All posts by Western Dermatology Consultants

What Are the Best Ways to Relieve Dry Skin?

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“How do I stop my skin being dry?” Albuquerque, NM’s Western Dermatology Consultants team regularly hears this question from patients dealing with the challenges of living in an arid climate.

Dry skin is not limited to desert life, however. The common condition affects people of all ages from time to time and can impact any area of the body. When your skin is dry, it causes the surface to be rough, itchy, flaky, and scaly. Some patients may notice a feeling of skin tightness, cracks that bleed, and fine lines. Dryness also makes wrinkles look more pronounced. If you have dry skin, you might have a compromised skin barrier.

Although the obvious cause of dry skin is lack of moisture, it’s actually amore complex problem. An impaired skin barrier and a deficiency or dysfunction of the skin’s essential fats might be contributing to the issue.

While dry skin isn’t typically a serious problem and is extremely common, it can be uncomfortable—especially if it’s severe or makes it difficult to work or sleep.

Hydration is important for keeping your skin nourished and glowing throughout the year and if you have grown up in an arid region like New Mexico, it’s likely that you’re aware of the effects dry skin can have. Don’t assume that simply layering on tons of moisturizer will make the problem automatically go away.

In this post, we explore some of the best ways to soothe dry skin and restore a dewy, supple appearance.

Avoid Fragrances

Read labels carefully and look out for skin products that contain fragrances, since they can irritate dry skin. Fragrance-free products will always be the better option.

Be Wary of How Baths and Showers Dry Your Skin

If your skin is feeling dry, be sure to keep the door closed, use warm rather than hot water, limit bath times to just five to 10 minutes, switch to a gentle cleanser, and moisturize your skin immediately after drying it.

Use an Ointment or Cream

Look for ointments or creams that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter, and petrolatum instead of applying lotions.

For more information about dealing with dry skin, contact the Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call us at 505-855-9267 or contact us online to request a consultation.

Can Chemical Peels Help with Facial Lines?

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Do skin resurfacing treatments reduce wrinkles? Our Albuquerque, NM-based Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants team says yes! We regularly recommend chemical peels for minimizing fine lines and wrinkles on the face. As a type of skin resurfacing procedure, chemical peels have been used for a millennia and are still one of the most popular methods for treating a variety of skin concerns.

Peels involve the use of an acid to remove the skin’s damaged outer layers in a controlled fashion as a way of stimulating its regenerative processes. This makes them highly effective for softening wrinkles.

In this post, we’ll explore the science behind chemical peels and how they can reduce wrinkles.

Wrinkles developdue to a variety of stressors, such as natural aging, sun damage, exposure to pollution, smoking, and repetitive facial expressions. As mentioned above, chemical peels work by removing the outer layers of dead skin cells. This strategy can make fine lines and wrinkles appear less noticeable—but that’s not all that peels do. Chemical peels also stimulate the production of collagen, which is a protein that helps keep the skin firm and elastic.

Collagen production naturally decreases as we age, which can lead to the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin. By stimulating collagen production, peels can help improve the overall texture and firmness of the skin, which can make wrinkles less noticeable.When the skin beneath the layers that are peeled off heals and grows, it has a more youthful, smooth, and even appearance. In fact, the main reason why many people get this skin resurfacing treatment is to minimize facial wrinkles.

In addition to stimulating collagen production, peels can also improve skin tone and texture, reduce the appearance of age spots and sun damage, and help unclog pores and prevent acne. For the best possible results, it’s important to take great care of your skin during the healing process. Just remember how important it will be to protect your skin from sun damage after a chemical peel by avoiding direct sun exposure and wearing sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher for several weeks. Avoid poking, picking, or peeling your sensitive skin. Our Albuquerque-based team at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants will explain more about how these treatments restore more even, radiant skin for a naturally beautiful look. Call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Juvederm® Volux™?

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Although you may have heard about this revolutionary new facial filler, you may be wondering: “Am I a good candidate for Juvederm® Volux™?” Our Albuquerque, NM-based The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants is now offering this filler for jawline contouring—and is at the frontline of the new treatment for New Mexico.

A person’s jawline has a major impact on their appearance. Juvederm® Volux™ is the newest addition to the family of Juvederm® fillers and the first injectable hyaluronic acid filler to receive FDA-approval for enhancing the jawline area specifically.

Plenty of people wish that their jawline had a more chiselled appearance, but—due mostly to genetics—they may have a weak or recessed bone structure in the lower face. Aging can also cause the jawbone to lose volume. Alternatively, some people already have a fairly defined jawline, but want to give it a more sculpted look.

Volux™ has been approved for addressing moderate to severe loss of jawline definition. Some of the ways Juvederm®Volux™ can enhance your look include:

• Improving harmony by altering facial proportions

• Giving the jawline a more sculpted or defined appearance 

• Making the facial structure look more masculine

• Lifting the jawline to achieve a more youthful appearance

• Adding more definition to a chin that is “weak” or recessed 

• Addressing the appearance of jowls

Almost anyone over the age of 21 could be a good candidate for this filler, though those who are allergic to ingredients in Volux™ or who have a history of allergic reactions to other hyaluronic acid fillers may need to explore other options. 

One of the characteristics of Juvederm® Volux™ that sets it apart from other fillers is that it has a greater level of structure, cohesivity, and lift capacity. This makes it ideal for achieving a more chiselled jawline. In fact, Volux™ is significantly firmer than Voluma™, which used to be the thickest filler in the collection.

Our certified nurse injector Bianca Meza was part of an exclusive group of nurse injectors nationwide who were given early access to training in Juvederm® Volux™.

Interested in Volux™ and what this new filler can help you to achieve? The team at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants can explain more. If you have questions or would like to find out more about how this jawline filler works, call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation. 

How Can You Boost the Results from Latisse®?

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Are you curious about how to make Latisse® work better? Our Albuquerque-based team at the Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants recommends this product as a solution for sparse eyelashes—and knows that every patient wants to maximize their results as much as possible.

Eyelash loss may occur due to a variety of causes, including medical conditions, environmental factors, and incorrect eye makeup application. Normal aging can also cause lashes to become thinner or fall out.

Latisse® is highly effective for increasing the length, thickness, and darkness of eyelashes. Although this treatment is fairly straightforward, there are some tips you’ll need to know to optimize results:

• Ensure that your face is completely clean. You’ll need to carefully remove eye makeup and dry your face thoroughly after cleansing because it’s always best to apply the growth serum to a clean surface

• Remove contact lenses before applying Latisse®

• Add a few drops to the brush and apply it to the base of your upper lash line 

• Apply the serum only to the upper lash 

• Avoid getting too much of it on the eyelid skin or allowing it to drip into the eyes. If any of it is dripping, you’re adding too much to the brush

• Don’t apply it more than once a day, since adding more of it will not make your lashes grow any faster—not to mention using too much could cause irritation and waste product. Give the Latisse® time to work

• Keep the bottle and applicator clean to avoid bacteria that can cause infections 

• Use Latisse® regularly and be disciplined to get the most from this eyelash growth serum. It’s best to use it every night before bed rather than just once in a while

• If you find it stays in place better and doesn’t get onto your pillow as much, you might prefer to apply it in the morning instead 

• Don’t try to play catch up if you miss a day—only one drop per day is needed 

• Be patient, because it will take some time for the Latisse® to work

Call our Albuquerque, NM-based team at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants today at (505) 855-5503 or fill out a contact form to get in touch with our team if you’d like to learn more about this treatment and other options for enhancing the eye area.

3 Myths About BOTOX®

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It’s often impossible to fully avoid wrinkles—even if you do all the right things, like vigilantly applying sunscreen. All the small movements we make with our faces each day while talking to others, communicating our emotions through facial expressions, and other activities will eventually result in the development of expression wrinkles. There’s a simple way to temporarily soften these wrinkles and restore a younger appearance—BOTOX®—but there are also many myths circulating about this treatment. Because of the rumor mill, it can often be difficult to know what’s true and what’s false. One of the biggest questions many patients have is: Will I look frozen with BOTOX®? Our Albuquerque, NM-based patients frequently ask us this when they’re considering injectables to reduce facial wrinkles.

With that in mind, here’s what you should know about the myth of BOTOX® making you look expressionless—as well as other common myths about this treatment. 

Myth 1: BOTOX® Gives You a “Robotic” Look 

There’s a common misconception that your face will look “frozen,” “unnatural,” or “tight” after you’ve had wrinkle injections. When BOTOX® is performed by a skilled, experienced injector who does it correctly, the results can actually look very subtle. It may even be difficult for others to tell that you’ve had it, even if they see that you look refreshed or even younger. It’s important to use small amounts of BOTOX® and have it injected into the right areas so that the face is still able to move normally. 

Myth 2: Wrinkles Will Get Worse if You Stop Using BOTOX®

It’s true that your wrinkles will come back if you stop using BOTOX®, but you don’t need to worry about lines developing faster and worse than they were before. This isn’t the case. In fact, consistent long-term BOTOX® use may even “train” your muscles to relax more, making wrinkles less visible even if you eventually stop treatments.

Myth 3: BOTOX® Injections Will Be Painful

BOTOX® is injected with a very fine needle, and most patients say it causes less discomfort when compared to most other cosmetic treatments. Some patients say they feel a slight pinching or stinging sensation during injections, but the solution itself is not painful. There are only mild, temporary side effects as well.

Our team at The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants will take all of the steps to ensure that your results from wrinkle injections look as subtle and natural as possible. Call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to request a consultation if you’re searching for the most effective techniques to soften facial wrinkles. 

How Do You Prevent Sleep Wrinkles?

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Injectables are commonly used for targeting different types of wrinkles, which leads many people to wonder: Can fillers help sleep lines? Our Albuquerque, NM-based team at Western Dermatology Consultants explains that hyaluronic acid facial fillers such as the Juvederm® collection—and other treatments—can be helpful for softening sleep wrinkles on the face. Here’s what you should know. 

Chronological aging causes wrinkles to develop on the face and elsewhere, but there are also some lesser-known, more recently discovered causes of lines and creases in the skin that patients should be aware of. Too much unprotected sun exposure is one of the most likely causes of premature aging, since the ultraviolet radiation burns the skin, causing lasting damage that can result in the development of wrinkles and pigmented spots. 

The constant movements of the skin during facial expressions—such as frowning, smiling, squinting, and blinking—also stretch the skin and can cause certain types of wrinkles called dynamic wrinkles to form.

Sleep wrinkles, however, are caused by constant pressure when you press your face against a solid surface while you’re sleeping. In fact, skin care professionals now believe that the “way” you sleep is the second-most external cause of wrinkles, after sun exposure.

Sometimes when we wake up in the morning, the first thing we notice is “pillow face.” These lines and creases result from the position we slept in the night before, and they usually fade within a few moments. Over time, however, wrinkles can get etched into your skin. We spend thousands of hours asleep each year, during which our faces are squished into pillows or moved around, creating friction when the skin can’t glide easily against fabrics. 

To address these sleep wrinkles, injectable fillers plump the tissue beneath the skin, making it smoother and more even. Chemical peels promote collagen production and skin cell turnover to soften wrinkles.

Focusing on prevention is also important. Since sleep wrinkles occur due to the position of the skin and pressure from high-friction fabrics, use silk or satin pillowcases that slide easily against the skin rather than gripping it. You should also sleep on your back and avoid sleeping on your hands. 

Learn more from the Albuquerque, NM-based The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. For more information about reducing wrinkles with facial fillers, call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation with us. 

3 Interesting Facts about Facial Fillers

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Many of the visible changes that occur in the skin as you age—such as wrinkles and hollowed or flattened areas in the midface—develop because of a loss of volume. In addition to a decline in collagen over time, our skin also loses moisture and a significant percentage of facial fat as we age. Dermal fillers—one of the most well-known options for temporarily improving facial contours and lines—are injected beneath the skin’s surface to essentially “replace” the volume that has been lost. These small injections are ideal for enhancing the appearance of the skin. They can also be used to maximize the effectiveness of botulinum toxin injections when combined. Considering all of this, the first thing on your mind when you’re thinking about having a cosmetic treatment may be a common question: Is it worth getting fillers? Our Albuquerque, NM-based team believes that these injectable treatments can be highly beneficial for many patients, making them well worth the effort.

See below for some of the most fascinating facts about fillers you may not have heard before. These interesting tidbits can help you understand the treatment better, as well as inform you as you consider your options for facial rejuvenation.

1. Dermal Fillers Can Be Natural or Synthetic

Many of the most common facial fillers contain naturally derived substances. For instance, most formulas contain hyaluronic acid, which is a version of the same molecule your body produces to regulate moisture in the skin and lubricate tissues in the body. Hyaluronic acid can hold onto 1,000 times its own weight in water. 

2. Results Are Visible Right Away

Everyone wants fast results from cosmetic treatments if possible. Unlike botulinum toxin injections, which can take several days to start having a visible effect, the impact of facial fillers is visible almost as soon as the injections are finished. Patients may sometimes experience swelling that can initially obscure the results and make the treatment area look slightly overinflated, but this will resolve on its own after a few days and reveal more pleasing contours.

3. They Produce Natural Looking Results 

Since many fillers are made of naturally derived substances, this means your skin will look and feel natural after a treatment session. Our experienced injectors used advanced techniques to make results look subtle. 

Is it worth it getting fillers? Our team at the Albuquerque, NM-based Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants is available to answer any of the questions you might have about these treatments. Call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation.