Med-Spa services Archives - Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC

The Dangers of At-Home Microneedling

henley.tabal — Sat, 30 Jul 2022 08:46:13 +0000

Microneedling is a very popular in-office and minimally invasive skin treatment used to help many skin conditions. For good reason. Also known as collagen induction therapy, microneedling can be used with nearly any skin type and tone, does not require drugs or anesthesia, can be performed in less than 30 minutes, and requires almost no recovery.

Microneeding uses very small needles to create controlled punctures in the skin layer to create channels where your body deposits collagen and elastin to grow healthy and toned skin. This procedure can help treat fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage and aging spots, stretch marks, and several other skin condition. Additionally, it can be used nearly anywhere on the body to help grow healthy and youthful-looking skin.

Since it is seemingly such a simple procedure, many at-home tools are marketed for microneedling use. While these do have the potential to help with collagen and elastin growth, there are several things to consider before purchasing and using an at-home microneedling tool.

They are not as effective as tools used in a medical office setting. Most at-home microneedling tools available, are small needles on a roller secured to a handle. For use, the needle roller glides over the skin and creates similar punctures as in a medical office. However, the needles on the at-home kit are significantly shorter and will not give the same sensation or results. Resist going over the same spot multiple times or pushing hard to try and make the tool more effective.

They are not sterile. The powered and professional microneedling tool used by dermatologists, uses clean and sterilized needles for each treatment and patient. While some at-home kits may come with a sterilized needle roller, this sterilization only lasts until the first use. After that, strict cleaning and storage is required to reduce the risk of causing additional skin conditions or infections.

If you want to learn more about microneedling, call Dr. Andrew Tussler and his team in Austin, TX, at 512-450-1077, or visit www.drtrussler.com to schedule a consultation. His expert staff will work with you to determine your aesthetic goals and develop a personalized plan to meet them while having as minimal impact on your daily life as possible.

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Give Your Complexion a Boost Before Summer

Andrew Trussler MD — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 09:18:00 +0000

With summer just around the corner, many of us are reminding ourselves how to take better care of our skin. We go out searching for the best sunscreen for our skin type, and we promise to do a good job of applying it often. This is a good start. Wearing sunscreen is one of the most practical ways to prevent sun damage. However, what can you do if you’re already seeing the signs of sun damage on your complexion? We’ll discuss that here.

What Causes Complexion Woes?

We think of our complexion as our overall skin tone. This is part of it. Our genes dictate how light or dark our skin is. Other factors influence its more nuanced appearance. It doesn’t have to be extraordinarily difficult to maintain an even complexion. We just have to care for the skin in ways that prevent an influx of melanin in certain areas. The challenge is that there is more than one factor involved in this influx. Some common factors that can contribute to complexion woes include:

Sun exposure. Whenever we go outdoors, we are exposed to ultraviolet light. UVA and UVB rays travel through clouds and car windows. They get absorbed in the deeper layers of the skin where melanin is produced and stimulate the melanocyte cells to be more active. This is why we get suntanned and it’s also why we get sun spots and other pigment issues.
Air pollution. The sun is not the only environmental factor that affects the skin. What is in the air also does. Things like carbon dioxide and debris from chemicals and cleansers are all in the air, which means they can all land on bare skin. Microparticles can get absorbed into pores, leading to inflammatory responses involving the production of melanin.
Hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are two female hormones that contribute to the production of melanin. This makes women vulnerable to skin changes like melasma and hyperpigmentation during certain phases of life in which hormones fluctuate more profoundly.
Inflammation. Skin inflammation of any kind, be it a sunburn or a rash, signals to the body that a response is needed. The response is often an increase in the production of melanin.

Managing Your Skin’s Complexion

Wearing sunscreen is a great way to protect your skin from pigmentation problems. However, a reputable medical spa like our Austin facility will offer services that can correct complexion concerns that have already occurred. Examples of complexion correcting treatments include:

Chemical peels
Microneedling
Dermabrasion
IPL Photofacial
HALO hybrid fractional laser
BBL broadband light treatments

Your skin can look radiant at every age. To schedule an appointment at our medical spa, call (512) 450-1077.

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Facial Rejuvenation is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Andrew Trussler MD — Sun, 30 May 2021 04:18:00 +0000

Growing older isn’t all bad. We gain wisdom and many happy memories with age. Along with the aspects of a life well-lived that we do love, there are some that we may not. Lines and wrinkles are often the least of people’s concerns once they start to see other signs of aging, like jowls and loss of facial volume. Just what it is that may make a person reach the point of wanting to seek professional treatment may differ from one to another. Still, when that point is reached, it is good to know what options are available. Here, we take a look at a few ways that adults of all ages may decrease the cosmetic signs of aging.

Injectable Rejuvenation

For more than 20 years, injectables like Botox and dermal fillers have been some of the most widely used beauty products around the world. These conservative wrinkle-reducers are popular among adults of all ages. They offer significant improvement in facial youthfulness and contouring, having the ability to accomplish many goals. For example, Botox can lift a drooping brow line, smooth crow’s feet and frown lines, and erase worry lines. Dermal fillers offer immediate results for lines and creases around the nose and mouth, thin lips, under eye bags, and more.

Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

Adults undergo facial rejuvenation surgeries every day in our country. What it takes to feel more confident about one’s appearance may differ from one to another because we all age uniquely. For one patient, rejuvenation may focus on the eye area and involve blepharoplasty or a brow lift. These procedures may be complemented by the use of Botox or dermal fillers. In other cases, facial rejuvenation is needed in the lower regions of the face. In this instance, a patient may choose to have a facelift or neck lift, or both. There are several advantages that go along with surgical facial rejuvenation, including lasting results and, in most cases, minimal downtime.

Practical Ways to Manage Aging Skin

Whether you are leaning toward surgical facial rejuvenation or injectable treatment, your aging skin can benefit from practical habits. The earlier in life that good habits start, the better the skin can look as it ages. Suggestions include:

Stay hydrated. The skin relies on water for moisture and also plumpness. Drink plenty of water every day to complement the use of a quality moisturizer.
Avoid sun damage. Sunscreen is a must if you want resilient skin. A broad-spectrum sunscreen should be applied daily to all skin that is exposed. Sun damage begins to occur within minutes and can happen even when driving a car.
Eat a nutritious diet. What is on your plate doesn’t just contribute to your waistline but also to the integrity of your skin. A nutrient-rich diet should have an abundance of antioxidants, vital chemicals that fight the free radicals that accelerate cosmetic aging.

Claim your freedom from aging skin. Contact our Austin office at (512) 450-1077 to schedule a visit today!

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Why You Need “Me Time”

Andrew Trussler — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 05:24:49 +0000

Self-care. This is a term many of us have heard repeatedly over the past several years. Self-care is something that looks different for all of us. If you don’t know what it looks like for you, you’re not alone. Psychologists all around the world report that, when asked about self-care, clients tend to either say they have no time for “Me Time” or they admit they find the very desire for a parental time-out an act of selfishness. Neither perspective is true. Here, we discuss a few reasons why self-care in the form of Me Time is vital to a healthy quality of life and also a few Me Time suggestions.

Me Time is NOT a Luxury

There is a common misconception that time away from the daily duties of work and home is a luxury. It may feel absolutely luxurious to sit in a hot bath for an hour or dive into a new book on a Saturday morning, but, make no mistake, this is a necessity much more than it is a luxury. Me Time does several things for us, including:

Helps us manage stress. We are not wind-up dolls. We cannot continually fuel ourselves on coffee to get through endless days of doing. Me Time takes us away from it all for a short time and allows us to breathe more deeply. After some Me Time, we can think more clearly, respond more lovingly, and generally feel better as we go through our days.
Supports mental health. To deny ourselves the fundamental right for down time is to fast-track the onset of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Regardless of what your Me Time involves, know that you are investing in your long-term well-being when you take a break from the rat race.
Teaches children how to honor and take care of their needs. We all want our children to grow up to be healthy adults. One way we do that is by modeling healthy behaviors, including Me Time.

What Does Your Me Time Look Like?

Everyone’s Me Time looks different. Some people love taking walks in nature or going swimming. Some like to sit on their porch and listen to music. Some go to bed early with a good book or a soft pillow. Me Time can also include pampering. In our Austin, TX office, patients can treat themselves to professional skin care or injectable treatments that make them look and feel refreshed for months on end.

If you would like to know more about our plastic surgery or med spa services, call (512) 450-1077.

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