It is called the “Madonna Lift” because this is the procedure that became popular in Hollywood when Madonna (Yes, that Madonna) underwent the procedure to turn back the clock on her eyes.

       So good news for those with fine lines and wrinkles or drooping skin around the eye, we have a new non-surgical alternative to improve the area by tightening the lower and upper eyelid skin and lifting the eyebrow for a younger look. In some cases it can lessen undereye dark circles as well. This procedure makes use of the Fractional CO2 Laser (Accupulse Laser or CICU Laser) that is also used for laser skin resurfacing and the treatment of acne scars.

       For further questions, you can contact the clinic or schedule an appointment.

       There are two kinds of Obagi Chemical Peels, the original Obagi Blue Peel and the Obagi Radiance Peel (It is also called the Blue Peel Radiance but I prefer to call it the Radiance Peel so patients wont confuse it with the original Blue Peel and your skin isn’t blue during the treatment but rather white). So what is the difference between the two?

       The original Blue Peel is a controlled, well-designed TCA-based medium to deep peel that does wonders to the skin. I use this for patients with rough skin, pigmentation, wrinkles and acne scars. The reason why its called the “Blue” Peel is because it uses a dye that makes your skin blue during the treatment but most of it is cleansed off before you leave the clinic. Fewer sessions are needed and can be done around 2 months apart. There may be a few days of downtime but the results are worth it as the new skin underneath is revealed.

       Here is a patient (actually a resident of mine) who wanted to improve her skin texture, oiliness, pigmentation and acne. Here are some before and after pics after doing an Obagi Blue Peel on her:

       After the skin peeled off, there was marked overall improvement as you can see in the "after" pictures*. Now here is another patient who presented with Melasma on her cheeks. This is after one Blue Peel session*:

       I know the lighting was a bit different in the "after" pictures but you could see the improvement of the pigmentation. We also took some before and after pics with the VISIA Scan machine using consistent lighting:

       (After the treatments, both patients were maintained on the Obagi Nuderm System)

       The Radiance Peel is a salicylic-based superficial peel aimed at restoring your skin’s radiance. I use this for patients with oily and acne-prone skin (patients note a decrease in oiliness with this procedure) due to its salicylic properties, those with mild to moderate pigmentation and to patients with dull looking skin. During the procedure, the skin turns white because of the salicylic acid precipitate but is cleansed off before you leave the clinic. It can be done every 2 weeks for 4 to 6 sessions with no downtime.

       This was how the mild flaking looked like with the Radiance Peel in a patient of mine after 2 to 3 days:

       Here is a pic of me and my residents in the middle of their Blue Peel and Radiance Peel before it was washed off:

       For further questions or inquiries, you can send an email or directly contact my clinic at Makati Medical Center or House of Obagi (Greenbelt 5).

       Dimpling in the buttocks and thighs are due to cellulite. Compared to fat, cellulite is harder to remove with all these non-invasive procedures due to the fibrotic bands that are perpendicular to the skin. These bands enclose the fat lobules making them adhere to the surface causing a “dimpling” or “orange peel” effect. Hormonal fluctuations and age cause these fibrous bands to contract, harden and pull down on the surface of the skin, creating the dimpling we know as cellulite. This is why cellulite exists on women of all sizes, and why it tends to appear and worsen at times of great hormonal changes. Hereditary factors, diet and lifestyle also play a role in its formation.

       The Brazilian Cellulite Treatment (BCT) is a procedure that I learned from Dr.Raffy Karamanoukian to reduce cellulite by directly releasing all these fibrotic bands making the “dimples” disappear. This treatment can precisely target ares of dimples, skin ripples, contour problems, and lumpy areas on the hips, thighs and buttocks. It usualy takes 1 or 2 sessions under local anesthesia and there is minimal to no downtime. Other fat contouring procedures such as radiofrequency or ultrasound cavitation procedures may be done or continued after dissecting the cellulite.

       Here is a video showing more information on the procedure:
       Brazilian Cellulite Treatment (BCT)

       For further questions or concerns, you may contact the clinic or schedule an appointment.

       I know this is a sensitive issue and being a dermatologist doesn't mean i only see patients for aesthetic purposes... Half my practice involves skin diseases. This is one article for the GUYS... well only some guys. Being one of the few male dermatologists in our hospital, I usually get to see these patients and get referrals from other doctors regarding this problem.

       To you guys out there, if you see lesions or growths down there (pubic/genital/perianal/inguinal areas) and you know it shouldn't be there, don't hesitate and have it checked right away. It may just be a simple condition like an irritant or allergic contact dermatitis, a fungal infection or a bacterial folliculitis... it could just be a benign growth like a mole, cyst, skin tag, etc... Or, it could be something more serious like STD's or something that could be cancerous. The most common skin-related STD's that I see are viral infections: Genital warts(HPV) followed by Molluscum contagiosum (MCV) and Genital Herpes(HSV).

       Those who don't seek consult right away usually have the following reasons... one of which is embarrassment in telling and showing the doctor (especially if it's a female doctor) since its a taboo topic in our culture and other reasons are fear of knowing the disease they have, fear of the parents or partner finding out, fear of the treatment that will be done and ignorance or not caring about it at all.

       Depending on which condition, most of these are usually easy to treat especially when caught early on. There are various ways of managing them (medical or procedural) but most guys fear the pain involved in doing a procedure on their private parts. There are actually lots of ways to make the whole procedure painless but people don't know that because the topic as I said is taboo in our culture. Most of them usually tell me that they should have had it checked way before if they knew that the procedure didn't hurt at all.

       If you prolong it and just brush it aside, one or all of the following could happen: nothing... if it is a benign lesion, multiply or increase in size or in some diseases spread systemically making it more difficult treat... be transmitted to other people, especially your loved ones. So don't prolong it and have it checked. Prolonging it may lead to worrying about it all the time and this could make a person develop anxiety, depression and a decrease in libido. So do it for your health, do it for your partner.

       Since this is a sensitive topic you can send an email directly at slacsonmd@gmail.com for any questions or you set an appointment.

       Some people love to wear heavy earrings and as they get older, there is a loss of support and elasticity in the earlobe causing the holes to get bigger and sometimes giving them a “floppy” appearance… this also makes the earrings dip in a downward direction.

       The usual remedies would be to close the holes surgically and create new ones after 6 to 8 weeks. Surgical repair of the hole is the better option in cases of torn earlobes. For milder cases, there is an alternative remedy that is more conservative and less invasive. This ear rejuvenation procedure can be done by using hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm ultra to restore its youthful look by plumping up and forming a base of structural support on the earlobe. It's a quick procedure using only topical anesthesia.

       For those who are interested in the procedure, you can contact me or make an appointment.

       Does the ball of your feet hurt every time you walk when you wear high heels? Does your work require you to wear high heels most of the time? Or do you just love dressing fashionably with heels even though they always hurt your feet?

       Finally, there is a solution... and this new procedure is now available here!

       The interest in doing this procedure called "Foot Fillers" or "Foot Pillows" as some sites would call it came about from complaints of foot pain when walking on high heels in a flight attendant patient of mine. Sometimes this pain can be so bad that it affects the way the person walks leading to pain in other areas of the feet. So for those who are experiencing the same problem, you can finally get rid of the pain and walk like you have cushions at the balls of your feet.

       The procedure involves the use of a hyaluronic acid or collagen filler to fill up the lost volume on the ball of the feet. Some doctors in the US prefer to use fillers like Radiesse, Restylane/Perlane or Juvederm, etc... I prefer to use Hyaluronic Acid with the new Juvederm Voluma which can last twice as long and it uses thicker particles for better volume replacement. It is a 30 minute out-patient procedure done under local anesthesia.

Before	Immediately After

Before	Immediately After

       The new high speed Ligth Sheer DUET system offers several innovative improvements over previous laser hair removal systems. Vacuum assisted technology combined with a dramatic increase in the laser spot size enables a greater depht of penetration, and improved absorption of energy at the hair follicle. These improvements mean the treatment times are reduce by 75% in many cases, for instance we can treat backs and legs comfortably, without anesthetics and gels. Treatments are done every 1 to 2 months for 4 to 8 sessions depending on the type of hair and area involved.

Benefits of the New Duet Laser hair removal system:

No anesthetic required

No messy gels

No more painful treatments

75% faster treatment times (can treat a full back in 20 minutes)

Now able to treat dark skin type

High-speed integrated vacuum-assist technology

Eliminates prep time

       The SurgiWire wrinkle release procedure is a new method for reducing large and deep facial wrinkles by loosening the fibrous tissue underneath. It works well on the nasolabial folds (laugh lines on the side of the nose), glabellar folds (between the brows), deep folds in the forehead and depressed scars/areas. This is a good option for those who are not candidates for filers or don't want to have fillers injected. In some patients, it can be coupled with a dermal FILLER or BOTOX for superior cosmetic results.

What SurgiWire is Exactly

       This is an easy and highly effective way to reduce those deep facial lines, scars and depressions that you don’t want to be able to see anymore. To have SurgiWire performed, you just need a little anesthesia and about an hour in the clinic. A few small punctures will be made in the skin with tiny needles and then a very small surgical wire will be placed underneath your skin, beneath your wrinkled area. As the wire is completely removed, your deep lines and wrinkles will then be released and entirely smoothed out.

Why SurgiWire Works

       When you smile and laugh or simply just show some sort of emotion on your face, over time expression lines form and deepen. The muscles under your skin are responsible for this happening. SurgiWire simply releases these muscle attachments and allows your skin to lay smoother and look more youthful. Other procedures such as synthetic fillers, paralytic agents, or fat are injections that are intended to lessen the depth of mild to moderate wrinkles by either decreasing the motion of expression muscles or plumping up the areas immediately under the skin. The SurgiWire procedure differentiates itself because it removes the connection to deep wrinkles and lines, which are eliminating the primary reason wrinkles worsen quickly over time.

How Do You Know if You are a Good Candidate

       If when you look in the mirror and notice your furrow or expression lines every time, this may work perfectly for you. To visualize how SurgiWire will work for you, just take your fingers and separate your eyebrows to flatten out that small area of skin in between. If it is not your furrow that’s bothersome and it is your smile lines, place your fingers right on your cheek bones, pull your skin up towards your forehead and just watch your skin flatten along the sides of your nose. As you are looking in the mirror and doing this, your skin appears to be smoother and almost wrinkle-free, this could probably be the right procedure for you.

Advantages of the SurgiWire Procedure*:

• Smooth skin with no incisions or scars
• Fast procedure, fast recovery and can be done with local anesthesia.
• Can be used with or without cosmetic fillers or laser resurfacing
• Nothing left behind in the body
• Immediate results

You can check out the video in this link below where Surgiwire is featured...

Surgiwire Feature (Video)

       We have a newly acquired Pulsed Dye vascular laser which is considered the gold standard among lasers for the treatment of vascular lesions.

       This is very good for those with telangiectasia, leg veins, cherry/spider angiomas, hemangiomas, port wine stains, rosacea, persistent redness, reddish acne marks, reddish stretch marks, reddish scars and keloids, etc.

       This laser can also be used for photorejuvenation and lightening certain types of pigmentation. The treatment interval is usually monthly and the number of sessions will depend on the type of lesions treated.

       So for those of you that have any of these or anything similar to these... there is hope!

 ex. Hemangioma*

 ex. Portwine Stain*

 ex. Rosacea*

 ex. Spider Angioma*

 ex. Telangiectasia*

 ex. Reddish Acne Marks*

 ex. Keloid Scars*

       These are the ideal treatments for those who want results quickly in a short amount of time without undergoing any surgery. These are usually popular among those who only have a few days to get something done and come out with immediate dramatic results. These are FDA approved treatments and are generally safe when done by a qualified physician.

   BOTOX

       For those with wrinkles on the forehead, in-between the eyebrows(glabella), around the eyes(crow’s feet) and on the sides of the nose(bunny or wolf lines) when you make facial expressions like frowning or smiling… this treatment is for you. These are known as active wrinkles since they involve facial muscle movement. This simple procedure involves small tiny injections on the desired areas.

       Botox can also be used for other purposes… in facial contouring for those with square jaws(masseter hypertrophy) to make the jawline less prominent and more ovally feminine, and in patients with increased palmar or axillary sweating(hyperhidrosis).

  FILLERS

       For those with deep frown lines(nasolabial folds) and deep wrinkles(especially the letter “H” in-between the eyebrows)… this is your best alternative if you want a major improvement and you don’t want to undergo surgery. This procedure uses hyaloronic acid injections(Restylane or Perlane) on the desired areas and the results are instant and can be appreciated right after the session

       Fillers can also be used for elevating depressed scars, augmenting the lips, the nose and other skin contour deficiencies to make it more enhanced.

       A very popular procedure and a favorite among my patients. The GOLD standard laser hair reduction machine. there are only 2 types of machines that really work well for hair reduiction and this for me is the best one. I know there are some machines out there being used that don't work that well.. but i'd rather not mention these machines.

       It gets rid of excessive unwanted hair on the upper lip, face, underarms, chest, back, arms, bikini line (or "brazilian") and legs. Treatments are usually done every 3 to 6 weeks for 4 to 8 sessions depending on the type of hair and area involved.

       This is another favorite procedure of mine... and its also known as the RF-Lift(Radiofrequency Lift). I usually combine this with the PIXEL Resurfacing Laser so that I hit both the superficial and deep areas of the skin for complete rejuventation and optimal anti-aging effects. This can also be combined nicely with Diamond Peels, IPL, Botox and Fillers if needed.

       This is a non-surgical method for skin tightening and facial contouring that uses radiofrequency with DermaRF technology to heat up the dermis to the required temperature without damaging the outer skin to produce collagen remodelling. It targets skin laxity and sagging over the face and neck by creating a tighter jawline, improving the nasolabial folds and reducing undereye puffiness and laxity. It also reduces wrinkles, fine lines and pore size as it tightens the skin.

       The treatments are done every 2 weeks for 6 sessions. The good thing about this procedure is that there is zero downtime and it is relatively painless with no anesthetic required.

Here are some links from singapore regarding this procedure:

http://www.prleap.com/pr/98329/

http://www.simply-aesthetic.com/radiofrequency.htm

       This is DEFINITELY one of my favorite laser treatments when it comes to patients who want to smoothen the skin, to lessen wrinkles, fine lines, large pores, uneven pigmentation, sun damage.. and especially acne scars.

       Its a new treatment using a 2940nm Erbium YAG laser to resurface the superficial layer of the skin. The Pixel technology produces less epidermal ablation and less thermal damage thus promoting rapid healing. The advantage of this machine is that it gives very good visible results after each session with only a minimal downtime of 3 days on the everage because of the "pixel" technology.

       Sessions take around 20 minutes and this may be used on the face, neck, chest, arms, and hands... and I usually do this to patients every 3 to 4 weeks for 3 to 4 sessions depending on the area and condition to be treated. If you want to know more about this procedure, you can search or Google it.. or just call the clinic.