NOT JUST ANOTHER PRETTY FACE

I have been a patient at the Kovak Laser Institute for the past seven years. I had seen a TV news story in which Dr. Kovak was administering Intense Pulsed Light to a patient, the result being skin with more even coloring and texture, fresher looking, dewy. What did I have to lose? After 50 years of being exposed to the sun and wind while biking, golfing, and running, I had developed dark spots on my chest, face, neck and hands. Regular facials just weren’t having a big enough impact on the aging process – I needed something more aggressive. Also, I noticed that women who had had facelifts still didn’t look great, because the texture and condition of their skin showed the effects of many years of exposure to external elements.

After my first three IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments, the skin on my face and chest was restored to an even coloration and texture. I find IPL to be very tolerable in terms of discomfort and never require an anesthetic. My face is slightly swollen for about a day, and the sun damaged areas become darker. This can be covered with makeup. As the week goes by, some of the dark spots exfoliate during cleansing. A final microdermabrasion one week after treatment removes the remaining dead skin and, there you are, with skin that is noticeably smoother and fresher looking with no brown spots. Even with the religious use of 55 sunscreen, my skin still gets some sun damage during the summer. So every fall, as soon as my tan fades, I make an annual appointment for maintenance IPL. This year, I will include my hands and forearms as well. This is a very beneficial treatment with minimal downtime or discomfort, and it is affordable.

In the “filler” department, I have tried collagen, cosmoplast, and restylane, but my current favorite is Sculptra. Dr. Kovak uses it under my eyes and in the naso-labial folds to plump and fill hollow areas. It is very long-lasting, up to two years. Again, I tolerate this procedure without anesthetic. The injected areas can be a little swollen for a couple of days, and I usually bruise slightly at some of the injection sites, but again, this can be covered with makeup and is totally gone in less than a week. The procedure restores a feeling of fullness, giving a more youthful look to the face. It produces very subtle but noticeable results, and best of all, it does not require constant maintenance.

I started a series of full face Fraxell treatments last spring. I will resume these in the fall, after my summer color fades. For this procedure, I do require local anesthesia. Afterwards, there is noticeable swelling for 3 – 5 days. This differs for each person. My skin feels rough and I have continuous exfoliation for a couple of weeks after treatment. However, I feel comfortable going out after 3 or 4 days. I need more time between treatments than the suggested two weeks. As a result of Fraxell, my skin looks firmer with more even coloration, and fine lines are less noticeable. I am anxious to try the “new and improved” Fraxell coming in September 2007.

I also like Botox, but find that I now want it only around the eyes, and at the top of my forehead. I prefer to retain more of a natural look than the immovable fixed look of too much Botox.

As we age, it is important to understand that, while we can never stop the clock, we can slow it down. It is a long-term, continuous process requiring a doctor who specializes in cosmetic procedures, and who has an artful eye when treating faces, both female and male.

For me, the objective is to enhance my features in a natural looking way – to feel comfortable in my own skin – to still feel like myself – not just another pretty face.

Dr. Stan Kovak and his staff are the best team in Chicagoland for helping you achieve a more youthful but natural look. I am one of his biggest fans, and I recommend his practice at every opportunity.