| Dr. Seth G. Kates is board certified in Dermatology by the American Board of Dermatology. Here the Doctor has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Cosmetic Dermatology.
Q. What are the main cosmetic dermatology services you provide?
We offer a broad range of cosmetic procedures from simple to more complicated. When we cannot provide a service that would be beneficial for a patient we can make referrals to regional experts for those specific procedures. Our office in Worcester offers a broad range of fillers (eg, Juvederm, Radiesse, Restylane, Sculptra, etc), Botox and Dysport, laser therapies (including Hair and Vascular lasers), peels (both superficial and medium depth), sclerotherapy for spider veins on the legs, and autologous fat transplants for volume restoration. Fillers and autologous fat are used on multiple different areas of the face including marionette lines, lips, and cheeks. Botox is used not only for dynamic wrinkles but also as a covered procedure for excessive sweating in areas like the armpits (hyperhidrosis).
Q. How long have you been in this field?
As already stated I have been in practice for 19 years but in the field of dermatology for 23 years.
Q. What skin conditions can be treated with Microdermabrasion?
I am going to answer all the questions about microdermabrasion here. When it was first introduced about 10-15 years ago it was thought that it could do everything and it got a lot of publicity for that. Every one including myself went out and bought a machine. What the machine does is fairly gently remove a small layer of skin 1- 2 microns. The theory is that this then causes the skin to remodel and produce new collagen thereby making the skin thicker and reducing the appearance of some scarring. There are medical grade machines which are generally much more powerful than the machines at most spas (although this is not always true). In practice however I have not found these treatments very helpful, other than making the skin feel smoother for a finite amount of time. I have not been able to appreciate any long term change to scarring (like acne scarring) or wrinkles. There are lasers now out that do fractional resurfacing and are able to safely go much deeper in the skin to affect scarring and wrinkling in a positive manner. They are much more expensive than microdermabrasion but at least function somewhat as advertised. They also can treat large areas of skin somewhat faster than microdermabrasion. Resurfacing of the skin of which microdermabrasion is a superficial form can be done in conjunction with most of the other cosmetic services that I provide.
The best way for a busy mom to address different cosmetic procedures is to think about what is bothering her (eg skin tone, looking angry, looking tired, etc.) and going for a consultation on how to address those issues. Frequently there are many different ways to do it. I don’t think it works as well to fall in love with a procedure and then try to figure out how to apply it to you. A good consultation should help you to understand what issues should be addressed and to prioritize (can’t always do everything at once and what you can afford to do) what can be done. A lot needs to be taken into account including cost, expectations, recovery, etc.
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