Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Epionce Lytic Tx Products Reduce Sebaceous Hyperplasia


Sebaceous hyperplasia is hypertrophy (overgrowth) of the entire sebaceous gland. These lesions are benign, but bothersome, and can become severe. They are characterized by yellowish papules, and sometimes actual nodules on the forehead, nose and cheeks. They are most common in middle aged, elderly and acne-prone people. There haven't been a lot of available treatments other than topical retinoids (think retin-A) which tend to dry the skin out and cause aggravating flaking.


However, a recent study has shown that the Epionce skincare products, Lytic Tx and Lite Lytic Tx have been very effective in treating sebaceous hyperplasia. A controlled clinical trial done with human volunteers (Epionce never does animal testing) showed visible improvement or complete resolution of the lesions. Epionce products are botanical based. The Lytic Tx products have keratolytic activity (meaning they break up these nodules and papules) and prevent the release and activation of inflammatory factors in the skin.

Epionce products do not contain teas, soy, vitamins, retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids or traditional antioxidants. They are formulated for elderly, infant, atopic and sensitive skin, individuals with outdoor lifetstyle and occupations, including those that live in harsh environments and climates. Despite their effectiveness, they are very well tolerated with only a .01% sensitivity rate across the brand. Give us a call today.....501-228-6237

Anne R Trussell MD
owner/physician
Sei Bella Med Spa

#sebaceoushyperplasia #Epionce #keratolytic #skincare #botanical #dermatology #sebaceousglands #oily #acne


Monday, August 7, 2017

Meet our massage therapist.....Frank Massingill

We finally have a Massage Therapist!
And you're gonna love him!

Meet Frank Massingill



Frank, a licensed massage therapist, is the newest addition to Sei Bella Med Spa. He attended Touching American in Maumelle, then transferred to Arkansas Therapeutic Massage Institute and Spa in Hot Springs. Frank graduated with 800+ hours of instruction. His massages are a blend of many different modalities and techniques, with extensive experience in Swedish/Relaxation Therapy, Myofascial Release Therapy, Sports Massage, Aromatherapy, Hot Stone Massage and even Chair Massage!

Massage is not only relaxing; it has therapeutic and healing properties as well, and is used to treat a variety of problems from sports injuries, to fibromyalgia to anxiety and depression.


My husband and I have known Frank and his wife, Judy, for years through the Conway Running Club. Although Frank runs much faster than I do, I won't hold that against him. Above is a picture of several of us before the St. Jude marathon a few years ago. We were all running in our NF (neurofibromatosis) singlets to raise awareness for a charity near and dear to my heart....the Children's Tumor Foundation.
















Besides running, Frank's hobbies include hiking, cycling and various arts such as playing music, DJ work, photography, videography, music recording and sketching. One of his favorite things to do is spend time with his wife and wonderful grandkids!

Frank has a passion for helping others improve their quality of life through massage....from the young to the most mature. I know he has one of the most generous hearts I've ever seen and we feel blessed to call him a friend. I am very excited to have him join us at Sei Bella and looking forward to adding his expertise to all our other services that help you look and feel your best!


Please join us in welcoming Frank to Sei Bella! His first day will be Sept 5th and he will be taking appointments from 9 am-3 pm, Tues, Wed, and Thurs. You can get in line behind me!! You can start booking appts. anytime! 501-228-6237

60 min......$70
90 min......$90
120 min....$110

Anne R Trussell MD
owner/physician
Sei Bella Med Spa
501-228-6237

#massage #myofascial #sports #running #swedishmassage #relaxationmassage #chairmassage #aromatherapy #fibromyalgia #stressrelief  #toxins #hotstone #lymphaticdrainage #massagetherapy #seibellamedspa #massagetherapist #licensedmassagetherapist #therapeutic #therapeuticmassage #healing #relaxing #sportsinjuries #expert #cycling #hiking

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Two new things at Sei Bella Med Spa!


At Sei Bella we like to try all things new in the aesthetic world! Recently we have added a new Allergan filler called Vollure XC and a new Epionce product, Daily Shield Lotion SPF 50. We love them and think you will too!



Juvederm Vollure XC is FDA cleared for the correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds like smile lines. It too is a hyaluronic acid (HA) based filler like the other Allergan fillers....Juvederm XC, Juvederm Ultra XC, Juvederm Ultra Plus XC, Voluma XC and Volbella. Vollure XC however, features Allergan's Vycross technology, which blends different molecular weights of HA for longer lasting results. In a major U.S. trial, a majority of people saw improvement in their moderate to severe smile lines that lasted up to 18 months! 82% were happy with their results at 6 months and 68% were still satisfied with their results at 18 months. Vollure XC retails at $650/syringe. Call 501-228-6237 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Trussell today!




Epionce Daily Shield Lotion Tinted SPF 50 provides all skin types- including sensitive and allergy prone skin- with broad spectrum sun protection while improving overall skin tone and texture. I love it! I put it on right before my Priori MD mineral based powder. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide defend against UV rays, and the added botanical ingredients offer anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits as well as skin hydrating properties. The tint adjusts to all skin tones. This entire botanical based line of premier skincare is fabulous! Epionce is very affordable because a little bit of product goes a long way. I am also very pleased that Epionce does NO animal testing. We think you will love this new tinted SPF 50 sunscreen as well!  Retail price $38. Stop by or give us a call for more info....501-228-6237

Anne R. Trussell MD
owner/physician
Sei Bella Med Spa

#Allergan #Juvederm #Vollure #smilelines #nasolabialfolds #marionettelines #fillers #Epionce #sunscreen #broadspectrum #SPF50 #skincancerprevention #tintedsunscreen 

Monday, May 15, 2017

Epionce Melanolyte vs. 4% Hydroquinone for dark spots


We all have hyperpigmentation (brown spots) caused by sun damage or hormones. Up until recently the gold standard for treating this was 4% hydroquinone. I myself have used Obagi C-Clarifying serum for years. However, there looks to be something better......Epionce's Melanolyte Skin Brightening System. I stopped my 4% hydroquinone 2 months ago and I can already see a difference with this new regimen. Ideally you should cycle off hydroquinone every few months just so you don't develop a resistance to it. This doesn't apply to Epionce's two product system.

Melanolyte Tx and Melanolyte Pigment Perfecting Serum inhibit all 14 major steps and 3 branch steps in the formation of melanin that creates our brown spots. Hydroquinone inhibits tyrosinase which is just one enzyme in the formation of melanin.


The Melanolyte Tx and Pigment Perfecting Serum contain 21 herbal extracts and two algae extracts. There is no hydroquinone, tretinoin nor acids in them. They are very gentle and soothing to the skin. The Melanolyte Tx is used twice a day and the Pigment Perfecting Serum just at night. Another reason I love Epionce is because they do NO animal testing and you know much of an animal lover I am!



The Epionce system was tested in a head-to-head, double blind trial vs. 4% hydroquinone. They worked equally well in the 24 week study. However, patients of all skin types (Fitzpatrick I-VI) benefited from the Epionce Melanolyte System. There is a rare but well documented adverse reaction to hydroquinone called, onchrosis, that is not seen with Epionce products. 

Due to the herbal and algae extracts in the Epionce Melanolyte System, it has the added benefit of reversing fine lines and wrinkles.

The cost is comparable as well. Obagi's C-Clarifying serum retails for $123. If you want to add in tretinoin to treat fine lines and wrinkles that is another $100. The two product Epionce system is $168. Obagi and Epionce both will last you about 3 months.

So if you've used 4% hydroquinone for awhile, I'd recommend a break. Or if you are looking for a new treatment that is proven effective for hyperpigmentation AND fine lines and wrinkles, then Epionce Melanolyte Tx and Melanolyte Pigment Perfecting Serum are the products for you!



Anne R Trussell MD
owner/physician
Sei Bella Med Spa
501-228-6237

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Microneedling...an alternative to laser resurfacing.



There is an abundance of evidence that shows inducing channels of dermal injury by laser or microneedling stimulates collagen production. Microneedling has seen a huge surge in popularity. That is most likely because the results are remarkable without as much downtime, at a fraction of the cost of laser. Don't get me wrong, laser is very effective for collagen stimulation, but for the reasons mentioned above, many are opting for microneedling. Additionally, microneedling is great for all Fitzpatrick skin types, whereas laser is not safe for dark skinned individuals.


Do not confuse medical microneedling with the commercially sold, roller-type devices available from multiple skin care companies. Medical microneedling doesn't use a roller. It features a motor that very rapidly stamps multiple small needles into the dermis of the skin and goes deeper than can be achieved with a roller. Not to worry, we do numb you with a topical numbing cream prior to the procedure, and we can vary the speed of the motor and depths of the channels. Medical microneedling penetrates deeper than the roller. It penetrates down to the dermis where you make collagen.


Microneedling is considered safer than many other aesthetic procedures because there is less risk of prolonged redness, dermatitis and infection. There are however, a few contraindications to microneedling....active skin infections, open wounds, and severe collagen disorders. I personally will not do microneedling on sunburned skin, a planned prolonged exposure to the sun, nor if you have had recent extensive skin resurfacing procedures. 

With our Rejuvapen microneedler we have seen very impressive improvements in scars and discoloration. It is pretty effective for skin tightening and makes the skin look brighter overall as well. It will also help with pore size reduction and diminish the appearance of wrinkles. Recovery time is very quick. I know when I have microneedling done, I can cover almost all of the redness with make up the next day. To make the treatment even more effective we apply peptides and growth factors to the skin as we do the treatment to stimulate even more collagen growth and increase the luminosity of the skin. I personally do microneedling as a maintenance treatment two to three times a year. For those who have problem areas like acne scarring, I'll probably recommend a short series of treatments 6-8 weeks apart, as collagen continues to grow for 6 weeks.


Treatments $350 each. Discounts when purchasing more than one treatment at a time. Give us a call! We're ready to take care of all of your skin care needs!

Anne R Trussell MD

Monday, January 23, 2017

Who needs IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)?






A recent article in Med Esthetics talks about the benefits of IPL (intense pulsed light). According to Dr. Michael Gold of the Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, IPL is still the #1 treatment for skin rejuvenation and photodamage in fair skin because it covers vascular concerns, pigmentation problems and stimulates collagen production. So if you have photodamaged skin  with some wrinkling, some red spots and some brown spots, there is no other device that will treat all those concerns simultaneously. With lasers, all these would have to be treated separately. IPL can not be done on dark skin like African Americans as it can cause permanent hypopigmentation.

Benefits of IPL have been published extensively, including in 2012 by Stanford University in Journal Of Investigative Dermatology and in 2016 in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. Due to the heat that is generated, IPL offers some collagen stimulation, temporary pore size reduction, some overall skin plumping and a reduction in fine lines. However, skin sagging and deep lines need to be treated with something like Ultherapy and fillers.


Thanks to its ability to target redness, IPL is widely used to treat the diffuse redness and broken blood vessels of rosacea.  IPL has become the first line of treatment for both pigmentation and melasma in Asia and is widely used for these in the U.S. as well. There isn't really a cure for melasma, but combining IPL with skin products containing 4% hydroquinone and an occasional medical grade chemical peel, you can successfully treat melasma. IPL can also be used both alone or as a light source for photodynamic therapy (PDT) to treat acne. I prefer to use IPL, chemical peels and a few targeted skin products to treat acne before I refer to dermatology for Accutane. We also use our IPL device for hair removal on the face, especially on the upper lip and chin.


One big advantage of IPL is it can be used all over the body and is very popular for the chest, arms, back, shoulders and hands. I have always touted that your hands will tell your age, regardless of the age of your face! In the U.S.,  IPL is very popular for the treatment of Poikiloderma of Civatte, which is actually dilated blood vessels in the dermis and pigment deposition into the dermis. It is most common on the neck and chest. IPL can treat both problems of poikiloderma.



Most people need 4-6 treatments depending on the severity and type of condition we are treating. Treatments may be 1-4 weeks apart depending on whether we are treating rosacea, melasma or for hair reduction. IPL is sold in packages of 4 for $400. Give us a call to schedule your appointment today!  501-228-6237

Anne R Trussell MD
owner/physician
Sei Bella Med Spa

Monday, January 2, 2017

Why SculpSure for Fat Loss?


In contrast to CoolScupting that utilizes a freezing technology on fat, SculpSure treatments are delivered by a laser system that heats up your fat cells. SculpSure directs the laser into your stubborn, fatty areas, heating and emulsifiing the fat cells, essentially melting them. Once the fat cells are melted, they are naturally excreted by your body. In addition, the heat from the SculpSure treatments encourages collagen and elastin production in the treatment areas. This encourages healthy and young tissue growth, leaving the treated area not just thinner, but more firm and youthful as well.



Below are before and after pictures at 6 weeks from patients at Sei Bella.
Abdomen is the most requested area, but we have also treated arms, bra fat, flanks, love handles, inner and outer thighs, front and back of thighs, banana roll, and above the knees.



Use your Secret Santa card to get 20% off a treatment! Many people just need one treatment in an area, but Dr. Trussell can give you a better idea once she sees you. You will lose fat for 12 weeks, but you lose the most fat in the first 6 weeks. SculpSure is fast! SculpSure is permanent! SculpSure is non-invasive! It's cold outside now, but you can start getting your body summer ready! Give us a call! 501-228-6237