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.

Photodynamic Therapy - PDT - for Acne and Sun Damage

What is Photodynamic Therapy?
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using Levulan® is a very safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe acne, aging, and severe sun damage.
At Cosmetic Laser MD, Susan Stevens Tanne, M.D. offers Photodynamic therapy with Levulan® and the BLU–U® light or FotoFacial RF (IPL) from Syneron to help reverse sun damage and treat acne. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a special treatment that uses a photosensitizing agent that is applied to skin and then activated with a light source. The beauty of utilizing PDT is its ability to rejuvenate skin — in addition to successfully improving such skin conditions as acne and severe sun damage — all in one procedure.
How does Photodynamic Therapy Work?
The Levulan® is absorbed by actively proliferating cells such as bacteria, oil glands and sun damaged cells. The light source used may be a visible blue light, intense pulsed light or laser light. It activates the Levulan® in the targeted cells which are then destroyed. Bacteria are destroyed, oil glands shrink and sun damaged cells peel away. Skin texture is improved, pore size is reduced, and skin appears smoother, brighter, and healthier.
What happens during and after the treatment?
The patient experiences a mild tingling during the treatment. The next few days feel like a sunburn as the old cells are shed off.
It is very important that you avoid direct sunlight for 36 hours (including car windows) after having the treatment. Sunlight contains the spectrum of light that can unpredictably activate the chemical and result in a much deeper peel than was expected.
What conditions can be treated?
• Sun damage: face, neck, shoulders, back, chest, hands, arms and legs
• Acne, oily skin, and enlarged pores
• Rosacea
• Keratosis pilaris (tiny bumps on cheeks and the back of arms)
What happens during PDT Treatment?
Clean your skin of all makeup, sunscreen and moisturizers. If you have recurrent cold sores, we'll start an Antiviral prophylaxis. We will perform an acetone scrub or microdermabrasion. A clear painless solution is applied to your skin and left on for 30–60 minutes. It is then activated by a light source, usually BLU–U®, LightWave blue LED therapy or IPL, for a few minutes and then washed off. Most people require three to five treatments, two to four weeks apart.
The treatment will also target sebaceous hyperplasia (those small, benign bumps on your skin), and the papules of acne rosacea. Skin oiliness is decreased, and the appearance of pores is minimized. The entire skin texture improves following a Photodynamic Acne Treatment.
PDT Acne Therapy
There are several different presentations of acne ranging from comedonal (blackheads and whiteheads), papular, pustular, and cystic acne. In many cases, many of these presentations of acne can be present on an individual simultaneously.
Prior to photodynamic acne treatment, the best available treatment option for cystic acne was Accutane. However, with Accutane there are many systemic side effects including birth defects, liver abnormalities, mood depression, and virtually all patients get dryness. PDT Acne Treatment provides a viable alternative for all types of acne treatment. For many people this means being able to avoid oral antibiotics or Accutane.
FotoFacial RF and PDT
Photodynamic therapy can be combined with our regular skin rejuvenation treatments using FotoFacial RF, which targets redness and brown spots, as well as stimulates formation of more collagen in the skin. There is normally no downtime for FotoFacial RF treatments without Levulan. However, one can enhance and boost the FotoFacial RF skin rejuvenation results by adding Levulan to the treatment process. The down time is a little longer than for a typical FotoFacial RF treatment but the results are phenomenal! The pores become finer, spots flake off and the result is a subtle air brushed look that your friends and family will compliment you on.
Is there any downtime? What happens after treatment?
We'll apply sun block and make sure you wear your hat out of the office. Patients are more sensitive to the sun for 36 hours after treatment and must avoid direct light. If possible, patients should remain indoors for the first 24 hours after treatment. There may be mild swelling around the eyes for 1 day and redness and peeling for about seven to 10 days. You'll use mild cleansers and moisturizers until the peeling stops. Sunscreen is mandatory. Topical acne medications can be used in between the PDT treatments once the redness has settled down, usually over a period of a few days. Again, if you are prone to facial cold sores, Dr. Tanne will prescribe antiviral medication to prevent a recurrence.
The advantages of PDT are rapid treatment of acne lesions all over the face without scarring or surgical excision. The skin appears refreshed and younger following these treatments. There are no systemic side effects.
Who should avoid Photodynamic Therapy?
Pregnant women, those who have taken Accutane® in the past three months, and those with active cold sores. Dr. Tanne will discuss whether this treatment is appropriate for you during your free consultation.
When is the BLU–U® light or LightWave LED therapy used without Levulan®?
Since the BLU–U® light and LightWave LED destroys bacteria that aggravate acne, mild to moderate acne can be improved with just the light. Treatment involves sitting in front of the light for a few minutes twice a week for 5 weeks. It is safe and painless, and can be used together with prescribed acne medication, microdermabrasion, and light chemical peels.