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What is Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is the term used to describe the overwhelming need to regularly move one’s legs to relieve uncomfortable or painful sensations in the legs. 

It’s often caused by a combination of insufficient blood flow in the veins, and by pressure on specific nerves in the legs. The resulting tingling or pricking sensation is often referred to as “pins and needles.” 

It generally resolves itself once the pressure is removed, although it may also require that the limb be massaged for several minutes before fully subsiding. RLS may also be caused by neurological problems or an iron deficiency and can be exacerbated by various prescription medications.

RLS is more likely to occur while sitting or sleeping, is more likely to occur late in the day or at night, and is twice as common among women. You’re more likely to develop RLS as you age, and also if you have family members who also suffer from RLS.

Similarities with Varicose Veins

Varicose veins occur when poor blood circulation results in damage both to the valves that normally regulate blood flow and the walls of the veins themselves. Varicose veins become a cosmetic problem when the walls of the veins become twisted, discolored and enlarged. They are often also painful and have the potential to cause moderate or significant health problems if blood starts to pool inside twisted sections of the veins. 

Varicose veins can also cause a range of other symptoms, including swollen, inflamed, or itchy skin, dull pain that gets progressively worse during the day, muscle cramps at night, and the urge to move one’s legs when trying to sleep. 

Several of these symptoms are quite similar to those associated with RLS, and in fact, many varicose vein sufferers also experience the symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome. It transpires that the causes of both conditions are closely related. Although not all RLS sufferers also have varicose veins, in many cases, RLS may actually be caused by varicose veins.

Varicose Vein Treatment Options for RLS?

Although the fact that varicose veins and RLS often occur together does not automatically imply that treating varicose veins will resolve RLS symptoms, recent research has demonstrated that this is, in fact, often the case. 

You should first consult a qualified doctor to establish if your RLS is related to blood flow problems – this may require a comprehensive medical checkup to establish the real cause.  

In cases where RLS is related to varicose veins, we recommend seriously looking at available non-invasive or minimally-invasive varicose vein treatment options, including Sclerotherapy and laser vein therapy. These will allow you to relieve the underlying cause of your RLS, while also treating your varicose vein symptoms, and preventing them from worsening and creating more serious problems in the future.

In cases where RLS is not related to blood circulation, there are other treatment options, ranging from increasing iron consumption, applying hot or cold compresses, and the use of various medications.

Regardless of the severity of your symptoms, we strongly recommend investigating the cause, especially as you may be able to avoid more painful or serious problems in the future by treating the underlying causes today.

 Los Angeles Vein Treatment from Your Laser Skin Care

 

Your Laser Skin Care can provide you with a full range of services, including a complete diagnosis of the cause of your RLS and varicose veins. We can advise on the best ways to treat both conditions.

We have extensive experience providing both laser vein therapy and Sclerotherapy treatments. Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation.

While neither Liposuction nor CoolSculpting is considered to be effective weight loss techniques, both provide the ability to selectively remove localized deposits of excess fat.

In both cases, fat cells will be permanently removed from treated areas, but neither procedure can prevent fat from subsequent accumulation or redistribution to other areas of the body.

Liposuction can be an effective technique for localized fat removal, but it comes with a lengthy list of negatives, including cost, pain and discomfort, lengthy recovery times, frequent substandard results, and some quite significant associated health risks and complications.

CoolSculpting is a more modern technique and offers far fewer risks and is a more cost-effective, non-invasive way to effect fat removal. It does not involve incisions or injections, in contrast to liposuction. Here are the key advantages of CoolSculpting over Liposuction. 

CoolSculpting Is More Effective

CoolSculpting is particularly effective on the belly, the side-area between the ribs and hips, the inner and outer thighs and beneath the chin. Liposuction, in comparison, can be used in more areas and may be more effective at removing larger accumulations of fat. 

The results from liposuction may take several months to become apparent, while CoolSculpting typically produces visible results in a matter of a few weeks.

Neither procedure is effective at removing the loose or lax skin that can result from extensive fat reduction.

CoolSculpting Is Much Safer 

Liposuction is an invasive surgical technique that typically requires the use of a general anesthetic. Side effects can include blood clots, swelling, bruising, infection, reactions to the anesthetic, persistent changes in skin sensitivity, and lengthy recovery times. Its use is strongly discouraged if you suffer from breathing or circulation problems.

In contrast, CoolSculpting is a non-invasive outpatient procedure that can be performed over the course of several sessions. It does not involve anesthetic, although local pain relief may be provided during the procedure. Side effects can include mild bruising or tenderness but are typically short-lived. 

In the hands of a skilled practitioner, CoolSculpting typically results in more natural symmetrical body contours. It is undoubtedly true that liposuction carries a far greater risk of serious side effects.

CoolSculpting Requires No Recovery Period

Due to its invasive nature, recovering from liposuction typically takes several days, during which you’ll be recommended to avoid work and other activities. CoolSculpting, in contrast, requires basically no recovery time – the non-invasive nature of the procedure can result in mild bruising, but avoids all risks associated with invasive surgery. 

CoolSculpting Is Way More Convenient 

CoolSculpting procedures normally take few hours, hence it’s far easier to incorporate them into your normal schedule. Accomplishing fat reduction over several sessions can also result in a more gradual and hence, natural-looking result.

The surgical nature of the liposuction procedure requires far more involved planning but is normally accomplished in a single visit. This does, however, remove the ability to gauge results and adjust the treatment after an initial session.

Choosing CoolSculpting with Your Laser Skin Care

Your Laser Skin Care is highly experienced in providing CoolSculpting, as well as a wide variety of other non-invasive cosmetic techniques. We’re happy to provide advice on the best way to tackle your cosmetic challenges, and can typically offer several options to allow you to choose the most suitable treatment, or combination of treatments, for your particular situation.

Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or visit us online for more information.

Collagen and elastin contribute significantly to the overall texture and resiliency of the skin. Collagen contributes to the firmness of the skin, while elastin helps the skin remain tight and recover from deformation. 

What Causes Loose Skin?

Anything that damages or degrades these two proteins can lead to wrinkles, lines and the eventual inability of the skin to recover its shape. Loose or sagging skin is generally caused by the gradual loss of elastin and collagen over time, but several other factors can also leave you with the same problem, including:

• Excessive exposure to the sun’s UV rays
• Smoking
• Chronic dehydration
• Significant weight loss, including after pregnancy
• The gradual loss of subcutaneous fat beneath the skin that comes with age

Tips for Preventing Loose Skin

Skincare and Supplements

It’s recommended to try to ward off normal skin aging by daily use of a moisturizer. There is some evidence that taking supplements containing collagen and hyaluronic acid can slow down the effects of aging on the skin.

Antioxidant supplements may also help improve general skin appearance. Staying hydrated also has many important benefits.

Exercise and Health

Regular exercise will help maintain your muscle tone and have positive effects on your skin’s appearance. Maintaining a healthy weight will also, in addition to many other benefits, help your skin age as gracefully as possible.

If you’re under or overweight, try to return to a more healthy weight through a healthy balanced diet and exercise.

How to Tighten Loose Skin

– Regular facial exercises can help reduce looseness around the neck and cheeks, although it’s doubtful this can help with anything more than minor looseness. This type of exercise mainly helps tone up muscles beneath the skin, not change the resiliency of the skin itself.

– Regular use of specialized creams may provide some benefits in improving skin appearance and tightness.

– Dermal fillers can compensate for looseness in some areas when caused by loss of fat beneath the skin (either age-related or caused by excessive exercise).

– Laser skin resurfacing treatments are used primarily to address skin imperfections such as cosmetic spots, blemishes, and acne scars, but they will also stimulate the production of new collagen and elastin beneath the skin’s surface, helping to tighten loose skin.

– Laser skin tightening lasers can also be used to address loose skin by heating the skin’s collagen fibers, which causes them to contract and tighten. It will also have the long-term effect of stimulating ongoing collagen production.

Interested in Skin Tightening Treatments?

Your Laser Skin Care is highly experienced in the application of dermal fillers, and in the use of both laser skin resurfacing and laser skin tightening techniques. We can provide you with advice on the most suitable treatment, or combination of treatments for your particular situation. 

Contact us to learn more about our skin tightening treatment options!

Unwanted belly fat is not only a cosmetic problem for many of us, but it can also be one of the more difficult areas to effectively target when trying to lose weight. Why should this be so? 

It transpires that the origin of belly fat is more complicated than simply having an extra layer of fat beneath the skin; unfortunately, excess belly fat is also linked to a wide range of health problems. The older we get, the harder it is to lose the fat, and the potential for having these health complications also increases.

Why Is Belly Fat Especially Dangerous?

Fat accumulates in two main regions – between the skin and the underlying muscles (subcutaneous fat) and surrounding the internal organs inside the abdomen (visceral fat).

Visceral fat is physically located next to the body’s vital organs, has greater access to the blood supply, and is much more metabolically active than subcutaneous fat. It is more likely to affect the body’s hormones adversely and is linked to several health problems, including type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, and several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancers.

Contrary to common belief, you don’t have to be obese (or even overweight) to carry excess abdominal fat. The best indication of excess belly fat is your waist size – anything above 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men should be enough for you to take this problem seriously.

Differences Between Male and Female Belly Fat

As a result of hormonal and physiological differences, men and women tend to accumulate fat in different areas, and via different mechanisms. 

Women typically carry more subcutaneous body fat than men do, primarily located in their hips, buttocks, thighs, arms, and lower abdominal areas. Menopause, however, results in many women also starting to accumulate belly fat. 

Men are much more likely to accumulate visceral fat in their upper bodies, particularly around the abdomen. 

Subcutaneous fat lies on top of the underlying muscles and is hence, more likely to appear as a soft or flabby layer beneath the skin. 

Visceral fat accumulates inside the abdomen, as it causes the belly to bulge, and it tends to create a less flabby, harder belly. 

The fact that men more easily develop fat bellies leads them to be more likely to develop the various health problems described above. Visceral fat is primarily caused by excess consumption of carbohydrates, and especially the quick-burning simple and refined carbohydrates found in white bread and processed grains, pasta, and especially processed foods containing added sugar, including the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup. 

Beer drinkers are also prone to accumulating visceral fat, leading to the well-known “beer belly” syndrome. Our livers burn alcohol in preference to fat, and excess alcohol consumption can also lead to fat accumulation, as well as a host of other health problems.

What Are the Best Ways to Target Belly Fat?

Women burn fat more easily than men do while exercising, whereas men are able to lose fat more easily through diet.

It’s not easy for anyone to lose abdominal fat just using exercise. Even if you increase the tone of your abdominal muscles, the most effective way to target excess fat is through a combination of adopting a healthy diet and regular exercise.

The more vigorous the exercise, the better, but if you lead a sedentary life adding even a 30-minute walk to your daily routine can have a significant positive effect.

There may be plenty of disagreement on the most effective diet, but there’s no dispute that a serious and sustained attempt to pivot towards a balanced healthy natural diet and away from processed foods, added sugars, and alcohol will give you the best chance to reduce your abdominal fat. 

Limiting your overall calorie intake, eating adequate protein and fiber, and making sure to get enough sleep will all assist you in meeting this goal.

Your Laser Skin Care in Los Angeles

Your Laser Skin Care can help evaluate your body fat and can help recommend effective lifestyle changes to help you reduce your visceral belly fat. We also offer the CoolSculpting procedure as an effective way to remove excess subcutaneous belly fat. 

Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or visit us online for more information.

Botox is used to reduce or eliminate lines and wrinkles by blocking the nerve impulses to the muscles that are responsible for creating the lines and wrinkles. Although Botox is actually derived from the bacteria that causes botulism, it’s used today in a very controlled and careful manner that safeguards us from any negative effects.

A Short History of Botox

It’s exactly 200 years since botulism was first described in clinical literature, and 125 years since the botulinum toxin was identified and isolated. Modified forms of the botulinum toxin were first used for cosmetic purposes in 1989, and the FDA approved the use of Allergan’s botulinum-derived “Botox Cosmetic” product to reduce the appearance of forehead wrinkles back in 2002. 

In the twenty or so years since then, Botox and similar products have steadily grown in popularity, and are now, by a considerable margin, the most widely performed non-invasive cosmetic procedures. Somewhere in the region of 7.5 million Botox treatments were performed last year in the US.

Over time the benefits of Botox have become widely known, but so has the perception that Botox has negative side-effects that mitigate some of its benefits. Our doctors would like to debunk several of the more widely-believed negative “facts” about Botox and reassure potential users who might be hesitating about moving ahead with Botox treatments. 

Myth 1: Botox injections can be painful.

Botox needles are very fine and are used to inject extremely small amounts of liquid. As a result, most people experience only mild discomfort during treatment. Your practitioner can apply anesthetic cream or cold packs before performing the injections to minimize the discomfort.

Myth 2: Botox can be addictive.

None of the ingredients in Botox are addictive, so you do not run the risk of becoming physically dependent on it. That being said, it’s possible to become dependent on the cosmetic benefits of using Botox, along with any other cosmetic treatment that offers clear and visible benefits. 

Myth 3: Botox can be used to remove all facial lines and wrinkles.

There are two types of lines and wrinkles – dynamic wrinkles are associated with particular muscle movements, while static lines are present even when no muscles are activated. Botox works by relaxing muscles, and hence can only help to reduce or eliminate the appearance of dynamic wrinkles.

Myth 4: Botox can freeze your facial muscles.

When properly applied, Botox only affects muscles at the precise location of each injection, leaving you still able to display the full range of normal facial expressions. As long as you ensure Botox is administered by someone properly qualified and experienced in its use, you do not run the risk of losing the ability to express emotions.

Myth 5: Wrinkles can get worse after stopping Botox.

Botox does not have any permanent effects. However, repeated applications at the same location can have the effect of lessening the need to re-apply Botox to relax the muscle. As a result, wrinkles cannot become worse after stopping Botox, but may, in fact, remain better than their initial state.

Myth 6: Botox is toxic to the body.

While Botox is derived from botulinum toxin, which is itself extracted from the bacteria that causes botulism, Botox is not the same as botulism, and you cannot contract botulism from Botox. The use of Botox is extremely carefully regulated and controlled. 

Its use was approved by the FDA only after extensive safety testing, and it now has a 20-year record with many millions of injections administered. Its use is considered very safe when administered by qualified medical personnel.

Myth 7: Botox builds up in the body over time.

Botox does not in fact accumulate in the body, and its effects on muscles are only temporary. Typically nerves recover their function three to four months after treatment, and their related muscles will regain their normal ability to move if Botox is not subsequently re-applied.

Get Botox in Los Angeles from Our Reputable Clinic

Your Laser Skin Care can answer any questions you have on how best to use Botox for your specific needs. We are very experienced in administering Botox, as well as several other complementary cosmetic techniques. 

Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or follow us on social media for regular updates! Learn why we consistently receive 5-star reviews.

Laser hair removal offers an effective and simple way to remove unwanted hair but historically has been most effective on people with fair skin and dark hair. 

For the treatment to work, laser light pulses must target individual hair follicles located beneath the skin’s surface, without damaging the surrounding skin. 

Melanin and Your Skin 

The color of our skin, as well as hair and eye color, is primarily a result of melanin. Melanin is naturally occurring dark brown or black pigment located beneath the surface of the skin. 

Melanin production is stimulated by UV radiation from the sun. Melanin also absorbs light and serves to partially protect skin cells from damage by sunlight. 

The darker your skin color, the more melanin your skin contains.

The Challenge of Laser Hair Removal on Darker Skin Tones

Lasers produce beams of light-energy at very precise frequencies, which are designed to be absorbed by hair follicles, damage them, and thereby prevent new hair growth. 

But for those with dark or tanned skin, melanin pigmentation can absorb some of the laser’s light energy, risking damage to the skin itself. 

The challenge is to minimize damage to skin cells, while at the same time maximizing damage to the targeted hair follicles.

Effective Laser Treatment for Dark Skin

As dark skin is harder to treat effectively, it requires more skill and experience from the practitioner performing the procedure.

Recently, several techniques were developed to allow practitioners to better distinguish between dark hair follicles and similarly pigmented dark skin cells. 

These new techniques are finally allowing those with darker complexions to safely benefit from laser hair removal, without risking skin burns or discoloration. 

Here’s how: 

Improved Laser Technology

Lasers use various ways to generate light energy. However, the lasers typically used for hair removal make use of crystals containing mixtures of chemical elements – the precise chemical composition determines the frequency of light energy produced by the laser. 

The Nd:YAG laser outputs light at a frequency that can largely bypass melanin in darker skin, while still being absorbed by the hair follicles. 

Careful Choice of Laser Energy Level

To prevent heat damage to darker skin, laser energy pulses are applied more slowly, and cooling devices are used to allow skin cells to cool off between laser pulses, and thus avoid damage. External cooling also reduces any pain or discomfort. 

Other Laser Hair Removal Precautions

To ensure that correct settings have been set up for your particular situation, practitioners will often perform a test on a less visible area. This allows them to tune all settings to reduce any chance of creating lighter or darker spots during the procedure, a remote possibility when performed on dark complexions.

Another precaution is to avoid the use of any medications or cosmetic products that might increase your skin’s sensitivity to light. In particular, avoid laser treatments for several months after using Accutane. 

Minimize direct sun exposure for several weeks before and after each treatment, and follow any other directions you’ve been given on how best to treat any redness or swelling following treatment. 

Laser Hair Removal in Los Angeles

Your Laser Skin Care can provide you with advice on the best ways to benefit from laser hair removal and answer any questions you may have.

We have extensive experience providing laser hair removal on all skin types, and also offer a wide range of other cosmetic procedures. 

Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or visit us online for more information.

We regularly remind our clients that choosing a non-invasive cosmetic treatment is only the first part of the dilemma. The other part is selecting who will perform it. 

Injectable dermal fillers are one of the most commonly performed procedures, but here’s why it’s worth paying particular attention to experience and medical qualifications when choosing who to perform your procedure. 

Why Some Fillers May Stretch the Skin

Dermal fillers use injectable hyaluronic acid to fill in and adjust the contours of whatever areas of your face need correcting, but dermal fillers are not permanent solutions. Depending on which areas get treated, different products will last anywhere from 5 or 6 months to a year (sometimes even longer), but will eventually need to be reapplied. 

Unless great attention is paid while injecting fillers, repeated filler applications in the same place can cause skin to loosen and stretch, resulting in the gradual need to use more filler product over time.

Another problem can occur when using dermal fillers in parts of the face where there is a lot of muscle movement, resulting in filler migrating away from the area it was applied. 

Some filler products are specifically designed to minimize this problem, but your practitioner may also advise you to avoid using fillers in certain facial areas.

Is This Problem Likely?

Skin is inherently elastic, and in the vast majority of cases, after the body has fully absorbed the filler, the skin recovers and returns to its original state. 

Many cosmetic treatments are also designed to stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen and hyaluronic acid. In these cases, your skin may end up in better condition than initially.

Skin stretching is less likely when fillers are used to expand sunken cheeks for those lacking prominent cheekbones – and conversely, more likely when repeatedly used to inflate cheeks when the cheekbones are well-developed. 

Younger patients should be conservative when using fillers. Although their skin is naturally more resilient, they may be more likely to continue using fillers for many years in the future, and stretching is more likely to happen the longer dermal fillers are used.

In our experience, it is extremely unlikely that you’ll notice loosening of your skin as a result of long-term use of dermal fillers. However, if you are concerned, there are other ways to guard against skin loosening.

Minimizing the Problem

If you’re concerned if a recent treatment used more filler than necessary, in most cases, it’s possible to fully or partially reverse the effect by applying an enzyme (hyaluronidase) to dissolve the excess filler.

The best way to minimize your chances of stretching skin is to avoid using dermal fillers to over-inflate parts of your face. This can be a concern if you’re trying to enlarge your lips way beyond their natural size. 

Using large amounts of filler to expand any part of the face significantly, can lead to other problems, such as creating unnatural looking imbalances between the chin and jawline areas. 

Adding more filler to compensate for such aesthetic imbalances can exacerbate the problem. It’s the job of your practitioner not only to advise you on how to achieve your goals in the most natural-looking manner but also how to avoid long-term problems like this from developing.

Several skin-tightening procedures can be combined with the use of dermal fillers, such as laser skin tightening. This can contribute to long-term improvements to skin resiliency, thereby reducing your chance of developing dermal-filler related skin stretching. 

Cosmetic Treatments from Your Laser Skin Care

Your Laser Skin Care can provide you with advice on the best ways to use dermal fillers, not only to achieve your short-term objectives but also to avoid longer-term problems. 

We have extensive experience providing both dermal filler and skin tightening treatments. Call us at (323) 525-1516 to schedule a free consultation, or visit us online for more information.