You’ve tried creams, serums, and facial exercises to diminish the lines and wrinkles you see on your face. But they haven’t worked, and now volume loss is contributing to your tired appearance. It feels like you’re stuck with these changes; like a more youthful appearance is simply no longer possible. The solution is not to despair but to choose dermal fillers from Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA.

What Do Dermal Fillers Do?

These multi-purpose treatments essentially help counter the effects of time. As we age, subcutaneous fat within the face naturally slides downward. Facial muscles then work closer to the skin’s surface, and without extra padding in places where we often emote, crow’s feet and smile lines become more apparent.

Facial skin also stretches as it loses elasticity. This, too, contributes to a loss of volume. Through targeted application, fillers can be used to:

• Plump shallow contours
• Improve facial symmetry
• Smooth wrinkles and creases
• Diminish the appearance of scars
• Restore contours
• Reduce or eliminate the shadow of the lower lids

Hyaluronic Acid

Most fillers contain hyaluronic acid (HA) as their active ingredient. This is a clear, gooey substance, and the body naturally produces HA to lubricate and moisturize. It is a carbohydrate that binds to other molecules or water, thereby giving it a slightly stiff consistency that resembles Jello. HA is remarkable for a number of reasons, including the fact that it can be several thousands of sugars long and can hold almost 1,000 times its weight in water.

As you might have guessed, HA is crucial to healthy joints, ligaments, and yes, skin. This sugar helps plump skin by keeping it hydrated, regulates water balance, and transports nutrients to ensure skin is properly nourished. Because it is so tissue-friendly, and one of the most water-loving molecules in nature, it only makes sense that it be featured in a variety of fillers, including common names like Juvederm and Restylane.

Skin Health

Collagen is a popular topic of conversation where skin health is concerned, and rightly so. One of its chief functions is to comprise the skin’s underlying constructive framework, known as the extracellular matrix (ECM). Many studies have focused on this network of molecules, trying to identify those that comprise it. These studies have revealed that in addition to providing a constructive framework, these molecules also impact cellular function.

ECM molecules form a highly organized structure that includes collagen, growth factors, and other proteins. But the predominant component of this network is hyaluronic acid. In addition, nearly 50 percent of the body’s HA levels are found in the skin and ECM. To say HA is crucial to skin’s appearance and health is an understatement, but with age, the body’s ability to produce this sugar wanes significantly.

HA Fillers

Fillers made with HA boosts skin’s hydration levels and instantly restores volume. The fillers themselves are soft so they can be easily injected below the skin’s surface. They are made with stabilized, non-animal hyaluronic acid that is biocompatible with the body and will not migrate beyond the treatment site.

With just one treatment, patients see results that can last for nearly a year, and those results are very natural-looking. They don’t affect your ability to make facial expressions, and they help you control the way in which you age. In other words, wrinkles and fine lines are no longer the inevitable side effects of growing older.

Additional Filler Ingredients

Not all fillers are made with HA. Other common ingredients include:

• Calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA)
• Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)
• Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)

Explaining CaHA

Injectables made with CaHA, like Radiesse, work in different ways from HA and thus have slightly different effects on the face. To illustrate, CaHA boosts collagen production. The injection itself immediately adds volume as collagen levels gradually increase. Keep in mind collagen is a protein that, in the face, resides in the skin’s middle layer. It is a primary component of the ECM and gives skin its firm but flexible properties.

By increasing collagen production, CaHA fillers tend to last a little longer than those made with HA. Results, therefore, continue developing over a span of several weeks. CaHA can also improve skin tone and texture with the uptick in collagen.

How PLLA Works

PLLA is a polymer recognized as biocompatible and absorbable. In layman’s terms, this means it is safe; it’s also effective, having shown in numerous studies to induce fibroblasts (cells) to produce collagen. In turn, the collagen lifts and volumizes skin in a very natural manner. After injections, patients often are instructed to follow the rule of 5-5-5: perform massage on the treatment site five times daily, five minutes per session, for five days.

PLLA does not produce immediate results because the filler itself does not volume. Instead, it relies on the increased production of collagen. Three to five sessions may be necessary to achieve your desired look. Each session is separated by four- or six-week intervals, but the results can last between two and four years. Again, the trade-off for longer results is a slower development time.

A Look at PMMA

Bellafill, the brand name of an injectable that contains PMMA, is approved by the FDA to treat smile lines and improve acne scars on the cheeks. This gel is made of microspheres, each of which holds PMMA, which again promotes collagen production. Results can last for five years, but patients don’t need to wait for effects to develop because the injectable also contains cow collagen that immediately plumps skin.

Because of the collagen component, patients must undergo skin tests two to four weeks before receiving treatment. The tests are necessary to detect an allergy to the collagen ingredient. Although less well-known than fillers like Radiesse, Bellafill is nonetheless popular because of its long-lasting results.

Fillers Versus Injectables

It’s important to distinguish dermal fillers from injectables because they are two very different treatments that often get mistaken for each other. It’s easy to see why – both get injected into the skin and help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. But fillers achieve this effect by adding volume from below the skin’s surface. That volume helps support skin, like a building block, so it looks plumper and softer.

Injectables like Dysport and Botox, on the other hand, provide no volume. They fall under an umbrella category of neurotoxins, which means they relax targeted facial muscles to prevent wrinkles from showing. Kybella, another popular injectable, is approved for use under the chin – where extra padding often leads to a “double chin” – and works by killing fat cells.

Which Is Right for You?

The good news is that you rarely need to choose between these treatments because they can work together in complementary ways. We can, for example, craft a treatment plan that blends injectables and fillers to give you the most pleasing aesthetic possible. This plan will reflect your skin’s unique needs and the underlying cause of your wrinkles, but it is possible to address nearly all of your concerns by blending treatments.

The Art and Science of Fillers

We have had to develop a deep understanding of skin’s physiological and immunological conditions to reach the point we’re currently at with aesthetic technology. In particular, we’ve devoted much time to learning how and why the face ages as it does. This has led to a variety of topical treatments, like dermal fillers, that give us options outside of surgery.

But successfully using fillers requires equal parts art and science. This means skill must be used in choosing the right filler for the right patient, follow-up must be vigilant, and application of the filler itself must be skillful. All of these facets are subject to unique interactions between patients and our staff as we strive to:

• Ensure correct tissue acceptance and reaction after the filler is injected
• Measure treatment efficacy
• Compare wrinkle-reduction outcomes in a before and after sense

Filler Properties

Each filler has a slightly different viscosity, elasticity, and cohesivity that dictates where it is best used on the face. Some fillers, for instance, are only approved for plumping lips, while others are better suited to deep nasolabial folds. Both viscosity and elasticity are measured by G prime. Fillers with high G prime have firmer consistencies, hold their shapes, and provide more lifting capacity.

In contrast, those with low G prime spread more easily and are thinner and more fluid. These products are ideal for correcting fine lines around the mouth.

Facial Structure

While a beautiful face can be recognized universally, it is distinctly difficult to define. Balance and symmetry are crucial points, but so are less definitive characteristics like facial movements and personality. From a treatment perspective, we focus on face shape, known to correlate to age, gender, and overall attractiveness. This also allows us to assess bone structure and skin health so that we capitalize on your natural beauty without altering your appearance.

Subtlety Is Best

The goal of cosmetic treatment is to provide subtle enhancements without immediately alerting others that you’ve had treatment. Fillers restore volume in an aging face and strengthen contours in a younger patient. And while all fillers are capable of delivering subtle, natural results, the effects you see will depend on factors like:

• Your skin type
• Location of injections
• Number of treatments
• Type of filler used

The theory with fillers is that less is more, meaning you should start with smaller results and then build from there. You can easily add in a slow and gradual manner to achieve the volume you want, but it’s more difficult to take away from fillers once they are injected.

Ways to Extend Your Results

By design, fillers get metabolized with time as their effects become less visible. Two key factors that play into your results are your natural metabolism and the treatment site; dermal fillers often last longer in spots with less movement. While we don’t recommend that you alter your facial movements or expressions to maintain results, you can take some simple steps that will help extend them.

Start by minimizing UV exposure; sun damage is responsible for most of the wrinkles and lines you see on your face. Consistently applying sunscreen can maintain your results and protect your skin from further damage. It’s also important to drink plenty of water to keep your skin and body hydrated. Water can enhance the effects of HA fillers and should be your go-to beverage in place of sugary, caffeinated drinks.

Skin Care and Stress

Your skin care routine can significantly impact your results, and for this reason, we recommend you wash and moisturize your face twice daily with products that match your skin type. If you need help, we can provide some guidance. Finally, manage your stress to reduce the effects of free radical damage. Activities like walking, reading, and yoga will help you decompress at the end of a long day.

Natural, Dependable Results

Dermal fillers combine the power of aesthetic technology with the art of subtle enhancements. They safely and effectively deliver results that can restore volume, improve contours, and smooth wrinkles throughout your face. Schedule your consultation today by calling Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA.

Weight loss can be tough at any age, but the older you get, the more difficult it becomes. This is especially true when it comes to body sculpting. Significant weight loss can lead to areas of hard-to-lose fat pockets around your body which exercise and diet alone can’t easily address. CoolSculpting is a revolutionary treatment offered by Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA that can spot target areas around your body and rid you of unwanted fat for good.

What’s CoolSculpting?

CoolSculpting is formally known as cryolipolysis and is an FDA-approved treatment used to address areas of your body where pockets of diet and exercise-resistant fat exist. The treatment works by freezing fat cells, causing them to gradually die off and be eliminated from the body through your urine.

Cryolipolysis is a relatively new treatment, but it has consistently helped patients reach their aesthetic goals through targeted fat loss. It’s one of the only treatments on the market capable of “spot targeting” fat to sculpt a specific part of your body.

How Does CoolSculpting Freeze Fat Away?

When an area of your body is treated by cryoplipolysis, the fat cells in that area die off and are permanently removed from the body. That being the case, treatment doesn’t remove all of the fat cells from the targeted area. It removes just enough to create an appealing, youthful contour to help you attain the physique you’re looking for.

To fully understand how cryolipolysis freezes fat away, you need to understand the types of fat found in your body, and how they respond to diet and exercise.

The Types of Fat In Your Body

There are two major types of fat in your body: visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. Both of them have their purposes, and they both respond to diet and exercise differently.

Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is located deep within your body and is used to insulate and protect your organs and muscles. It is firm to the touch and is usually responsible for large fat deposits in your gut, thighs, butt, and upper arms. The location(s) where visceral fat accumulates will depend on your genetics, your sex, and your lifestyle choices.

For example, women tend to gain more visceral fat around their thighs and buttocks, while men usually carry excess weight in their belly. Genetics can sometimes cause this situation to reverse, with a man gaining weight in his lower body and a woman putting on weight in her upper body. Either way, visceral fat is very responsive to diet and exercise and, when you lose weight, most of it comes from this type of fat.

Subcutaneous Fat

Subcutaneous fat accumulates just below your skin and, unlike visceral fat, is far less responsive to diet and exercise. Like visceral fat, subcutaneous fat can help insulate your body and protect your organs. However, subcutaneous fat tends to accumulate in specific areas, such as your hips, love handles, thighs, upper arms, knees, under your chin, and your back.

Since subcutaneous fat is much less responsive to diet and exercise than visceral fat is, it usually results in fatty deposits around your body that seem to linger no matter how much you exercise or how healthy you eat.

Enter CoolSculpting

There’s no way to “spot target” fat around your body through diet and exercise. Crunches won’t give you the abs of your dreams, nor will tricep curls help define your arms. To sculpt your body you’ll need to look to cosmetic treatments such as cryolipolysis.

How It Freezes Fat

Treatment involves the use of paddle-shaped applicators that fit around your targeted area. The paddles utilize suction to keep your skin in the right place and then they start to gently cool the area. As the area gets colder your fat cells begin to freeze and crystallize. This effect damages the cells beyond repair and they are then removed from the body.

The layer of fat in the targeted area is gradually cooled to a temperature between 30.2 degrees F and 39.2 degrees F. At these temperatures, fat cells freeze but your surrounding tissues don’t; none of your other tissues in the area freeze in this temperature range, making treatment safe, non-invasive, and effective.

How Fat Is Destroyed

The principle that the treatment’s success relies on is that fat cells are much more susceptible to damage from cold temperatures than other cells are. The coolness administered to the area injures the fat cells beyond repair, which in turn triggers your body’s inflammatory response, resulting in the death of fat cells in the area. Once they’re dead, a type of white blood cell known as Macrophages are called to the area to rid the dead cells from your body.

How Much Fat Does Treatment Eliminate?

As mentioned, a single treatment does not eliminate all of the fat cells from the targeted area. Research has shown that you can expect anywhere between a 15 and 28 percent fat reduction four months after treatment. You’ll probably start to notice a change in the area a few weeks after treatment, with more dramatic results becoming apparent after 2 months or so.

Is Cryolipolysis an Effective Weight Loss Solution?

The treatment can, and will, result in the permanent removal of unwanted subcutaneous fat in the targeted area(s). Since fat is being removed from your body permanently, you will lose weight after treatment, however, the amount you lose won’t be very significant.

If your goal is significant weight loss, you may want to wait before having cryolipolysis done. To get the best results, you need to be around 10 to 15 lbs. away from your weight loss goal. If you have too much fat on your body, the treatment will still permanently remove some, but not enough to provide you with a significant change in your appearance. If you have questions about the best time to undergo treatment, make sure to ask your provider.

The Benefits of CoolSculpting

Your Treatment Is Customized

Each patient has their own specific needs, and no two bodies are exactly alike. The location and quantity of subcutaneous fat in your body are governed by genetics; one patient may need contouring around their waistline, while another may want to address their upper arms.

Both of these areas are difficult to “spot target” with diet and exercise alone. With cryolipolysis, these areas and others can be sculpted to meet your desired body contours in ways that diet and exercise just won’t.

It’s Non-Invasive

In the world of aesthetics, non-invasive treatments are few and far between. Non-invasive treatments, like cryolipolysis, do not result in the painful recovery period that other treatments or procedures require. Being non-invasive, cryolipolysis is much easier for your provider to administer, resulting in not only less pain but less cost, too.

Surgical procedures designed to remove body fat tend to require anesthesia, hours-long procedures, and significant recovery periods. Cryolipolysis does not. Treatment is quick, virtually painless, and effective.

Treatment Is Low Risk

Surgical procedures, even if routine, carry a certain amount of risk. Patients with comprehensive cosmetic goals often turn to surgery to reach them, and that’s fine, but even minor procedures can carry a certain amount of risk.

Cryolipolysis doesn’t involve incisions, anesthesia, compression garments, or recovery time. You may not see results as quickly as you would with liposuction, but you’ll be much more comfortable while your body eliminates dead fat cells after CoolSculpting than you would be had you undergone a more invasive procedure like liposuction.

Its Track Record Is Outstanding

Cryolipolysis as a treatment for fat reduction was discovered more or less by accident. Researchers were conducting an experiment involving children eating popsicles when they noticed that kids who kept the popsicles in their mouths started forming dimples. After looking deeper into it, researchers discovered that the cold temperatures of the popsicles were actually freezing and reducing the fat cells in the children’s cheeks.

Since then, and in every clinical trial afterward, CoolSculpting has shown it can accomplish excellent results when used to sculpt specific areas of your body. Since its initial approval by the FDA, it has been subsequently approved for different areas of the body. Today, you can treat just about anywhere and expect to experience excellent results.

Treatment Doesn’t Take Long

The other “spot targeting” treatment capable of producing dramatic results is liposuction, and it requires a pretty long time commitment from those looking to sculpt their physique. Preparation for liposuction and the procedure itself can take several hours, and the recovery period could have you unable to engage in physical activity for a while after your procedure.

Cryolipolysis treatment is much faster than liposuction. Treatment generally takes about 30 minutes to complete, though if you want to target multiple areas, the session will take a bit longer. Since treatment is pretty brief, it’s easy to pop in during your lunch break or in between errands. With no recovery period, you can pop right back out and continue on with whatever you had to do that day.

How You Can Maximize Your Results

You already know that treatment is not a replacement for diet and exercise when you want to lose weight. However, the fatty tissue targeted during treatment will be gone for good. To maximize your results, you should be at or close to your ideal body weight at the time of treatment and continue to take steps to maintain your weight afterward.

Some, but not all, of your fat cells will be removed during treatment. If you gain significant weight afterward, it will almost certainly compromise your results. In order to keep your body looking sexy and sculpted, you should continue to follow a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise.

Are You a Candidate for Treatment?

CoolSculpting is non-invasive, virtually pain-free, and is becoming more and more popular by the day with people looking to improve their physique. Those who are near their target weight, are sick and tired of seeing unwanted fatty deposits when they look in the mirror, and are in good general health make the best candidates.

At your initial consultation, you and your provider will go over your medical history, including any medications, surgeries, or other issues you’ve experienced. Having a pre-existing condition does not necessarily disqualify you from treatment. Most health issues are unaffected by cryolipolysis, making it one of the most widely available treatments on the market.

Are You Ready for a Change?

CoolSculpting is an FDA-approved, non-invasive treatment for targeting areas of unwanted fatty tissue around your body. It works by freezing fat cells, causing them to crystallize and die off. After that, they are removed from your body by your immune system. Treatment is fast, virtually pain-free, and will result in the permanent removal of subcutaneous fat.

If you’re not happy with what you see when you look in the mirror, and you think that cryolipolysis may be the answer, contact Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA.

From smoothing deep forehead folds to treating painful medical conditions, Dysport can do just about anything. In fact, the scope of this powerful injectable’s use is any cosmetic or medical concern caused by hyperactive muscles. Also known as abobotulinumtoxinA, this neurotoxic protein can be used virtually anywhere there is moderate-to-severe hyperactivity. At Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA, we are here to help you understand how quickly this treatment works and what you can do to make it work faster.

How Quickly Dysport Works

Individual results vary, but half of the people who receive Dysport injections report a noticeable improvement in the appearance of moderate-to-severe wrinkles and folds within two to three days of treatment. The other half see their desired results four days after treatment or need a follow-up session.

An Important Caveat

Keep in mind that you should only expect this treatment to work within two to three days if you are using it to correct cosmetic concerns, like forehead folds, nasolabial folds, or smile lines. You should not expect this treatment to work so quickly if it is used to address medical concerns, such as chronic migraines or cervical dystonia.

How Many Treatment Sessions You May Need

Most people only need one treatment session to see their desired cosmetic results. However, extremely severe cases of wrinkles and folds may require two or three treatment sessions before the final results are realized. In such cases, it will be several weeks before you can enjoy the look you’ve been longing for.

When treating painful medical conditions, you will probably need at least two treatment sessions before you experience the pain relief you’re looking for. For example, you may find you experience fewer migraine headaches after receiving treatment for chronic migraines, but it may not be until your second or third session that you notice migraine headaches that are less painful and accompanied by fewer, or less severe, symptoms.

How to Make the Treatment Act Faster

If you want to relax your facial muscles while maintaining the ability to make facial expressions for a big event, like your daughter’s wedding, we recommend scheduling your treatment for a few weeks in advance of the big event. This gives you plenty of time to wait for the neurotoxic protein to take effect so you can see if you need follow-up treatment to get the smooth look you want.  

With that being said, we all want to feel as confident as possible at all times and don’t always want to wait two to four days to see the results of our cosmetic treatments. Here are some ways you can see the results of your treatment faster:

Massage the Treated Area

One of the simplest ways to see the final results of your injections faster is to massage the treated area very gently for five minutes shortly after your treatment. Then, massage the treated area for five minutes four more times throughout the day. Repeat this for the next four days. Over the course of five days, you will spend 125 minutes, or just over two hours, massaging your face. However, it will be worth it.

If you received injections into many parts of your face, ask your partner to massage your face gently for you. While a massage helps to work the medication into your muscles, you don’t want to spend four hours and 10 minutes massaging yourself. Simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the pampering as a loved one cares for you.

Exercise the Treated Muscles

Another great way to work the neurotoxic protein into your treated muscles is to exercise the muscles. Any time you engage the treated muscle, you are working the medicine into the appropriate area. However, some experts believe you should perform three sets of 40 repetitions spaced 10 minutes apart within four hours of receiving your injections.

Some people find this technique to be much “more achievable” than massaging the treated area because it takes only one to three minutes to perform. It takes approximately 20 seconds to raise and lower your eyebrows 40 times. If you used Dysport to target two different facial muscles, like your forehead and the muscles around your mouth, it won’t even take six total minutes to exercise both muscles. You can exercise them back-to-back.

Why You Need to Wait to See the Final Results

Immediately after your injections, you may notice that your muscles feel slightly more relaxed. However, you won’t be able to see the final results of the treatment because of the way the medication works. Like Botox, Dysport comprises the full neurotoxic protein.

This medication works because the complete protein binds to another protein at the motor endplate in your muscles, where your muscles meet your nerves. The result is that acetylcholine, the protein that comes down your nervous system and tells your muscles to move, is silenced. However, it can take anywhere from one to four days for the silencing protein to bind with the acetylcholine that causes localized muscle hyperactivity.

How Long the Results of Treatment Last in Different Areas

Although exercising your facial muscles hastens the final results of treatment, it does not hasten your muscles returning to their original hyperactive state. However, it’s important to note that the durability of your treatment depends, primarily, on where the medication is injected and how often you use those facial muscles.

When injected into muscles that you use a lot, this medication will not last very long. However, it is much more durable when injected into less-used muscles. Here’s what you can expect regarding durability based on where the medication is injected.

The Upper Eyelids

The muscles used to close and open your eyes are used nearly constantly. The average person blinks every four seconds for 0.1 seconds at a time. Assuming you blink every four seconds, sleep seven hours per night, and blink for only a tenth of a second at a time, you blink just under 15,300 times per day.

As you can imagine, the muscles above your eyelids are quite strong, partly because of how often they are used. Unfortunately, hyperactivity in this area doesn’t just cause wrinkles. It affects your ability to see. Uncontrollable muscle spasms in the upper eyelids can make driving a car impossible, affecting your independence. This treatment can treat uncontrollable upper eyelid spasms for approximately four months.

The Forehead

You use the muscles in your forehead more often than you think. You use your forehead muscles to raise one eyebrow inquisitively. You frown. You scrunch your eyebrows together when you are solving a difficult problem. You raise both your eyebrows simultaneously in surprise.

The muscles in your forehead are also quite large. When you combine these two factors, you have the perfect recipe for deep forehead folds. As with the treatment of uncontrollable upper eyelid spasms, you can expect the treatment of deep forehead folds to last approximately four months. If your case is more moderate than severe, the results of your treatment may last up to six months.

Around the Eyes

When used to target moderate-to-severe crow’s feet around your eyes, this treatment can remain effective for up to six months. If you tint the front windshield of your vehicle and wear sunglasses or a brimmed hat when you go outside during the day, the results of your treatment will last much longer. Crow’s feet, also known as laugh lines, are exacerbated by both laughing and squinting.

Around the Nose

When used to treat deep nasolabial folds between your nose and the corners of your mouth, the results of your treatment should last about five months. However, it is crucial that you come in for an initial consultation to ensure that this is the appropriate injectable for you. If you have nasolabial lines caused by collagen loss, only dermal fillers will help you improve your aesthetic.

Around the Upper Lip

This medication is most often used to address cosmetic concerns caused by moderate-to-severe muscle hyperactivity. However, that is not all this medication can do. It can also be used to augment the upper lip without the need for implanting synthetic plastic that will look unnatural.

This medication can relax the upper lip, rolling it slightly upward so it appears larger and more luscious. Although you use the muscles around your upper lip frequently for sipping through straws, speaking, smoking, laughing, and singing, the results of this treatment can last beyond six months.

The Shoulders, Neck, and Head

Besides uncontrollable eyelid spasms, there are several other medical conditions that this injectable protein can treat. One of these is cervical dystonia. Cervical dystonia is a chronic condition characterized by severe pain starting in the neck and radiating down to the shoulders and upper back and up to the head.

Depending on the specifics of your unique case, this protein may be injected into your neck, head, shoulders, or a combination of the three locations. Since this condition is so severe, the results of treatment usually only last around 2.5 months. If your cervical dystonia is so bad that it significantly affects your quality of life, we strongly recommend that you schedule follow-up treatments every two months. The new dose starts working as the old dose fades.

Good Candidates for This Injectable

Again, to determine if you are a good candidate for this medication, you have to come in for an initial consultation. During this initial consultation, we will review your aesthetic goals and diagnose the cause of your cosmetic concerns. If we find that your lines and wrinkles are caused by collagen loss, you must receive dermal fillers to get the smooth look you want.

If your wrinkles and folds are moderate-to-severe and caused by muscle hyperactivity, you may be the perfect candidate for this injectable. Once we determine that a neurotoxic protein will solve your cosmetic concerns, we will review your medical history. It is crucial that you are not allergic to bovine protein and have a healthy immune system. It is also important that you do not have a sunburn or active oral herpes or acne outbreak at the time of your treatment.

Learn More About Achieving the Look of Your Dreams Today

Are you sick and tired of looking tired, angry, or disinterested all the time? Do you wish that there was an effective treatment for the wrinkles that are unaffected by the most expensive over-the-counter creams? If so, Dysport may just be the solution you’ve dreamed of.

To discover if this treatment is appropriate for your moderate-to-severe wrinkles and folds, contact us now at Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA to schedule your initial consultation. If your cosmetic concerns are caused by collagen loss, Irina Abovsky-Akkerman, FNP-C, MSN can help you. As a Diamond provider of Botox, Juvederm, and Latisse, she is among the most qualified aesthetic service providers in the country. With her, you’re in good hands.

Although it’s common to experience hair loss during your lifetime, dealing with this issue can make you feel less confident and attractive. Fortunately, you can easily reverse your hair loss with platelet-rich plasma therapy. At Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, California, we can use this hair restoration treatment to give you thick, healthy hair.

How Many Hair Restoration Treatments Do You Need?

Platelet-rich plasma therapy, or PRP, is an innovative treatment that uses the power of your own blood to improve your appearance. This fantastic hair restoration treatment can help you grow thicker, healthier hair.

A Customized Treatment

This is a very personalized technique, and we will adjust your treatment plan based on the condition of your hair, your aesthetic objectives, and other factors. As a result, your schedule will be unique. For instance, if you would like to correct minor hair loss, you might receive only a few treatment sessions. If you are dealing with more significant hair loss, you are likely to need more treatments to properly address this issue.

During your initial meeting with us, we will examine your hair and talk about your goals and preferences in great depth. At this point, we will provide you with more details about the length of your anticipated treatment plan.

Maintaining Your New Look

You are likely to achieve better results if you have follow-up sessions once your initial treatment plan is complete. Although it’s common to receive treatments every couple of months, your maintenance schedule will depend on how your body has responded to your initial sessions.

What Are the Causes of Hair Loss?

You usually lose fifty to a hundred strands of hair every day. Since you are constantly growing new hair, these lost strands will not impact your overall appearance. If your hair loss accelerates, however, you will develop thin or bald patches on your scalp. There are a variety of factors that can cause you to develop this issue.

Changing Hormones

Hormonal imbalances can cause you to lose hair. For example, your hormones will change when you are going through pregnancy or menopause, and you may lose hair during these important life events. Stopping birth control pills can also cause hormone changes that lead to hair loss. This type of hair loss may improve when your hormones return to normal levels.

Genetics

Your genes also influence the health of your hair. As a result, your chances of developing thinning hair are higher if your family has a history of this issue. If your relatives developed bald patches and hair loss at an early age, you are likely to also experience this issue.

Stress

Going through an emotional event can put extra stress on your body, and it’s common to experience temporary hair loss after you go through a move, personal loss, or other challenges.

Your Hairstyles

Although you might like the way that your hair looks in a tight bun or ponytail, adopting these styles can be damaging to your hair. These hairstyles can put too much strain on your hair follicles, leading to an issue called traction alopecia. Using harsh chemicals to style and color your hair can also weaken your hair and make it more vulnerable to this type of damage.

Illnesses

In many cases, hair loss is not a sign of a serious medical condition. That said, there are times when thinning hair is connected to a medical issue. For example, autoimmune and thyroid diseases can cause hair loss. Further, medications that you use to prevent certain illnesses, such as cancer, arthritis, and heart diseases, can damage your hair.

Improper Nutrition

You need to eat a healthy, balanced diet to have strong, thick hair. If you have an imbalanced diet that doesn’t have sufficient amounts of protein and other nutritional elements, you will experience hair loss. Similarly, losing a large amount of weight in an unhealthy manner will cause your hair to thin.

What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma?

Platelet-rich plasma is a substance that has unique healing abilities. Plasma is a substance that is naturally contained in your blood, and it is made up of white blood cells and platelets.

Platelets are small blood cells that help you stop bleeding after you experience an injury. Platelets also contain growth factors that encourage your body to heal and renew itself. In addition to using platelet-rich plasma to address hair loss, medical professionals have used this amazing substance to improve a wide variety of conditions, such as arthritis, tendinitis, and muscle injuries.

How Is PRP Created?

PRP is made from your own blood. We use a state-of-the-art process to separate out the most beneficial, healing elements from the other substances in your blood.

We will put your blood into a sterilized centrifuge. A centrifuge is a device that is used to collect different elements in fluids. The centrifuge will spin your blood very quickly. As the centrifuge spins, your plasma will bond with other healing elements in your blood. This process allows us to make the PRP solution.

What Is a Hair Loss Treatment Like?

This treatment has three main stages.

Collecting Your Blood

We will begin your treatment by taking a sample of your blood. We will use the same technique to collect this blood as a healthcare professional would use during a standard medical checkup. Since we use a very small needle to collect this sample, you will feel comfortable during this part of your treatment.

Creating the PRP Solution

Once we have collected your blood, we will put the sample into a sterilized centrifuge. It usually takes a few minutes to create the PRP solution. You can sit back and relax while we complete this step.

Treating Your Hair

After we have made the PRP solution, we will apply this product to the areas where you want to promote hair growth. This is a quick process, and you will feel relaxed as we apply the solution to your target area. In the days and weeks after your appointment, the healing powers of PRP will improve the blood flow to your hair follicles, stimulate hair growth, and encourage your body to grow additional follicles. This process will give you healthier, thicker hair.

How Long Will It Take to Recover From This Treatment?

This treatment is quick and minimally invasive, so you will have minimal to no downtime after your appointment is complete. You don’t need to schedule time off from your job and other activities. Instead, you can return to your home or office immediately.

When Will You See Positive Changes in Your Hair?

This is a very personalized treatment, and your age, health, degree of hair loss, and other factors will impact how your body responds to your treatment. That said, you should be aware that this treatment does not provide immediate results. Instead, your PRP solution will improve the thickness and overall condition of your hair in the weeks after your initial treatment session. As you receive additional treatments, your hair should continue to improve.

You can enhance the effects of your hair restoration treatment by adopting healthy habits during this time. For instance, quitting smoking will improve your overall health and make it easier for blood to flow to your treatment area. Similarly, eating healthfully will strengthen your body and help you achieve more optimal results.

Can You Restore Your Hair on Your Own?

Many websites sell supplements, creams, and other products that claim to prevent or reverse hair loss. Although these products are often very inexpensive, they are usually ineffective. There is little scientific evidence that many of the hair growth pills sold online are effective or safe. Further, hair creams can damage your scalp or hair.

We do not recommend using these at-home hair loss products. At best, these products will fail to address your thinning hair. At worst, you could harm your health and make your hair loss more noticeable.

Instead of using at-home treatments, you should receive PRP therapy from a trained medical professional. We have many years of experience performing minimally invasive cosmetic techniques, and we will use our training and skills to monitor your safety during your PRP treatment.

Does This Treatment Really Work?

A number of scientific studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of this innovative hair restoration treatment. For instance, in a 2016 scientific study, people had noticeable improvements in the quantity and thickness of their hair after three treatments.

Similarly, a 2015 study concluded that this treatment had a positive effect on people who were experiencing hair loss. These people had improved hair counts, hair root strength, and hair thickness.

Does This Treatment Work for Men and Women?

Although male baldness is more well-known, it’s normal for both men and women to experience hair loss during their lifetimes. In fact, more than half of all women are likely to deal with hair loss at some point in their lives.

Further, many women lose hair during menopause or after pregnancy. Fortunately, PRP therapy works for both genders. In fact, there is scientific evidence that this technique can improve hair thickness and density in men and women.

Who Is a Good Candidate for This Treatment?

If you are an adult who is experiencing hair loss, this cosmetic treatment is likely to be a good solution for you. This treatment uses a minimally invasive technique to target your hair loss, and you will not need to receive incisions or use general anesthesia during your treatment. As a result, this treatment is a good alternative to more invasive options like hair transplants.

If you’re looking for a natural solution to your hair loss, this treatment may be an ideal option for you. This treatment uses the healing powers of your blood to enhance your appearance, and you don’t need to take medication to benefit from this technique. Accordingly, you are likely to be a good candidate for this hair restoration method even if you are not eligible to use prescription medication to improve your hair loss.

We will thoroughly review your medical history before we administer your treatment. At this point, you should inform us about any medical conditions that you have and any medications, supplements, and vitamins that you are currently taking. You should also let us know if you smoke or are using blood thinners, as these substances can affect your eligibility for this treatment.

Try It for Yourself

Fixing your hair loss and achieving thick, healthy-looking hair is easy. We can improve your thinning hair with PRP treatments. This fantastic technique will restore your hair in a natural, minimally invasive manner. To learn more about this amazing treatment, contact us at Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, California for an initial consultation today.

A voluptuous backside is one of the latest beauty trends, but it can be difficult to achieve. If you’ve done more lunges, squats, and leg lifts than you can count, but your rear still isn’t as shapely as you’d like, a Sculptra Butt Lift is the perfect solution. This injectable treatment offered by Artful Aesthetics, in Oakland, CA can lift and sculpt your backside, giving you results that last two years or more.

Weight loss, pregnancies, and the natural aging process can all diminish the butt’s plumpness and perkiness. It’s almost impossible to shape up your rear on your own because traditional diet and exercise plans don’t allow you to target one area of the body. This injectable treatment, however, makes it possible to hone in on the buttocks and restore curves and shape. Best of all, this so-called liquid butt lift is a non-surgical option that doesn’t require any downtime.

What Is a Sculptra Butt Lift?

Sculptra is a dermal filler that stimulates collagen production in the skin. It’s typically injected into aging faces, where the extra collagen helps smooth wrinkles, tighten loose skin, and restore a youthful contour. But when a diluted version of Sculptra is injected into the buttocks, the extra collagen restores volume, smooths out dimples, and gives the patient a more even and shapely backside.

If your rear is flat, dimpled, or if it’s simply not as large and curvy as you’d like, this injectable treatment can help. Sculptra can also resolve hip dip, or the inward curves just above the thighs and below the hip.

What Makes the Sculptra Butt Lift So Popular?

Butt lift treatments have become in vogue over the past 10 years, in large part because of the curvy bottoms pop stars like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian have sported, showing the world that it’s ok for women to have curves!

There are several treatments available that can help improve the size and shape of your rear. A surgical butt lift gets rid of extra skin and fat in the gluteal area, tightening and lifting the rear. Buttock implants and fat grafting, in which fat is transferred from another part of your body to the buttocks, are also options. But the Sculptra Butt Lift is an especially popular option because it offers advantages that those other treatments don’t.

A Less Invasive Treatment

Patients love the fact that Sculptra treatments are non-surgical, minimally-invasive, and don’t involve any downtime. Anesthesia is not used, and patients can return to their routine fairly quickly. Sculptra is a no-hassle way of getting your butt in shape.

A Great Option for Lean Patients

Lean patients often turn to Sculptra because they don’t have enough body fat to be a candidate for grafting. If you want to improve your rear but you don’t have fat that can be taken from elsewhere on the body for grafting purposes, Sculptra is your best option. Sculptra is also a good choice for patients who are not candidates for implants.

An Easy, Convenient Option

It’s hard to overstate the convenience of Sculptra treatments. Most patients need two to five 30-minute treatments, each of which is scheduled two to four weeks apart. Because nothing is required of the patient in the way of preparation or recovery, these sessions can be easily worked into a busy schedule. Some patients even schedule them during their lunch hour. Compared to more invasive treatment options, Sculptra is an easy and convenient way to improve the appearance of your rear.

Curvy, Sexy Results

Another reason why Sculptra is such a popular butt-lifting treatment is that it offers patients great results. If you want a fuller, curvier bottom, but the exercises you’ve been doing aren’t working, this injectable can help. Once you’ve had sculptra butt lift, you’ll feel great wearing everything from bathing suits to backless dresses. You’ll even be able to fill out your favorite pair of jeans.

What Can I Expect From Treatment?

Sculptra treatments are straightforward and nothing to worry about. Most patients lay comfortably on the stomach during treatment, although depending on where you’re seeking to add volume, you may be asked to stand for a portion of the session.

We’ll begin by making a few marks on the skin that will guide our injections. The injection sites will then be sterilized and a topical numbing cream may be applied. The injections will only take a few minutes, and we will then massage the treatment area for a few moments to ensure Sculptra is in place. You’ll then be free to return to the rest of your day.

What Does This Injection Feel Like?

These injections themselves are not painful, and the use of a topical numbing cream before the injection also ensures patient comfort.

Will I Need to Take Any Special Precautions After Treatment?

During the five days after your injections, you’ll be asked to massage the injection sites daily. This self-massage is a way of ensuring that Sculptra is evenly distributed for a fuller appearance. We also recommend that patients refrain from alcohol consumption and vigorous exercise for about 24 hours.

How Soon Will I See Results?

Because Sculptra works by encouraging the body to produce more collagen, a process that takes time, you’ll need to be patient about your results. You may notice some initial plumpness right after your treatment, which will be caused by the sterile water that Sculptra particles are suspended in for the injection. This water will be absorbed by the body during the day or two after the injection. Your final results will develop within about two months and will last for two years or more, and you can schedule additional treatments down the road to keep up your new look.

How Will This Improve My Butt?

This treatment adds roundness and fullness to the butt and makes your overall silhouette curvier. Because the results develop gradually, the improvement in your body will appear natural and you’ll never look “overdone,” or like you went and “had work done.” The gradual onset of results also gives you plenty of time to adjust to your new look, and your friends will never know you underwent a Sculptra Butt Lift. They’ll simply assume that you’ve been working out successfully and taking great care of yourself.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Sculptra Butt Lift?

If you’re interested in finding out if you’re a good candidate for Sculptra injections, the first step is to schedule a consultation with our owner and clinical director, Irina Akkerman. She is a nurse practitioner/master injector with a Masters in Nursing Science. Irina will review your medical history and talk with you about your cosmetic concerns and goals. She will work with you to determine if Sculptra is the best way of improving the appearance of your buttocks.

There are several early signs you may be an especially good candidate:

You’re in Good Health

The ideal patient is a non-smoker who is in good overall health. This treatment is not recommended for patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have any underlying health conditions, be sure to mention them during your consultation.

You Can Commit to the Treatment

A Sculptra Butt Lift is much more convenient than some other options, but it still involves a series of treatments. It also requires the patient to keep up with daily self-massage for about a week. Good candidates for this treatment can commit to the full series of injections and maintain an at-home massage routine.

You Want a Custom Approach

Every patient has slightly different goals when it comes to reshaping their bottom. Most individuals come to us seeking added plumpness, but some want the bottom to be lifted, firmer, or they want an improvement in the overall shape. Dimples, wrinkles, and hip dips are other common cosmetic concerns. One of the great things about Sculptra is that it can be strategically injected in a way that accommodates each patient’s goals. The amount of Sculptra injected, and the frequency of injections, can also be varied to achieve individualized results.

You’re Able to Maintain Your Weight

The best patients can maintain a healthy weight after their Sculptra injections. Significant weight fluctuation is one of the factors that can diminish curves and plumpness in the butt, and maintaining a stable weight is an ideal way of preserving your results.

You’re Realistic About the Outcome

Patients should have a full understanding of the treatment and the outcome it will offer. Because this treatment system relies on the body to produce more collagen, results are natural in appearance and less drastic than the improvement that can be obtained through surgery.

Answering Your Questions

What’s in the Injection?

Sculptra injections contain Poly-L-Lactic Acid, a biodegradable substance that is used in dissolvable sutures. Poly-L-Lactic acid is synthetic, which means patients don’t have to worry about having an allergic reaction to it. This acid fades naturally from the body once it has done the work of stimulating collagen production.

What Causes the Butt to Become Flat?

Genes often play a role. Some patients have flat bottoms because that’s just how their body is built. Lifestyle habits can also be a factor. If you spend a lot of time sitting, the gluteal muscles can weaken.

Can I Combine This Treatment With Other Services?

Yes, if the shape of your rear isn’t your only concern, we can work with you to design a comprehensive treatment plan that achieves all of your cosmetic goals. In addition to a butt lift, patients often seek out botulinum toxin injections, laser skin rejuvenation, and CoolSculpting body contouring treatments.

How Does This Differ From a Brazilian Butt Lift?

The Brazilian Butt Lift is another treatment that many patients have heard of. While a Brazilian Butt Lift shapes and volumizes the rear just like Sculptra does, it works in a completely different way. A Brazilian Butt Lift is a more involved process that involves liposuction and a fat graft. The Brazilian treatment offers more dramatic results, but it also involves more downtime. Sculptra is a great option for on-the-go patients who can’t afford a long period of recovery.

Will Sculptra Help With Cellulite?

For some patients, the extra collagen produced after a Sculptra treatment can firm the buttocks, ease the appearance of any lines and wrinkles, and even reduce cellulite.

Get Started With This Popular Treatment Today

Are you ready to take the first step toward a backside that’s plumper, firmer, and more shapely? Sculptra injections could be the perfect solution. A combination of convenient, easy injections and customized results make this butt-lifting treatment an especially popular option. Call Artful Aesthetics, in Oakland, CA and schedule a Sculptra Butt Lift consultation today!

If you think a little lift here and a little volume there could enhance your look, look no further than Sculptra at Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA. This versatile injectable can be used to lift and tighten your sagging buttocks skin while adding volume without the need for incisions, scalpels, sutures, or scars. You may want to consider another treatment and be surprise with sculptra results.

We get a lot of questions about this treatment. But today, we’re addressing one of our most common – how long will the results last. Keep reading to find out how long the results of this treatment should last for you. And, as an added bonus, learn what you can do to extend the results of treatment.

How Long Sculptra Results Last

On average, the results of Sculptra will last between three and five years. However, results vary on a case-by-case basis.

Factors affecting the durability of the results include overall health, lifestyle, skin health, and environmental factors, like exposure to vehicle emissions and other irritants.

Some things, like pollution, are unavoidable. But if you make a point to take good care of your skin, it is reasonable to expect that your results will last at least three years.

How to Extend the Results of Treatment

As stated previously, to extend the results of your treatment, you need to take excellent care of your skin health and overall health. To achieve this, there are things you should do and things you should not do, and both types of actions are equally important. Here’s a brief overview of the lifestyle you will need to lead to have the longest-lasting Sculptra results:

Get Enough Vitamin E

Vitamin E gets an unfortunately bad reputation among people who are considering an invasive cosmetic or medical procedure. This chemical compound is made up of four fat-soluble tocopherols and four fat-soluble tocotrienols. While many people know this micronutrient for its potential to thin the blood, it’s not dangerous unless you already have thin blood or low blood pressure.

According to the National Institute of Health, you should be getting at least 15 mg of vitamin E daily for optimal skin health. Vitamin E can be found in dark, leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, seafood, poultry, and red organ meat, just to name a few sources. This nutrient helps to keep your skin smooth, hydrated, and protected from damage.

Get Enough Hydration

Speaking of hydration, keeping your body is another important part of extending the results of your skin tightening treatment. Think of water as the 91 octane fuel that your bike needs to operate at optimal efficiency. The power pack won’t shut down if you give it 87 octane fuel. But it will be less efficient and need maintenance sooner.

You may be able to get water from soda and processed juice, but it’s not ideal. Give yourself exactly what you need and limit your beverage consumption to water, black coffee, and plain tea. Unless you use honey or unpasteurized milk, anything you put in your tea is processed and less than ideal for your body and your skin. Drink at least half a gallon of water and tea daily.

Eat Less Processed Foods and Beverages

To keep your skin tight and lifted for as long as possible, your collagen needs to be strong and healthy for as long as possible. Think of collagen as a lacrosse backstop net. The fibers in your skin are evenly spaced and excellent at keeping your skin elastic. When you eat too much sugar, chemical compounds called AGEs come into play.

These AGEs get caught between the perfectly spaced fibers and stick. Unfortunately, when they get stuck, the result is a tangled mess of fibers that are extremely inelastic. This results in loose, sagging, wrinkled skin. To cut sugar from your diet easily, shop around the outside of the grocery store where the natural foods can be found. Processed foods are very high in sugar.

Stop Drinking Alcohol

If you drink alcohol and want your Sculptra results to last at least three years, stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol is among the worst things you can do for the health of your skin. Remember, staying hydrated is a crucial part of keeping your skin looking and feeling young and healthy. Unfortunately, even if you are drinking half a gallon of water daily, alcohol can undo all your effort.

Alcohol is made up of a chemical compound called ethanol that is toxic to the body. When you consume alcohol, your body responds to the toxin introduced by flushing it, and an inordinate amount of water, out of your body. Since so much water floods into your kidneys, pancreas, and liver to flush out the ethanol, your skin becomes dehydrated, and it sags prematurely.

Stop Smoking

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, and many of them destroy both collagen and elastin. While collagen is the most important fibrous substance that keeps your skin tight, elastin plays a significant supporting role. It’s bad enough when one of these is weak and damaged. Damage both of them and you have a recipe for disaster.

If you smoke, now is the time to stop. The only way to reverse the damage done is by receiving professional skincare treatments, such as Sculptra, to encourage your body to make more collagen and elastin. But if you smoke after treatment, you are just shortening the duration of your results. If you need help quitting, ask your primary care physician for a referral to a specialist.

Wear Sunscreen

Walking down Toll Plaza Beach, it’s easy to think that darker is better when it comes to skin tone. After all, you can’t count a dozen beachgoers who aren’t perfectly bronzed and beautiful. But even if you think you have to be tan to look your best, unprotected sun exposure is not the way to go if you want to stay looking young and healthy.

The sun emits three types of ultraviolet light rays, UVA, UVB, and UVC. Each of these damages the collagen and elastin holding your skin in place and giving it volume beneath the surface. What remains of the atmosphere’s ozone layer protects you from UVC rays and skin cancer. Most sunscreen protects you from UVB rays. A broad-spectrum sunscreen will protect you from UVAs.

Eat Yogurt and Fish

Contrary to popular belief, cereal is not the breakfast of champions. People used to say that you should spend at least 10 minutes a day in the sun to soak up vitamin D. But health specialists now know that there is a better way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. To ensure you hit your RDA (recommended daily allowance of vitamin D), eat a breakfast high in it.

You can get vitamin D from milk and fortified cereal. But both pasteurized milk and fortified cereals tend to be heavily processed. Unless you make your own cereal, it probably has a lot of added sugar that will prematurely age your skin. Instead, try a smoked salmon sandwich with yogurt instead of cream cheese. Also, make a point to eat an orange during the day.

Eat at Least One Citrus Fruit Daily

Oranges aren’t just high in vitamin D. They’re also high in vitamin C, another nutrient that plays a critical role in keeping your skin tight, smooth and beautiful. If you consume at least a gram of the micronutrient daily, your sunscreen will be more effective and cellular regeneration will occur more frequently.

While vitamin C can be found in such foods as broccoli, strawberries, and spinach, it is found in the highest quantities in citrus fruits. These include lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, nectarines, and clementines. To extend the results of your skin tightening treatment, make an effort to eat one citrus fruit that is currently in season and add a lime slice to your tea or water.

Eat More Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a micronutrient often found in anti-aging creams. But you don’t have to spend a ton of money on creams that aren’t absorbed by your skin effectively You can just eat more foods that are high in vitamin K to keep your skin smooth and healthy. According to the National Institute of Health, you should eat between 90 and 120 micrograms daily from sources like:

• Kale
• Cabbage
• Green beans
• Lettuce
• Spinach

How Else to Extend the Results of Treatment

While the Sculptra butt lift tightens and lifts sagging buttocks skin, that’s not all it does. Remember, one of the roles of collagen is to add volume to your skin. There are many reasons why someone may choose a non-invasive butt lift over a Brazilian butt lift. But one of them is not having enough fat to be harvested and injected into the buttocks.

Keeping your collagen strong and healthy will go a long way in keeping your butt round and full-looking. But some of the volume in your buttocks comes from fat. To keep your butt looking perfectly contoured for as long as possible, make an effort to maintain your current body fat percentage. Or, build muscle while maintaining your current fat mass.

How to Build Muscle While Maintaining Fat

Bodybuilders go through phases of bulking and cutting between and during competition seasons. They put on fat and muscle at the same time. Then, they burn the fat and maintain the muscle. But if you can accurately count your calories in and out, there is no need to add fat while building muscle. Simply eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.

This is an adequate amount of protein for your muscles to metabolize to grow bigger and stronger. It is also enough protein for your skin to keep producing collagen and keeping your skin tight and voluminous. To build butt muscles, focus on squats, deadlifts, power cleans, snatches, and lunges.

How to Build Butt Muscles Without a Gym

If you don’t have a gym membership, you don’t need one to build your glutes and extend the results of your Sculptra treatment. You don’t even need a pair of running shoes.

Walking, running, bicycling and indoor rowing are all great ways to build your glutes. And if you don’t have proper footwear, work out barefoot. The human race has been running for over a million years and only with shoes for around 10,000 years. Just make sure you’re pushing your glutes to failure and you will build muscle, even without a gym.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a non-invasive way to tighten and lift sagging skin, smooth wrinkles or add volume to your skin, Sculptra may be the right aesthetic treatment for you. While nothing in life is permanent, you can expect the results of treatment to last for at least two years with no effort on your part.

To learn more about this life-changing treatment, or how to stretch the sculptra results out even further, contact us today at Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA to schedule your initial consultation. We can’t wait to meet you and craft a tailored, artful aesthetic plan to help you achieve your ideal look.

The aging experience is different for each of us. The one thing that unites us is that we can all expect our skin to show certain signs of aging, like lines, wrinkles, and changes in tone and texture. What used to be an overwhelming ordeal requiring several kinds of treatment now can be addressed with one revolutionary treatment. If you’re unhappy with the signs of aging plaguing your appearance, call Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA to discuss how Vivace can restore a youthful complexion and boost your confidence.

What Is Vivace?

Vivace is an FDA approved system that combines the power of microneedling and radiofrequency therapy in one powerful treatment. This appealing non-invasive treatment requires no downtime and, because of the specialize numbing cream that is part of this system, is virtually painless. It’s this combination of two powerful treatments that sets Vivace apart from other treatments available to our clients.

What Does Vivace Address?

This treatment combines two very powerful modalities at up to 31 varying depths of penetration. This is what allows this system to treat so many different concerns. If you’re bothered by the appearance of any of these issues, this could be the perfect treatment for you:

• Lines and wrinkles
• Minor skin laxity
• Hyperpigmentation
• Sun damage
• Uneven skin tone and texture
• Large pores
• Acne scars
• Dull complexion

To understand how this treatment addresses these issues, it’s necessary to understand what the two individual treatments do.

What Is Microneedling?

Microneedling is also called collagen induction therapy. Traditional microneedling uses a handheld device with multiple hair-thin needles. When gently passed over the skin, it creates micro-injuries into the middle layer of your skin called the dermis. These micro-injuries trigger the body’s natural healing process, which is to stimulate the production of collagen. It’s this natural response that provides such amazing results.

The Body’s Healing Process

When any part of your skin is injured, your body produces collagen in that area to repair the damage. Collagen is the most prevalent protein in the human body and is responsible for the way youthful skin stays strong, smooth, and taut. Collagen is very fibrous and, when we’re young, tightly packs together under the surface of our skin. When the fibroblasts are packed together, there are no areas of weakness so our outer layer of skin, the epidermis, lies on top of it smoothly and without imperfection.

Collagen makes a firm surface for our skin cells to regenerate on and helps them renew quickly and healthily, creating and maintaining a bright, vibrant and healthy complexion. When we have a lot of collagen, we also have plenty of elastin and hyaluronic acid.

Elastin

Elastin is the protein responsible for our skin retaining its flexibility and elasticity. Young skin has plenty of this protein too, so it snaps back to place each time it’s moved, pulled or pinched. We can make repeated expressions and our skin won’t show it because we have so much of this protein. Elastin works with collagen to hold all the layers of our skin not only tightly to each other but also to the structure of our face.

We have a layer of fat and muscle under our skin, and when the layers of our skin are strong, they hold close to the structure of that muscle. That keeps our skin looking tight and all of our features prominent. We don’t have sagging skin, so areas like our jawline remain strong and defined.

Hyaluronic Acid

This is a naturally produced sugar used to keep our skin, eyes and connective tissues lubricated and hydrated. This is a powerhouse of youthful-looking skin, responsible for a supple and dewy complexion. When the skin is young, it has a glow and doesn’t require heavy emollients to stay hydrated. Each molecule of hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. These molecules not only hold on to water but also attract it, so young skin rarely looks dehydrated.

This sugar works with the proteins collagen and elastin to provide moisture deep within the skin to ensure even the deepest layers of our skin remain hydrated. This keeps each layer, from the inside out, plump and supple. This combination adds up to a beautifully glowing and healthy-looking complexion.

Why We Lose Collagen

When we’re in our early 20s, we lose about 1% of our production of collagen each year. While that may not seem like a lot, it’s responsible for most of the signs of aging we find so displeasing. The middle layer of our skin that was once tightly packed with collagen will show weaknesses throughout. When this happens, those weaknesses lead to crevices. The top layer of our skin doesn’t have the strength it used to, so it falls into those valleys, creating wrinkles and lines.

As we lose collagen, we lose elastin and hyaluronic acid too. This means our skin’s ability to stay tightly affixed to our muscles and bone structure also fails and our skin sags and droops in places like our chin, neck, and places where we’ve lost volume, such as our cheeks. It’s not just time that causes us to lose collagen. There are lifestyle choices we make that can speed its decline, like:

• Unprotected sun exposure and damage
• Smoking
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Dehydration
• Long periods of unmanaged stress
• Long-term lack of sleep
• Insufficient skincare routine
• A diet high in processed foods and sugar

What Is Radiofrequency Treatment?

Radiofrequency (RF) treatment uses RF energy to deeply penetrate the skin, gently heating the deepest layers while leaving the surface intact and unharmed. This gentle heating of tissue also triggers the body’s healing response and production of collagen. This collagen is formed deep within the skin, strengthening it from the inside out. This addressed weaknesses in structure, helping with minor skin laxity, acne scars, and deeper lines and wrinkles.

The results from this treatment take a little longer to become apparent because the collagen building starts in the deepest layer of our skin called the hypodermis. Collagen forms its fibroblasts over time, which strengthens those previously weakened areas.

How Vivace Is Different

This powerful treatment combines these two amazing modalities to elicit results both deep within the skin and up near the surface. This ensures all layers of our skin are triggered into producing more collagen. The same sterile micro-needles are used to penetrate the skin, creating microscopic channels that go deep into the dermis. The microneedles of this treatment are different because all but the tips are insulated.

These electrodes deliver the bi-polar RF energy deep into the dermis. This thermal energy and its gentle heating trigger wound-healing mechanisms that promote the remodeling of collagen and elastin, which improves skin laxity. This system also includes a red and blue light-emitting diode. These pulses of light activate existing skin cells to increase their collagen and hyaluronic acid production to increase moisture levels and improving skin tone and texture. These lights also kill the bacteria that cause acne.

What to Expect

We will always conduct an in-depth consultation with each client to ensure we completely understand their specific areas of concern and their desired outcomes. We need to conduct a physical examination of our client’s skin, facial structure, and tissue condition. Once we decide this is the right treatment for you, there are very few instructions to follow before your actual appointment.

We’ll give you specific instructions that may be unique to your situation. In general, we ask you avoid any harsh or ablative treatments for a few weeks before this appointment. To reduce the very low risk of bruising, avoiding blood-thinning medications and supplements for a week before your session.

The Day of Your Appointment

When you show up, we’ll make sure your face is clean before we apply our specialized numbing cream. This takes about 45 minutes to completely numb the area and set you up for a very comfortable session. Once you’re ready to go, we’ll pass the special handheld device over your skin. As it passes over the treatment area, the microneedles create micro-channels as the RF energy travels down these channels to gently heat deeper layers of skin.

Once your treatment is over, we will apply the special serum and balm to your face to aid in recovery and results. When you’re done, you can go back to your normal routine. Many people schedule this during the workday and go back to the office. It’s a good idea to wait at least eight hours before wearing makeup.

After Your Session

We’ll send you home with a specialized set of facial products designed to speed recovery and increase results. We’ll give you specific at-home instruction to follow to maximize your results. You’ll receive a Soothe Weekly Mask and a Soothe Recovery System. This system includes a soothing spray, cleanser, and balm.

As you’re using this system, it’s important to stay out of the sun for a week or so and abstain from working out for 24 hours.

What Results to Expect

Because your body is producing collagen deep within the skin, you won’t see results right away. It takes time to see how collagen strengthens the skin from the inside out. As this happens, you’ll see lines, wrinkles and acne scars fill in, acne clear up, skin tone and texture even out and sun damage diminish.

Some clients may see significant results after just one treatment, and those tend to be clients with very minimal issues to address. We recommend most people opt for a treatment plan of three treatments spaced four to six weeks apart. You can expect results to appear and improve over the six months following your final treatment. It’s at about the six-month mark where optimal results are seen.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

If you have concerns about multiple signs of aging, acne scars, or an overall uneven and dull complexion, this could be a great solution. If you’re over the age of 21 and want to reverse the hands time, consider this treatment. Those clients looking for a minimally invasive, safe, and FDA-approved treatment that doesn’t include long periods of downtime will find this a good fit.

We need to make sure you don’t have an open wound, infection, or injury at or near the treatment areas. Only a consultation with our team can determine if this is the right match for your areas of concern.

Call for Your Consultation Today

If the results of this treatment sound like what you’re looking for to restore a more youthful complexion and aesthetic, call Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA and schedule your consultation. We love seeing our clients feel and look their best, and we look forward to helping you do the same!

Seeing lines, wrinkles and folds in the mirror is enough to shake even the strongest confidence. If you don’t feel good about the state of your complexion and facial volume, you don’t have to just live with it. Call Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA to see if dermal fillers are right for you.

What Are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are a family of injectables used to replace lost volume or enhance areas where clients would like a little more dimension to their appearance. There are a lot of fillers on the market today, and each one has a specific purpose. The most popular fillers are made with a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar our bodies produce naturally to keep our skin, eyes and other connective tissues lubricated and hydrated.

These molecules can hold up to 1000 times their weight in water and actually attract moisture to the skin. When we’re young, we have plenty of hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin to make our skin look supple, dewy and smooth. As we age, our production of all three declines and we’re left with the signs of aging.

What Collagen Does

Collagen can be thought of as the building block for our skin. It’s a protein that forms a strong and solid foundation in the middle layer of our skin, called the dermis. When we’re young, we have plenty of collagen and it’s packed tightly together, keeping the surface of our skin smooth and wrinkle-free. As we get older, our production declines and what was once packed tightly together becomes sparser.

When collagen becomes less abundant, small areas of lost volume appear, creating dips and crevices in our dermis. This causes our surface skin to fall, filling in those crevices, which leaves us with folds and wrinkles.

Elastin

This is another protein that serves a different purpose. As the name implies, elastin helps our skin remain elastic. It does the same for our other organs, keeping everything flexible. When we’re young, we can make expressions, pulling and pinching our skin, and it’ll always snap back to place. Over time, as our skin falls to fill in voids left by the loss of collagen, our elastin depletes too, and skin stops snapping back into place.

Layers of Skin

Our skin is comprised of three layers:

• Epidermis or outer layer
• Dermis or middle layer
• Hypodermis or deepest layer

The hypodermis is where you can find a fat layer and fat pads that give us our contours and facial structure. When you smile and you’ve got youthful and plump cheek apples, that’s because collagen is keeping your fat pads in place. As we age and lose collagen, there’s less holding those pads in place. They can slide down our face, adding volume to the chin and neck while leaving other areas like our cheeks and temples looking hollow and bony.

How Fillers Can Help

A lot changes in our faces with time and the loss of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. Fillers can help restore the volume loss that comes with age. Fillers have become very versatile over the years and can be used in a variety of places to restore a more youthful appearance.

Lines, Wrinkles and Folds

Some of the most bothersome signs of aging are the inevitable lines that become etched on our faces. It used to be that we had to consider more invasive procedures if we wanted to make any kind of significant improvement in moderate-to-severe lines and folds. Not anymore. Dermal fillers made of hyaluronic acid can give patients natural-looking yet transformative results, turning back the clock on their faces.

Fillers will not only add volume to these wrinkles and folds, but because they’re made of hyaluronic acid, they’ll actually pull moisture to the area, giving your face a dewy and healthy look. The lines and wrinkles most commonly treated with dermal fillers are:

• Nasolabial folds from the nose to the mouth
• Marionette lines from the corners of the mouth down the chin
• Chin dimples and wrinkles
• Vertical lines around the lips

Lip Enhancement

Most of us weren’t born with the lips of a supermodel, but in reality, neither were the supermodels. One of the most common requests for dermal fillers is to enhance the lips for a variety of reasons. As we age, our lips can thin, sometimes so much that they can look like vertical lines when we smile. Other times, people were just born with naturally thin lips and they’ve always wanted more volume.

Injecting fillers can restore or add volume to thin lips. Because these fillers are made from hyaluronic acid suspended in a smooth and pliable gel, results will not only look natural, but they’ll feel natural too. You don’t have to worry about looking over-filled or too plump. We’ll work with you to make sure you’re getting just the amount of volume you want.

Mouth Corners

Another thing that happens as we age is the pull of gravity on the corners of our mouth. This can cause down-turned corners. When this happens, it can give people the impression you’re unhappy or upset when you aren’t. A small amount of filler can help turn the corners of your mouth up and completely open your resting expression to look friendlier and happier.

Lip Lines

Fillers can now address the vertical lines that blur the border of our lips. Women know these as lipstick lines, and they can make lipstick and gloss frustrating things to wear because the color bleeds onto the surrounding skin. There are also deep vertical lines on the lips themselves. If you wear brighter shades of lipstick, you know you have these lines if, when your lipstick fades, you’re still left with sharp lines of color.

Talk to us about the lip concerns you have and how you’d like them to look. We’ll recommend what will work best to address your concerns and get the results you’re looking for. Our clients are thrilled with the lip enhancement they receive from us. And while the results can completely transform how you look, they always look natural.

Lost Areas of Volume

The deepest layer of our skin holds those fat pads that give our faces contour and definition. As some of us age, those pads can slip, leaving larger areas of lost volume that cause our faces to look hollow. This is especially noticeable on our:

• Temporal area
• Cheeks
• Cheekbones
• Back of the hands

Cheeks and Cheekbones

If you used to have high cheekbones or were born with flatter bone structure, we can help restore or provide contour to the cheek area of your face. Losing volume in larger areas of your face happens gradually. You may look in the mirror and not know exactly what has changed: just that something has. If you smile and your cheeks don’t have the plumpness they used to or your cheekbones aren’t as prominent as they used to be, we can help.

There are dermal fillers specially formulated to provide volume to larger areas. These fillers will provide natural-looking results while seemingly turning back the hands of time.

Temporal Areas

As we age, the thin layers of fat under our temples can thin even more, leaving us with a bony look. This can be made even more prominent as fat settles into the bottom of our face. Certain fillers were designed solely to restore a more youthful look to bony temporal areas.

Back of the Hands

Our hands can betray our age almost as quickly as our faces can. When we lose fat and tissue from our hands, the backs of them can look bony and our ligaments and veins can become very prominent. There are fillers designed to restore volume here, making ligaments less visible and hands look youthfully full again.

Jowls

We’re not sure there’s a sign of aging more dreaded than jowls. When fat works its way downward, it can bunch up on either side of our chin, creating droopy jowls. Filler can help minimize the look of jowls by filling in the skin on either side of them. This can reduce the appearance of a bony chin while making jowls look smoother and not so noticeable.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Fillers?

Ultimately, we need to have a consultation with you to determine if you’re a good fit for fillers. We’ll do an examination of your areas of concern and talk through your goals for treatment. If you have any of the concerns we’ve listed, fillers may be a good solution. Other things we consider when determining if someone is a candidate for dermal fillers are if you’re:

• Over the age of 21
• Not pregnant or breastfeeding
• In generally good health

If you’re looking for a non-surgical, minimally invasive way to temporarily reduce or eliminate the appearance of moderate to severe facial wrinkles, lines and folds, restore areas of lost volume or enhance your lips, dermal fillers may be just what you’re looking for.

What to Expect

After our consultation, we’ll make an appointment for your treatment. We may ask that you stop taking any blood-thinning over-the-counter medication or supplements one to two weeks before your appointment. This is just to reduce the already small likelihood of bruising.

During your appointment, we’ll clean and sterilize the area to be treated. Many of the fillers we use have lidocaine in the injection, so as treatment goes on, your session just becomes more comfortable. A series of small injections will be made to achieve the desired results. We’ll be able to see the results as we go and can show you the progress we’re making.

Results

Part of what makes fillers so popular is the immediacy of the results. You can walk into our office with deep folds, thin lips and areas of lost volume and walk out looking much younger and happier. Our goal is always to make results look as natural as possible and as transformative as our clients would like. We can do very subtle and we can do very dramatic: it’s up to you.

The kind of dermal filler you receive will determine how long the results last. Some fillers will last between four to six months while others can last close to two years. We’ll be able to give you an idea of how long you can expect to enjoy results after we determine which filler is right for you. Following a maintenance schedule can allow you to enjoy consistent results.

Call for Your Appointment Today

You don’t have to live with the signs of aging and the number they can do on your self-confidence. Call Artful Aesthetics in Oakland, CA and make an appointment for a consultation. We are deeply committed to ensuring our clients feel and look their very best.