Blog

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Is Accutane still available? Is it safe? What is the difference between Absorbica, Accutane, Isotretinion, Myorisan, Amnesteen, Clavaris

I have practiced Dermatology and Cosmetic surgery since 1995. I have treated several hundred patients with Isotretinion and its generic equivalents. I can tell you without any doubt that this is one of the best and most effective medications on the market today.

Accutane is derived from Vitamin A and shrinks the sebaceous glands and pores and can significantly reduce acne. Ninety percent of my patients never have acne again. 10% need a second a rarely a third course.  Unfortunately this medication is widely misunderstood.  A very small percentage of patients can have side effects ranging from dry eyes, and dry skin to mood disorders such as depression of inflammation of the digestive tract. Most of these side effects are mild and they do resolve after stopping the medication. It breaks my hard to see a patient experiencing deep cystic and scarring acne who is afraid to even try low dose Accutane.

My advice is this: find a good dermatologist, make sure it is right for you and try a course of it.

At any given point I have between 20 and 50 patients on Accutane.

Yours,

323 653 7700

www.foreveryoung.net

www.westlakelaser.com

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Is Accutane still available? Is it safe? What is the difference between Absorbica, Accutane, Isotretinion, Myorisan, Amnesteen, Clavaris

I have practiced Dermatology and Cosmetic surgery since 1995. I have treated several hundred patients with Isotretinion and its generic equivalents. I can tell you without any doubt that this is one of the best and most effective medications on the market today.

Accutane is derived from Vitamin A and shrinks the sebaceous glands and pores and can significantly reduce acne. Ninety percent of my patients never have acne again. 10% need a second a rarely a third course.  Unfortunately this medication is widely misunderstood.  A very small percentage of patients can have side effects ranging from dry eyes, and dry skin to mood disorders such as depression of inflammation of the digestive tract. Most of these side effects are mild and they do resolve after stopping the medication. It breaks my hard to see a patient experiencing deep cystic and scarring acne who is afraid to even try low dose Accutane.

My advice is this: find a good dermatologist, make sure it is right for you and try a course of it.

At any given point I have between 20 and 50 patients on Accutane.

Yours,

323 653 7700

www.foreveryoung.net

www.westlakelaser.com

Chemical peels

I have 30 different laser and light sources but still use a variety of chemical peels at my office.

Some patients don’t respond well to lasers and have a better experience with chemical peels.

Chemical peels are generally speaking milder and more superficial than lasers.

The drawback is that here is no heat (as is the case with lasers) and not a drastic tightening.

On the other hand certain conditions such as Melasma do respond better to a series of less invasive chemical peels.

We offer:

1. Glycolic facial peels (10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, and 70%)
2. TCA peels (Tri- Chlro-Acetic Acid) 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%
3. Jessner peels
4. Phenol  Peels

Glycolic peels are mild and basically have little to no downtime.

TCA and Jessner peels are considered medium depth peels and help with fine lines, discolorations, and sun spots such as Actinic and Seberrhoic Keratosis. Phenol peels are rarely done these days. It can be toxic to the kidneys and the healing time can be several weeks.

Lasers are much more effective and safer than Penol Peels. The reason for this is that lasers have a very predictable and controlable depth of penetration.

I always ask my patients about history of cold sores. When performing a medium or deep peel the patient may need to be pre-medicated with an antiviral medication such as Acyclovir.

Chemical peels can be combined with other procedures such as laser or Ultrasound tightening and more. Finally; chemical peels can be very affordable. Glycolic peels are $150 and full face TCA peels of face, neck, chest with sedation are between $1000-$1500

Come in for a complimentary consultation to see if you are a good candidate.

Please click under procedures and Chemical peels and rteview our before and after photos.

Yours,

Dr David Rahimi

323 653 7700

One of the problems I have encountered is that inexperienced surgeons often use large cannulas to harvest fat. This, in turn, can cause large and unsightly indentations that can be very difficult to reverse.

In this case my patient saw a surgeon for fat grafting to the face. Fat was harvested from the lateral thighs and injected to the face. The facial fat was lumpy (that is a different story) but the area from which the fat was harvested become indented and saggy. Many years later she is still hesitant to put on a bathy suite or be intimate with her partner.

Two or more sessions may be needed but ultimately these defects can be fixed.

Please come in for a consultation and allow us to help you.

Yours,

Dr David R.

323 653 7700

www.foreveryoung.net

www.westlakelaser.com

There are several modalities to lift up the eyebrows. Surgical techniques work well but involve cutting, possible scarring and downtime. Non-surgical modalities such as Ultherapy and Thermacool CPT help raise up eyebrows without cutting surgery. The results look natural but only last for a year or two. Another option to elevate eyebrows without cutting surgery is Botox. Judicious placement of about 50 units of Botox in the forehead and around the eyes can elevate eyebrows several millimeters. Again; the drawback is that the results only last about 4 months.

Finally, one of my favorite ways to raise eyebrows and restore balance to the face is to inject long lasting fillers into the temple and lateral forehead area. Results are immediate and can last for several years. 

One of the sign of aging is hollowness in the temple area. This can lower eyebrows and cause a hollow or skeletonized look.  1-2 Syringes of a filler such as Radiesse, Bellafill, Juvederm Volluma or Juvederm Vollure can make a significant difference.

Please come in for a complimentary consultation. Bring photos from 5 or even 10 years ago and let’s talk about making you look younger without cutting surgery.

Yours,

Dr. David Rahimi, MD,FAAD, FAACS

323 653 7700

www.foreveryoung.net

www.westlakelaser.com