Raval Facial Aesthetics Blog

It’s never too early to start taking good care of your skin. “It starts with childhood,” says Dr. Jeff Raval. “With infants, actually, because sunscreen minimizes both skin damage and risk of cancers over a lifetime.”

But when is the best age to consider additional measures to ensure your skin stays healthy or to correct skin imperfections? Should you start getting facial treatments or even Botox or fillers as a teenager or in your early 20s? Maybe, but not necessarily, says Dr. Raval. If you’re that young, you have plenty of time ahead of you to do the right thing for your skin and get the great results you want – skin that continues to look smooth and healthy as you age.

You’ve heard about the great things Botox can do to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and even prevent new ones from forming. You’ve seen for yourself what Botox has done for your friends. You want that, too! But, wait just a minute – we’re talking injections here. What if getting shots isn’t really your thing?

Let’s get right down to it: nobody wants a hairy tattoo! So whether you’re planning an amazing, huge back tat or something a little less dramatic, we have some very important advice for you: take care of the hair first!

You might be looking forward to endlessly shaving or otherwise removing hair from your tatted area for the rest of your days, but we think not. It makes more sense to get rid of that unwanted hair, virtually permanently, with laser hair removal. That way, your tattoo will always look its detailed best, never stubbled or furry. Unfortunately, once that ink is in place, laser hair removal is no longer an option; nor is intense-pulsed light (IPL).

With millions of Botox fans around the world, we all know this famous injectable works to help you look younger. Botox doesn’t erase wrinkles, but it reduces their visibility and it can help prevent new dynamic wrinkles from forming. But what does Botox cost?

The key to happiness with any facial rejuvenation procedure, whether it’s surgical or non-surgical, is realistic expectations. If you’re expecting the impossible, you are destined for disappointment. At Raval Facial Aesthetics, we always emphasize improvement, not perfection, because making things “better” is an attainable aesthetic goal. That said, sometimes the difference can be dramatic.

If you’re considering Botox injections, you can certainly expect to see improvement. Botox has been a perennial worldwide favorite since 1977 because it works. At RFA, we also offer Dysport, another derivative of botulinum toxin that works in the same way as Botox but which can produce better results in some patients or in certain facial areas. Whichever you choose, how much more youthful will you look?

Have you started to notice tiny networks of blue and purple veins, creeping across your legs or even your face? Spider veins! As if real spiders weren’t scary enough, the ones that make us want to cover up are appearing just below the skin. These superficial blood vessels are typically not painful, just unsightly. So is there anything you can do to shoo those pesky spiders from your face and legs? Great news: there is. Let’s find out more.

There was a time when we all felt invincible. Like nothing could do us damage, especially not the sun! We basked in it and we watched our skin glow beautifully from the sunshine. Unfortunately, this careless summertime fun has most likely done a serious number on our skin. We may even be able to see the evidence now. Age spots (brown spots, liver spots, or sun spots) are a tell tale sign that we didn’t always protect our skin from the sun. If you’re starting to notice age spots, do not fear. There are some options for reducing their appearance and returning your face to that youthful (and responsible) look. 

The most effective and rapid treatment for these pigmentation changes is laser therapy. The procedure is relatively painless and the recovery time is short. Maybe it’s time to consider laser skin treatment to address your emerging sun spots. Let’s learn more.

Back hair. You can’t see it without looking over your shoulder into a mirror, but other people can see it. And you can feel it. Excessive hair on the back or shoulders can be physically uncomfortable. You might feel overly warm or itchy. Back hair can also cause your clothes to fit poorly. Feelings of self-consciousness in swimwear or reluctance to dress in a tank top or go shirtless in hot weather are all things we discuss with patients seeking to remove back hair.

And back hair is not only a “guy thing.” Ladies can also suffer the discomfort and embarrassment of unwanted hair on the back or buttocks. It’s not your fault -- back hair is hereditary. However, just because your ancestors passed down the hairy back gene doesn’t mean you have to put up with the consequences. You can take corrective action, with laser hair removal.

Skin is the largest organ of your body, and its characteristics can vary tremendously from one person to another in (color, thickness, sensitivity, etc). Skin can be different on different parts of the body, too. With all that variation, it is no surprise that almost any skin rejuvenation product or procedure comes with at least some risk of side effects. That includes laser hair removal, since our hair grows from just beneath the skin.  

It is always smart to know in advance what side effects are possible, so you can assess the risks and make a well-informed decision about any treatment or procedure you are considering. Keep in mind that complications or side effects are possibilities, not necessarily common or serious. In fact, some are quite rare. Here is an overview of side effects associated with laser hair removal.

Many people have unwanted hair somewhere. It might be facial hair or body hair. It might be just a bit of hair restricted to a small area – say, your nose or the tops of your toes. Or it might be a lot of hair – on your back and shoulders, for example. We spend a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money to get rid of unwanted hair.

We shave, we tweeze, we wax (ow!), we smear on depilatory creams. These things can get the job done, but only as a temporary solution. You have to repeat them to maintain the hairless, smooth skin you want. And some parts of your body are not exactly convenient for DIY hair removal. So, if you’re looking for long-term results, these methods don’t work. But there’s good news: laser hair removal does.  

Here’s how.