Come see our new event room at Open House today!

Our event room is all ready! Come check it out and our whole new larger space at 10310 West Markham, Suite 202, Little Rock. Today, June 25th, 3-7 pm! We would love to visit and thank you in person for your support over the last 5 years!

We will have some great door prizes! Our reps are offering some great specials, and we will of course have lots of food and beverages!

Sei Bella Med Spa Open House/5 Year Anniversary Ceelebration

Sei Bella Med Spa open house....Thurs., June 25th, 3-7 pm.

10310 West Markham, Suite 202, Little Rock

Door prizes, refreshments, specials from our vendors. Free facial peel demonstrations!

Come visit with us! 

501-228-6237

Ultherapy.....Finally a Solution for Skin Tightening on the Face, Neck and Chest!

At the end of June or first of July we will be offering Ultherapy!!

This is the only FDA-cleared non-invasive procedure to LIFT skin on the BROW, CHIN and NECK and improve fine lines and wrinkles on the chest!

Below are some frequently asked questions:

What is Ultherapy?

Ultherapy is a safe, non-surgical ultrasound treatment that counteracts the effects of time and gravity on your skin. Ultherapy uses the body's own regenerative response to gently and gradually lift skin on the eyebrow, under the chin and on the neck, and smooth lines and wrinkles on the decolletage.

What is unique about Ultherapy?

Ultherapy is the only non-invasive treatment cleared by the FDA to actually lift skin. Ultherapy is also the only cosmetic procedure to use ultrasound imaging, which allows us to see the layers of tissue targeted during the treatment to ensure the energy is deposited where it will be most beneficial.

With the addition of the new Ultherapy Decolletage  Treatment, Ultherapy is also now the only non-invasive procedure specifically indicated by the FDA to improve lines and wrinkles on the chest.

Can Ultherapy replace a facelift?

Ultherapy treats the deep foundational layer addressed in cosmetic surgery, but won't duplicate the results of a facelift. Ultherapy is a great alternative, however, especially for those not ready for surgery or if you are looking to extend the effects of cosmetic surgery. 

How does Ultherapy differ from laser treatments?

Ultherapy uses sound energy - tried-and-true ultrasound -which has unique properties that allow it to bypass the surface of the skin to treat depths not matched by any other non-invasive cosmetic device. Ultherapy ultrasound stimulates collagen production in the skin's foundation, resulting in a clinically significant lift of tissue over 2-3 months.

Lasers rely on energy, which can not reach deeper skin layers at an optimal temperature, so laser treatments typically only treat superficial skin and are not FDA-cleared to lift skin. Since the two technologies often treat different types of skin issues, they're actually very compatible.

How does Ultherapy stimulate the creation of collagen?

Ultherapy deposits focused ultrasound energy deep beneath the skin at the optimal temperature for collagen rejuvenation. The treatment jumpstarts a natural process, known as neocollagenesis, to produce fresh, new collagen. Ultherapy doesn't involve any creams, fillers nor toxins; it just relies on your body's own collagen-building process for natural, noticeable results.

How long does Ultherapy treatment take?

This depends on the area being treated and your individual treatment plan. A face and neck procedure typically takes 60-90 minutes, while a chest treatment takes approximately 30 minutes. 

Will I need to take time off?

There is no downtime! After your procedure, you can resume your normal activities immediately,

 without having to follow any special post-treatment measures. 

What does Ultherapy treatment feel like?

As the ultrasound energy is delivered, you will feel tiny amounts of energy being delivered to precise depths, indicating that the collagen-building process has been initiated. Comfort levels vary from person to person, but the sensation only lasts while the ultrasound energy is being delivered. 

When will I see results? How long do they last?

After your Ultherapy treatment, you may see some initial effect, but the ultimate results will take place over 2-3 months, as your body naturally regenerates collagen. Since the procedure stimulates your own collagen production, how long the results last really depends on you. The treatment produces new collagen on the inside, but your natural aging process will dictate how long that translates into visible results on the outside. 

How many Ultherapy treatments will I need?

Most patients only need one treatment. However, based on the severity of your skin laxity, the biological response to ultrasound energy and your own collagen-building process, you may benefit from additional treatments. Because our skin continues to age, future touch-up treatments can help you keep pace with your body's natural aging process. Dr. Trussell can give you many pointers on how to further slow down the aging process. 

Are there any side effects?

You skin might appear flushed at first, but the redness should disappear within a few hours. Some patients may experience slight swelling, tingling or tenderness to the touch, but this is temporary. Other, less common post-procedure effects may include temporary bruising or numbness on small areas of the skin. As with any medical procedure, there is the possibility for other rare effects, which Dr. Trussell will go over with you. For even more information visit ultherapy.com/IFU.

Is Ultherapy safe?

The FDA-cleared Ultherapy procedure has been used safely in over 350,000 treatments worldwide. Ultrasound therapy has been used safely in the medical field for more than 50 years. In addition, Dr. Trussell and her nurse received extensive training in Ultherapy.

How much does an Ultherapy procedure cost?

Cost depends upon the area being treated. The treatments are very personalized so it is best to talk with Dr. Trussell about your specific concerns. A price guide will be posted on the website in the near future, so keep checking the website.....www.seibellamedspa.net.

Who is a good candidate for Ultherapy?

A good Ultherapy candidate has mild to moderate skin laxity where the skin begins to feel and look less firm. Examples include a lowered eyebrow line,loose skin on the neck, sagging under the chin, and lines or wrinkles on the chest. But the best way to find out is to ask Dr. Trussell!! 501-228-6237

Sei Bella Med Spa

10310 West Markham

Suite 202

Little Rock, AR 72205

www.seibellamedspa.net

June Newsletter

http://conta.cc/1LEfUWC

Click on the link above to read the June newsletter.

Our open house is coming up this month. We have new treatments and new services as well!

Anne R Trussell MD

What Can I Do About Acne Scars?

"What can you do about my acne scars?" This may be the most common question I get asked. Acne scars often make people very self conscious, especially younger folks. Decades ago there wasn't a lot that could be done for them. It can be a very difficult problem to treat, but certainly not impossible. Acne scars require patience and diligence from both the doctor and the patient. I have a friend who underwent an aggressive laser treatment with significant downtime, not to mention expense, but hasn't had significant improvement in her scarring.  Many of the people I see for scar treatment have previously had Fraxel as well.

At Sei Bella I have a multi-technique type of approach to acne treatment. Different procedures work in different ways. Different products work in different ways.  Below is a summary of the way I like to approach scars. First, though, let me define the various types of acne scars.

Ice pick scars: Deep pits are the most common and a classic sign of acne scarring. Often the most difficult to treat.

Box car scars: Angular scars that usually occur on the temple and cheeks, and can be either 

superficial or deep, these are similar to chickenpox scars.

Rolling scars: Scars that give the skin a wave-like appearance.

Hypertrophic scars: Thickened, or keloid scars. Most often seen in African American patients.

My approach to treating acne scars includes both products and procedures and you won't have the downtime associated with laser. 

• Rejuvapen:  This utilizes 9 precisely spaced micro needles in a small cartridge to create invisible, vertical micro perforations in the epidermis and top layer of the dermis. As a result, the skin shifts itself into high gear and starts producing collagen and elastin to repair these micro-perforations. Not only does this procedure allow your skin to repair itself naturally, it also aids in the absorption of peptides we apply and growth factors you use at home. This is not painful. We numb the skin of your face for about 30 minutes with a numbing cream prior to the procedure. I've had it done myself as well as my office staff. Your face is quite red after the procedure, but is easily covered with makeup and almost all the redness is resolved in 48 hours.  You may need one to three treatments about a month apart. (see before and after picture below)

• Medical Grade Facial Peels: Our Perfect Derma Peel is TCA (trichloracetic acid) based and is an excellent peel for everyone including those of darker ethnicities. In May we are introducing 10 new peels, though, so that we can better tailor to specific skin problems. It depends on whether or not your acne is still active, or whether you have a lot of discoloration, whether your skin is oily, dry, etc. which peel I will recommend. You may need to get more than one peel, but they would be done 1-2 months apart. Medical grade facial peels help with the more superficial scarring and discoloration from acne.

•  Growth Factors: As your skin heals, new cells need to be stimulated to grow correctly (and quickly). Besides the copper peptide we apply to your skin with the Rejuvapen procedure, we also apply our Regenica repair serum.  The Regenica product line was developed by Dr. Gail Naughton, a leading scientist in regenerative medicine. I have used Regenica's day and night cream for the last 8 months and love it. These will be great maintenance products for you. In a recent study 100% of patients would recommend these products to a friend and 100% said their skin looked more healthy.  94% saw a more even skin tone and felt the texture of their skin had improved.

• BellaFill: This is the newest long lasting filler on the market. It has been recently been FDA approved for acne scars, not just volume replacement. BellaFill is not for all scars. (see above scar definitions). BellaFill does NOT work well on ice pick scars at all. It's not needed on the hypertrophic, keloid type scars. But the box car scars and rolling scars can definitely be improved. BellaFill is usually done AFTER Rejuvapen and medical grade facial peels. The top set of pictures below shows the type of scars that can be treated successfully with BellaFill. The bottom set of  pictures were taken approximately 8 weeks apart. This lady had cystic acne acne scarring. After breaking up the scar tissue with a cannula, I placed two syringes of BellaFill in the chin area. 

• 4% hydroquinone and tretinoin .05%/.1%: and finally as I said above, acne scars cause not only uneven skin texture, but also uneven skin tone with brown and red spots. IPL does help these, but to treat discoloration aggressively I need to have you using a product with 4% hydroquinone in it like Obagi-C-clarifying serum or c-therapy night cream. In addition I like to have you start using 0.05% tretinoin at night a few days a week, working up to 0.1% tretinoin several nights a week. Tretinoin has been proven in many studies to be one of the best ant-aging products available. 

I'd be happy to see you in consultation and evaluate your skin, letting you know what I think you will need and what you can expect. Again, patience and diligence are the keys along with products and procedures that work in different ways to improve your scarring and increase your self confidence.

Anne R Trussell MD

501-228-6237

Debuting Brand New Medical Grade Facial Peels at Sei Bella!!

Ten New Skin Therapeutic Medical Grade Facial Peels

As I've mentioned in a previous post, we are introducing TEN new medical grade facial peels in May! With this expansion of services we can tailor a peel to your specific needs and concerns. Don't worry....you don't need to know which one you want; you just need to know what bothers you about your skin. We will help you decide on the correct peel!

I'm going to highlight a few of the ones I think will be most popular:

30% Mandelic Peel......Mandelic acid is derived from bitter almonds and it has a number of benefits for the skin. Because the molecular structure is a lot larger than glycolic or lactic acid, this 30% mandelic acid peel takes longer to penetrate the skin's surface making it a lot less irritating and more suitable for all skin types and skin conditions. Treats fine lines, wrinkles and brown spots. Reduces pore size, and is anti-bacterial which is beneficial for acne sufferers.

Ultra Jessner's Peel......This peel is designed specifically for acne skin and very sun-damaged, aging skin. The Ultra Jessner's Peel also contains hydroquinone which further enhances the treatment of brown, sun damage spots. Smooths out the rough texture of your skin and with a series of peels the Ultra Jessner's will also reduce acne scarring. Can not be used in darker ethnicities such as Asian or African-American skin tones.

Salicylic Acid Peel........Derived from willow bark, salicylic acid is a Beta-Hydroxy acid (BHA). This is a highly effective superficial peeling agent, oil reducer and pore cleanser. Salicylic acid is probably the most effective agent to treat oily skin. This peel is also beneficial in reducing acne scars and making the skin look more toned and even.

Invitations will be going out in the next week for our Facial Peel Event at Sei Bella on May 14th. We will have free peel demonstrations, door prizes, discounts on our Skin Therapeutic products, and of course fun and refreshments at our new location @ 10310 West Markham, Ste 202, Little Rock. We'd love to have you join us! Bring a friend! We now have plenty of room to spread out and some great Griffith art to enjoy as well!  501-228-6237

Anne R Trussell MD

How to get rid of the brown spots!

Sun damage and melasma are the #1 causes of hyperpigmenttion (brown spots) on the face, hands and other parts of the body. It is most bothersome however on the face and hands. So what exactly causes these dark areas?

Melasma

Melasma

Let's talk about melasma first. Melasma  is a common skin problem. It causes brown to gray-brown patches on the face. Most people get it on their cheeks, bridge of their nose, forehead, chin, and above their upper lip. It also can appear on other parts of the body. Women are far more likely than men to get melasma. It is so common during pregnancy that some people call it the mask of pregnancy. Hormones seem to trigger melasma, whether it is due to pregnancy, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy in menopause.

Sun Damage

Sun Damage

The term sun damage is self explanatory, but what is the pathology behind the spots appearing in the first place? Repeated sun exposure with the all too common sunburn will go away, but the damage does not. To protect itself from the damaging effects of the sun, your skin increases its production of the dark brown pigment called melanin. The extra melanin makes your skin look darker or sun-tanned. In some cases, the sun causes an uneven increase in melanin production, which produces irregular coloring or pigmentation of the skin. The sun can also cause a permanent stretching (dilation) of small blood vessels, giving your skin a mottled, reddish appearance.

Makeup does a decent job of covering the brown spots/patches, but it's there when you go to the gym to work out, or go to the lake, and most importantly when you look in the mirror. Unfortunately, melasma and sun damage can be an ongoing battle and it takes more than one type of treatment to reduce or remove it, and conscious maintenance to keep it away.

The three things  I recommend most often are IPL, followed by a medical grade chemical peel, and maintenance with a 4% hydroquinone product plus tretinoin .05%.

Our Accelawave IPL (intense pulsed light) machine produces a bright beam of light which breaks up pigmented brown spots causing them to gently flake off over the course of treatment. The device also gently coagulates and removes blood vessels below the skin surface, without the bruising associated with other laser treatments. Photons stimulate new production of collagen from fibroblast cells for improvement in fine lines and skin tone. Depending on the severity of the melasma or sun damage you may need 3-6 treatments.

We frequently use the Perfect Derma medical grade facial peel following a series of IPL treatments. The Perfect Derma Peel is the only peel that contains Glutathione as an essential anti-aging component. The Perfect  Derma Peel works by repairing and nourishing the skin on a more superficial level than IPL. The Perfect Derma peel also contains trichloracetic acid (TCA), phenol, salicylic acids, vitamin C and retinol. This peel gives skin a radiant glow, refines pores, and lifts more superficial skin hyperpigmentations.

I have used Obagi C-clarifying serum for years. I put it on once a day, everyday without fail. The active ingredient is 4% hydroquinone. Hydroquinone works by decreasing the production and increasing the breakdown of melanosomes (melanin pigment granules) in the skin's pigment cells (melanocytes). It does this by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme needed to make melanin. In most cases you'll see lightning of any residual brown spots within 4 weeks. I personally use it as maintenance. If you need a moisturizer, Obagi has a C-therapy night cream which I really like that also contains 4% hydroquinone . 

My favorite tretinoin product is Refissa. It comes in an emollient form, so you don't have all the flaking like you do with other tretinoin preparations. Tretinoin is derived from retinoic acid, which is the acid form of vitamin A. Refissa works by blocking production of melanin, the skin pigment. Tretinoin is quite potent so you may find you want to just spot treat the brown areas or use it on your whole face only 2-3 times per week. You must apply it at night, because it will make your skin sun sensitive.

Of course as the old saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!" Broad spectrum sunscreen everyday that is reapplied when you are out in the sun for an extended period of time is an absolute must. It is important to prevent further damage and to help maintain a beautiful complexion. 

Call us today and we will get you started on the road to a more even, beautiful complexion and skin tone. You can avoid the downtime and expense of an aggressive laser treatment. 

 501-228-6237

Anne R Trussell MD