Frequently Asked Questions

For Women & Men of All Skin Types and Tones

What do treatments feel like?

The handpiece cools and soothes as it glides along your skin. When the pulse of light is delivered, some patients experience a mild pinching or stinging sensation. No local anesthesia or pain medication is typically required; however some patients may prefer to use a topical anesthetic when sensitive areas are treated.

How many treatments will I need?

Most areas require 3-6 treatments. However, the number of treatments required for optimal long-term benefits depends on multiple factors - hair thickness, the area treated and your hair's growth cycle. Interestingly, not all hairs are actively growing at the same time and actually go through three distinct phases: growth, regression, and resting. CoolGlide treatments work by disabling the hair that is principally in the active growth phase at the time of treatment. Since other hairs will enter this active growth phase at different times, additional treatments may be necessary to disable all of the hair follicles in a given area.

What happens after the treatment?

Immediately following your treatment, the area may appear a bit red and swollen. Three to seven days after treatment you may experience what seems to be regrowth of hair. Actually, most of these hairs are being shed as a result of your treatment and are not regrowing. Between treatments you should not wax or pluck your hair, but it is permissible to shave.

What are the possible side effects?

Although patients experience few side effects, the most commonly noticed are slight reddening and local swelling of the skin, similar to a sunburn. These effects typically last for several hours or less. In rare instances, blistering may occur. Consult with your medical professional for complete information on the benefits and risks of treatment.

How does the laser treatment compare with electrolysis?

Electrolysis is a tedious, invasive, and painful process that involves inserting a needle into each individual hair follicle and delivering an electrical charge to them one at a time. Electrolysis often requires years of treatments at regular intervals. By delivering light energy to hundreds of hair follicles at a time, a laser effectively treats an area in just seconds that would take over an hour with electrolysis.

For Women & Men of All Skin Tones and Types

How does Vein Therapy work?

The Cutera CoolGlide systems deliver pulses of light energy which cause the blood within the vein to coagulate, eventually destroying the vessel which is later reabsorbed by your body. Blood flow will then be redirected to veins deeper below your skin's surface, where it should be.

How many treatments will I need?

Often, patients find that one or two treatments are sufficient. However, the number of treatments necessary depends on the number, color, and size of the vessels being treated. Since individual results vary, ask your medical professional about your specific condition.

Do the treatments hurt?

Most patients experience a stinging sensation as the pulses of energy are delivered through the handpiece. Although no local anesthesia or pain medication is typically required, many patients opt to use a topical anesthetic prior to treatment. Following the treatment, the pain is minimal to nonexistent.

What are the possible side effects?

Although many patients report few if any side effects, those most commonly noticed are slight reddening and local swelling of the skin. These effects typically last for less than 24 hours. Some patients may experience bruising and, in rare instances, blistering may occur. Consult with your medical professional for complete information on the benefits and risks of treatment.

When will I see results?

Most patients find that the majority of the treated veins have shown significant improvement within two to six weeks of treatment. However, your final results may not be apparent for several months. Over time, it is possible for new veins to appear, but these too can be removed.

What exactly is BOTOX® Cosmetic?

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. It is a nonsurgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily reduce moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people 18 to 65 years of age. During treatment, very low doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles that cause those stubborn lines. The treatment is usually done in about 10 minutes, and no recovery time is needed. Within days, you may see an improvement that can last up to 4 months. Results may vary.

How does BOTOX® Cosmetic work?

Those moderate to severe frown lines between your brows form over time as the result of muscle activity. BOTOX® Cosmetic is injected directly into the muscles between your brows. It works by blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to the injected muscles; this reduces the activity of the muscles that cause those persistent lines to form.

When will I see results from a BOTOX® Cosmetic treatment?

Within days, you may see a marked improvement in the moderate to severe frown lines between your brows. Lines continue to improve for up to a month, and results can last for up to 4 months. In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women rated the improvement in their appearance as moderate to better 1 month after treatment. Results may vary.

How long does BOTOX® Cosmetic last?

Results from treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic can last for up to 4 months. If you discontinue treatment, the frown lines between your brows gradually will look like they did before treatment.

What do treatments feel like?

No anesthesia is required, although your doctor may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anesthetic cream.

How long will the treatments take?

Your doctor will determine where to administer the injections by examining your ability to move certain muscles in your brow area. The entire BOTOX® Cosmetic injection procedure takes approximately 10 minutes.

What are the side effects?

There's no recovery time needed. The most common side effects following injection include temporary eyelid droop and nausea. Localized pain, infection, inflammation, tenderness, swelling, redness, and/or bleeding/bruising may be associated with the injection. Patients with certain neuromuscular disorders such as ALS, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome may be at increased risk of serious side effects.

   Limelight Photorejuvenation

Treatment of Skin Redness, Tiny Veins, Brown Spots and Sun Damage

What is the LimeLight Facial?

The LimeLight Facial is a new, non-invasive approach to skin rejuvenation using Cutera’s LimeLight. The procedure offers the advantage of improving skin tone and surface imperfections associated with aging and photodamage.

What areas can be treated?

The LimeLight Facial is ideal for any part of your face, neck and décolleté with skin redness, telangiectasia (tiny veins) or brown spots. Light (low contrast) brown spots, which were previously difficult to resolve, respond very well to treatment.

What does the treatment do?

By selecting Program A, B or C, your practitioner can customize your LimeLight Facial to your skin type and selectively treat the brown and/or red pigmented areas on your skin. It’s the heating of the pigmented brown or red cells that causes the therapeutic effect.

What do treatments feel like?

When the pulse of light is delivered, patients will experience a mild pinching or stinging sensation. Gel is recommended to cool the skin before vascular treatments. Anesthesia or pain medicine is typically not required.

How long will the treatments take?

Treatment time depends on the area of the body being treated. However, most treatments should take less than one hour.

How many treatments will I need?

One to three treatments are usually sufficient to see results. Additional treatments may be recommended, especially for excessively sundamaged skin.

What happens after the treatment?

Immediately following treatment, brown spots will start to darken and your skin may appear slightly red. The treated area may be mildly swollen. This typically lasts a few hours and possibly a day or longer. Make-up can be applied to cover the redness.

When will I see results?

Within one to three weeks, the darkened spots will flake off and fade. Diffuse redness or telangiectasia will decrease and your mottled complexion will improve.

Will the spots and redness reappear over time?

New brown spots, telangiectasia and diffuse redness may appear with new sun damage; however they too can be treated. Remember to always apply broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors to minimize sun damage and the appearance of new spots and diffuse redness. Rosacea is chronic and cannot be “cured” with any laser or light source, however its appearance can be improved.

  Genesis Skin Rejuvenation

Who can be treated?

Men and women of any age who wish to improve their skin can be treated. Skin which is lax, has surface wrinkles, redness, brown spots, or enlarged pores are the most common conditions to treat.

What areas can be treated?

The most popular areas for treatment are the face and neck, but other body parts such as the hands, arms and abdomen, are also frequently treated.

What do the treatments feel like?

Photo Genesis delivers a series of pulses of light. When each pulse of light is delivered, you may feel a mild, brief pinching sensation.

How many treatments will I need?

Each treatment regimen is different and customized to an individual patient’s needs. Most patients can expect between 2 and 6 treatments.

Are there any side effects?

The most common side effect is a slight redness or mild swelling in the treated area that disappears within a few hours.

When will I see results?

Immediate results are observed by some patients. More typically, you will see results in two to four weeks and improvements will continue for several months.

What is JUVÉDERM™?

Juvéderm™ injectable gel is a “next-generation” smooth consistency gel dermal filler that helps to instantly restore your skin's volume and smooth away facial wrinkles and folds like your “smile lines” or “parentheses” (nasolabial folds—the creases that run from the bottom of your nose to the corners of your mouth).

What makes JUVÉDERM™ different from other dermal fillers?

Juvéderm™ injectable gel employs its unique manufacturing process to provide the highest concentration of cross-linked hyaluronic acid of any currently available hyaluronic acid dermal filler for long-lasting results. This advanced manufacturing process works to create a smooth consistency gel that flows easily into the skin and provides a smooth, natural look and feel. And, Juvéderm™ is the first hyaluronic acid dermal filler that has demonstrated its safety and effectiveness in persons of color.

Is treatment with JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel painful?

Injections may cause some discomfort during and after the injection. The smooth consistency of Juvéderm™ gel allows your doctor to administer it easily and smoothly. And, Juvéderm™ is injected directly into the skin using a fine needle to reduce injection discomfort. Your doctor may choose to numb (anesthetize) the treatment area to further minimize discomfort.

How long does treatment usually take?

The injection process takes only about 15 minutes. You'll also need to allow time to consult with your doctor prior to treatment.

How long do results last?

The unique formulation of Juvéderm™ provides results that last up to 6 months or longer. Touch-up injections as well as repeat injections are usually needed to maintain optimal corrections.

What are the possible side effects of JUVÉDERM™ injectable gel?

Most side effects are mild or moderate in nature, and their duration is short lasting (7 days or less). The most common side effects include, but are not limited to, temporary injections site reactions such as: redness, pain/tenderness, firmness, swelling, lumps/bumps, bruising, itching, and discoloration. As with all skin injection procedures there is a risk of infection.