Dr. Silberblatt
offers a complete range of skin rejuvenation procedures and
services. To learn more about a particular procedure,
click on a topic below:
Botox works by both interfering with the release
of a chemical from the nerve to the muscle and destroying
the receptor site. It is injected in small doses to areas
where muscle activity causes wrinkles to occur. The
effect is seen in two to seven days and lasts three to seven
months. The most common sites treated are the frown lines,
forehead wrinkles and crow’s foot lines. Average costs
vary from $250 to $600 per treatment, depending on how many
areas are treated and how much Botox is used. Side effects
such as bruising, drooping of the eyelid or blurry vision
are rare and usually resolve in two weeks.
Now that the FDA has approved its use, Botox injections may
begin to be offered by certain practitioners whose background
in cosmetic surgery and medicine is limited. In choosing a
physician to do your injections one should look for someone
who has been trained as a cosmetic surgeon, devoted his practice
to this field, has experience in all aspects of cosmetic surgery
and therefore understands how the facial muscles work and
how selective paralysis will affect them. Dr. Silberblatt
is proud that he was the first to use Botox in the Roanoke
Valley to smoothen facial wrinkles and now has six years of
experience with it. Botox is very sensitive and unstable
and must be stored and reconstituted with care. Dr. Silberblatt
mixes and handles all of the Botox himself. On average,
we treat ten patients per week with Botox and can help all
our patients incorporate Botox as part of their overall health
and beauty plan.
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Early Wrinkle
Treatment
There are many things that can be done for the early
signs of aging which can help a person to preserve a youthful
appearance for a longer period of time. Simple skin
care with Retinols, Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Hydroquinones
can maintain the texture and eliminate discolorations of the
skin. Superficial irregularities can be smoothened by microdermabrasion.
Wrinkles and scarring can often be made unnoticeable by chemical
peels, dermabrasion or laser resurfacing. Botox
can be used to control wrinkles of the mid forehead, crows
feet and even some in the neck. Deeper wrinkles around the
mouth or in the naso-labial folds can be improved by collagen
or fat injections. Vascular lasers can eliminate facial veins.
All of these services and many others are available
in our office.
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The most common cause of facial skin
deterioration is excessive prior exposure to ultraviolet radiation
resulting in melasma (brown spots) and premature aging. In
the last few years, products have been developed which can
reverse some of these changes. Retin A and Alpha
Hydroxy Acids can reverse many of the changes observed in
photoaging. Hydroquinones can reduce the uneven pigmentation.
Cleansing lotions and moisturizers are less comedogenic and
sun screens have become more effective. Newer chemical skin
peels can make facial skin smoother in both color and texture
without obliterating normal pigmentation. If used
on a regular basis, these agents can form a permanent skin
care regimen that will result in more youthful appearing skin
for a longer period of time.
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Many years of unprotected exposure to
ultraviolet radiation can damage the skin on your face.
Areas receiving more exposure (nose, chin and cheeks) or having
thinner skin (ears) will often develop skin cancers earlier.
Larger lesions need to be excised or burned off. Difficult
lesions (recurrent ones or ones on the eyelids) will sometimes
respond best to radiation therapy.
Pre-cancerous lesions such as actinic keratoses
can be treated by superficial shaving, freezing with liquid
nitrogen or 5-flourouracil cream. There is evidence to show
that the long term use of Retin A can reverse some pre-cancerous
changes. Daily skin care programs with alpha hydroxy acids
may further enhance this effect. The daily use of
a sun screen with an SPF greater than 15 is mandatory. Insurance
will cover surgery, freezing, burning and radiation of lesions.
It will not cover skin care programs and may not cover the
use of Retin A.
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The vast majority of people can safely use collagen
to help smoothen facial wrinkles. Before starting
any collagen injection treatments, all patients must have
a skin test to determine if they are allergic to the collagen.
This small injection in the forearm is observed for 1 month
for any reactions before treatments begin. Such allergies
are uncommon.
Concerns about the subsequent development of rheumatoid arthritis
or other related illnesses appear to be unfounded. Concerns
about “mad cow disease” are also groundless because
the cows used are from a specially cared for and protected
herd that is not fed potentially contaminated material. Once
injected, it is important to understand that the collagen
does NOT remain there permanently. It is
broken down just like all other tissues in the body but not
replaced. Therefore, to maintain the effect, collagen
must be re-injected every three or four months. Although
some people may feel that this is a drawback, Dr. Silberblatt
considers it an attribute. The amount of collagen that is
appropriate at one point in your life may be excessive or
malpositioned years later when your skin has aged and changed.
Thus, the body can breakdown the collagen in its normal fashion
and your physician can "fill the needs" as they
appear. The main disadvantage of collagen therapy is its expense
that is typically between $1000 and $2000 each year, depending
on the quantity of collagen required.
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