How many times did I say or think “I’ll never do that” when I was young. Predictably, It didn’t take long for me to have to eat my words. As a student, a friend, or as a parent, I’ve had many opportunities to snack on my own words, which were usually blurted out in youthful judgement and exuberance years before. One can never really determine what will be the best action until one is in the situation. What is the old saying, “walk a mile in his shoes”? I think there is merit to that, whether or not it is actually practical.

What, might you ask, does this have to do with laser treatments or BOTOX Cosmetic? Well, many of my patients share comments that they hear from friends or family to the effect of “I would never do x”, substitute BOTOX injections, laser treatments, hair color or plastic surgery for “x”. Paradoxically, these patients are often complimented on their natural appearance by the very person who “would never do x”. However well-intentioned, these friends are often misinformed. The people that you look at and think they’ve had fillers, BOTOX or plastic surgery likely didn’t have it done by an expert or may actually have desired a glamorous or “Hollywood” appearance. Rest assured, they are NOT my patients. The ones who look refreshed, healthy, young for their age–they might be, but mum’s the word from me!

Thankfully, my practice attracts patients who want to look good, healthy and normal and I truly enjoy helping them. The basic stepping stones are sun protection/avoidance, good skin care and some preventive procedures which might include BOTOX Cosmetic to reduce lines of facial expression (frown lines, upper lip lines, crows feet, etc). Next, we might plan to undo some of the negative effects from years of prior sun exposure by using IPL, lasers or Ultherapy to reduce sun spots and spider veins and smooth the skin from looking prematurely weathered. Finally, a well placed filler injection can replenish lost volume in the cheeks and around the mouth. This is carefully done, to make sure the patient looks normal. No one in my office thinks the over filled lip or “fish lip” is a good thing!

If this sounds appealing to you, looking like yourself, just a bit younger and fresher, schedule a consultation and we’ll talk through a plan that is comfortable and within your budget.

I’ve been helping people look their best for longer than I should probably admit, and it is always fun to see them back at follow up with a statement such as “After my BOTOX Cosmetic injections two weeks ago, I’m getting carded again!”. This delightful young woman had a small dose of properly placed BOTOX Cosmetic and looks younger, more rested, but even more important, she looks natural and normal. “After my BOTOX Cosmetic injections two weeks ago, I’m getting carded again!”

“After my BOTOX Cosmetic injections two weeks ago, I’m getting carded again!”

MM, 34 years old

I pride myself in my ability to help my patients look their best in a natural and normal fashion that makes them their best “Younger You”. Too often we see women and men on television, the movies or in magazines that look ridiculous, artificial and “over done”. It saddens me to see this trend spread to Portland, while formerly it was mostly limited to LA and Seattle on the west coast. I hope most Portlanders will resist this trend and focus on taking good care of their skin, avoiding excess sun exposure, wearing sunscreen and perhaps considering some safe and aptly performed cosmetic procedures. While many of us enjoy the phrase “Keep Portland Weird”, I think the bulk of us want to avoid making Portlanders look weird with over-filled lips, unrealistically enlarged cheeks and a frozen, unnatural look. Not only are these outcomes absolutely unnecessary, they are not even attractive.

If you would like to enhance your natural beauty, perhaps undo some sun damage, reduce redness from rosacea, smooth acne scars or prevent lines of facial expression from worsening, please schedule a consultation. I’d like to help you, and I promise to do my best to give you good advice about your facial rejuvenation options with your safety and a natural, healthy appearance as our ultimate goal; we call it the Younger You.

Blue Peel RADIANCE by Obagi is a great treatment option to help refresh and renew your facial skin.

We can help you effectively exfoliate your skin, leaving a healthier, radiant skin appearance. This treatment is designed to provide a gentle but effective option to freshen your skin. It can stand alone as a mild rejuvenation treatment, but is even more effective when paired with the Obagi Nu Derm System, or in a series of treatments.

To prepare for your RADIANCE peel, be sure to wear an SPF 30 sunscreen on your face for at least a week prior to treatment. You’ll want to avoid sun exposure post treatment and to use gentle skin care for the first few days, returning to your normal skin care (including the Nu Derm System) within 5-7 days. As you transition to fresher, healthier skin, you may experience some mild peeling or redness, but most patients report a beautiful skin appearance early on, enabling this to be a last minute choice before a special event or weekend away.