SKINNY THE
SPRING 2015
uplifting BEAUTY Suzanne Bruce & Associates Dermatology
INSIDE: THE LATEST WAVE IN BODY SCULPTING, PLUS OUR SPRING OPEN HOUSE EVENT
What’s New FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENING - MAY 16 May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and we will be offering a free skin cancer screening on May 16th at our Katy office from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Along with the American Cancer Society and the Skin Cancer Foundation, we want everyone to be on the lookout for skin cancer. You are at particularly high risk if you have light-colored eyes, fair skin and a large number of moles. If you have had a lot of sun exposure over your lifetime or have had previous skin cancers or actinic keratosis (precancers), you are also at a higher risk to get skin cancer. If you are a high-risk candidate, please call our office today at 713.850.0240 and schedule your free screening in Katy.
by Suzanne Bruce, MD
As I write, it’s the first week of spring, and we are excited to announce that we are holding our first Spring Rejuvenation Event at our Galleria area office on Saturday, April 25th, from 9 a.m. to noon. Like our annual open house, this event will be chock-full of information on all the latest treatments for skin and body rejuvenation. See insert for details. At our practice, our mission is to provide you with expert medical and cosmetic skin care that is second to none with the highest level of service. The goal is to have a relationship with you and your family that lasts for life. Dr. Katz speaks to the heart of our strategy as she talks about her role as your dermatologist in her article. Body shaping, sculpting and cellulite reduction have been a focus of our practice since 2004 when we first introduced VelaSmooth™. Since then, we have added a variety of new technologies and upgrades to deliver the best results possible in non-invasive, no downtime body treatments. We call this area of our practice the Body Shop, and we’ve recently added VelaShape™ III and now the Zwave to our tool bag. Read all about how Zwave can greatly enhance the already excellent results you get from Coolsculpting® and how our services combine to get new mothers back in shape post-delivery. As we move from spring to summer weather, sweating becomes a norm around here. No better time than now to provide you with the skinny on our miraDry® treatment that can reduce underarm sweating by as much as 90%. This treatment has proven very successful for our patients as well as patients nationwide where it rates 89% on RealSelf. In his piece, Dr. Doubleday relates his family’s personal experience with miraDry and how this procedure is not just for heavy sweaters. Finally, we wanted to share with you that Marcela Ramirez, who started with us as a medical assistant right out of Texas A&M in 2000, has now become a full-fledged nurse practitioner. Marcela has expanded her schedule and sees patients in both Houston and Katy.
Zwave: Catch The Latest Wave in Body Sculpting by Patricia Kornmann, Aesthetician
In our Body Shop – the name we have given to our body treatment service area at both locations – we are always striving for greater results by staying on top of the latest aesthetic technologies. True to form, we are proud to introduce the Zwave, nicknamed the “fat cracker” because of the cracking noise it makes during treatment. Initially, we are using this new device with its high-energy radial pulse waves to enhance the results of our popular Coolsculpting® procedures. Coolsculpting works by freezing fat in areas, such as the abdomen, flanks (love handles) and thighs. Now instead of massaging the treated area by hand, we are utilizing the Zwave. The combination of Coolsculpting followed immediately by Zwave can improve fat reduction in the first treatment from the standard 20-25% to up to 40%. The Zwave treatment is safe, painless and non-invasive, and there is no downtime. In overall body shaping, the state-of-the-art method for localized fat reduction and skin tightening is combining treatment technologies. Most people have both localized fat and skin laxity in their problem areas. In our Body Shops, we have a variety of radio frequency devices for skin tightening, such as Exilis®, Thermage® and VelaShape™, and we have years of experience and have performed thousands of treatments with these devices. Like our Coolsculpting and Zwave, these procedures are non-invasive and involve little-to-no downtime. If you are looking for body contouring results, schedule a cosmetic consultation with me, one of my fellow aestheticians or one of our nurses today.
Late-breaking Body Shop news: We’ve reduced our treatment time for Coolsculpting outer thighs almost in half to just a little over an hour. This advance has been made possible by our new CoolSmooth™ contoured applicators. Their better design provides greater, more effective surface contact for quicker treatment times.
Cover Art By: Dixie Friend Gay
My Role as Your Dermatologist by Tracy Katz, MD
The reason I love going to work every day has a lot to do with the role I play in my patients’ lives. Many patients come to me for the first time with a concern or worry. Once their fears have been laid to rest, we instantly have a bond, and a trusting relationship has been formed. Our relationship grows from there, and I am soon seeing their children, mother or best friend. Basic skin care, thorough skin checks and sun protection are our foundation, and we tackle issues as they arise. I hope my patients feel comfortable to tell me or ask me anything. There are no stupid questions, and no issue is too trivial to bring up. I can sometimes tell that a person wants to discuss a medical or cosmetic issue but may feel silly or embarrassed to bring it up. Here my role becomes making you feel comfortable and addressing any concern you have. As time goes by, our dermatological needs evolve. If aging is a concern for you, I can be that doctor, too! I am just as passionate about cosmetic dermatology and love that we can achieve wonderful solutions and have a little fun. Whether you are looking for natural solutions or you are wanting to be more adventurous, we will come up with the right longterm plan for you. Ultimately, I want my patients to feel that their questions are answered so that no one leaves feeling uncertain about the treatments I prescribe or perform. Whether we are discussing your acne skin care regimen, the best way to treat a melanoma or your long-term skin rejuvenation plan, I want you to be confident about our decisions. I think what sets me and our practice apart is the diversity of therapies we can offer. Personally, I try not to limit myself and try not to say, “No, I don’t do that or treat that.” I want to stay well rounded, so as much as I love working in a cutting edge cosmetics practice, I also love surgical and general family dermatology. When you select your dermatologist, I hope you feel comfortable with that person so that you may discuss whatever your needs may be from something deeply personal to your secret desire to try BOTOX® Cosmetic for the first time. See yourself long term in the hands of your provider and find someone you trust. As your physician, I know you trust me and value my opinion when you refer your friends or family to my care. I hope if you are in need of a dermatologist that you will come see me and find out if we are a fit!
miraDry® - My Son’s Real Life Story by William Doubleday, MD
My son, Walker, who is now 24 years old, has complained about excessive underarm sweating for years and expected his dermatologist dad to provide effective relief. Well, when I mentioned our miraDry® treatment for hyperhidrosis, he was excited to try it. After his first treatment in December, he was amazed to have well over 50% reduction in his sweating. He was so pleased that he was happy to drive from Austin for a second time to our Galleria office for the second and final treatment. Walker now has over 90% reduction in his underarm sweating, and we expect this to be a permanent result. He is thrilled to no longer be embarrassed about his sweaty armpits and frequent shirt changes and showering. One in five Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 suffer from excessive underarm sweating, which interferes with daily activities. Many suffer silently - ashamed, frustrated and embarrassed. Now, miraDry offers a safe, non-invasive, highly effective, long-term treatment for underarm sweating and odor using an FDA-approved microwave technology. With just 2 one-hour treatments spaced 3 months apart, we can reduce sweating by 90% in most of our patients. This procedure is a big advance over prescription antiperspirants, botulinum toxin injections and neurosurgical nerve clippings. We are a miraDry-Certified practice, and our doctors have performed hundreds of treatments since it was introduced 3 years ago. We have successfully treated not only patients with severe underarm sweating and/or odor issues but also what we call social sweaters, patients who just don’t want to sweat through Houston summers. Our miraDry procedure was a wonderful solution for my son Walker. He is so thrilled that his dad was able to provide a solution for his excessive sweating – one that will last for the years to come!
YOUR FAVORITE SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
Order Online COMING APRIL 25
Spring 2015
Non-Surgical Mommy Makeovers, Not Just a Possibility but Truly a Reality! by Marcela Ramirez, MSN, FNP-C and Maria Martinez, Aesthetician
Everybody has heard about the famous “mommy makeover,” they can yield stunning results and get you back in pre-baby body mode before you know it. For many new mothers there are many post-baby body changes. Your body has borne a heavy brunt of carrying your beautiful baby, and we can now help you with smoothing out bulges, retoning tissue and lax skin, reducing stretch marks and improving the appearance of scars. We also treat hyperpigmentation – melasma – that can occur as a result of pregnancy.
SAT APR 25
Upcoming Events! GALLERIA EVENT
“Join us for our 1st Annual Spring Rejuvenation Event” 9AM - 12PM
THUR MAY 7
KATY LUNCH & LEARN
FOR FAT DESTRUCTION AND BODY SHAPING we use FDA-approved Coolsculpting®. As a certified Coolsculpting Center, we have performed thousands of successful treatments. It is our go-to technology that uses freezing to non-invasively reduce localized fat on the abdomen, flanks and thighs. For best results, we often recommend a series of 2 treatments one month apart. Our experienced nurses and aestheticians use precise placement of applicators to achieve total body transformations. Our new Zwave treatment has been shown to even further enhance your results (see related article - inside).
SAT MAY 16
KATY EVENT
FOR STRETCH MARKS AND C-SECTION SCARRING, a short series of fractionated laser resurfacing treatments is our favorite remedy. The laser creates microscopic holes surrounded by healthy tissue to expedite healing and minimize downtime. When the holes heal, new skin is created which can significantly improve the appearance of stretch marks and scars.
WED MAY 20
FOR CELLULITE AND SKIN TIGHTENING we use the VelaShape™ III, the first FDA-cleared, non-invasive solution for body contouring and cellulite reduction. VelaShape III features revolutionary technology including bi-polar radio frequency, infrared light energy, and vacuum and mechanical massage. This powerful combination leads to gradual tightening and smoothing of the skin’s surface with a noticeable reduction in cellulite and circumferential reduction with as few as 3 treatments spaced 1-2 weeks apart.
FOR MELASMA, the dreaded mask of pregnancy, there is no magical solution. It is caused by two different factors, hormones and sun damage. From powerful skin care products to peels and laser treatments, we have many tools in our office to help new mothers suffering from melasma. Now you no longer have to rely on just your cover up foundation to get you through the day.
RSVP
“Mommy Makeover 101: Strollers Welcome” 12PM - 1PM
“Free Skin Cancer Screening See Details Inside” 9AM - 1PM
GALLERIA LUNCH & LEARN “Mommy Makeover 101: Strollers Welcome” 12PM - 1PM
If you would like to attend any of our upcoming events please RSVP to events@sba-skincare.com. You can find more information on our website at www.sba-skincare.com.
For more information and an individualized mommy make-over plan, call and schedule a personal consult. You are unique, and we want to customize a plan based on your specific needs and concerns. All our nurses and aestheticians offer free makeover consults, so schedule yours today.
Syed O. Ali, MD I Suzanne Bruce, MD I C. William Doubleday, MD I Leigh Ellen Eubanks, MD I Tracy Katz, MD I Jennifer Peterson, MD April Harrison, MPAS, PA-C I Marcela Ramirez, MSN FNP-C Board Certified, American Board of Dermatology; Fellows, American Academy of Dermatology
SUZANNE BRUCE AND ASSOCIATES 1900 Saint James Place, 6th Floor, Houston, Texas 77056 I 23510 Kingsland Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Katy, Texas 77494 713.850.0240 I www.sba-skincare.com © 2015. Suzanne Bruce and Associates P.A. All rights reserved.