The Body Beautiful Surgeon » Lunchtime Peel

Spring and Summer Skin Care at Boston Plastic Surgery

Carla Moss — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:29:25 +0000

If the springtime flowers were not enough to convince you that summer was just around the corner, then certainly the heat wave that hit the Boston area in early June was. With 90 to 98 degree weather, everyone felt like it was mid July. And for Boston Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Richard A. Moss and Dr. Fouad Samaha the phones were ringing constantly with patients inquiring about breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and liposuction. Everyone is thinking beaches and bathing suits and “Oh boy! I want to look my best!” But Hey! Wait a minute! Don’t forget your skin, ladies (and gentlemen). If there is ever a time to think about the health and beauty of your skin it is now. And I mean N-O-W, now! Unfortunately many patients think “I’ll just bake in the sun, get a tan, and worry about it in September.” But not Carla Moss, wife and Practice Manager for Dr. Richard A. Moss. She considers healthy skin a year round investment. And part of her routine includes occasional laser treatment sessions with Kathy Antonowicz R.E., R.I., a licensed medical aesthetician who provides skin care in the office of Dr. Samaha. Dr. Samaha’s practice is also known as Boston Plastic Surgery.

This is a picture of Carla Moss having her broken capillaries (telangiectasias) around her nose treated. The treatment is painless and you look normal after treatment.

Dr. Samaha has a cosmetic surgical practice similar to that of Dr. Moss and like Dr. Moss performs many procedures such as breast augmentation, abdominoplasty surgery, and liposuction as well as many facial procedures. In addition to his surgical practice Dr. Samaha has opened a Skin Wellness Center within his practice and also offers many of the current treatments for skin care such as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), the Titan Laser, Photo Laser, and the Genesis Laser Treatments. These treatments provide improvements to the skin with very little down time. Dr. Samaha also provides treatments with an Erbium laser. For more information on specific treatments please go to www.bostonplastic.com This link will take you directly to Boston Plastic Surgery website pages that are specific to the laser skin care treatments.

Because Dr. Moss has chosen not to include laser skin treatments within his practice, his wife, Carla, needed to seek treatment in another physician’s office. Well aware of the quality work provided by Kathy Antonowicz R.E., R.I., she chose to have her treatment provided by Kathy. “There is an absolute proliferation of medical skin spas but unfortunately many of them are not overseen by physicians that have a background in cosmetic surgery,” states Carla Moss. “Many of these spas are in the local malls and the main streets of many of our towns and cities. The actual facilities may be very impressive from an aesthetic standpoint, but it is often near impossible to figure out who is the physician in charge is and what specialty he/she is board certified in,” she further explains.

It is so important that potential patients understand that while many of these treatments are performed by licensed medical aestheticians, they are done so under the medical license of a physician. It is important that the medical aesthetician has easy access to this physician for questions and advice and that the physician has extensive training and education in the area of cosmetic laser procedures and safety. Plastic surgery is one of the few board certified specialties that include training in the use of lasers for cosmetic treatments in both their residency programs and in their courses for continuing education.

Medical lasers are usually classified as Class IV lasers. These are considered the lasers having the strongest effect and capability and need to be operated under the safest of conditions. “I always feel very comfortable with my safety when I am being treated at the Skin Wellness Center in the office of Boston Plastic Surgery,” Carla Moss says. “Kathy is very knowledgeable and follows all the safety precautions.”

The new spring colors in the Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup

On a lighter topic it should be noted that a new order of Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup has arrived. “I was so excited to look at the new spring colors,” said Carla Moss. “I started using this makeup at my very first laser session and found it to be my favorite brand. I love the way it evens out my skin tone in a very natural way. In addition, I have very sensitive skin and have had no allergy or irritation problems with the Jane Iredale line.”

This picture shows Kathy and me selecting my Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup purchases. Please note that my skin shows no discoloration or irritation from the laser treatment I had just received from Kathy.

It should also be noted that Dr. Samaha moved his practice and the Skin Wellness Center a few months ago to a lovely new location at 2300 Crown Colony Drive, in Quincy. This new office also houses an in office accredited Surgery Center as well as Dr. Samaha’s medical practice and the Skin Wellness Center. Anyone interested in an appointment can call 888-806-4844 or 617-786-7600 and ask for an appointment.

For Healthier Looking Skin Consider a Vitalize Peel™

Carla Moss — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 13:32:53 +0000

Read about Boston chemical peels with the Vitalize Peel™: erases deep wrinkles and frown lines to give you a smoother, younger looking complexion.

The quality/condition of your skin is one of the most important factors in your appearance. If your skin looks refreshed and is not flawed by blemishes you look more beautiful. A face that is not marred by deep wrinkles and frown lines is more attractive and therefore more inviting to friends and strangers. Today’s plastic surgeons now have far more in their armamentarium to help you improve the quality of your skin and your facial appearance, than they did a decade ago.

The first step in improving the quality of your skin is to determine “what bothers you about your skin” or how you feel about your facial appearance. Once you have determined what it is you want to improve about your appearance, the next step is determining what your choices are for these improvements or corrections. It is only after a patient is presented her/his choices can she/he make a reasonable informed decision to proceed with treatment.

Sometimes a prospective patient can determine what treatments are most beneficial for them, simply by surfing the web and visiting informative websites. Sometimes an e-mail to a plastic surgeon via their website can provide more specific information. Dr. Moss has tried to present all clinical information on his website: www.drmossthebeautyboss.com, in such a way that it is meaningful to viewers. His e-mails are also answered within days, usually by the next business day.

Another source of information is the doctor’s staff. At Dr. Moss’ office, the phones are staffed in such a way that in most cases there is someone who can take a few minutes to answer your questions and point you in the right direction. However, all prospective patients should realize that ultimately a consultation with an appropriate board certified physician needs to take place, before any medical/surgical treatment can be provided.

So you’re interested in improving the quality of your skin. One of the treatments that Dr. Moss offers is a “lunchtime” Vitalize Peel. This peel can improve the quality of your skin by causing it to exfoliate over a period of a few days. This is a peel that does not hurt, has little or no downtime, yet does truly exfoliate the epidermis. This peel can help with fine lines, with reduction of hyper-pigmentation (requires repeated peels), improve the texture of your skin, and provide a more youthful appearance to your skin.

The following is a description of the benefits of the Vitalize Peel, provided by SkinMedica™:

BENEFITS:
• Very superficial peel requires little to no downtime for the patient
• The only superficial peel suitable for all skin types I-VI
• Self-neutralizing formula is easy to use
• Special formulation includes a unique blend of peeling agents: alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, resorcinol, and retinoic acid (obtained by physician)
• Results are predictable and noticeable after just one peel
• Dramatic results are seen after a series of peels

Carla preparing the Vitalize Peel™ set up. There are three steps to this peel.

• Cleansing with acetone
• Application of Lactic acid, Resorcinol, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, & Saponins
• Application of Retinoic Acid

It is also important that patients understand what a Vitalize Peel does not do. A Vitalize Peel does not erase the deep forehead or brow lines. For that you need BOTOX® treatments. It does not erase the lines between the nose and mouth, referred to as the nasolabial folds. For this you need “filler” injections of Restylane® or Radiesse™. Dr. Moss’ website and this blog have pages that provide extensive information on BOTOX®, Restylane® and Radiesse™.

Dr. Moss performs all Vitalize Peels himself. The peel itself takes between 5-10 minutes and causes the patient minimal to no discomfort at all. No pain medication (including Tylenol) should be needed. During the peel your skin may feel warm and you will be provided with a fan to cool your face.

You should avoid direct exposure to the sun for extended periods of time for the first week or two, after your peel. During the first two weeks post peel, you should also avoid other activities that would aggravate your skin such as exfoliation or waxing.

Post peel you will be instructed to use a Sensitive Skin Cleanser, a moisturizer, (Rejuvenative or Ultra Sheer, depending on your skin type) and Daily Sun Protection SPF 20, liberally on your face. Patients with a tendency towards dry skin will use the Rejuvenative Moisturizer. Patients with a leaning towards oily skin will use the Ultra Sheer Moisturizer. All of these products are provided by SkinMedica™, the manufacturer of the Vitalize Peel™. These products will help moisturize your skin, while it is exfoliating. Using these products liberally will help conceal the peeling by matting down the exfoliating skin. For the patient’s convenience, these products are stocked in Dr. Moss’ office and will be obtained on the day of your peel.

Below you will find some information from SkinMedica™ about the post peel products:

SENSITIVE SKIN CLEANSER

BENEFITS:
• Thoroughly removes makeup and excess oil as it neutralizes environmental pollutants
• Specially formulated with anti-irritants to protect highly sensitive or inflamed skin
• Cleanses gently while providing hydration for sensitive, post-procedure skin

ULTRA SHEER MOISTURIZER

BENEFITS:
• Hydrates and restores skin with antioxidants
• Protects against environmental aggressors
• Conditions and firms the skin

REJUVENATIVE MOISTURIZER

BENEFITS:
• Provides protection against environmental aggressors that contribute to aging
• Reduces the signs of aging
• Nourishes and hydrates skin

DAILY SUN PROTECTION SPF 20

BENEFITS:
• Provides full-spectrum UVA and UVB, SPF 20, anti-aging sunscreen protection
• Infuses skin with excellent moisturization in an oil-free formulation
• Contains powerful antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E for anti-aging defense

What can you expect to look like while your skin is exfoliating?

As you can see this peel really is effective and you do exfoliate. This picture shows Carla, Dr. Moss’ wife at 2 days after her Vitalize Peel™. To make the exfoliation more apparent photographically, Carla has not applied any moisturizer in order to demonstrate the exfoliation. You should wear liberal amounts of moisturizer to both mask the exfoliation and to help moisturize your skin.

You will not peel or exfoliate the day of the peel or the next day. However, two days after the application of the peel you will exfoliate in the lower ⅓ of your face. The day after that you will exfoliate in the center ⅓ of your face and the day after that your forehead will exfoliate. While there will be no discomfort associated with this exfoliation, you will look a little “messy” for a few days. However, most patients will not miss work during the exfoliation period. Some patients will have their peel applied so that most of the exfoliation occurs over the weekend.

Dr. Moss has received many complements on the Vitalize Peel™. He has had comments from aestheticians that this is the “best” peel that they have ever had. Others have commented on how much improvement they have received from this peel. This is an excellent alternative to micro-dermabrasion, and patients who have had glycolic peels may want to step up to a Vitalize Peel™. Many clinicians consider the Vitalize Peel™ to be a more effective peel than the glycolic peel.

Some patients will have a series of 5-6 peels, while others will have one every 3-6 months. Carla Moss, Dr. Moss’ wife will have one every 3-6 months. One of the biggest benefits that she found to having the Vitalize Peel™ is that it virtually eliminated the occasional acne breakouts. Having dry skin and pimples at 50 years of age is no fun. It is surprising how many women have this problem. The Vitalize Peel™ is very effective for reducing or eliminating this problem.

Another group of patients that love the results of the Vitalize Peel™ are the ones who sunbathe and damage their skin. This is a great refresher for these patients. The Vitalize Peel™ will also help diminish some of the brown spots that many of these patients also have.

When questioned about skin care, Dr. Moss replies, “I am looking to help my patients improve the appearance of their skin. I am a board certified plastic surgeon that practices cosmetic surgery exclusively. Many of my patients, especially my injectable patients, (BOTOX®, Restylane® and Radiesse™), are looking for treatments and products to make their skin look healthier and have a nice glow. I feel that the SkinMedica™ line, including the Vitalize Peel™ allows me to provide this service to my patients. Since I am already fully trained and credentialed to perform the much stronger phenol peels, laser treatments and dermabrasion, the Vitalize Peel™ was an easy addition to my practice.