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Meet Our New Aesthetician
STEPHANIE HARROLD
A. First of all, I am delighted to have joined Dr. Bressler, Dr. Funk and everyone here at The Bressler Center. The practice has an outstanding reputation, and I am very proud to be part of the team. I moved to Houston from San Antonio where I was the director of a Medical Spa. However, I am proud to say that I am a native Houstonian, so I am pleased to be returning to my hometown. In addition, the chance to join such an established practice and to be in The Texas Medical Center made this opportunity irresistible. Q. The Bressler Skin Center is a very comprehensive facility, dedicated to the latest in skin-care techniques and treatments. How does your previous experience and training quality you to join the team? A. If ever there was a perfect fit for me, this is it. I have the utmost respect for every member of this team and I bring experience working with all the latest in the skin-care field. I have been certified as an aesthetician since 1993. Since that time, I have continued to study and have earned certification on an assortment of lasers. As well, I have extensive training when it comes to treatments and procedures, including chemical peels, hair removal, and more. It seems that the more I know and the more I study, the more I want to continue to learn. The field of medical aesthetics is one of the most dynamic, changing areas today and I continue to take courses, advancing my knowledge – and my abilities – to help individuals who are looking for beautiful skin. Q. You mention experience with a variety of lasers. Are you familiar with the Syneron? A. Yes, I am very familiar with the Syneron™ e-Max laser and I believe it is undoubtedly one of the best ever. Not only have I been trained extensively on Syneron, but I have also had five years of actual, hands-on experience with it. I have worked, and been trained on, other lasers, but there is no comparison – this is the one. The Syneron e-Max laser can be used for skin tightening, for skin rejuvenation, for wrinkle reduction. It is effectively used to remove hair, treat leg veins and even help with clearance of acne. Q. What makes Syneron so effective? A. This is state-of-the-art equipment. I know that many people throw that phrase around, but in this instance, it’s very applicable. The patented elōs™ Technology of the Syneron laser uses bi-polar radio frequency and light to produce highly effective treatment for patients. Older lasers and less sophisticated lasers can cause dermal damage. With the Syneron and a thorough medical history of the skin, this laser can be so helpful in a person’s quest for smooth, youthful looking skin. I have had outstanding results on all types of individuals. Whether a person is looking to maintain his/her healthy appearance or a person who has started the aging process and has previously ignored skin care, I find this laser can help. I have used Syneron for five years and I know how skin will react and begin to improve. For sun damage such as brown spots and the like, a PhotoFacial™ treatment produces the desired results. For superficial wrinkles, crow’s feet and other similar aging problems, I know ReFirme™ is the right choice. Both teach the body to heal itself and begin to produce collagen. Q. When individuals turn to you for help and advice, do they generally know what type of treatment they need? How does a person know whether to ask for microdermabrasion, PhotoFacial, laser or any type of treatment? A. That’s where I come in. I know skin and I know what will be effective and helpful and what will not. With each new person who comes in to The Bressler Center, I start with a thorough assessment. Generally, I use the Fitzpatrick Skin Typing Test where I investigate factors that influence skin type before I recommend treatment. Together, the individual and I discuss genetics, tanning, sun exposure and more. I also discover if a person has had previous laser treatments and if any have been successful. Not only do I investigate skin type, but also I do a custom mapping of the person’s face based on texture, bones and such. Then, we discuss issues, plans, complaints. With this input, I am able to design a treatment plan and see what’s needed and where. A patient doesn’t always know what will work best. For instance, the other day, a new client came in and said she wanted a PhotoFacial. She had heard from a friend that it was effective and thought it would be good for her. After our discussion and my evaluation, I told her what would really be best for her would be a skin tightening treatment. After we talked and discussed which laser treatment would give her the results she wanted, we decided on a combination of the two. I used the PhotoFacial to address the problem of a few broken capillaries around the nose and ReFirme for skin tightening. She was thrilled with the results. So, bottom line: patients look to the professionals at The Bressler Center for guidance. We know the treatments and the expected results and we will recommend what will be best. Q. How do you interact with Dr. Bressler and Dr. Funk? A. At the Bressler Center, every person who comes in for a cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Bressler or Dr. Funk receives a complimentary skin-care consultation and possibly, an initial treatment. The way I see it, Dr. Bressler and Dr. Funk improve the structure and volume of the face while I treat the surface. After surgery, I want patients to protect the investment they have made in their faces and maintain beautiful skin to complement their surgical results. Conversely, I will sometimes advise patients that the result they want will not be accomplished with a wrinkle reduction treatment, or skin tightening, but rather, I recommend that patient visit with one of the physicians about a possible eye lift, facelift or other surgery. This is the advantage of getting treatment at a skin spa where the plastic surgeons are on site and available at all times. Either Dr. Bressler or Dr. Funk is available to answer questions, address concerns and make surgical recommendations. Q. With the heat and humidity in Houston and the Gulf Coast, many individuals suffer with rosacea. What kinds of treatment do you recommend for this condition? A. Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that principally affects the face. The condition is characterized by facial redness with small, red, pus-filled bumps. Rosacea worsens with time if left untreated. It’s interesting that this problem is often mistaken for acne or a skin allergy. And, in fact, I have seen several individuals recently who have come in and didn’t know they had rosacea. Generally, I will start individuals with rosacea on a medical skin-care regimen at home with Obagi Rosa Clear for four to six weeks. Then, I treat the person’s skin with PhotoFacial. As long as the individual keeps up the maintenance, this works quite well and flare ups are pretty much eliminated. Q. You mentioned that you are a native Houstonian. Outside of the office, where do your interests lie? A. I am one of those individuals who are always busy, learning, playing. I love all things creative – oil painting, drawing, restoring art, interior design. For more about Stephanie Harrold, select CV. Skin Treatments
Q. What can I do for my photodamaged skin? A.As we age, we begin to notice changes in the texture of our skin. Sun spots, dilated tiny blood vessels (telangiectasias), different pigments, and increased wrinkles. At The Bressler Center for Facial Plastic Surgery and Skin Care, our licensed aesthetician will perform a professional assessment of your skin texture, quality, and features. She will provide information regarding treatments that can help to give your face and neck a more uniform appearance, fewer blemishes, decreased wrinkles, and improved texture.
As noted in the following table, the FotoFacial RF™ portion targets vascular and pigmented lesions to improve the skin’s uniformity and tone, helping eliminate sunspots, small blood vessels, and rosacea. After the treatment, vascular lesions fade from sight while pigmented lesions darken and flake away within a week or so. The Refirme™ applicator stimulates long-term collagen synthesis as well as the tightening of existing collagen fibers, giving an immediate firmed and tightened appearance. The procedure uses a combination of gentle pulsed infrared light and bipolar radio frequency (RF) to provide deep dermal heating. This will provide mild to moderate improvement to the laxity in the brow, jowls, neck, and cheek region. The Matrix IR™ fractional applicator delivers more focused energy to target zones, promoting fast collagen renewal and remodeling for a smoother appearance. The laser energy is delivered in a form of micro-beams creating matrix thermal bands. This fractional energy enables the introduction of more focused energy into demarcated zones in the dermis to denature and remodel collagen. The fractional aspect of this technology provides a quicker recovery time (one to two days) with a similar efficacy to lasers of the past. It will significantly improve the appearance of face and neck wrinkles. If you are experiencing aging skin, uneven skin tone, spider veins, sun-damaged skin, saggy brow lines and nasolabial folds, jowl and neck laxity, sagginess under the eyes and wrinkles – triniti Skin Series can be the right treatment for you. Triniti treatment is safe and effective for most skin types and skin colors. It is excellent for patients who are looking for a no-downtime, pain-free, fast, and cost-effective non-surgical facial renewal treatment.
Q. What is the recovery time after receiving treatment with triniti? A. This is the most exciting aspect of this new technology. The longest recovery time is typically one to two days mainly after the Matrix IR™ fractional treatments. Q. Are all three treatment of the triniti system required? A. Absolutely not. If you simply have facial rosacea which you find bothersome, the FotoFacial™ alone will provide you with an excellent aesthetic result. For those patients who are unwilling to undergo surgical facial rejuvenation and only want a modest change, skin tightening would be an excellent option. If you only want to treat your wrinkles, the Matrix IR is a perfect choice. The three Steps are outlined below.
Q. What is microdermabrasion? A.Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic procedure designed for rejuvenation of the skin, particularly on the face. The non-invasive procedure that removes the dead and damaged layer of skin cells, promoting the growth of collagen. Microdermabrasion treatment can be done in between skin rejuvenation treatments, two weeks following a treatment or one week prior to the next triniti treatment. Triniti helps to slough darkened pigment off skin that has been treated with FotoFacial and MatrixIR. Thinning out the outer layer of the skin also preps the skin for the next skin-rejuvenation treatment, making it easier for the light/laser energy from elōs technology to penetrate the epidermis. Microdermabrasion typically consists of five to seven treatments seven to 10 days apart. It resurfaces the outer layer of the skin allowing for healthy revitalized skin to grow in its place. It is quite tolerable and feels like a scratchy sensation on the face. The procedure takes about 20 minutes for the entire face and you can expect to have a pinkish hue for about 24 hours. Injectables and Fillers
A.Botox® is a purified form of Botulinim Toxin Type A that is used to temporarily paralyze certain facial muscles. It is used for “dynamic” wrinkles or wrinkles that occur in the face with motion. The injection is placed into and surrounding the targeted muscle using a very small needle. Q. Is Botox® safe? A. Botox® has been used safely for more than 30 years for the medical treatment of muscle spasticity. It has been used safely for cosmetic purposes now for more than 10 years. The amount of Botox® used during a cosmetic injection is one-fiftieth the dose that would cause toxicity. Q. How long before the Botox® takes effect and how long will it last? A. Typically, Botox® takes approximately 48 hours to take effect and achieves its maximum effect at one to two weeks. It will usually last about four months before reinjection is needed.
A.Dysport® is also a purified form of Botulinum Toxin Type A that is very similar to Botox®. Q. Which should I have injected, Dysport® Botox®? A. These medications are very similar. Their side effect profile, duration until onset, and lasting time are about the same. Patients with an allergy to cow's milk protein cannot be injected with Dysport®. Click here to see Dr. Funk's clip discussing Dysport®. Q. What are the different types of fillers? Where and how are they used? A. Fillers are used for passive wrinkles, or wrinkles that are present when the face is at rest. Sometimes dynamic wrinkles will eventually become passive wrinkles. These can be treated with a combination of Botox® and filler. An easy way to categorize fillers is by whether they are temporary or permanent. Temporary fillers include the hyalouronic acid types which are Restylane®, Perlane®, and Juvederm™. Hyalouronic acid is a natural substance that is found in our cartilage, ligaments, and connective tissue. These fillers will last approximately six to 12 months. Other temporary fillers are Radiesse® and Sculptra™ which typically last longer. These fillers are safe, effective, and have proven to retain their composition for the time stated. Common locations in the face for filler injection include the fold between the cheek and the lip (melolabial or nasolabial fold), the folds below the corners of the mouth (marionette lines), and the lips. Q. Is it important as to who performs my injections? A. These injectables can be legally performed by anyone with the proper training. It is important to ask your dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or facial plastic surgeon who specifically will be performing your injection. Unfortunately, these procedures are at times performed by people outside of these specialties with inappropriate skills or training. Your injections at The Bressler Center for Facial Plastic Surgery and Skin Care will be performed only by Dr. Fred Bressler or Dr. Etai Funk. As surgeons, Dr. Bressler and Dr. Funk are familiar with the facial anatomy, and as facial plastic surgeons, have the artistic creativity to perform these injections with the most aesthetically pleasing goals in mind. Although Botox and filler procedures are becoming more commonplace, neither can replace cosmetic surgery. A person will never obtain as dramatic a result with a non-invasive procedure as with a surgical option – which is precisely why a person is wise to seek these non-invasive services at The Bressler Center. Non-surgical treatments administered in our setting provide excellent opportunities for a patient to become familiar with their facial plastic or plastic surgeon. Is he/she honest and amiable? Is he/she punctual with appointments? Is the office staff receptive and accommodating? How is the aesthetician? How is the facility? Does it appear to be a professional practice? Obtaining this information through periodic visits to The Bressler Center for non-invasive procedures enables a patient to become familiar, comfortable, and confident with our surgeons and our practice. Therefore, if the patient elects to pursue a surgery at a later date, the surgical consultation becomes a delightful, non-stressful, and enjoyable experience. Botox® comes as a powder and needs to be reconstituted with saline solution. Allergan, the company that makes Botox® recommends that the toxin be used within four hours after reconstitution. However, recent studies have demonstrated that it retains its efficacy up to two weeks after reconstitution. At The Bressler Center, we only use Botox that has been reconstituted within the last week, allowing for a concentrated dose and producing the most effective and long-lasting result possible. Patients considering Botox® injection at clinics or spas other than The Bressler Center should be certain to ask when the Botox was reconstituted prior to receiving treatment. Skin-Care Products
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