Dr. Lorrie Klein’s Blog

Laser hair removal is a necessity for some and a luxury for others.  Personally, I smile every time I think about the fact that I no longer own a razor, having done laser hair removal on myself 9 years ago.  My legs are always silky smooth and I never have to worry about remembering to shave my underarms every time I wear a tank top or bathing suit.  Same goes for the bikini area.

We have both the Candela GentleLase and Candela GentleYag lasers for hair removal, the “best in class” lasers for hair removal on the market.  The GentleYag is ideal for dark skin and both are safe and very effective.  Not all laser hair removal devices are created equal.  Some of the less expensive ones can hurt more, require many more treatments, may not give you permanent results and may have more side effects.  Not every clinic that performs hair removal is equal either. Be wary of medi spas that do not clearly advertise who the physician is who owns it.  Many are not owned by physicians (it is illegal in California but it still happens), the physician may not be directly involved or be located anywhere near the spa and/or the physician may not be a specialist in skin or cosmetic medicine.  What happens if you have a problem?

With the current state of our economy I felt that laser hair removal would be a great treatment to temporarily lower our prices on, to make it available to more women who would also love to experience a razor-free life.

Therefore, from now until December 31, 2008 we have dramatically lowered the prices on our most popular laser hair removal areas to prices lower than we have ever offered.   There is no limit to the number of areas you can treat and if you start soon you can probably get in 2 treatments to each area before the end of the year. 

Underarms - $ 99 (our everyday special, normally $200)
Bikini (not including thighs) -  $99 (normally $250 and up)
Brazilian Bikini (not including thighs) - $199 (normally $400 and up)
Lower Legs - $299 (normally $450 and up)
Full Legs - $499 (normally $650 and up)

You may even pre-pay for up to 3 treatment sessions and receive this special pricing (cannot be combined with other discounts.)

We offer laser hair removal at my office and at Euro Day Spa, Salon & Laser Center.  We are also open on Saturdays at our spa location.  To schedule an appointment call our office at: 949-363-1788 or our spa on La Paz Rd at 949-831-2006.   To read more about laser hair removal, visit this link.

Take advantage of these incredible discounts while you can.  You too can be smooth and silky every day of the year!

In response to numerous comments and questions about Vivite Vibrance, this week’s product of the week is an Obagi product that works very well with Vivite Vibrance, Obagi C-Clarifying Serum.  Obagi C-Clarifying Serum contains Vitamin C plus 4% hydroquinone, the highest prescription strength of hydroquinone commercially available.  As mentioned in previous blog entries, I prefer to mix a hydroquinone-containing product with Vivite Vibrance for optimal lightening of brown spots.  My personal “recipe” is to mix a dropper full of Obagi C-Clarifying Serum with 1-2 pumps of Vivite Vibrance in my palm then apply it to my face, neck, hands or wherever I want to lighten my skin, twice daily.  This mixture seems to work better than either product alone.

Vivite Vibrance is available without a prescription but only through physicians.  We have it at both of our spas, my office and on our website for purchase.  Obagi C-Clarifying Serum is not sold through our website as it is prescription strength and therefore illegal to sell via the internet without a prescription.  It is available at my office for sale however.  You can also call us at 949-363-1788 for other purchasing options.

Purchase both of these products through my office and save $20 through 10/31/08.  Call us at 949-363-1788 or stop by and mention this blog special.

Some people who have dandruff also have red, scaly, flaky skin on their face, especially around the nose, eyebrows and ears.  This condition is called seborrheic dermatitis. This is not a curable condition but it is controllable.  When babies get it, its called “cradle cap” and they usually outgrow it by age 1 or 2.  Adults often get it in their 20’s, 30’s or 40’s, and it gets more common and worse with age.  It can be controlled and kept at bay with a few simple steps.  First of all, purchase ketoconazole shampoo, I prefer Nizoral brand.  The prescription version is stronger and works better, but if you don’t want to make an appointment yet with your dermatologist then purchase the over the counter strength.  Use this shampoo on your scalp and also on your face as a face wash, two-three times per week.  This will help prevent the flakiness. Don’t wait until it comes back, use this as a preventative measure.  If you do get some flaking on your face despite using this (or because you forgot to use it for a week or more), then purchase a 1% hydrocortisone cream (over the counter) and use it twice a day on the flaky areas until they look normal.

If your skin or scalp condition does not respond, you may have something else going on or just a severe version of seborrhea.  In that case I would recommend you make an appointment with your dermatologist.

As many of you know, malignant melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer.  If caught early there is a very high cure rate but if not detected early on it can spread to lymph nodes and other organs, leading to death.  Unlike most other cancers however (breast cancer, lung cancer, etc), melanoma can be visually detected, often very early on, by you or your dermatologist.

Not all melanomas are obvious however.  Most are brown and/or black with irregular borders and multiple shades of color or very black.  There are some however that lack pigment and are difficult to detect even for an experienced dermatologist.  Some make look like normal moles for a long time before they start to change in appearance.

I recommend examining your moles and your spouse’s moles on a regular basis to become familiar with how they look.  This way, if one were to change you will hopefully detect it early and make an appointment with a dermatologist.  You should also have a regular skin exam by a dermatologist at least annually if you have had a history of abnormal moles, a family history of melanoma, a history of pre-cancers, a history of lots of sun exposure, many moles or a history of any type of skin cancer.

While it isn’t completely accurate, you can use the ABCDE criteria when checking your moles for possible abnormalities.

A = asymmetry (1 side being a different shape than the other)

B = border (an irregular edge, not smooth)

C= color (more than 1 color in the same mole)

D = diameter (greater than 6 mm, the width of a pencil eraser)

E = erythema (redness around the edge of the mole) or evolution (a changing moloe)

Having 1 or more of these signs may indicate a melanoma, an abnormal mole that is more likely to turn into a melanoma or a normal mole that just looks bad but isn’t.  So don’t panic if some of your moles fit this criteria, just make an appointment with a dermatologist and if necessary she or he will do a biopsy of the mole.

These are tough economic times.  But we still want to feel good about ourselves and to look our best.  While many of my patients can still afford to do whatever they want to do for themselves, I have many patients who would love to do more for themselves than they can currently afford.  Luckily there are still many great cosmetic procedures you can do as a second choice treatment.  You can always put the first choice, best treatment on your “wish list” for the future.

Here are some common cosmetic treatments and their less expensive alternatives:

Instead of a:

Nose Job - get a filler nose job with Radiesse or Artefill (it takes just 10 minute and looks good immediately)

Face Lift - get a Liquid Face Lift or Fraxel CO2 re:pair laser treatment

Botox Crow’s Feet or Frown Lines - just get a Botox Brow Lift

Photo-Facial (IPL) for texture and brown spots- get a series of medical microdermabrasions

Microdermabrasion- get a series of light glycolic peels

Light Peels - use physician-strength skin care products

Vivite Complete Skin Care System - use Vivite Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30

Obagi Nu-derm System- use Vivite Vibrance with Obagi C-clarifying serum

Fraxel CO2 re:pair Laser - get a series of Fraxel re:store laser treatments

Fraxel re:store Laser - get a series of Photo-Facials (IPL) 

Juvederm lip plumping - get a half size syringe and just outline and define your lips 

Juvederm/Radiesse/Artefill treatment for wrinkles - get a smaller size syringe and treat the most important areas 

Laser Hair Removal on legs - just laser your underarms or bikini areas for now

Eyelashes Extensions - use Lumigan at home (it’s also better than extensions since it grows your own eyelashes)

Any comments from my readers and patients?

As many of you know, malignant melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer.  If caught early there is a very high cure rate but if not detected early on it can spread to lymph nodes and other organs, leading to death.  Unlike most other cancers however (breast cancer, lung cancer, etc), melanoma can be visually detected, often very early on, by you or your dermatologist.

Not all melanomas are obvious however.  Most are brown and/or black with irregular borders and multiple shades of color or very black.  There are some however that lack pigment and are difficult to detect even for an experienced dermatologist.  Some make look like normal moles for a long time before they start to change in appearance.

I recommend examining your moles and your spouse’s moles on a regular basis to become familiar with how they look.  This way, if one were to change you will hopefully detect it early and make an appointment with a dermatologist.  You should also have a regular skin exam by a dermatologist at least annually if you have had a history of abnormal moles, a family history of melanoma, a history of pre-cancers, a history of lots of sun exposure, many moles or a history of any type of skin cancer.

While it isn’t completely accurate, you can use the ABCDE criteria when checking your moles for possible abnormalities.

A = asymmetry (1 side being a different shape than the other)

B = border (an irregular edge, not smooth)

C= color (more than 1 color in the same mole)

D = diameter (greater than 6 mm, the width of a pencil eraser)

E = erythema (redness around the edge of the mole) or evolution (a changing moloe)

Having 1 or more of these signs may indicate a melanoma, an abnormal mole that is more likely to turn into a melanoma or a normal mole that just looks bad but isn’t.  So don’t panic if some of your moles fit this criteria, just make an appointment with a dermatologist and if necessary she or he will do a biopsy of the mole.

This week my favorite product is Obagi’s Elastiderm Decolletege System.  ELASTIderm Décolletage System consists of 2 patent-pending technologies that use Penetrating Therapeutics™ and are clinically proven to work. Used together, this clinically proven therapeutic system diminishes the signs of aging, helping to restore elasticity and contribute to more flawless, youthful-looking skin on your décolletage in as little as 4 weeks.  It also helps lighten brown spots.

The Skin Lightening Complex - Formulated with 4%, hydroquinone, a treatment well known for reducing hyperpigmentation (discoloration) and age spots on the skin

The Wrinkle Reducing Lotion - Formulated with ELASTIderm’s Restorative Elasticity Complex.  Contains a unique bi-mineral complex to help replenish elasticity and build collagen for increased skin strength and resilience.  Includes malonic acid to help stimulate the production of healthy skin cells

Special this week: today through October 19: purchase this kit online or from my office and receive $20 off, use coupon code obagiD online when checking out or mention this Obagi ELASTIderm Décolletage System blog special at my office.