Since the first injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) was FDA approved in 2003, there have been new HA formulations and expanded indications. Physicians can now select from a large portfolio of HA fillers with different features including HA molecular weight and concentration and degree of crosslinking (also referred to as degree of modification). Physicians using these devices must be familiar not only with anatomical age-related volume loss, but the different rheological properties of each HA filler.

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As many people in the greater Bay Area have discovered, there’s nothing like dermal fillers to help you feel fresh-faced and fabulous – without the downtime or pain associated with more invasive anti-aging treatments. However, you might have found yourself frustrated when you need to return to the doctor’s office for a refresher treatment much sooner than you hoped.

Metabolism is one of the most significant factors affecting how long fillers last. You and a friend might get the same amount of fillers injected on the same day, yet you find yours wearing off sooner. While there’s no way to guarantee how long your fillers will persist before you start thinking about a maintenance appointment, consider the following tips to help increase your time between treatments.

Time Your Treatments

It’s better to keep up with your dermal fillers than let them go and have to start from scratch. Dr. Matarasso recommends his patients follow a treatment schedule for injectables so that they can get the next set of injections before their previous results fully wear off.

Typically, we suggest follow-up sessions every six to 12 months. As a board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Matarasso can recommend the appropriate length of time to wait between appointments, based on the filler used and your specific anti-aging concerns.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Especially with hyaluronic acid-based fillers such as Juvéderm®, proper hydration can extend the longevity of your treatments. Apply a lightweight moisturizer for daytime use, and choose a thicker one for overnight hydration. The more water you drink throughout the day, the better off you’ll be. Always keep a glass of fresh, cool water within reach, instead of defaulting to sugary, carbonated sodas and energy drinks. Aim for at least 64 ounces of water a day. You can also get hydration from fresh fruits and vegetables like melons, lettuce, and cucumbers.

De-Stress

Stress can take a heavy toll on your physical and psychological well-being, including causing you to age more rapidly. While leading an entirely stress-free lifestyle is virtually impossible in this day and age, you can still take steps to bring more calm into your world.

If you’re always on the go and feel like your stress levels are out of control, carve out time for healthy self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and yoga. Each of these can help bring a sense of peace to your day. Many tasty foods – such as tea, dark chocolate, blueberries, almonds, and milk – can also help alleviate stress, so be sure to add more of these to your diet.

Avoid Sun Exposure

Sunshine feels good on your skin, but overexposure to damaging UV rays can cause premature aging and cause your injectables to break down sooner. After any non-surgical skincare treatment, avoid spending time outside without proper protection. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and be sure to reapply it every few hours. A wide-brimmed hat, a lightweight cover-up, and a pair of sunglasses with UV-protecting lenses will round out your sun-protection kit.

Come in for a Visit

Fillers can help subtly refresh your appearance and provide you with noticeably youthful contours without stitches or surgery. If you want to learn more about the benefits of dermal fillers and how to make them last longer, invest in your skin by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Seth L. Matarasso today.

Does it feel like you’ve tried every concealer under the sun to camouflage your under-eye bags? Do people often comment on how tired you look, even if you’ve gotten a full night’s rest? A puffy, prominent under-eye area can prematurely age you and lead others to make snap judgments about your appearance. Fortunately, Dr. Seth Matarasso can use his experience as a board-certified dermatologist to provide you with non-surgical solutions for refreshing your under-eye area. Read on to learn more!

Why Do People Develop Under-Eye Bags?

Let’s start by answering a commonly asked question: What makes under-eye puffiness such a cosmetic challenge for some people? The skin around your eyes is thinner than that on the rest of your face, which is why it’s one of the first areas to show early signs of aging. Other factors that contribute to under-eye bags include the following.

• Lifestyle choices: Overexposure to damaging UV rays, an inconsistent sleep schedule, dehydration, and smoking can all weaken the tissue structures and muscles supporting your eyelids. As the skin begins to sag, fat can move from the area around the eye to the spots below your eyes.
• Genetics: under-eye bags and dark circles often tend to run in families. If one or both of your parents have a prominent under-eye area, it’s likely you will, too.

Using Dermal Fillers to Treat Under-Eye Bags

In recent years, injectable dermal fillers such as Juvederm have emerged as one of the hottest treatments in aesthetic medicine. It’s not difficult to understand the appeal — not only do they provide nearly instant results, but they also require zero downtime for recovery, and you can resume your normal daily schedule immediately after your appointment.

This low-risk, high-reward option has become a favorite of everyone from starlets to soccer moms because of fillers’ ability to erase fine lines around the mouth and nose, add volume to the cheeks and lips, and create a naturally refreshed appearance. Now, fillers are becoming an increasingly sought-after option for erasing under-eye bags.

under-eye filler, also known as tear trough filler, consists of hyaluronic acid — a moisture-rich substance your body naturally produces. When injected under the eye and at the top of the cheek, it smooths the transition between these two areas and gives your face more volume, essentially erasing puffiness and bags.

Expert Under-Eye Injections in San Francisco

Often, the results of a well-done under-eye filler treatment are comparable to a surgical lower eyelid lift. However, you’ll need to schedule periodic touch-up treatments to maintain your youthful appearance as your body absorbs the biocompatible filler. Because the under-eye area is less mobile than other parts of your face, you may find your filler lasts longer there than it does around your mouth and cheeks.

Since the skin around your eyes is so delicate, it’s essential to find a provider with the experience to handle the injections with precision. Placing too much filler will cause the under-eye area to appear even more prominent, while placement that is too superficial will create a bluish tint in the skin around the injection site. As a clinical professor of dermatology, Dr. Matarasso has the knowledge of facial anatomy necessary to create natural-looking results, while minimizing the side effects of under-eye injections such as bruising and swelling.

To learn more about under-eye fillers in San Francisco, contact our office to schedule your confidential consultation with Dr. Matarasso.

Interested? Contact us for a consultation or call 415-362-2238.

Fillers and injectables have shaken up the world of cosmetic medicine because of their incredible anti-aging benefits. One brief in-office session can give you plumper lips, erase your smile and frown lines, augment your cheekbones, and leave you looking rested and rejuvenated. 

Treatment with these products requires less than an hour, and results in no incisions, stitches, or downtime. When you get your procedure performed by a trained medical professional, the risks and side effects are minor. What are the best ones for your skin concerns? We’ve put together this guide to help you become a more informed patient.

How to Choose Wisely

The world of injectables continues to evolve every year, and now there is a wide array of choices on the market. Selecting the right one – or a combination of products – will depend on several factors, including your degree of aging, the elasticity of your skin, and the goals you have for your appearance. 

Getting cosmetic injectables is a fully customizable experience. Dr. Seth Matarasso can determine which fillers and what precise placement is best for you after evaluating your skin type and talking to you about your concerns. With that in mind, here is an overview of the most in-demand injectables available today.

Botox® and Dysport®

Even if you’ve never researched injectable products, you’ve likely heard of Botox through a TV commercial or a friend who has gotten it. Botox and its cousin, Dysport, are neuromodulators made from a highly purified version of the botulinum protein. These two products work to create a temporary paralysis in the muscles around your eyes and eyebrow region. They cause wrinkles like forehead furrows, crow’s feet, and the “eleven” lines that form between the eyebrows to smooth out, and they also prevent new wrinkles from appearing.

The effects of this pair of neuromodulators last three to four months, which means you will need to return for touch-up treatments a few times per year if you want to maintain your results. You can choose to use Botox or Dysport as stand-alone treatments, or in conjunction with dermal fillers for a full-face anti-aging effect.

Juvéderm®

Juvéderm is a line of hyaluronic acid-based products designed for use in different areas of the face. For instance, Juvéderm VolumaTM XC can help add volume back to the mid-face area. It can also minimize moderate to deep “marionette” and “parentheses” lines around your mouth.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar that is abundant in youthful skin. It’s a humectant, which means it attracts moisture. And, when you get it injected, it creates a plumping and volumizing effect. Because hyaluronic acid is biocompatible, there’s no need to worry about an allergic reaction, even if you have sensitive skin. Though your body will gradually re-absorb the hyaluronic acid, the results of the Juvéderm family of fillers typically last between six and 18 months.

Restylane®

As with Juvéderm, there’s a collection of Restylane products developed to treat varying trouble spots. The original Restylane erases wrinkles and fine lines, and can give thin lips a perfect pout. A thicker formulation called Restylane Lyft (formerly marketed as Perlane-L) can correct volume loss in the cheeks, as well as deep-set wrinkles around the mouth. It’s also received FDA approval to add fullness to the backs of the hands, which often become bony with age. 

The Restylane line is another option if you are interested in the biocompatibility of hyaluronic acid to provide a smoothing and plumping effect. Injections with Restylane may also jump-start your body’s natural collagen production, which means you could need fewer maintenance treatments over time. 

Ask Us About Fillers and Injectables

Fillers and injectables are ideal treatments for anyone who wants to refresh their appearance and look several years younger, but who is not ready or willing to commit to a more invasive surgical procedure such as a facelift or brow lift. These minimally invasive options are virtually painless, and you can get them done on your lunch break and return to work immediately if you prefer. 

As a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and professor of dermatology, Dr. Matarasso is a leading provider of injectable neuromodulators and dermal fillers in the greater San Francisco area. Under his expert care, you will receive results you’ll love, with no need to worry about disrupting your schedule to plan around a lengthy recovery time. If you’re ready to learn more, contact our office to book your private consultation. Our team is waiting to hear from you!

If you’re interested in hand rejuvenation using dermal fillers, contact us today.

Forget Daylight Savings – Turn Back Time with these Anti-Aging Procedures!

You may be still recovering from “springing forward” with Daylight Savings Time, but with the right kind of procedures, you can really turn back time on aging. Dr. Seth Matarasso has gathered some of the most advanced and effective nonsurgical procedure for completely reinvigorating your look. From injectables to laser treatments, Dr. Matarasso offers powerful rejuvenation with none of the wait or the discomfort.

Botox

From the most famous celebrities to regular women, Botox has helped millions of women all over the world achieve simple, powerful rejuvenation. With just a few injections, Botox will reduce prominent “expression lines” like crow’s feet, frown lines, and laugh lines. That’s not all—your Botox results will be good for as long as 3-4 months. Not bad for a procedure that takes only minutes to administer!

IPL

Also known as intense pulsed light, this popular new treatment uses light energy for powerful skin rejuvenation. By using multiple wavelengths of light, IPL can target an unbelievably wide range of signs of aging: wrinkles, age spots, dull skin, and even sun damage. Despite its versatility, the IPL treatment requires very little downtime and is a relatively comfortable treatment. So you can sit back, and let the light do its work.

Fraxel

Precision is the name of the game with Fraxel, a laser treatment that precisely targets just the right areas in the skin for overall skin rejuvenation. With Fraxel, you can reduce wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and reveal newer, fresher skin. Fraxel’s laser energy efficiently targets the most specific parts of the skin while leaving surrounding areas untouched. Because of Fraxel’s precision, it offers an even more comfortable treatment and faster recovery than other laser and light treatments.

Restylane

When our skin loses volume, it starts to fold and crease, leading to the wrinkles and lines that we associate with aging. Restylane is an amazing dermal filler that, once injected into the face, adds the necessary volume to smooth the skin and soften the appearance of deep wrinkles and creases. Not only is Restylane incredibly safe, but it can last for as long as 6-9 months. If you’re missing that spring and bounce in your skin, then Restylane might just be for you.

Daylight Savings Time might come and go, but it’s never too late for rejuvenation. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Matarasso now, for a chance to try out his many anti-aging procedures.

Your mom is gorgeous both inside and out, but even the most beautiful moms appreciate a pampering cosmetic treatment every now and again. This Mother’s Day, skip the chocolates and flowers and give your mom the gift of beauty instead. A cosmetic treatment is a gift she’ll enjoy every time she looks in the mirror.

Botox – Smooth Mom’s Wrinkles Away

If your mom has wrinkles (and what mom doesn’t have a few?), give her the gift of Botox to help her fade them away. Botox works by relaxing muscles that cause certain types of wrinkles (wrinkles caused by muscle activity—crow’s feet, smile lines, etc.). The treatment takes just a few minutes, and results show up in 2-3 days. With a single Botox treatment, Mom can enjoy fewer wrinkles for 4-8 months. This FDA approved treatment is a safe choice for most patients. Dr. Matarasso is a highly skilled injector—well known for his stunning, natural looking results.

CoolSculpting – Give Mom the Body She’s Always Wanted

The mother of your children has sacrificed a lot to bring her babies into the world. After pregnancy, women often find that stubborn fat pockets remain, even years or decades later. CoolSculpting could help your favorite mom to shed this unwanted fat and rediscover her best body. This treatment uses cold to freeze and destroy unwanted fat cells without damaging the surrounding tissues or skin. A completely non-surgical treatment, CoolSculpting requires no downtime after treatment.

IPL – Clear, Smooth, Beautiful Skin for Mom

If your mom has sun damage, spider veins, aging skin, or uneven pigmentation, IPL can help. This treatment uses powerful light energy to fight skin problems. Unlike a laser, which uses a single frequency of light, IPL utilizes multiple frequencies for exceptional results. Treatment typically takes less than an hour (approximately 15-30 minutes) with no downtime. Doesn’t your mom deserve beautiful skin?

Injectable Fillers – Rejuvenation for Mom in Minutes

Even busy moms have time for injectable dermal fillers. These fillers can restore lost volume to the skin, fill in line and wrinkles, and even plump up the lips. Filler treatments are often completed in less than 30 minutes with no downtime. We offer a wide variety of fillers to ensure success for your specific areas of concern.

If you’re still searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift for the many wonderful moms in your life, call and ask us about giving Mom the gift of beauty. Call today!

Botox or fillers? Many of our patients struggle to choose between these two powerful injectable cosmetic treatments. The good news is, you don’t have to choose. For many patients, Botox AND fillers can provide optimal results. Here’s why.

Botox Can Make Fillers Last Longer

Hyaluronic acid fillers are one of the most popular types of dermal fillers. Juvederm, Restylane, and Juvederm Voluma are all examples of hyaluronic acid fillers. These fillers have a hyaluronic acid (a natural substance found in the skin) base. Hyaluronic acid is highly biocompatible and is well tolerated by most patients; no allergy testing is needed. These fillers provide instant results without downtime.

Hyaluronic acid fillers are long lasting, but results are temporary. One recent study found that Botox can make these fillers last longer. Botox slows the degradation of the hyaluronic acid, allowing patients to enjoy their results much longer. If you love fillers, ask us if Botox could help your results to last longer.

Botox and Fillers – Different Uses, Gorgeous Results

Another perk of using both Botox and dermal fillers is the ability to target and eliminate more wrinkles. Botox is ideal for smoothing wrinkles caused by muscle activity. It is an excellent choice for crow’s feet, lines between the brows, forehead wrinkles, etc. Fillers are better suited to treat other types of wrinkles, restore lost facial volume, and plump up the lips. When they are used together, Dr. Matarasso can treat the signs of aging from brow to chin—all without surgery or downtime. Botox and fillers have different uses. They are great on their own, but they pack an amazing one-two rejuvenation punch when used together.

Are Botox and Fillers Right for Me?

If you’re thinking about Botox and fillers to enhance your appearance, call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Matarasso. After an examination of your skin, he can help you determine if you’re a good candidate for injectable treatments like Botox and dermal fillers. He may recommend one treatment or a combination of both. He may also offer recommendations for other cosmetic treatments so you can achieve your best skin. Call today!

As much as Dr. Matarasso loves visiting with his patients in beautiful San Francisco, he also likes to get away. Fortunately for him, one of his most recent trips combined business and pleasure, as he had the opportunity to be a speaker at the Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference 2016 in Koloa, Hawaii.

A Prestigious Event Attended by Dermatologists from Around the Country

The Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference is one of the most important annual events for dermatologists in the country. Attended by more than 400 dermatologists this year, the conference featured discussions and presentations by 42 industry experts. During the conference, the visiting dermatologists were able to enjoy training, live patient workshops, panels, Q & A sessions, and lectures. This year’s event was held from January 15-20 at the Grand Hyatt Kauai.

Dr. Matarasso’s Presentation

A highlight of the event was Dr. Matarasso’s presentation on injectable neurotoxin treatments. He discussed Botox, Xeomin, and Dysport, highlighting differences in cost and usage for these powerful treatments. These neurotoxins have valuable uses for treating fine lines and wrinkles (including crow’s feet, bunny lines, and frown lines), chin dimpling, and other cosmetic concerns. They can also treat medical conditions, including hyperhidrosis, migraine headaches, and masseter hypertrophy.

After advising physicians of the latest research regarding neurotoxins, he reminded them to treat the aging face not just with Botox, but to also utilize polytherapy. Dr. Matarasso recommends combining neurotoxin treatments with injectable fillers for the best results. As an experienced and well-practiced provider of injectable treatments, he is well aware of the synergistic effects that cosmetic treatments can have when properly used together.

Although we’re sure Dr. Matarasso enjoyed his time away teaching, learning, and hopefully spending time on the beach, we’re certainly glad he’s back. Call today and book your appointment with him.