Every day patients come to my office desiring to look younger. There are so many amazing procedures, non-invasive and surgical that can be performed to make you look younger in the most natural appearing way. However, I want to dedicate this blog to a very important product that everyone in South Florida should be using daily, sunscreen.  Yes…its as simple as that- sunscreen.  There are so many products out there that are sold by the cosmetics industry, generating billions of dollars every year.  Most of them are not proven to help at all (except for a few) and are very expensive. The best thing you can do for yourself to delay the signs of aging is to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Oh yeah, it also prevents skin cancer!

In addition to cosmetic surgery I perform reconstructive surgery for patients who have had skin cancer removed. MOHS surgery is performed by dermatologists specially trained in the procedure.  They remove the cancer and then look under the microscope, at the same time, to make sure all of the cancer was removed. The cure rate is as high as 99%.  After MOHS surgery, a hole (called a defect) is left behind.  I repair MOHS surgery defects every week, big and small.  On a personal note, I had MOHS surgery performed on my cheek 5 years ago.  So I can tell you from personal experience, wear sunscreen! (Click to learn more about MOHS Surgery)

UV rays from the sun speed up the aging process. They caus  damage to the skin’s DNA, leading to abnormal skin pigmentation (sun spots/brown spots), fine lines, and wrinkles. Skin peels are procedures performed to treat this condition called solar aging. You will delay and perhaps avoid the need to have chemical peels or laser peels simply by using sunscreen.

The best type of sun protection you can use is sunscreen that has what is called a physical blocker. Zinc or titanium are physical blocking agents that physically blocks the sun from penetrating your skin.  The other types of sunscreens are chemical blockers, which in my opinion do not work as well.  For this reason, my line of sunscreen has a specially formulated physical blocker that in not  visible. Feel free to call my office if you need more information.

There is a new kid on the block. In the next couple of months, the FDA is likely going to approve Reloxin for a cosmetic indication to treat wrinkles. Botox received its cosmetic indication by the FDA in 2002. For the past 7 year Botox has enjoyed a competition free environment. In this same time it has rapidly grown to become the MOST commonly performed non-surgical cosmetic procedure today.

Botox is a simple and painless in-office procedure that produces remarkable results. Women and men as early as in their 20’s are reaping the benefits of Botox these days. Reloxin works in the same exact fashion.

So how do Reloxin and Botox work? The short answer is that they work by weakening the wrinkle causing muscles of the face. For those of you who love physiology, these products prevent the presynaptic transmission of acetylcholine into the synaptic cleft thus preventing muscle contraction. The results last approximately 4-6 months and the injection needs to be repeated to see continued effect and enjoy the cumulative effects of the product.

So what is the difference?
In order to better understand this we need to break down the potential benefits into several categories.

1) Effect- Which will achieve the best results- Botox or Reloxin? Theoretically they both work in exactly the same fashion, so they should be about the same. Anyway you look at it, Botox is the gold standard and Reloxin needs to prove that it is at least as good as Botox. Phase 3 clinical trials usually require that the new product be at least as good as the gold standard. So receiving FDA approval tells us at least that much about Reloxin.

Reloxin is said to spread more easily then Botox. This means that it has an effect farther away from the point of injection. This could be very beneficial in some instances and not so much in others. For example, injecting the crow’s feet or the forehead may require only one injection instead of several. I see this as a moot point since I have never had a patient complain of any pain when I inject their crow’s feet. However, less injection points will lead to less bruising, in the rare instances that bruising can occur. On the other hand, there are areas where you want to minimize the spread of product, Botox may have the upper hand in these regions.

2) Longevity- As Botox lasts 4-6 months, how long will Reloxin last? Several studies have compared the two products. One study, which was NOT biased by support from either company, revealed that Reloxin actually lasted longer then Botox. I wouldn’t close the case file on this just yet because other research studies have shown the opposite.

3) Price- Allergan, the makers of Botox Cosmetic, have enjoyed a competition free environment up until now. Perhaps consumers will reap benefits from increased competition in the marketplace.

In summary, the anticipated release of Reloxin is exciting news in the world of facial cosmetics. Perhaps there will be a role for combining both of these products in order to achieve the best possible results.

please visit the Botox information page in order to obtain more information about Botox Cosmetic

We have added some new features to the website that I believe will enhance your experience and understanding of cosmetic surgery. I have divided the testimonials section into a written and video portion. Video testimonials will give you more insight into understanding the experience of my patients who have had facial plastic surgery. I have just added a facelift and rhinoplasty (nose job) testimonial. Keep posted as additional videos are added. I am grateful to my patients who have eagerly agreed to have their testimonials posted.

The website is updated literally every day. New pages and tools will continue to be added. I would need a team of programmers to keep up with my ideas at this point. Right now I have 2 people who work VERY hard at it. I want to thank Amit Schechter who is one of the most talented computer programmers/designers that I have come across. He never fails to impress me with his ingenuity. Thanks Amit!!

The other night I saw the new Brad Pitt movie, The Curious of Benjamin Button. The film is based upon a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald (author of The Great Gatsby), where the protagonist is born 80 years old and instead of aging, he grows younger. This plot line is a fascinating vehicle for examining age related issues, both physical and emotional. These issues are not mutually exclusive, in fact they are closely linked. Positive changes and impacts on our physical appearance certainly affect our emotional state of well being. The opposite being just as true. I see this every day, and it makes what I do extremely rewarding.

In the movie, Benjamin Button struggles with his own identity. Quite the daunting task considering that he has a difficult time identifying with peer groups of the same physical age as himself. Certainly the age in which he is most comfortable is that of his 30’s and 40’s. This is the mid-point of his life, where his chronological age and physical age best match those of his peers. I frequently ask my patients at what age do they think they looked their best. The answer to this question is usually in their early 30’s. I have invested a great deal of thought into that answer, and could easily fill up an entirely different blog with the reasoning. However, I think I should start asking them at what age were they most content emotionally…

Besides the thought provoking nature of the plot line, the move is very well done, as I had expected. I especially enjoyed the makeup and costume design. Other then several minor inaccuracies (IMHO), the artist’s did a fantastic job of portraying Pitt’s physical appearance in the different chronological stages of life. As a face specialist who is attuned to this, I enjoyed their depiction of aging from the reverse direction. In essence, their task in doing so is conceptually similar to that of my profession.

Today I am pleased to launch the new drsteiger.com website. I intend for the website to be a comprehensive source of information for prospective patients, new patients, and my existing patients. In addition, the website will incorporate the principles of web 2.0, making it as interactive and informative as possible.

As you check back here periodically you will notice that new information will be added weekly.  In addition, we are working on new features for the site which I am very excited about. In line with the principles of web 2.0, I encourage interaction on the website.  To the right of every page you will see a link to both this blog and the forum.  The forum will serve as a vehicle to help answer questions regarding facial plastic surgery.

If you have any comments or suggestions please let us know at info@drsteiger.com.  I am excited about the site, and look forward to its future.