Cosmetic Intervention

With the h o t days of summer behind us and the holidays just around the corner, f a l l is the perfect time of year to gift yourself with your next self-care treatment.

Jami-lynn Fehr

SCLEROTHERAPY | Roger A. Bonau, MD, FACS, Vascular Surgeon of The Vein Centre | 4535 Harding Pike, Suite 304, Nashville 125 Cool Springs Blvd, Suite 250, Franklin 660 South Mount Juliet Rd, Suite 211, Mt. Juliet

“If you’re sick of those bothersome spider veins that are evident in the warmer months, then fall or winter is an ideal time to get those taken care of. Sclerotherapy—injecting the veins with a solution—is the treatment of choice for those aggravating spider veins, as lasers are not nearly as effective. Most patients will require multiple sessions to obtain the best results. Generally, I recommend one to two weeks of wearing support stockings after sessions, depending on the size and number of veins. Sun avoidance after treatment is recommended to reduce staining. Although sclerotherapy is done year-round, this recommendation is tailormade for the cooler months. Side effects include some inflammation and staining as veins collapse and may take several weeks to disappear. Most importantly, results are best weeks after treatment. Therefore, treating in the fall and winter is encouraged in preparation for the spring and summer fashions. I usually wait two to three weeks between sessions to let the solutions do their job.”

FACETITE | Jacob G. Unger, MD of Maxwell Aesthetics | 2020 21st Avenue South, Nashville

“Fall is a great time to have skin treatments because the weather is cooling off and it’s easier to wear scarves and jackets to hide any short-term swelling or bruising when out in public (it’s certainly easier than being in a bathing suit on the beach!). The same goes for bodywork, as compression garments may be needed to help ensure a great result, and these are certainly easier to tolerate as the weather cools down.

This means treatments like FaceTite and NeckTite are great to do in the fall. These procedures use radiofrequency energy to shrink and tighten the skin around the jawline and neck to improve the overall contour of the lower face in a powerful way. It requires a few days of downtime and possibly some bruising for about a week. Swelling is present for about one to two weeks. These procedures are usually coupled with some liposuction to get rid of unwanted fat in the jowl area and underneath the neck. This is an extremely powerful option for those patients who feel like they have some saggy skin or a double chin, but don’t have enough extra skin to need a more-involved procedure like a neck or facelift. It’s great for individuals in their 20s through 50s, depending on skin quality and skin laxity.”

REVEPEEL ENLIGHTEN MASK | Jennifer Stieber, MS, MPH, AGACNP-BC of SLK Clinic | 5202 Centennial Blvd Suite 110, Nashville

“One of the top skincare concerns we try to address immediately following the end of summer is the brown pigment that accumulates during the sunny months in the form of freckles, sun spots and darkening of melasma. The production of melanin (the brown pigment that constitutes freckles and sun spots) is easily stimulated by sunlight, thus as soon as the cooler months arrive and clients are spending more time indoors and wearing longer clothing, this gives us an opportune window of time to begin removing the stubborn deposits of brown pigment that would otherwise take years to fade on their own.

Unlike lasers or photofacials that remove pigment from the skin’s surface but do not address the melanin production at its root cause, at SLK we use the revolutionary Revepeel Enlighten Mask to deeply penetrate the skin with skinbrightening ingredients which paralyze the production of melanin for a long period of time. This Enlighten Mask formula contains six bioactive skin-lightening ingredients including hydroquinone, retinol, kojic acid, arbutin, niacinamide and an oil-based form of Vitamin C that penetrates much deeper than your typical Vitamin C serum. Normally, a patient would have to buy four or five different skincare products to obtain all of these ingredients, but Revepeel Enlighten Mask allows us to deliver clinically effective doses of all these ingredients in just a 30-minute appointment. I advocate receiving a Revepeel Enlighten Mask right at the start of fall so patients can enjoy their results through the holiday months and beyond.”

BOTOX + DERMAL FILLER | Grayson Woods, MD of Woods Aesthetics | 4322 Harding Pike, Suite 329 Nashville

“The dynamic duo of Botox and dermal filler is always the perfect pair of treatments for holiday prep, as results are seen quickly and downtime is minimal. Combined, these services smooth wrinkles and plump where you want, giving you a natural, refreshed look. A cheek pop with filler is the easiest and fastest way to look more refreshed and a mini lip plump can have you party-ready in minutes. Botox and filler can also be used very effectively to contour the face. Most everyone knows of the standard cosmetic use for Botox. The latest trend, Microtox, is great for relaxing wrinkles on the neck, chest and under the eyes without looking overtreated.

The results of dermal filler are immediate. It takes about two weeks to see the full results of Botox. We recommend all of our patients see us at least two to three weeks prior to an important event to allow for last-minute touch-ups and any possible bruising to resolve.”

Jami-lynn Fehr

KYBELLA | Jill Fichtel, MD of Transformative Dermatology | 1909 Mallory Lane, Suite 302, Franklin

“If you’ve been thinking about Kybella treatments for your double chin, ‘tis the season! With the fall weather, you can wear turtlenecks and scarves to hide any swelling, redness or bruising that can last from a few days to several weeks. With two to six sessions usually required every four to five weeks, you can also stay covered up through the fall and even the winter while your fat cells continue to get zapped (most people start noticing an effect after their second treatment). Each session uses one to two vials of Kybella at an average cost of $750 per vial, with discounted packages for repeat treatments in most cases. Starting in the fall gives you time for skin tightening if you have slack skin after the treatment, and for neuromodulators like Botox, Jeaveau or Dysport to relax the neck bands hiding behind the fat pad if you still have that saggy chin look. Your reward? A new chin and jawline to greet the spring!”

PEARL LASER | Beth Higney, NP of Complexion | 158 Rosa L Parks Blvd., Nashville

“The Pearl Laser is a unique resurfacing device great for evening out stubborn, superficial sun damage that many of us notice after a summer full of beach trips and pool time. It also addresses fine lines and wrinkles, minor acne scars, and hyperpigmentation (brown discoloration). The Pearl Resurfacing Device targets the entire superficial layer of the skin and has been referred to as a “laser peel.” It removes a layer of older, damaged skin to reveal newer skin underneath. Recovery after Pearl skin resurfacing treatment is typically one week and is ideally performed in fall or winter months, when less sun exposure can be expected. Pearl resurfacing may be performed on the face, neck, chest and hands in the office under topical anesthetic.”