Dr. Lorrie Klein’s Blog

My blog was a bit light last week because I was out of town attending a friend’s daughter’s wedding.  Weddings also seem to bring a lot of patients to my office lately!  Every week I seem to have several brides, mothers of brides and grooms (and even some fathers!) and other assorted relatives, friends and bridesmaids coming in for pre-wedding beautification.  Botox is probably the #1 most popular pre-wedding treatment with fillers and lasers running a close second.  Sclerotherapy for leg veins is also pretty popular before weddings, more so for the mothers who are not wearing gowns and whose legs are exposed.

Since patients are often unsure of when to do what, here is a simple timeline for getting ready for the big event (reunions as well!)

Botox - at least 2 weeks before so the results kick in completely, 4-6 weeks before is even better to give you time to come in for a touch-up if necessary.

Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, and other fillers - at least 2 weeks before so you won’t have bruising on the big day, 4-6 weeks before is even better to give you time to come in for a touch-up if necessary.

Photo-Facials, SmoothBeam, Fraxel and other lasers - most of these take several treatments, usually done  monthly, so start early, perhaps 6 months before, to get the optimal results.

Laser Hair Removal - Since you will see results after only 2-3 treatments (although you need more treatments for permanent results) start at least 2 months ahead. 

Microdermabrasion - 6 treatments are recommended and can be done weekly, so start at least 2 months ahead.

Skin Care - Have a series of facials once a month or every 2 weeks for 2-3 months before the big day.  If you have acne, also see a dermatologist several months ahead to get on some good acne medication and possible laser treatments.

Hair Care and Makeup - Make sure you find someone you like to do a trial run on your hair and makeup prior to the big day.

Click this week’s Skin Care Tip to learn more about a great acne treatment.

Allergan’s Vivite line just came out with a great new product: Vibrance.  This is a product which lightens discolorations and pigmentation on the skin, including melasma and sun spots, without hydroquinone.  I like hydroquinone but not everyone can use it, plus it’s great to use with a hydroquinone product, such as Obagi Nu-Derm Clear. Since the best hydroquinone products like Nu-Derm Clear are by prescription only or sold only through physician offices, we sell those in my office but not on-line.  However, Vibrance is available both on-line, in my spas and in my office.  It’s a great product, I use it myself along with Obagi.  We are offering a special through 9/30/08 on this product.  Just mention this blog special at any of our locations and receive $20 off.

I didn’t have any exciting or funny stories at my office this week, so I will share with you instead a great way to tighten up the skin of your eyelids.  Many of you have heard of Fraxel Laser Treatment, it rejuvenates your skin, improving texture, wrinkles and scars.  A new application for this laser is to tighten and rejuvenate eyelids.  With a typical Fraxel Laser Treatment we can get close to the eyes but we don’t treat directly over the eyelids, as this could hurt the eye.  Now we are able to treat eyelids quickly and easily by using special eye shields (they look like metal contact lenses) which protect the eye and enable us to safely and effectively treat the lids.  This new way of using the Fraxel Laser is now available in our office.  You can add it on to a full face Fraxel Laser Treatment or add it to a treatment around the eyes only.  You also can just treat the lids themselves, if you have already had Fraxel and don’t need the rest of your face done again yet.

Fraxel Eyelid Tightening Special - print and bring in this page and receive $50 off your first Fraxel Eyelid Tightening Treatment.  Offer expires 10/15/08.

“I thought Dr. Klein might like to see this picture and her ‘work in action’ during my recent class reunion. I won the hottie award as well as got comments like:

“you look 12 years old!”

“You haven’t aged a day!”

Not bad for 58!  Thank you a ton, Dr. Klein (and a little bit of mother nature, too). ”

Barbara L.

Barbara, you are beautiful anyway, with or without my help!  Dr. K

READERS, SEND ME A COMMENT WITH YOUR REUNION PHOTOS and/or STORY!

See my skin care tip of the week here.

We are pleased to announce that Julie R. has won our Ugly Bettie Contest. Julie’s hard work of raising a family for 20 years plus multiple stressful events in her life had begun to show on her face.  She is preparing to go out into the workforce again after being a stay-at-home mom for many years and needed our help.  Julie is a beautiful woman who could use some tuning up to bring back a more youthful look.  We chose Julie because we saw in her an amazing transformation waiting to take place and for her heart-felt story.

After my consultation with Julie we decided to treat her to a series of photo-facial treatments (IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light), a Liquid Face Lift consisting of Radiesse wrinkle treatments and cheek enhancements, Juvederm injections to define her lips and Botox to treat her frown lines and crows feet.  She also received a Vivite Skin Care System of skin care products to start her at-home skin rejuvenation.  Julie’s transformation should be complete sometime in November.  We’ll share her before and after photos with all of you then.

My story of the week was prompted by several patients I saw this week whom I had treated with Botox, Juvederm, Radiesse, Artefill and cosmetic lasers relating their stories to me about how their family and friends can’t guess why they look so good.  Some say, “did you cut your hair?”, others say “did you lose weight?”  Another common comment when they can’t pinpoint why you are glowing is “that is a GREAT color you’re wearing, it really makes you look good!”  This is EXACTLY what we want as a result of great cosmetic treatments.  When I treat my patients with BOTOX, Juvederm, Radiesse, Artefill and lasers, such as Fraxel Laser, I create a very natural look.  I’ll never give a patient fish lips for example, but I can use Juvederm to create subtly fuller (if they desire) and/or younger looking lips!  Nor will I give them frozen faces, but I can use BOTOX Cosmetic to lift brows, smooth frown lines and erase crows feet.  The biggest compliment I can receive is when a patient comes back to my office, after his or her Restylane, Botox or other cosmetic injection treatment, and tells me that she or he got lots of compliments but no one could guess what they had done.

Remember, up to 90% of your results from these treatments is from the technique and artistry of the physician or medical provider performing your BOTOX, Juvederm, Radiesse or Artefill treatment.  Choose wisely, not by price!

Check out this page for more information.

Turn your stay-cation into a rejuva-cation!

Staying home this summer to spend your vacation in beautiful O.C.?  Why not rejuvenate and refresh yourself, just like when you go to a resort?

Euro Day Spa offers the same amenities and luxurious atmosphere as many of the top resort spas in the world.  Treat yourself to several spa treatments in one day, or spread them out over several days to really make you feel like you are on vacation.  And every time you visit us for a treatment you can spend extended time with us in our dry saunas, steam rooms and relaxing fireplace lounges.  Freshly baked cookies and beverages are always available and our La Paz location even offers a hair salon to beautify your post-massage hair for a great stay-cation dinner later.  What better way to look and feel like you’ve been away on vacation!

Euro Day Spa Rejuvacation Package

1 Deluxe Euro Massage (80 minutes) for the price of a 50 minute massage
1 Deluxe Euro Facial (80 minutes) for the price of a 50 minute facial
1 Spa Microdermabrasion treatment at $50 off
1 Deluxe Foot Fantasy Pedicure (80 minutes) for the price of a 50 minute pedicure

$340 (A $490 value, save 30%!)

Euro Day Spa & Dr. Klein Rejuvacation Package - this package will make you LOOK LIKE YOU’VE BEEN ON VACATION FOR MONTHS!

1 Deluxe Euro Massage (80 minutes) for the price of a 50 minute massage
1 Deluxe Euro Facial (80 minutes) for the price of a 50 minute facial
1 Spa Microdermabrasion treatment at $50 off
1 Deluxe Foot Fantasy Pedicure (80 minutes) for the price of a 50 minute pedicure
plus
1 Botox Treatment (20 units) with Dr. Klein at $50 off
1 Juvederm Treatment (1 syringe) with Dr. Klein at $50 off
(available at Dr. Klein’s office or at our La Paz spa location.)

$1050 (A $1300 value, save $250!)

Enjoy these treatments all in one day or spread out over time!  They may be used Monday-Friday at either location.

These packages also make great gifts and you can purchase as many as you like!  Purchase 2 or more so you can visit us with a friend or family member.

There is no expiration once purchased, but these special packages will only be sold through August 31, 2008.  Available for purchase at both Euro Day Spa locations.