing.

I’m no Bergdorf’s blonde, or even brunette, but I like to keep my esthetic faculties about me. I didn’t need to look like I was in my 20s, but I didn’t want to look like a cadaver either. And I did look decidedly cadaverous.

So, after I’d spent a fortune that I could not afford on luxe face creams with exotic ingredients (one even had venom), I had a revelation: None of these work, and they never will. They may improve the texture of my skin, but there’s no way that they can do a damned thing for serious wrinkles and lines. The only thing that is really going to work is going under, and into, the skin. Period.

So, I did what I always do when I have a revelation: I launched an exhaustive line of research and investigation.

Take advantage of our Fall “Face” Special: Treat Yourself to a Fresh Look!

NEXT WEEK: WHAT I FOUND OUT

 

WHAT’S THE DOCTOR’S OPINION?:Fillers around the eyes

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Dr. Karlinsky answers your questions, whether you are just beginning to consider a cosmetic procedure for the first time or are interested in new treatments or surgeries. While the complete answers always require an in-person consultation with the doctor, we invite you to send us general questions that are on your mind at ask@newlooknewlife.com, Dr Karlinsky and our staff will select those that are of the most wide-ranging service to all our patients, both new and those already in our care. All questions are posted anonymously. 

Q: I have bags under my eyes and I’ve heard Restylane and Juvéderm can fix my “old, tired” look. But I’ve also read scary stories about hard nodules forming under the eyes, discoloration, and strange-looking “mounds.” What’s your opinion? 

A: As we age, we lose some of the firmness that lies under our eyes, creating a “bagging” appearance. Dermal fillers such as Restylane and Juvéderm are excellent treatments for replenishing what we have lost, but the injections must be done properly. If the injection is made at a superficial level, bluish discoloration and swelling can occur, creating the illusion of even bigger “bags.” They do go away over time, but the results can certainly look alarming. Injections must be made directly into the thin membrane that coats the bones that protect our eyes to achieve the proper results. This is not nearly as painful as it sounds, indeed, it is no more painful than any injection. What’s more, the results can last up to two years. 

Please check back with us at our blog for the week’s new question and answer feature. In the meantime, please call us to set up an appointment with Dr. Karlinsky, if you would like a free consultation.

 

 

"NO SAVING FACE: NY STATE TAXES FACIAL FILLERS"

Monday, August 9th, 2010

The bad news first. New York State is now adding an 8.875 percent tax on facial fillers, including Restylane®, Perlane®, and Juvéderm—FDA-approved gels that are injected just below the surface of the skin to fill in lines, wrinkles, and scars. As many of our patients know, all these fillers offer exceptional, non-surgical treatment for moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds (including “marionette lines” or “smile lines”), as well as sculpting lips and facial contours. [For more information on these treatments, click here.]

 More bad news: This new state requirement compels us to add 8.875 percent tax to the facial filler treatments we offer at New Look New Life Surgical Arts.

 There is, however, some good news, too. First, the tax cost may be alleviated for those patients who are already enrolled, or choose to enroll, in the Brilliant Distinctions® Points Program, offered in conjunction with Botox® and Juvederm XC® treatments.

 With each treatment, patients accrue either points to apply to follow-up treatments or a coupon that may be redeemed for cash at the time of the procedure. By opting for a cash coupon, our patients can mitigate the extra price-tag now associated with the New York facial filler tax.

 Second, the facial filler tax is a hotly contested one. Check back with us for updates.

 

Lips You Always Wanted

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Have you always wanted to have fuller lips; but think the recovery will take too long, or it hurts too much, or it means that you have to walk around looking like a duck for weeks?  Put your mind at rest.  You can have the lips you always wanted by simply seeing your Cosmetic Surgeon or Cosmetic Dermatologist, even during lunch if you wanted to.

There are many ways to enhance one’s lips, ranging from surgical methods to simple injections.  Some methods require some down time and some are virtually painless, requiring no incisions or foreign materials.

In our clinic we prefer to use facial fillers like Restylane to enhance the patient’s lips.  This particular method requires no time away from work, can be performed in the office and requires no incisions.  Although it is not a permanent treatment, it lasts anywhere from 5 to 8 months, the results are immediate and natural and with minimal risks for complications.  Most patients choose to have numbing medicine (which wears out in about one to two hours) for both upper and lower lips for greater comfort.

Another method which we utilize in our clinic is the use of micro-droplet silicone.  It is important to know that although this product has been approved by FDA to use in cases of detached retina, the use of silicone in the lips is “OFF LABEL”.   Just like the facial fillers, the silicone injections have no down time, can be done in the office and have a very low risk for complications.  The biggest difference is that it is a permanent treatment and the results are not immediate.   On average it takes 4-6 treatments for the patient to achieve the desired fullness of their lips, and the treatments must be performed no less than four weeks apart.   The silicone is injected in minute amounts, and the body reacts to the foreign material encasing the silicone spheres in scar tissue and collagen which makes the lips fuller.  The result is permanently fuller, soft and natural looking lips.  However, one must remember that with this particular method of lip enhancement; “Patients is Virtue”.  Using this method, one can never end up with lips that are too big or unnatural.

The more invasive methods of lip enhancement involve small incisions on both sides of the lip and utilization of materials such as Gortex (same material used in rain coats).   The result of this procedure is permanent, however, patients are more likely to experience prolonged swelling and bruising, and if infection occurs, the graft will likely have to be removed.

If lip augmentation is something you have been thinking about, feel free to call our clinic for a consultation.  We will be happy to provide you with additional information regarding these procedures.

Victoria Karlinsky-Bellini, MD FACS

71 Carroll Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
T: 718 288 5519 F: 718 797 9796
ask@newlooknewlife.org

 

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