Skin Rejuvenation

Skin Rejuvenation in the Inland Empire, CA

“One Goal, Many Options”

Obtaining optimal facial appearance is a combination of the facial structural contours and quality of the overlying skin appearance. Dr. Hardesty often uses analogies to explain treatment plans. Such an example is if you have a quality older carpet: to optimally restore the luster and to tighten the loose carpet both cleaning and stretching may be required to achieve maximal restoration of the carpet. Thus, using this analogy, if changes are needed to facial structural contours it is referred to as the “carpet cutter-stretcher” (short incision face/brow/eyelid lift surgery) and improving the skin quality and appearance as the “carpet cleaner” (non-surgical techniques and minimally invasive technology). Depending on your skin improvement needs and goals you will be given a treatment plan that may include one or several options. These include but are not limited to:

• Topical Skin Rejuvenation Medications

• Facials (Medically Supervised)

• Microdermabrasion

• Chemical Peels

• Injectable Fillers

• Lasers, Radio Frequency and Electro Optical Energy Devices

• Neuromodulators (Botox and Dysport)

Topical Skin Rejuvenation Medications

For years many women and men have stimulated collagen production by using proven topical medications to improve skin texture, maintain skin tone, reduce wrinkles, lighten unwanted pigments and irregularities of the skin.

Different medications are:

Tretinoin (Retin-A® and Renova®)

Medical grade Tretinoin requires a licensed physician to prescribe it in varying concentrations. Tretinoin has a long track record (since 1971) of being cost efficient, effective, and a reliable method for skin collagen production resulting in a more youthful skin look.

This medication has also been shown to improve skin texture when used regularly. This topical medication works by exfoliating (removing a layer of skin cells) the skin, helps even out pigmentation, and improve fine lines and wrinkles. Side effects of tretinoin can include temporary redness, drying, peeling, tightness, and swelling. You may be able to minimize these side effects by initially using the lowest concentration and applying tretinoin every third night, then if tolerated every other night and then gradually increasing the frequency to nightly. As your skin becomes accustomed to tretinoin the concentration can also be increased to tolerance.

Tretinoin also increase the skin to be more sensitive to direct sun light. Thus, it is mandatory that a broad-spectrum sunscreen be used to prevent sun damage to your skin.

If you are pregnant, you should not use tretinoin products as they may cause and are associated to birth defects. If you are breast feeding, we suggest you should abstain from using tretinoin

Hydroquinone’s

Hydroquinone’s are often referred to as skin bleaching agents. Low concentration hydroquinone’s (2% or less) can be purchased without a prescription. However, higher concentrations (greater than 2%) which are more effective and pure forms of hydroquinone are only available with a prescription from a licensed physician. Hydroquinone’s have a long track record of success for lightening those pigment irregularities often referred to as sun spots, liver spots, age spots or freckles. These pigment irregularities are often caused or increased by changes such as pregnancy, birth control pills, exogenous hormones, or injury to the skin.

Hydroquinone works by decreasing the number of melanocytes producing cells which determine your skin tone. In situations of unwanted hyperpigmentation, more melanin is present. By reducing melanocyte production your skin will potentially become more evenly toned over time.

On average it takes about four weeks of regular use to start to see results and may take several months before you see full results.

Hydroquinone’s may increase skin sensitivity to the sun. Avoid prolonged ultraviolet and sun exposure and it is strongly advised to use sunscreen or wear sun blocking clothing on the treated areas of skin.

The FDA has designated Hydroquinone a pregnancy category C substance (meaning that reproductive studies done on animals have shown to have adverse side effects on the fetus) however, there is a lack of well controlled human studies. Since Hydroquinone’s are primarily used for cosmetic reasons it is advised to stop Hydroquinone during pregnancy and during breast feeding.

Alternatives to Medication Treatment for Unwanted Skin Pigmentation

If there are not significant improvements or after reaching a treatment plateau, then Dr. Hardesty and his staff will move to the next level of treatment to remove stubborn skin pigmentation areas and sun spots. For brown and yellow pigmented areas, a combined use of Radio Frequency and electrooptical energy (intense pulse light) using the eLos system referred to as SRA has proven to be quite helpful for these stubborn pigmentation colors. Red or small red spots can be treated with the V-Beam Laser.

Concentrated Vitamin C Serum

Topical High Concentration Vitamin C serum is an antioxidant naturally found in skin, proven to boost radiance and neutralize free radicals that lead to skin aging. Vitamin C Serum is a powerful antioxidant but highly unstable molecule that rapidly degrades when exposed to air, light or water. To maximize potency and stability, Vitamin C serum is specially formulated and packaged to have maximal effect when applied on the skin.

Medication Application

For convenience the Tretinoins, Hydroquinone’s and Vitamin C serum can be compounded together in any combination in cream that is applied on a regular basis.

Since Retinae A, hydroquinone’s and high concentration Vitamin V serums come in various concentrations and are applied topically at different time intervals, Dr. Hardesty and his Aesthetician’s will create a custom treatment plan based on your skin type and needs.

Topical Skin Rejuvenation Medication Recovery

Since the medications are dose dependent and time interval applied, they can be adjusted so there should be no recovery or down time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedule a Consultation

If you have wanted to prevent wrinkles and reduce unwanted age spots, maintain your skin texture or even improve your skin quality, then contact our Riverside office to learn more. Dr. Hardesty and his expert team at Imagine Plastic Surgery help many patients each year to get radiant skin with the Topical Skin Rejuvenation Medications applications. To make a consultation appointment, call the office, take our self-assessment survey or fill out an online form.