Conditions We Treat
Like other parts of your body, your skin changes over time. That’s why the UPMC Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center believes in developing a long-term relationship with you and being your health care partner throughout all the stages of your life.
Your skin can have a variety of aesthetic issues that you may consider imperfections and an improvement in one or more of these areas will help bolster your self-confidence and self-esteem. You may have a birthmark that has made you feel uncomfortable for years, or you are beginning to show signs of aging, hormonal changes, or sun damage.
Some of the more common conditions we treat with traditional aesthetic services, noninvasive cosmetic procedures, ablative and non-ablative laser procedures, and minimally invasive cosmetic surgery procedures, include:
Acne occurs when the hair follicles, or pores, become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, and the clogging allows bacteria to grow. Hormonal changes, like those that happen during puberty and adolescence, can increase the skin’s oil production and lead to acne.
Today, there are many treatments for acne, some of which concentrate on the bacterial symptoms. The CoolTouch III® and CoolBreeze™ lasers, however, target and shrink oil glands, and decrease their ability to produce acne in the first place.
Birthmarks can come in various shapes, sizes and colors. They are not inherited and have no relationship to anything a mother did, or didn’t do, during pregnancy.
Some of the more common birthmarks are tan or dark ones, such as café-au-lait or benign nevi, which can be removed with the MedLite® laser, or vascular birthmarks, such as hemangiomas or port wine stains, that can be removed or lightened with the V-Beam, Cynergy,™ and CoolGlide® lasers.
Broken blood vessels can occur virtually anywhere on the body and most commonly are caused by aging, genetics, hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, obesity, or injury. Like other vascular blemishes, such as rosacea or hemangiomas, V-Beam, Cynergy™, and CoolGlide® lasers are used to treat broken blood vessels.
Cellulite occurs when there are too many fat cells in the hypodermis -- the deepest layer of the skin. Those cells then protrude up through the connective tissue and cause the skin to “dimple.” Cellulite is found primarily on the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, calves, and arms. Women and men of all body types and sizes can have cellulite.
The VelaSmooth™ treatment uses a combination of laser, radio frequency, and vacuum suction to smooth the appearance of cellulite located anywhere on the body.
Zerona is a noninvasive, painless procedure for the effective reduction of stubborn body fat.
Enlarged pores
Enlarged pores can be caused by genetics, excessive oiliness, sun damage, or aging, and can make your skin’s texture appear uneven. At the UPMC Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center, we use the Genesis laser to reduce your pores and leave your skin healthy and youthful looking as well as giving it an even appearance.
The number and length of treatments will vary with each individual and there is no bruising or excessive skin irritation side effects. The treatments are comfortable enough not to require topical anesthetics.
For more prominent pores or patients with large pores and oily skin, the CoolTouch III® and CoolBreeze™ lasers offer more improvement.
Excess/loose skin
In addition to traditional cosmetic surgery procedures, such as small-incision facelifts and liposuction, ultherapy is
a noninvasive ultrasound procedure for skin tightening and rejuvenation, using a device called the
Ulthera™ system.
Another option is treatment with
Thermage®. Thermage uses radio frequency technology that safely heats the deepest layers of your skin and stimulates new and existing collagen to tighten and contour your skin. There is no downtime required, and it can be used on the face, eyes, neck, arms, stomach, and thighs as well as on all skin types and colors.
Facial redness
Facial redness can have many causes, including outbreaks of acne and rosacea, hormonal fluctuations, aging, medication side effects, and diffuse redness – a condition caused by dilated capillaries which results in a general redness of the skin. The most commonly affected areas are the nose, forehead, and cheeks.
At the UPMC Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center, the Genesis laser is used to treat and reduce the appearance of facial redness.
Freckles and sun spots
Freckles are flat, circular spots that can range in size but are typically about the size of the head of a nail. The spots develop randomly on the skin, especially after repeated exposure to sunlight and in people who have fair complexions. Freckles can be removed successfully with the MedLite® laser. The number and length of treatments depend upon the size of the area that needs to be treated.
Hemangiomas (strawberry birthmarks)
Commonly referred to as “strawberry birthmarks,” hemangiomas are pink, red or purplish in color and are caused by a large number of blood vessels that are concentrated near the surface of the skin, and usually are found around the neck, face, scalp, or chest. Larger hemangiomas are known as cavernous hemangiomas and appear as a red or blue mass of tissue that is filled with blood.
Hemangiomas typically start as small lesions but can grow rapidly during the first year of life. These lesions then slowly resolve over the next 10 years. Some lesions, however, never fully resolve or they take so long to resolve that the child is left with visible lesions for many years.
At UPMC’s Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center, we use the V-Beam, Cynergy™ and CoolGlide® lasers to remove or lighten the hemangiomas. We typically like to start treatment as soon as the hemangiomas appear, which may mean starting while the baby is only a few months old.
Leg veins
Leg veins, often called spider veins, are the clusters of red, blue or purple veins that you might have on your thighs, calves, or ankles. They occur when a small group of blood vessels located close to the skin begin to expand.
Although the cause is unknown, it is thought that some of the factors that can contribute to the development of spider veins in the legs include heredity, pregnancy, hormonal shifts, weight gain, certain medications, and activities that require prolonged standing or sitting.
Sclerotherapy is still the preferred treatment for fine veins, but multiple treatments with the V-Beam, Cynergy,™ and CoolGlide® lasers are effective for treating spider veins on the legs.
Oily skin
Oily skin can be caused by genetics, hormonal changes from adolescence, pregnancy, birth control, or menopause, as well as by environmental factors such as cosmetics, diet and pollution. Typically, oily skin leads to acne break outs. While many treatments for acne concentrate on the bacterial symptoms, the CoolBreeze™ laser actually targets and shrinks oil glands, which can decrease their ability to produce acne.
Onychomycosis (toenail fungus)
Toenail fungus can be caused by poor shoe/sock ventilation, heavy foot perspiration or walking barefoot in damp areas such as a pool or locker room. Cool Breeze laser is a safe and effective alternative to prescription medications with potentially dangerous side effects.
Port wine stains
Port wine stains are vascular birthmarks that are found most often on the face, neck, arms, or legs. The color can range from pale pink to a dark purple and grow in size as the person grows.
To lighten or remove a port wine stain, new types of lasers, such as V-Beam, Cynergy™ and CoolGlide® have been shown to be effective. The treatment usually requires several visits at two-month intervals.
Rosacea
Rosacea is a skin disease that can cause a person’s cheeks, nose and forehead to become red and bumpy. Although we’re not sure what causes rosacea, it does tend to affect fair skinned people more than dark skinned people, and there is strong evidence to suggest that it is hereditary.
In addition to a flushed face and pimples or bumps, people who have rosacea may also have tiny spider web like veins on the face; dry, red, and irritated eyes; and skin that burns or stings, especially when applying moisturizers or medications.
At the Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center, we successfully treat rosacea using the V-Beam, Cynergy™ and CoolGlide® lasers.
Scars
Scars that are a result of surgery, trauma, acne, or chicken pox can be treated with the Fraxel® or Pearl Fractional lasers, noninvasive lasers that resurface the skin. Unlike some treatments, the energy from these lasers can be pinpointed so that only a small fraction of the skin is impacted at one time. Treatments can last up to 90 minutes and one to two treatments are usually recommended. Additional treatments, however, may be needed for significant scarring.
Other treatment options for scars include the use of dermal fillers and chemical peels, as well as surgical excision. The UPMC Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center staff will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option and which one would work best for you.
Sun damage
There are several techniques that are used to repair sun damage to the face and other parts of the body, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels, Fraxel® and Pearl Fractional lasers.
Also called photo rejuvenation, Fraxel® and Pearl Fractional deliver precise amounts of light energy through the skin’s surface to stimulate collagen production. The new collagen removes blemishes, fine lines, and skin damage, leaving the skin refreshed and soft.
Unwanted fat
The UPMC Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center uses the tumescent liposuction technique to rid the body of unwanted fat. This technique is performed using local anesthesia, rather than a general anesthesia, so there is less risk of anesthesia-related complications and the procedure is done in less time.
During a procedure, a large volume of solution, composed of a local anesthetic and epinephrine, is injected into the areas of excess fat. After making a small incision in the skin, a tube connected to a vacuum-like machine is inserted and the fatty deposits are sucked out of the targeted area.
Patients who have sedentary jobs usually can return to work within a few days and physical exercise can be resumed within a week.
Zerona is a noninvasive, painless procedure for the effective reduction of stubborn body fat.
Unwanted hair
Hair on a woman’s upper lip or chin can be embarrassing, and repeated shaving of the underarms or bikini line can be a nuisance. Depilatory creams and electrolysis are options but the results are only temporary and need to be repeated.
Laser hair removal, with the Apogee® or CoolGlide® lasers, uses heat to destroy the hair follicles and prevents hair from growing in the targeted areas. While several treatments are usually needed to remove all unwanted hair, the results are more permanent than other methods.
Wrinkles/fine lines
Wrinkles are a normal part of the aging process – as we get old, so does our skin. While it’s true that you can’t stop your skin from aging, you can control environmental factors that can lead to premature aging and wrinkles, such as sun exposure and cigarette smoking.
There are a multitude of treatments and procedures available to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, including several peel and laser procedures, and aesthetic services such as BOTOX®, Dysport®, and dermal fillers. The UPMC Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center team will work with you to determine what treatment is best for you.
Apogee® is a registered trademark of Cynosure, Inc.
BOTOX® is registered trademark of Allergan, Inc.
CoolGlide® is a registered trademark of Cutera, Inc.
CoolBreeze® is a registered trademark of CoolTouch Incorporated
CoolTouch® is a registered trademark of CoolTouch Incorporated
Cynergy™ is a trademark of Cynosure, Inc.
Dysport® is a registered trademark of Ipsen Biopharm Ltd.
Fraxel® is registered trademark of Reliant Technologies, Inc.
MedLite® is a registered trademark of Hoya Photonics, Inc.
Thermage® is a registered trademark of Thermage, Inc.
VelaSmooth™ is a trademark of Syneron Medical Ltd.