Beauty Tech Review: Fractional Resurfacing Devices
Lasers have forever changed the face of aesthetic medicine. From body contouring to hair removal, lasers have had a huge impact on the way cosmetic concerns are treated. Fractional resurfacing procedures allow physicians to address the skin in a way they never could before, and have risen to high popularity. There are several modalities available, and each has its own unique merits. Keith Veseleny, Editor of American Health & Beauty spoke with >Boca Raton dermatologist Dr. Janee Steinberg while attending the annual conference of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) earlier this year about the Sandstone Matrix Fractional CO2 laser.
Dr. Steinberg began using the original CO2 laser for skin resurfacing in the 1990's, but says she now prefers the fractionated CO2 laser she currently uses. "I loved the results of that machine, but the side effects and the aftermath of the treatment were very difficult for patients. So with fractionated CO2, it's a little bit easier recovery for the patient with less side effects, less risk of hyperpigmentation and scarring and different things like that... For the most part, the recovery has been much easier for the patient than the older technology."
Actual results of Dr. Janee Steinberg
There are many qualified candidates for this procedure. Dr. Steinberg says, "There's no age limit. I guess you could do very young and very old - I've done people well into their 80s and 90s, I've done teenagers for acne scarring, I've done burn scars, keloids, and I mostly do wrinkles on the face." She does caution though that the Sandstone Matrix is not a treatment for those who plan to continue damaging their skin by tanning. "The suntan queens would be eliminated from treatment because if you don't respect the sun and use sunscreens after your treatment, you have a tendency to hyperpigment, and you can even hyperpigment if you use sunblock and do everything right.... I would probably eliminate people who refuse to stay out of the sun and refuse to use sunblock or who have pigmentary problems to begin with."
Dr. Steinberg is able to treat just about anywhere on the body with the Sandstone Matrix. "I have done the whole body on one patient, for her face to her neck, her chest, her arms and her legs with both this modality and with Thermage. She looks like a different person. Mostly the face - the upper lip is very common - around the eyes is a very common area that people say 'I don't like the wrinkles around my eyes.' After I do the face for the first treatment, many people ask me, 'Can you do my neck and chest?' And little by little they end up doing the parts of their body that they don't like."
The procedure is fairly simple and straightforward. "First we have a consultation. We make the patient really understand that they're going to have some downtime. We ask questions about whether they get fever blisters or cold sores, and whether they have oily or dry skin. Many people, as they heal, will get whiteheads from all of the moisturizers that are needed afterwards, so we make sure that they're pre-medicated if they have a history of herpes simplex or fever blisters. Then we have the patient come in. Of course, we take before and after pictures... and then we numb the patient with a topical anesthetic.... Most of my patients fall asleep or they put headphones on or they do their homework. They read magazines, whatever. They relax for an hour, an hour and 15 minutes, and then often I block them, so I can increase the setting around the mouth. I guess it takes about 2 hours to perform the procedure. We give them the products to take home after."
Dr. Steinberg says recovery is not without some level of pain. "There will be discomfort. There will be burning on the first night or so. Usually there's swelling around the eyes - around the mouth if I do an aggressive treatment. They won't be able to go out with the CO2 Matrix - if it's done on the aggressive setting - for probably 5-7 days. They can't really be seen, unless they don't care, or they work from home, they can continue working. By a week, most patients are in makeup again."
How much does Sandstone Matrix cost? Dr. Steinberg is currently charging $2000-$3000 for the whole face and if someone should need a second treatment, she is charging $1000-$2000. The economy has taken its toll on cosmetic practices as patients simply can't afford what they used to. "In other years, I might have been much higher than that, like $4000 or $4500, but it's just not what the economy can get right now."
Dr. Janee Steinberg
Dr. Steinberg is a Member of the Florida Society of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, International Society of Cosmetic Laser Surgeons, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, American Academy of Dermatology, Florida Society of Dermatology and the International Society of Dermatologists.
American Health and Beauty, in an effort to provide the most up-to-date information to our readers, presents the Beauty Tech Review. Our first installment in this ongoing series discusses Fractional Resurfacing technology. Join American Health and Beauty editor, Keith Veseleny, as he speaks with leading physicians who share their knowledge on each laser platform.
The Beauty Tech Review: Fractional Resurfacing - will include: Dr. Heidi Waldorf on {!Fraxel Re:store Dual, | Fraxel} Dr. Etai Funk on Matrix IR, Dr. Michael Kaminer on ProFractional, Dr. Janee Steinberg on Sandstone Matrix, Dr. Lori Brightman on eMatrix, Dr. Deborah Sarnoff on SmartSkin, Dr. Christopher Zachary on {!Fraxel Re:pair, | Fraxel} and Dr. Bill Johnson on SmartXide DOT Therapy.
