Aesthetic medicine

Aesthetic medicine is a field that helps you achieve better looks with medical means. It involves surgery or medications. Chin or breast augmentation or reduction, tummy tuck, liposuction, rhinoplasty, face lift, vein-stripping, other plastic procedures, and laser surgeries are available. Medications include botulinum toxin A and fillers. Medical laser has many systems and configurations that vary in function and mechanism. In general, newer generations of laser technology offer better and safer treatment. Laser can be used for spider veins, acne, hyperpigmentation, tattoo removal, scar reduction or elimination, hair removal or reduction, skin rejuvenation, and cellulite, etc. The most popular brand for botulinum toxin A in the US is Botox. Botox can relax wrinkles on the forehead, around the eyes, on the eye lids, lips, cheeks, nasolabial folds, chin and neck. Currently popular fillers in the US include Restylane, Juvederm and Radiesse. The fillers are used to augment your lips, cheeks and chin. They can also reduce or eliminate groves or scars. Other modalities such as dermoabrasion and chemical peels are also available. In general I do not recommend sandpaper-type abrasion or strong chemicals because of possible side-effects and significant down time. Sclerotherapy is used for veins larger than spider veins but smaller than surgically removable ones. Hair transplant en block or individually (newer and better technique) is mainly for eyebrows, sideburns and scalp. In any event, some of the treatments are permanent, while others are temporary or semi-permanent.