DECEMBER NEWSLETTER

December 1, 2005

Happy Holidays! Welcome to the second edition of the Integrated Skin Solutions’ Newsletter brought to you by John Carter, MD and Julianne Mazurek, MD. This Newsletter will include a brief article regarding Botox. If you have any questions regarding the article you may contact us at info@integratedskin.com.

We are pleased to announce that a licensed aesthetician, Donetta Taylor, has joined our practice. Donetta has twenty years of experience in the field of skin care. Before coming to ISS, she spent the last six years working in a Northland Dermatology clinic with Drs. Ashby and Matthys. Her services include Skin Care, Facials with Deep Pore Cleansing, MicroDermabrasion, and Chemical Peels. Schedule an appointment with Donetta to make your face glow for the holidays!

Botox^®- a beautiful toxin!

Note: There are other botulinum toxins but this article will refer to Botox^® Cosmetic (Botulinum Toxin Type A) manufactured by Allergan.

Botox is produced by a fermentation process of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The end result is a purified protein complex, in addition to several accessory proteins, which is dissolved in saline containing Human Albumin, filtered, and vacuum dried. Each vial of Botox Cosmetic contains one hundred units of Botox which is shipped in the dried state and mixed with saline in the doctor’s office just prior to injection. The majority of physicians using Botox feel it should not be stored longer than two weeks after reconstitution. This is one of the reasons why a doctor may try to treat patients on certain days of the week.

Once Botox is injected, it is taken up by the nerve endings where it prevents release of a chemical which causes muscle contraction. This causes muscle weakening/relaxation which smoothes out the overlying skin resulting in the disappearance of facial lines and a more youthful look. The best results with Botox are seen in patients with overactive facial muscles. Botox affects dynamic lines (lines brought on by muscle activity) better than it affects static lines (lines at rest). Some of the accessory proteins in Botox may result in improvement in static lines when Botox is used over a longer period of time.

Botox Cosmetic is approved for the following conditions:

                        It has FDA approval for:

1.       The temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines (area between the eyebrows) in adult patients less than or equal to 65 years of age. Botox received approval for this indication on April 15, 2002.

2.       The treatment of hyperhidrosis- an excessive sweating disorder of the underarms, feet or hands.

Non-FDA approved treatments or off label uses of the medication include:

1.       Treatment of other facial lines including forehead lines, crow’s feet, bunny (nose) lines, gummy (shows upper gum) smile, smoker’s lines (lipstick bleeds) of the lips, muscles that cause the corners of the mouth to turn down, nostril flare, necklace lines on the neck, pebbly chin and asymmetry of the face due to muscle imbalance. Botox can also be used to shape the eyebrow.

Research has shown that women aged 35 to 50 are the largest group receiving treatment for facial lines. The glabellar complex is the area most commonly treated in this group. Treatment of the glabellar complex requires on average a dose of 20 to 30 units in women. Other areas frequently treated include the crow’s feet and horizontal forehead lines.

Botox is administered using a fine needle and the discomfort associated with treatment is minimal to none. Many people are frightened by the thought of Botox because it is a toxin but the small amounts used for the correction of facial lines avoid any effects on the body as a whole. Botulinum toxin is safe when used appropriately. Medical use of Botulinum toxin in humans dates back to 1977 when it was used by a pioneering ophthalmologist to treat eye movement disorders.

Contraindications to Botox include an allergy to Botox or its components including Human Albumin and infection at the proposed injection site(s). Relative contraindications to Botox include neuromuscular disorders, bleeding disorders, and skin conditions that result in excessive scarring. Botox is considered Pregnancy Category C and is not indicated for use in pregnant women or nursing mothers.

The effects of Botox can be expected to last an average of 3 to 4 months. After treatment, it should not be injected any sooner than 3 to 4 months with the exception of touch up injections at 7 to 14 days. Botox takes approximately one to two weeks for the full effects to be seen so keep this in mind if you want to receive Botox before a big event like a wedding, party or graduation.

Expect the physician injecting Botox to take a good medical history including medical conditions, medications, allergies and a social history. The physician should discuss your expectations of treatment and the proposed treatment plan including expected results, potential complications and aftercare. The most common reported side effects following Botox injection include headache, respiratory infection, flu syndrome and nausea. Beneficial side effects reported by patients post Botox treatment include lessening of headaches and the pain associated with temporomandibular joint syndrome. A common complication of Botox treatment is eyebrow droop which has been reported in one to five percent of patients treated.

We hope we have been able to provide you with some basic information to make treatment decisions regarding Botox. Despite being labeled a toxin, Botox is an excellent therapeutic drug when administered properly by a physician.

Sunscreens- a few additional comments generated by feedback from our readers

The only terms approved for use on sunscreens are water resistant and very water resistant. The term water resistant means that a sunscreen will keep its labeled SPF intact after 40 minutes of water immersion. The term very water resistant means that the sunscreen will keep its labeled SPF intact after 80 minutes of water immersion.

We do not feel a sunscreen with a SPF greater than 45 offers additional protection from the ultraviolet rays produced by the sun because sunscreen components tend to degrade with time and exposure to the environment. Sunscreens also come off with sweating, rubbing and swimming. A sunscreen with a SPF greater than 45 would need to be reapplied prior to the amount of time afforded protection by its SPF rating. Therefore, to obtain adequate protection from a sunscreen, it requires frequent reapplication.

Monthly Promotion

In December, because it IS the holiday season, we are offering not one, but two specials!

Give a gift to your friend or relative, and a gift to yourself as well! This December we are offering a vial of Botox® Cosmetic (100 units) for $600! Split a bottle of Botox® between you and a friend or family member, and have 50 units available for each of you!  This is usually enough to treat two areas. The Botox® can be purchased now (for use up to six months from now), then pick a date when both of you are available to have treatment. Both persons must receive treatment on the same day.  A consultation will be performed prior to treatment, in order to recommend the appropriate amount for the area(s) to be treated.  A great gift for your mom, sister, colleague, or friend and the best part--- a gift for yourself!

Call us today, as a limited number of vials are available.

Our second December special is Sciton BBL hand rejuvenation for only $25 for both hands! Get rid of those pesky brown spots!  Exposure to the sun and elements can cause brown sun spots to develop on the back of your hands, and with a BBL broadband light treatment, we can help to remove them. You will probably need more than one treatment to completely clear all of the spots, but this will put you on the path to younger looking hands!  There is no downtime with this treatment.

Call today to schedule a consultation and appointment- 816.505.5550

Reminder

With the Holidays just around the corner, consider a gift of skin care products from Integrated Skin Solutions, such as the Zeno. The Zeno is an electronic device to remove the early red blemishes of acne. This acne device would make a perfect gift or stocking stuffer for a family member who suffers from mild acne or an occasional breakout.

We now have gift certificates available! This is the perfect gift (available in any denomination) for that hard-to-buy person! Call us and we can have the certificate ready for pick up!

That concludes our monthly newsletter. We hope you enjoyed the information. Check out our website at www.integratedskin.com. If you would like to be removed from our mailing list notify us at info@integratedskin.com (send your email address in the message- a reply to this Newsletter will not contain your email address).

Sincerely,

John Carter, MD and Julianne Mazurek, MD

Integrated Skin Solutions- “Where looking good is understood!”

7424 NW River Park Drive (Hwy 9)

Parkville, MO 64152-5028

816-505-5550 Fax 816-505-4550

www.integratedskin.com

Questions or comments- info@integratedskin.com