Archive for January, 2008

Perlane replaces Restylane for larger folds on the face

Monday, January 21st, 2008

Approved by the FDA in 2007, Perlane® is primarily the same product as Restylane®, but Perlane® contains a larger concentration of hyaluronic acid making it optimum for larger folds, while Restylane® is better suited for smaller wrinkles or to maintain the results of a previous Perlane® injection.

Perlane®, by the makers of Restylane®, allows a person to make their natural facial expressions while simultaneously making their wrinkles and facial folds less apparent.  Most commonly used to soften wrinkles and for facial contouring, Perlane supplements the body’s naturally produced supply of hyaluronic acid that becomes increasingly depleted in the natural course of aging. Since hyaluronic acid is produced naturally in the body, there is no chance of rejection or allergic reaction either.

Dr. Nicolette Picerno explains to patients that Perlane can be used in nearly almost every area in the face and is to smooth facial depressions as well as lip and chin augmentation. Plus, Perlane can be used to fill in the hollows under the eyes and soften the appearance of jowls. Perlane has been successfully applied as a temporary brow lift.
Because Perlane is biodegradable, it is not permanent and lasts about six months to a year, significantly longer than previous collagen treatments lasting only three to six months.

Made of larger-sized hyaluronic acid particle than Restylane—an increased size that reaches deeper layers of the skin—Perlane has the advantage in staying power and the extra lifting power.

Treatments take approximately 30 minutes on average and normally a topical anesthesia cream is applied to ameliorate any pain. In the case of a large amount of Perlane being injected, Dr. Picerno recommends a patient take a prescription relaxant inducing a twilight sleep.

After the procedure, the treated area may be slightly swollen and sometimes slight bruising results, but these after-effects are gone within a few days and there is no permanent scarring or damage. Dr. Picerno recommends that patients take Vitamin C consistently a few days before the procedure to dramatically reduce the healing time and as a method of preventing or significantly reducing any postoperative bruising.

To make an appointment with Dr. Picerno for a consultation about the use of Perlane or other injectables as cosmetic solutions to beauty issues, call 303-744-2300.

That Glow on Your Face Isn’t Radience, It’s Hair

Monday, January 21st, 2008

One of the aspects of aging that’s not attractive is the increased growth of fine hair on the face. Take a look in the rear view mirror of your car on a sunny afternoon and you might be surprised at the “aura” of fuzz that seems to have occurred overnight.

Dr. Nicolette Picerno has a solution—laser hair reduction offered at her practice in Denver at 950 E. Harvard Ave. and in Lone Tree at 9218 Kimmer Dr.

Using the Harmony Laser will also permanently remove unwanted hair on your upper lip, sideburns, back of the neck, underarms and bikini line. It’s the smoothest answer to unwanted hair and won’t leave a woman’s face feeling bristly like a man’s after a shave!

In only 6 to 8 sessions spaced 4-6 weeks apart, eliminate unwanted hair. Results are often seen as soon as the second treatment. And it’s almost painless (a momentary sensation like a tiny rubber band snapped against your skin is all you’ll experience) and your new freedom lasts forever.

Hair reduction is something men and women opt for. Men tend to make appointments for back hair removal and in recent years, many men seek chest hair removal. Men and women find that laser hair removal for underarms is more hygienic and attractive than shaving and far less painful than waxing or electrolysis.

For women who like to wear sleeveless sportswear and even that little black dress that’s sleeveless, full arm hair reduction is the solution. You’ll never experience a midsummer night’s chill again that leaves your arm-hair standing an inch high—not so pretty or feminine.

Even legs can be soft and hairless and for some women who find they need to shave daily or for women who prefer not to wear stockings in summer, but favor sheer smooth legs under their skirts or shorts, laser hair removal with the Harmony Laser is the fastest answer to the problem.

Contact Dr. Nicolette Picerno’s office today at 303-744-2300 for an appointment for laser hair reduction. You’ll be smooth and ready for summer ahead! Visit www.nicolettepicernomd.com.

Looking Cool is ‘No Sweat’

Monday, January 21st, 2008

If you dread summer because of sweating profusely, there is a solution.

Double-board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Nicolette Picerno in Denver, Colorado uses BOTOX injections in the armpits to eliminate profuse and embarrassing sweating that many patients suffer from.

Injections of BOTOX into the armpits stops sweating for up to six months or more.  Throw away those dress shields and feel confident when you’re participating in athletics or dressed up for a night on the town. The procedure is especially popular among brides-to-be who are concerned that nerves on their special day will cause them to sweat, unsightly in photos that will last a lifetime.

Underarm injections of BOTOX to treat sweating start at approximately $1,000 although some patients require additional injections for full coverage. Dr. Picerno recommends that on a first-time treatment, the lower dose of injections be performed to assess whether that is adequate to stop the sweating. If it is, then the cost savings to the patient is appreciable. And if more injections are necessary, the patient can visit the office the following week for additional injections without an office call charge.

The procedure eliminates the use of deodorant too, something many patients prefer having heard the widespread rumors on the internet that there is a relationship between antiperspirant use and the risk of breast cancer.

pubmed.com, the national institutes of health, the nation’s medical research agency, published a study conducted at the Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA.

The study investigated the rumor that antiperspirant use causes breast cancer, a rumor that is widely circulated on the Internet. Although unfounded, there have been no published epidemiologic studies to support or refute this claim. The population-based case-control study at Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center investigated a possible relationship between use of products applied for underarm perspiration and the risk for breast cancer in women aged 20-74 years. Eight hundred and 13 case patients diagnosed between November 1992 and March 1995 were studied in five-year groups and personal interviews. Findings showed that the risk for breast cancer did not increase with antiperspirant or deodorant use. The study further investigated whether the patients shaved with a blade razor or applied products within 1 hour of shaving. These findings also did not support the hypothesis that antiperspirant use increases the risk for breast cancer.

Make an appointment today for a consultation with Dr. Nicolette Picerno regarding BOTOX injections by calling 303-744-2300. Her offices are located at 950 E. Harvard Avenue in Denver and 9218 Kimmer Drive in Lone Tree. Or visit her website for more information on the many cosmetic surgery and non-invasive treatments offered at Dr. Picerno’s practice.