EYES WIDE OPEN

In the quest for younger-looking eyes, nonsurgical rejuvenation options take you from fatigued to fabulous

The eyes. There is nothing more powerful on your face: They cry, they laugh; they show disappointment, dreaminess or deceit; they reveal surprise and shock, happiness and honesty. Beyond expressing how you feel, they can even define who you are. With all the importance we place on the eyes, it seems like a cruel twist of fate that they exhibit signs of aging so soon.

“People form opinions of other people based on their eyes, more than any other area on the face,” notes Dr. Susan Stevens Tanne, Medical Director of Cosmetic Laser MD. “People assume that if your eyes look young, it implies that you have more energy, more spunk, and are more of a go-getter.”

You may feel perky, but if your eyes look droopy, tired and sad, your whole demeanor can appear fatigued, depressed and old—all characteristics that appear on the daily “don’t” list. Unlike other facial imperfections, which can be camouflaged with artful makeup, problem areas around eyes are tougher to hide. Makeup and facial creams can’t cover up wrinkles and creases caused by volume loss under the eyes and in the temples.

No need to fret. At Cosmetic Laser MD we have your non-surgical solutions. A youthful, bright-eyed look can be restored—without going under the knife—with a variety of products and nonsurgical procedures.

About 90% of COSMETIC LASER MD’s anti-aging patients have some concern about the aging skin around their eyes. Thankfully, this is one area that we can easily rejuvenate with our arsenal of treatments and products. Minor cosmetic tweaks can go a long way toward improving this critical area. We have identified three major eye-aging culprits, and offer solutions for each concern. For total rejuvenation, a combination of treatments and products usually works best. Good morning bright eyes!

Lighten Up!

Dark circles definitely aren’t a “do” in the quest to maintain youthful-looking eyes. First, you need to determine the cause. As the skin thins with age, underlying blood vessels may show through, appearing as dark circles. Sometimes the pigment of the skin actually changes color as red blood cells break down. In other cases, those circles are actually dark shadows. As facial skin sags and loses volume, the area above the cheeks (the tear trough) hollows out, causing a shadowed effect. And sometimes dark circles have nothing to do with age—you just have them and probably always did, just like your parents and siblings.

Easy fix: An excellent concealer can do the trick for some.

Medical fix: If the dark circles are caused by shadows, injectable fillers in the under-eye hollows can make them disappear. "I get beautiful results with hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvéderm and Restylane, as well as with Selphyl enhanced fat from one’s own body,” says Dr. Tanne. "These fillers can fill the hollow areas beneath the eye, restoring that smooth youthful volume."

Also consider: Products that contain Vitamin K and/or caffeine can improve the appearance of dark circles, says Dr. Tanne, who recommends Circles from her Tanne MD Medical Grade Skincare line.

Tighten Up!

Your facial skin and muscles weaken with age—and that includes the skin above and below your eyes. The eyelids stretch, causing the upper lids to droop, while fluid and/or fat begins to fill in the loose space below the eyes, creating bags and puffiness.

Easy fix: Home remedies can be surprisingly effective for under-eye bags. “Sleeping with your head elevated via pillows, icing the areas with cold compresses in the morning, and using a topical cream that contains an ingredient to constrict the underlying blood vessels, such as caffeine - try The Firm from Tanne MD Medical Grade Skincare - decreases the amount of excess fluid in the under-eye tissue,” says Dr.Tanne.

Medical fix: The E-Matrix Laser offers remarkable results to this delicate area. It absolutely turns back the hands of time, and with little or no downtime, and little or no discomfort.

Also consider: Botox and Dysport can erase crow’s feet and raise the eyebrows, offering a mini-brow lift for patients with minor eyelid drooping.

Smooth It Out!

Thinning skin, sun damage and facial expressions all conspire to create lines and wrinkles on our aging faces, which show up first and most prominently, around the eyes. This thin, fragile skin is in constant motion, and produces wrinkling long before it appears on other areas of the face.

Easy fix: Our featured eye product, EYE DEFENSE, has been specially formulated to contain a comprehensive system of all-trans retinol, peptides, chelators, antioxidants and moisturizers targeting puffiness, dark circles, lines and wrinkles, firmness and tightness, enhanced skin texture and smoothness. We recently came across a statistic that 90% of cosmetic dermatologists use some form of retinol around their eye area.

Medical fix: “A series of chemical peels - such as Apeele - does an excellent job in tightening lower eyelid crinkles,” Dr. Tanne says. And Botox or Dysport is the go-to remedy for crows-feet and other superficial lines caused by facial expressions (squinting, raising eyebrows, frowning). "I like to smooth out these irritating lines while allowing you to maintain a normal, expressive appearance—without that paralyzed look.”

Also consider: Need an immediate line eraser for an important date or event? Try Instantly Ageless "Facelift in a Bottle" for an 8 - 10 hour quick fix!

Love your Lashes

If your eyelashes are a little sparse, we've got the remedy.

Sadly, even our eyelashes age. as hair follicles age, lashes can appear thinner and less dense. The cure is Latisse which "jumpstarts" hair follicles to stimulate growth, increases melanin pigment (resulting in darker lashes) and causes lashes to grow longer than they normally would. Use it once per day before bed. Just place a thin layer of solution along your upper eyelash line with a small brush. With the first tw0 months you will start to see darker, thicker, longer lashes.

Diet Secrets that Make Your Skin Glow

Of course if you know by now that at COSMETIC LASER MD we are chemical-free sunscreen fanatics (by the way our new spring products just came in, including a fabulous custom-color block which our makeup artists create just for you), but even we aren’t always thrilled with the Caspar-like pallor. While most people think the best way to improve their skin color is by sun tanning, a recent study shows that eating lots of fruits and vegetables is actually more efficient.


According to new research, people who eat larger portions of fruit and veggies a day have a more golden hue to their skin tone due to consuming more carotenoids. Responsible for the red coloring in fruits and vegetables like carrots and tomatoes, carotenoids are antioxidants that assist in soaking up damaging compounds produced by everyday stress, especially while the body is fighting disease.

Interestingly enough, the study also found that given the choice between skin color caused by sun tan and skin color caused by carotenoids, people preferred the carotenoid skin color. So it looks like if you want a healthier and more attractive skin color, you are better off turning to fruits and veggies than UV rays.

Mother-in-Law Makeovers Are a Hot Cosmetic Trend

Brides and bridesmaids aren't the only ones who shine in the spotlight at weddings. The mothers of the bride and groom also fall under the scrutiny from wedding guests, high-definition photography and videography. Anyone who has watched TLC's popular cable show Say Yes to the Dress knows that her child's wedding day is a huge event in a mother's life. Mothers of the happy couple put countless hours of time and effort into finding the ideal dress and perfecting their own wedding look. Now the latest trend in cosmetic medicine – cosmetic makeovers for mothers of the bride and groom. Dubbed "Mother-in-Law Makeovers," these cosmetic enhancements are designed to help wedding moms look their best on their children's big day.

Mother-in-Law Makeovers ensure that moms feel comfortable with their appearance and look fabulous in high-definition wedding photos and videos. Like Mommy Makeovers that help new moms regain their pre-pregnancy shape, Mother-in-Law Makeovers are individually tailored to meet the specific goals of each individual woman. During your customized consultation, Dr. Tanne addresses your areas of concern so that you feel confident, beautiful and picture-perfect on the day of the wedding. Many moms choose to refresh their face with non-invasive procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers for a Liquid Facelift, which elicit amazing but natural looking results. Laser treatments and chemical peels give the skin a refreshed, rejuvenated, smooth look. Body shaping with VelaShape is a common procedure chosen by moms who want to look slim and elegant in their dresses.

When considering a Mother-in-Law Makeover, talk to Dr. Tanne well in advance about when to schedule treatments. For a quick fix, injectible fillers are a fantastic option to have you looking your best before the wedding. You may just need a little bit of Botox or dermal filler to smoothen out any wrinkles or get rid of the dark circles under the eyes and some laser treatments to give your face a glowing look. Please allow at least 3 weeks before the wedding for Botox and fillers, to avoid any chance of lingering bruising or swelling on the wedding day, and to ensure that you get the results you desire. For this once in a lifetime event, you want to put your best face forward for photos that will capture your beauty and immortalize this joyous occasion forever!

We want your skin to be glowing for the special wedding day that will be cherished in photographs forever. At Cosmetic Laser MD we recommends that you use products with active ingredients to achieve smoother, radiant skin. To achieve results, medical grade skincare products that can only be found in a physician's office, such as own Tanne MD Medical Grade Skincare, are recommended. In addition, Facials, DiamondTip Microdermabrasion, and SilkPeel treatments should be performed closer to the wedding day. We are confident that you will achieve smoother, radiant skin for your special day.

With so many cosmetic options available to you, go ahead and treat yourself to a rejuvenated, younger, radiant look and make a lasting impression for everyone to admire.

Celebrity Cosmetic Surgery Red Carpet Secrets Revealed

With the Oscars a distant memory, the only question that now remains is – how do the celebrities get themselves so PERFECT before they walk the red carpet?

After all, millions of eyes and flashbulbs capturing every move on the red carpet, and with it, any flaw that dares to bulge, spot or wrinkle on the world's most glamorous stage.

“Though we did not treat any Oscar-hopefuls this year, we have certainly seen our share of Broadway, television and movie personalities here at Cosmetic Laser MD,” says Susan Stevens Tanne MD.

“There are a variety of nonsurgical 'quick fixes' that have little or downtime that I can choose from to make them look good. Celebrities have always been at the forefront of using these kinds of treatments, because of the pressure to constantly look good for public appearances," Tanne adds.

Ideally, patients come in a few weeks before their big day to assess their concerns, and put together an action plan of what is often a variety of touch-up procedures to tighten skin and give it a glow.
So what kind of fixes are celebs clamoring for? Here’s a list of the top most requested pick-me-ups.

FAT SHRINKAGE
When you've got to slip into a sexy body-baring gown, Spanx can only work so many miracles. In addition to supportive undergarments, celebs turn to the VelaShape contouring system to trim a few more inches of fat.

“VelaShape is the most effective non-invasive body contouring system out there, and I’ve used them all,” Tanne notes. “We used to have Zerona, but it was not giving us the result we wanted. Our patients are thrilled with VelaShape. It’s what the Kardashians use to stay in camera-ready cellulite-free shape.

Patients often combine the VelaShape with their already aggressive pre-Oscars routine combination of a light diet and exercise for best results.

CHEST EXPRESS
Strapless and low-cut gowns may look simply stunning on the red carpet, but they also put a laser focus on areas where many women feel self-conscious about the pull of gravity: décolleté. Years of sun worshipping sometimes takes its toll on the upper chest, which is spotlighted when wearing a strapless gown.

A few sessions with our FotoMatrix laser treatment eradicates sun damage, reduces fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots. It’s like an eraser for the delicate upper chest area, and a real age re-winder.

BROWN SPOTS
Pigmentation changes are one of the most common aging concerns, and celebs aren't immune. Most say they're especially self-conscious about spots on the face, cleavage and back of the hands.

Entirely eliminating brown spots takes multiple treatments or more invasive procedures like deep chemical peels that require downtime, and can't be done merely days before a big event. Powerful lasers may zap problematic spots into oblivion, but they form a scab that must naturally flake off on its own, or else risk scarring.

However, a variety of noninvasive treatments like microdermabrasion and non-ablative lasers can be combined like a cocktail to significantly lighten spots in as little time as a week before the big day.

For maintenance, a regular patient may first go through the regimen of four to six sessions to undo sun damage on the skin, and then maintain with follow-up sessions once every season.

FILLERS AND BOTOX
Botox is often used before an event to eliminate crow’s feet, forehead lines, and other fine lines and wrinkles. It is easily our best “quick fix” and our patients are thrilled with the lineless, youthful results they can achieve.

Fillers like Juvederm and Restylane are most often shot into the lips for a fuller look, or to erase aging marionette lines. Radiesse is a firmer filler, and is often used in the cheeks for more support. While typical fillers last a few months, firmer versions like Radiesse can often stay in place for up to a year.

Sold by the syringe, most patients require two syringes of filler for an area like deep laugh lines, or one syringe for the lips. Prices can vary dramatically depending on volume needed.

When it comes to Botox and fillers, you have to be careful to treat at least a week before an event, just in case there’s any surface bruising. It is difficult to anticipate whether or not a person will bruise, but eliminating blood thinners like aspirin helps.

We encourage our patients to consult with us at least six weeks before their red-carpet moments so that we can put together a customized treatment plan. As always, our professional make-up artist can also get you "Photo Perfect" and completely erase any flaws before your event.

Ah, yes -- that's the magic of Hollywood.