Lasers are some of the coolest tools for skin spruce up…… when used correctly. The trouble is that there are so many “lasers” out there. It’s difficult for the public to chose which laser is best for them and where to go to find it because of all the options. At Johnson Dermatology we have 4 lasers, each one with its own unique purpose. As always, coming in for a consult is always best because often times people who want peels get lasers or people who want lasers get fillers or people who want creams get peels. We have lots of options and each individual might need a combination of treatments or one over the other. Since we are skin experts we are good at you telling us what bothers you and us suggesting a treatment plan that gets you results. With that being said, here is my JD laser run down for dummies.

1. Pulsed Dye Laser- Think of this as a laser for anything red. It works great for broken blood vessels on the face or those “red moles” called angiomas. We use it for small varicosities of the legs, acne, red or pink scars, stretch marks, redness of the face and red birthmarks. This is one of the least painful lasers in my opinion. There is no downtime. Sometimes, depending on how tough we set the settings, you can have some redness or even bruising. For most things we tell people to expect 3-5 treatments one month apart.  We use this laser if you have bruising that we want to go away faster than your body will get rid of the bruise.

2. YAG laser- We use this laser for skin tightening and hair reduction. For hair reduction it only works on dark hairs because the light is targeting pigment (dark) and if the hair is white then the light has nothing to target. We tighten stretch marks or that crepe-like skin of the neck, face, chest or abdomen. With this laser expect 3-5 treatments monthly to get expected results and then a touch-up about once a year (give or take). In my opinion, this laser hurts a little more than the PDL but it’s quick so you can do it.  We also have a “painless ” hair reduction laser. In my opinion this should be called a “less-pain” laser, it still hurts but less than the YAG for hair reduction.

3. ATV laser- This is our tattoo removal laser. It works best on black ink. If you have colored tattoos come in and let us take a look and we can tell you what type of results to expect based on the colors. This dude hurts! We generally numb you with lidocaine injections before your treatment. Number of treatments varies and cost is based on the size of the tattoo. We also use this laser for brown spots. Expect the area lasered to look pretty rough for a week or so. If you have a brown spot on your hand lasered with the ATV it will look like  a blistery sore and then as that heals it lightens and brightens and takes the spot with it. I have seen varying reactions after tattoo lasering but most people have some blistering or at least sore spots over the next week after treatment.

4. Sublative “laser”- This one isn’t actually a laser as in it doesn’t use light to work. This device uses micro-needling combined with radiofrequency. This treatment option can come with some down time. It is awesome for stretch marks, scars such as acne scarring and for tightening of fine lines. I have never seen acne scars improved like I have with this device. One of my favorite things this one does is lines and bags and drooping of the eyelids. Because this isn’t a “light laser” we can get very close to the eyes and it makes a huge difference in the tightness and wrinkles around the eyelids.  After receiving this treatment you can have some redness, swelling and little squares of red dots where the skin was penetrated for about 5-7 days. Some people have no downtime and others have a full week of recovery, each individual is a little different and each area of the body we treat is a little different in terms of reactions to the treatment. I usually recommend you add TNS growth factor to your aftercare regimen with this device to enhance results even more so we have some packages that include that skincare product.  This “laser” can be used on all skin types including dark colored skin.

I get a lot of questions about lasers so I hope this helps.  You can not be tan when you get treated or you run the risk of discoloration so if you are interested now is the time, before Summer hits. We have packages that make each individual treatment cheaper too.

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining – they just shine. “-Dwight L. Moody

So this week let your light shine, or let us shine a light on you that helps your inner light shine! Either way, keep it skintastic! Happy Easter to all! -Nina

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Spring is officially here. Nights of freezing cold and snow storms are gone and fresh flowers, the smell of fresh cut grass and butterflies are here! It’s time to put away winter clothes and start transitioning into our summer looks. With this past week being spring break I’ve heard lots of people mentioning how it’s time to get tan. Well you can get a beautiful spring glow without having to damage your skin. One of my pet peeves is when people say they only tan in the tanning bed a few times so they don’t burn this summer. That’s like saying I only smoke a few cigarettes so I don’t cough when I want to smoke a whole pack. It’s still an unhealthy habit. Here are some of my tips to transition your skin this Spring and get Summer ready safely.

1. Get rid of heavy mascara and go to light Latisse- The key to the Summer glow is looking light and fresh. Don’t worry about being in the heat and water sports and heavy black mascara giving you “black eyes” or that “I went to sleep crying instead of washing my face and woke up like this” look. Start your Latisse now and your lashes will be longer, darker and thicker so much so that you don’t need mascara this Summer.

2. Good-Bye heavy make-up, Hello light, airy make-up- I’m sad to say “Adios” to my bright red lips and black eye-liner but excited to say “Aloha” to my hot pink smoochers and light butterfly-kiss-capable lashes. It’s time to “lighten up” your look. Try Jane Iredale “Country Weekend” collection. It includes a peach lip and cheek stain, a soft eye shadow kit and an espresso gel eyeliner.

3. Lighten up your sun protection- I go from a thicker Elta MD sunscreen to the BOB in the Spring. The BOB stands for Brush on Block. It is a powder sunscreen that goes on clear, you won’t even know you are wearing it. I keep mine in my car cup holder so that I see it every morning before I pull out of the garage and just brush it all over.

4. Add some tint to your routine- Change your moisturizer to a tinted moisturizer like Jane Iredale tinted moisturizer or change your sunscreen to a tinted sunscreen such as Elta MD physical sunscreen. The Elta MD tinted sunscreen is oil free and great for acne prone skin.  If you really like that “sun kissed” look, then I like the Tanwise self tanner from Sally’s. We have a lot of options at the clinic so just call and get a free skincare consult to learn what’s best for you from one of our experts.

5. Time to peel and laser- Now is the time to get your peels and laser treatments in. You can’t peel and laser your skin when it is sun exposed because you run the risk of hyperpigmentation or discolored scars. Chemical peels can help acne scars, uneven skin tone, dark spots, fine lines and uneven textured skin. Get your peel now and you won’t even need colored cosmetics this Summer. We have four lasers now at Johnson Dermatology, real lasers, not fancy flashlights, so they work. We can treat brown spots, red spots, sagging skin, lines, tattoo removal, acne scars and more! Come in for a consultation and get your skin spruced up for Spring!

6. See ya Cellulite- Try SkinMedica’s newest product GlyPro firming lotion. This product helps improve the appearance of cellulite by hydrating that oh so soft spring skin. Warning: This product should not replace a healthy eating and exercise routine… hahaha, I couldn’t help myself.

It’s my favorite season of the year. Spring flower smells are in the air, it’s wedding season, it’s not too hot and not too cold, it’s just blissful! I hope you all enjoy your Spring! I would love to see photos of all of you in your new spring make-up and skin looks, so as always tag them with #Johnsondermatology so I can see all you pretties! Happy Week to all!

Stay sweet, skintastic and sunless spring glowin’, XOXO, Nina

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If you live in Arkansas then today starts Spring Break 2015 which means a lot of you are hitting the beach or the slopes. I know all you spring-breakers probably don’t have sun protection at the top of your priority list so I’m here to remind you to be sun smart. Have fun in the sun, just protect your skin.  Here are some tips, some you’ve heard before and some probably new to you. Also, I’m sharing some of my favorite websites for sun protective clothing!

1. It’s not all about sunscreen- wear your sun protective clothing, seek shade, avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day and wear sunscreen.

2. Do sunscreen RIGHT- this is harder than you think. You need water-resistant, at least 30 SPF, broad spectrum and preferably a physical blocker. Reapply every 2 hours while exposed to the sun. This can be difficult to remember. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me. My favorite sunscreen is the Brush on Block or BOB, a clear powder that is applied through a brush.

3. Keep your kids sun protected- Less than 6 months old should probably just be kept out of the sun as much as possible, at least kept under an umbrella or in the shade and wear sun protective clothing. My favorite rash guard (think swim shirt) for my little girl is by Cabana Life (www.cabanalife.com). They have the cutest prints! If you’ve ever seen my daughter then you know she is very fashionable so you can trust these are for the fashion forward. Thankfully, they also have women and mens to get the whole family hooked up!

4. Stay Stylish with your sun protection- Big floppy hats aren’t just for the horse races, they are super in style right now and look amazing with summer dresses or a tee with bermudas and birkenstocks. I am very excited to try out my new Exostinger this year. It’s a 50-SPF “skin” that is made to protect your skin worn over a swim suit or under a wet suit, it’s total coverage. They come in awesome designs too! I struggled between the green leopard print and red leopard print. Can’t wait to show you my lake pics in my new suit!  Go to www.exoticwaterwear.com.au to find this australian based water wear company that ships free worldwide!

5. Don’t forget your sunglasses- Sunglasses aren’t just an outfit accessory. They also protect your eyes and eyelids from harmful UV rays. Did you know you can get melanoma in your eyes?

6. Add to your sun protection game with Polypodium leucotomos (PLE)- PLE comes from a fern and when taken orally it is thought to release antioxidants into the skin that reduce free radicals produced by sun exposure that can be damaging to the skin. In other words it helps fight sun damage of the skin, take it to help with brown spots, sun sensitive skin diseases and more just don’t replace your sunscreen with it. You can find a brand of this called Heliocare at www.heliocare.com.

7. See your dermatologist with skin problems- If you burn there are some sprays, creams and lotions that we can give you to help you through the pain and recovery process. Coming back from your vacay rashy? Let us help you. It’s not uncommon to get back from your trip with beach rashes, bug bites, contact dermatitis or even scabies from a hotel stay. I will be in clinic all week to help you out!

Hope you all have fun this week, enjoy yourselves!

See you soon, Nina

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We spend billions of dollars on skincare products every year in the US. There are so many products to choose from even I, the skincare expert, have trouble keeping up with them all.    Over the counter cosmeceuticals don’t have to be approved by the FDA which usually means their benefits and risks are not necessarily adequately tested. For example, the hottest fad right now is this Instantly Ageless cream I’ve been asked about. I have already had multiple friends on social media selling it and putting up “before and after” pictures of it. I’ve had more than one friend text me just this week asking me if they should try it. This prompted me to do a little research on the product. The active ingredient is argireline which is a peptide which claims to have effects similiar to that of Botox/neuromodulators. In 2012, Dr. Oz (the cardiovascular surgeon gone TV show host)said it’s an alternative to Botox. First of all lets just assume it does the same thing as Botox, works just as good at reducing wrinkles but is a cream. That sounds good to me. The before and after pictures and the videos look like amazing results, so far so good.  One application claims to last 6-8 hours and one vial claims to last 2-3 days. One vial cost $7.95. Botox lasts 3-4 months depending on the individual. So if you get 20 units of Botox at $12/unit (average cost when done by a professional expert) and it only  lasts the 3 months that’s $2.67 a day if you get the 4 months that’s $2 per day, both being cheaper than this cream you have to rub on every 6-8 hours. So without seeing any research at all I was thinking to myself pick your poison, getting some tiny shots once every 3-4 months or spending more money and having to apply a cream every 6-8 hours. Then I started searching for an objective double-blind, vehicle controlled study on argireline. I found a double-blind placebo controlled study done in China that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology which showed 10% argireline (I can’t find the percentage in Instantly ageless) was  about 50% effective in reducing wrinkles (that is VERY simplified). There were some flaws in the study such as a small sample size of only 30 patients receiving the treatment. Basically, verdict is still out, not enough research to really sway me one way or the other. Is this just another fad being sold in a pyramid fashion by people trying to make a buck or is this really the next best thing? I don’t know but I do know that I am going to stick to Botox right now due to personal preference. I do have multiple friends trying the product so when I get their report back I will let you know the review.  Picking what cosmeceuticals to use on your skin is complicated but here are some tips I think you should live by.

1.If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Natural isn’t always better nor safer. Some natural ingredients need to be chemically altered to be able to penetrate the skin and for effects to last longer.

3. Stick to dermatologist recommendations- The most studied and researched anti-aging ingredients are the retinoids/retinols and sunscreen. That’s your little black dress of skin care. Sunscreen in the AM and retinol/retinoid at night.

4. Stick with manufacturers you know- Big names usually have big money which equals big research. Example:Cetaphil, Cerave.

5. Expensive and more steps isn’t always better. It’s probably better for your skin to simplify your regimen.

6. Don’t let a dermatologist do your open heart surgery and don’t let a cardiovascular surgeon give you skin anti-aging advice. Okay so you don’t have to “live by” this one, just saying.

Good Luck in the world of cosmeceuticals and if you trust me with your skin then you should definitely schedule a free skin care consult with one of our cosmetic concierges this week. They are personally trained by Dr. Sandy, Honey and myself and they are pretty amazing at helping you fish through the world of cosmeceuticals. Just call the clinic and set up an appointment.

Hope you all have an amazing week and don’t get pinched on St. Patty Day!

Cheers, Nina

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Sometimes communicating with your healthcare provider can be difficult. It may be because whatever you are talking about is embarrassing or something you don’t want to talk about with a stranger. It may be because you are fearful of what the answer to your question might be. Sometimes you are afraid of what your health care provider will think about you. For me personally, it’s difficult because sometimes I don’t know what information my doctor needs to know and what they don’t care about. So, in hopes of helping you communicate with your dermatologist better here are 10 things every patient should tell their dermatologist.

1. Family History of Skin Cancer- If one of your first degree relatives has had melanoma then you are at an increased risk of having a melanoma. Now, in regards to your health, we don’t necessarily need to know about Aunt Thelma’s third cousin that had melanoma although we are very sorry she went through that.

2. What products you currently put on your skin- Every day someone tells me something they are using that they think is “curing” or “helping” their problem but is actually making things worse, such as scrubs for acne or pink creams for poison ivy, things advertised as helpful that the derm world begs to differ.

3. Are you immunosuppressed- If your immune system is not up to par due to a disease or a medication you take, this increases your risk for skin cancer. For example, someone who has had an organ transplant. You most definitely need a licensed full body skin examaminer.

4. If you have ever had a skin cancer- Once you have had a skin cancer you are at an increased risk of having another skin cancer. A dermatologist should be your friend.

5. If you are pregnant- Pregnancy has many affects on your skin. Rashes, discolorations, breakouts and more can all be associated with pregnancy. Plus, this affects what medications we prescribe you that are safe for you and baby.

6. If you notice anything changing or growing on your skin- Most skin cancers are actually found by the patient. We have certain characteristics in moles that we look for such as size, shape and color but we also rely heavily on changing. If you noticed a mole changing or growing, that is something to bring to a dermatologist’s attention.

7. What your treatment preferences are- Do you prefer all natural products? Do you prefer a prescription or an over the counter medicine? Do you prefer the newest medicines on the market or do you prefer generic? Sometimes in dermatology we have choices to make for which more than one answer could be correct and knowing what you prefer and what you will actually use helps us choose your best option. Medicines only have a chance to work if you use them so don’t be afraid to tell us what you will or won’t use. We enjoy your input (as long as you let us override it when we deem necessary).

8. Do you smoke- Smoking doesn’t just reap havoc on your lungs. Smoking actually plays a role in premature skin aging. It also slows wound healing if you have had surgery on your skin. Let us know what we are up against….

9. Your modesty comfort level- Some people grew up in nudest colonies, others are uncomfortable even showing their navel. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and you can get skin cancer anywhere you have skin, even if it never has seen the light of day.  We want to thoroughly check your skin while protecting your privacy and keeping you comfortable.

10. Your sun protection beliefs- If you refuse to protect yourself from the sun let us know. We only scold you briefly. We use lots of medications that can make you even more sensitive to the sun. Also, increased sun exposure increases your risk for skin cancer, causes premature aging, brown spots and even some rashes. It’s information that helps us help you. If you want to be sun smart that’s simply you helping you.

I hope this helps you to communicate with me and all the providers at JD better this week. We can’t wait to see you!

Happy Spring forward, good luck getting out of bed in the morning, Nina

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I was born, raised and educated in Fayetteville, AR. I’m a FHS and U of A alumni. One may say Fayetteville is my hometown. It was an amazing town to be raised in which is why I stayed there for college. There is good shopping, eating, bike trails, the hogs and above all else, good people. You can imagine that when I became engaged to my now husband how excited I was to move to the industrial town of Fort Smith. Not. At. All. I feared there was nothing for a 22 year old in Fort Smith. At first, there wasn’t. In the beginning of my courtship with this city I was just my husbands (a man already well known and loved in our community)fiance. But then I decided I was going to make the best of it and I let down my inhibitions and I started to fall in love with Fort Smith.  The more I learned about our community the more I liked it. The more people I got to know the better this place became. You ever heard the saying “a house is not a home”? Meaning that a house is just a structure but it is the family and life in that structure that makes a home. Same idea applies to a city and its community and I really couldn’t love this community any more. Here are some of my favorite things about Fort Smith and why this place is my home now after just 7 short years.

1. Small business shopping- The first time I went to Suite One, the owner, Tasha helped me shop. Through shopping there we have become friends. Every time I go in that place every girl offers to watch my daughter while I shop. It’s like shopping out of a girlfriends closet! Then another precious friend opened a  Fort Smith boutique, Hazels Haven which is also the funnest shopping experience. They go out of their way to put things on hold for you and make you feel special. By far my two favorite little shops to hit up in Fort Smith. Bonus: My husband can go in either of those stores for presents for me and they know me so well they can pick out stuff that I will love! Shopping local is the best!

2. Eating- Do you guys realize how much the foodie scene has picked up in Fort Smith? From fancy shmancy like Movie Lounge and West End 21 to “quick eats” like River City Deli. Have you been to Pho Vietnam? Don’t let the old gas station look scare you away, it’s the best! This summer if you don’t go to Delicias Michoacanas and get a homemade popsicle you won’t forgive yourself. It’s not just their homemade ice cream delights either, have you had a homemade tamale there? My mouth is watering, moving on…..

3. Event scene- We may not have The Amp but we still have a music scene. We have big names that come to the River Front and Convention Center all the time. If you like the music scene then you most definitely don’t miss The Klocks or The Velcro Pygmies show every summer at The Rib Room. It’s like a Fort Smith locals summer bucket list event. We have tons of fundraiser events throughout the year that are always fun and for great causes. We even had a marathon this year!

4. Resources- Speaking of all those fundraiser events, Fort Smith has some great resources for our community; Children’s Emergency Shelter,The Reynolds Cancer Support House, Girls Inc. of Fort Smith, Community Rescue Mission, Bost Inc. and so many more.

5. The People- There is nowhere in the world with better people. After living here for almost 8 years I have really become too used to doors being held open for me. When I traveled to D.C. not too long ago I had a few doors dropped in my face because I was so prepared for the person in front of me to hold the door as I pranced through it. I also got stared at like I was about to rob a woman when I held a door open for her. We are nice here, we are kind, we help each other, we care about each other and we put others before ourselves.

6. Healthcare- We have doctors here in Fort Smith who have been trained by some of the best in the world. Did you know people travel from all over the United States to see some of our specialist right here in Fort Smith? When I worked in the hospital I even took care of someone who came from over seas to see one of our doctors in Fort Smith.

7. Schools- We have lots of private school options in Fort Smith that are always winning awards. I have a step-son in UAFS right now and is having the best time and hopefully will get the best job when he graduates from our pay roll, ahem, I mean from the college.

This post is getting too long or I could go on and on and on. This city is my home and I am blessed to be able to raise my daughters here. Are you wondering what this has to do with skin? It doesn’t really, other than the fact that Johnson Dermatology is committed to this community. When I started working there I fell in love with Fort Smith all over again, knew I would never leave. I joke sometimes that Johnson Dermatology will have a statue of the founders Dr. Brad and Dr. Sandy in 100 years in front of the building because JD is here to stay. I’m working on earning myself a brick in the sidewalk or something. We thrive on always becoming better so that we can serve this community to the best of our abilities. I became a nurse practitioner to serve and this community has a place in my heart so it is my honor to serve the people of Fort Smith. I hope you all can read this post and learn something about Fort Smith or just appreciate our home a little more because we actually have a lot to offer the great state of Arkansas.

“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”  -Audrey Hepburn

Happy Sunday to all, start your March right, happily, Nina

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There is literally so much information I want to give you all about filler and I can’t fit it all into just one month! A one on one consultation is really priceless. Every person’s face is so different from the next. With that being said, I thought I would give some filler facts this week to end filler February with a bang (and information overload).

1. Your face is not 2 dimensional and that’s why filler looks so natural. Don’t look straight at your self in the mirror and analyze yourself. Look at all your angles. Put a mirror in front of you and look down, left and right very slowly. Filler can put your curves back where they used to be, bringing back a more youthful appearance.

2. Filler is adding volume to your face but makes you look slimmer. It’s kind of like getting breast implants makes your waist look smaller. When your curves are in the right spots it gives a beautiful, natural enhanced image not a pudgy look you may have previously feared.

3. Traditionally, Botox is the gateway drug to filler but this is all wrong. If you’re getting Botox you should probably be getting filler too. Think about years of Botox to your forehead preventing lines at rest and nothing to the lower half of your face. Eventually your upper face is not going to match your lower face(ie your forehead looks 30 and your lower face looks 50). To naturally enhance your image throughout the years you will likely need a combination of botox, filler, skin care, lasers and peels.

4.  Symmetry is beautiful. When you look in the mirror, is your left side flatter or wrinklier than your right side? Is your upper lip uneven from right to left? Is your right eyebrow lower than your left eyebrow? Filler is an awesome way to create symmetry.

5. Filler has complications. Don’t take filler lightly.  Filler can be injected into vessels or around blood vessels which then causes a blockage of blood flow which can then essentially cause your skin to die causing a wound. You want to make sure that whoever is injecting you A-has medical training of facial anatomy  and B-has the knowledge and capability to handle complications (able to get you prescription nitropaste, hyalurinadase, get you into a hyperbaric chamber). Basically, just let me inject you! Just kidding…… kinda. But seriously, my general rule is no needles should go in your body for any reason unless in a doctors office.

I hope you all enjoyed “Filler February” and the knowledge I have to share about fillers. With any luck you will all come see me in the clinic this week to say hello!

Now can we mention the Oscars? I mean there is some seriously good looking skin. Tim McGraw wins best male Botox for sure, did I inject him? And have you noticed how pale everyone is? I mean no one has a fake bake tan, obviously sunscreen has been used to get these flawless skin looks! I’m loving it! Bradley Cooper, will you marry me? Enjoy the Academy Awards with some hot cocoa tonight and stay warm!

Enjoy this snow! Have an awesome last week of February, talk at ya March 1!

Nina

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I have a lot of patients who come to get filler injected and are not nervous about the results or what they will look like nearly as much as they fear the procedure of being injected. It really is so simple. Most people say, “that wasn’t bad”. I’ve never had anyone not get filler again because of the pain. These are my personal pre, during and post procedure tips to have the best experience possible once you take the plunge into the filler world.

Pre-Procedure

1. Pick a date that won’t conflict with upcoming events. Chances are you won’t bruise or swell to a point that people will notice but some people are just more prone to bruising. Be prepared to have some bruising. If you don’t bruise, great! But if you do, you don’t have to worry about being in your biffle’s wedding two days later with bruises on your face.

2. Don’t stop your meds-If your doctor has you on blood thinners, it’s for an important reason. Don’t stop them, we can still inject you safely.

3. Take a selfie- Of course at Johnson Dermatology we take before and after pictures but it’s really fun to have your own on your phone. Remember, filler is immediate so you can take after pictures as you walk out to your car and see the difference before you get home!

4. Come as you are- We will wash your make-up off with a gentle cleanser. We then wash your face off with a surgical scrub. During the procedure we will use alcohol to keep the area clean.

During the procedure

1. Breathe- Don’t hold your breath, that’s how people pass out.

2. Talk to me- Tell me if you feel something weird and I will explain to you what is going on. For instance, sometimes when injecting the cheeks the numbing medicine will numb the lip because of nerves that start in the cheek and go to the lip, don’t freak out. I can talk you through most of the things you don’t expect. Conversation is distracting you from pain and makes it more fun for me too!

3. Pain prevention- We will ice you to numb the area with coolness. We can use numbing cream as well. We can do a dental block (shots in the gums like at the dentist) to numb your lips before injection. The fillers come with numbing medicine in them so after the first few sticks you start to feel numb. We tap you on the face to trick your nerves where to send pain signals which decreases the pain during injection. We use the smallest needle possible that is compatible with the filler particles.

4. Time- Usually you will be at the clinic for 30 minutes to an hour but the actual injection may only take about 15 minutes.

Post-procedure

1. No strenuous activity the day of injection. This prevents/decreases bruising. No heavy lifting, no straining, no crossfit.

2. No rubbing, no massaging, no sleeping on your face. This is mostly precautionary. We don’t want you to move your filler which is fairly hard to do once we have injected it but better safe than sorry. For real though, don’t schedule a facial or massage the same day after you’re injected.

3. For bruising- Eat pineapple. Use Arnicare gel up to four times a day. This is a homeopathic gel used for swelling and bruising. Come to the clinic the next day and let us laser the bruises to make them go away much quicker.

4. Come back in two weeks- At two weeks most of your swelling and bruising should be resolved. We can look at your before and after pictures together which is the best part! We also can make sure we have you on a longterm plan because you’re always going to be getting older and we want to be preventing drooping, sagging, dull skin, brown spots, fine lines and wrinkles slowly over time.

Filler really is an easy procedure. Last time I was injected I threw some powder on and went and saw patients and no one even noticed I had just been injected. Want to see how easy it really is? This Thursday, February 19th at noon Johnson Dermatology is hosting a lunch and learn. You can come grab a bite to eat while watching me inject a patients lips with Juvederm Ultra Plus (my favorite lip filler!). You can ask me all the filler questions your heart desires. Live demonstrations are so much fun! I hope to see you ALL there. Just call or e-mail the clinic to reserve your spot, they fill up fast so hurry!

Hope your Valentines Day/Galentines Day/Single Awareness Day was full of lots of LOVE!

Stay LOVE-ly, Nina

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Valentines day is just a week away. Valentines is full of chocolates, flowers, love and kisses. What everyone needs and wants for kissing is a perfect pair of smoochers. This week for filler February I want to celebrate filler in the lips. The filler choices for the lips are Restylane, Belotero, Juvederm Ultra and Juvederm Ultra Plus. There is a new very thin filler for fine lines coming out this month called Restylane Silk. Belotero and now Restylane Silk are more for etched in very fine lines on the surface of the skin than volume loss and deeper lines. Juvederm Ultra is similiar to Juvederm Ultra Plus only Ultra Plus has a little more va-va-voom. In my personal experience my favorite is Juvederm Ultra Plus. I feel like it has a little more longevity overall, less initial swelling, easiest to manipulate and easiest to inject. We inject all of the aforementioned fillers. Deciding which filler best meets your individual needs should be done during your consult.

There are lots of things you can do with fillers in the lips other than just making them bigger. As a matter of fact you can do a lot with the fillers to make your lips more youthful without even putting the filler into the actual lip area but putting it around your lips. Here are characteristics of the lips and the area around the lips that I like to improve with fillers.

1. Lines around the lips- Usually for lines around the lips a filler and Botox combination is prettiest.We can stretch lines around the mouth and lips with filler.

2. Border of the lip- In our youthful years most of us have a strong border around the lips. As we age, the lips and skin around them just kind of meld together. Some women try to improve this with lip liner. When we give you a border around your lip it redefines your lips and turns the pink part back to where it once was while stretching the lines around the lips as well.

3. Volume in the lips- If your lips are just made skinny or you are losing the volume in your lips as you mature you probably just want some plumping. We can do this with filler in a very natural way. One of my favorite things to do is give you that sexy pout back naturally making the lower lip bigger than the top lip. If your top lip disappears when you smile we can make it more of a natural beautiful lip that sticks around for photo ops.

4. Cupids Bow- Have you lost your cupids bow(also known as tubercle)? Is your top lip flat all the way across where you once had strong columns under your nose(also known as philtral columns)? I can inject filler to give those columns back to you and to give you your cupids bow just in time for Valentines Day!

5. Turn your frown upside down- Do the corners of your lips permanently turn down? We know you don’t feel sad inside so we will use filler to make your smiling inner spirit match your lips. We can put filler in/around your lips and the corners of your mouth to give you support back and make those corners go back to where they once were.

This is a good picture to try to visualize what I’m talking about.

If you get anything from this post then the take away should be that we can make your lips look very natural while using filler. Filler in lips doesn’t have to look done and fake. It can actually be done and no one even know what you had done.

Congratulations to everyone that ran in the Inaugural Fort Smith Marathon. You all have true grit! It was so inspiring to watch you all run by as my family enjoyed the beautiful weather.

Hope to see you all this week at the clinic with lots of love in the air!

Happy Valentines Day, XOXO, Nina

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I think in our society we associate fillers with big lips. Although lips, wrinkles, folds around the mouth and cheeks are areas commonly injected with fillers, there are other locations where we can do some very unique things with fillers. Let me enlighten you about the possibilities of fillers.  Make sure your injector is a highly trained core provider for safety because there are fillers that shouldn’t be used in certain places while others can be. Here are some of my favorite unique locations and tricks we can do with fillers.

1. The hands- If you don’t like the way the back of your hands are getting wrinkled or hollow looking then we can use Radiesse there.  We generally use one syringe per hand and it really smoothes out the back of the hand and gives a more youthful, natural appearance.

2. The nose- Is your nose bridge bumpy? Too wide without enough definition? We can use filler there to make a smoother, more defined nose.

3. The earlobes- Do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? No seriously, if you put your earrings in and there isn’t enough volume in the ear lobe to support the earring then your earrings could hang weird. We can put a very small amount of filler in the ear lobe to allow enough structure to support earrings again and give you that plumper, more youthful earlobe back.

4. The temples- Have your temples sunken in making your eye sockets protrude around the brows. This can age you drastically. We can fill the temples which can lift the brows and take away that aging sunken look. This is a very natural anti-aging trick.

5. Scars- Depending on multiple factors of the scar, such as age of the scar and characteristics of the scar, we can sometimes fill scars like we would a wrinkle to make the scar look better. If you have lost volume or there is a divot when you run your finger over the scar then you may be a good candidate to put filler in your scar and smooth that area back out.

Happy Filler February! If you aren’t already following Johnson Dermatology on FaceBook, now is the time to follow us. There are some exciting things coming with Filler February and that’s a really good place to be in the know.

Enjoy the Super Bowl, don’t let your blood pressure get too high cheering on your favorite team! And if you do get red faced, go read a couple posts back about facial redness treatments!

XOXO, Nina

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