Alexander Z. Rivkin M.D. is a Yale trained facial cosmetic surgeon and UCLA faculty member who has focused his practice exclusively on providing his patients with the latest in non-invasive, non-ablative cosmetic treatments in Southern California. He understands that no one relishes the thought of “going under the knife,” and believes modern medical technology can provide today's patients with superior alternatives to invasive, painful surgery that requires a long recovery time.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Active Fx to Correct Texture after Chemical Peel

I am much too young for a facelift of any kind. But in March I had a chemical peel done to my face that left my skin with a rough texture/orange peel look. Do you know about this side effect? I have tried many other procedures such as micro-dermabrasion, smoothbeam and creams to fix or help my skin but nothing is working.

When I take my skin and stretch it back a little, my skin looks smooth again though. So this is my I am considering a facelift. I am most interested in focusing on the apples of my cheeks and a bit below that, towards my mouth. What are your thoughts on this?

I was also considering a rhinoplasty as a have a bulbous nose and would possibly like to thin it out very, very slightly. My main concern is the facelift, but the reason I mention this is because I was curious whether having a rhinoplasty along with the face lift, would allow you to tighten the skin better in the areas I desire.


Thank you for your time.




I do not think that a facelift will help you.

The problem that you are describing has more to do with the texture of your skin than with overall skin laxity. I have heard of this kind of thing happening, but I do not really use chemical peels, so I have not experienced it among my patients.
It takes a lot of energy to change the texture of your skin once this kind of thing has happened. Microdermabrasion and creams will not help. Smoothbeam is an okay choice, but even that is not potent enough, in my opinion, to change the topography of your facial skin. The only laser that I have seen to really have an effect is the active fx. I would suggest that you do a bit of research on that laser - it should help tighten your skin a bit and smooth out the orange peel effect.

Regarding your nose, it sounds like you would be a candidate for non surgical rhinoplasty. It would be a shame to undergo surgery for a subtle effect such as the one you're talking about. It can be achieved with a few steroid injections.

http://www.westsidemedicalspa.com/activefxlaser.html

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Monday, July 21, 2008

Red after Chemical Peel and Blepharoplasty Question

I have had 4 deep chemical peels done to remove severe acne scarring over the past 7 years. After the last one my skin has stayed bright red. It has been almost a year now and it is not fading. I now have to always use a moisturizer with a green tint and thick waterproof makeup in order to cover it up and it still looks red in pictures. I won't even let my husband see me without makeup. I am scared to go swimming with my kids because the makeup might wash off. I had the chemical peels so I wouldn't have to wear so much makeup. What would be the best treatment to get rid of the red?

Also I am 37 and have droopy upper eyelids, they almost rest on my upper lashes. The are not crepey but just a fold. Is there something I could do other than eye surgery?



That's a long time to be red! You should not have to suffer through this without help.

I would go to your dermatologist and ask their advice about the redness. IPL photofacial or YAG laser treatment would be a good idea for you. You will probably need several treatments, but it is worth it.

By the way, you may want to speak to the office that did your last peel. This is a problem that they had a hand in causing, so they may want to take some responsibility in fixing it.

In terms of your eyes, I do not think that you are going to get away from having a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) - there's no way to tighten that skin non-surgically. The good news is that it sounds like you have an issue that insurance may cover: when the skin folds over so much that it interferes with vision, medical insurance will cover the procedure. I would speak with an oculoplastic specialist.
Hope that helps.

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