Cosmetic Services
Wrinkle Relaxers
Are you interested in softening the appearances of lines and creases on your face for a fresher and smoother look? Or maybe, you’re in your 20s and noticing some lines coming in and want to prevent them from developing into deeper creases over the years? Wrinkle relaxers like Botox and Dysport are used to gently relax the muscles of facial expression that cause wrinkles. The treatment process is easy and FDA-approved. You may see results as early as 2 days and as late as 7-10 days for the full effect. Wrinkle relaxers can last 3-6 months, depending on each individual and treatment site. Some key factors that need consideration when choosing the type of treatment are severity of wrinkles, location of wrinkles, and the desired outcomes.
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Botox® is a natural, purified, FDA-approved protein that is injected in tiny doses to temporarily relax overactive, wrinkle-causing muscles. The resulting benefit is smoothing and softening lines of facial expression.
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Dysport® is a wrinkle relaxer very similar to Botox and has the same desired effects. Dysport is used in the same way as Botox to relax muscles of facial expression, resulting in smoothening and softening of facial lines and creases.
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Xeomin® (incobotulinum toxin A) is a newer injectable cosmetic treatment that temporarily relaxes overactive facial muscles that cause wrinkles. This results in smoother looking skin via a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
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The masseter muscle is a powerful jaw muscle whose primary function is to open and close the jaw while you eat and speak. In some people, this muscle can be quite enlarged, and the shape of your face changes as a result. When injected into your masseter muscle, Botox relaxes it, thereby allowing the muscle to return to a normal size and shape over time.
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Botox® injections work very well to control most cases of hyperhidrosis and the results can last up to 6 months. Injections are placed in the armpit, palms, and/or soles to safely and effectively decrease sweat gland activity. With the use of prescription numbing and ice packs, the injection discomfort is well tolerated.
Fillers
As you age, lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin are often inevitable, but thanks to state-of-the-art dermal fillers, you don’t have to live with lines and loss of volume. At ShanthiMD Dermatology in Los Angeles, Shanthi Colaço, MD, FAAD and her team of board certified cosmetic dermatologists offer a wide range of injectable dermal fillers that can instantly help return your skin to a firmer, fuller, younger-looking appearance. Call the office in West Los Angeles to schedule or book online today.
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From Restylane® and Juvederm® to Sculptra® — a highly specialized filler — Dr. Shanthi Colaço and her medical aesthetics team are skilled in the art of injecting fillers to instantly help you look and feel your very best at any age.
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Micro-cannula is the newest way to place filler in the skin. A micro-cannula gently slides under the skin for placement of dermal fillers with less pain and bruising.
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Belotero® is a hyaluronic acid gel particle-based filler which has a special niche among available fillers in the treatment of superficial scars, fine lines, and wrinkles.
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The Juvederm® family of injectable, gel-based, hyaluronic acid fillers are one of our most popular fillers.
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Radiesse® is one of the leading dermal fillers, providing long-lasting volume in the skin.
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Radiesse® is an injectable dermal filler that is FDA approved to safely and effectively replace lost volume on the back of the hands, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and softening the appearance of veins.
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The Restylane® family of injectable, gel-based fillers is composed of hyaluronic acid particles and includes many of our most popular fillers.
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The RHA® Collection of fillers are the newest FDA-approved injectable hyaluronic acid fillers. They are used for the correction of mild to severe dynamic facial wrinkles and folds.
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Sculptra® Aesthetic is a unique, volumizing filler that provides natural-looking and long-lasting results by stimulating your body to produce its own natural collagen at the sites of injection.
Light & Laser Treatments
Light and laser skin resurfacing treatments are efficient and effective at reducing the appearance of blemishes, scars, marks, lines, and spots that can give your skin an uneven look. There are many different light and laser skin resurfacing treatments to choose from. Your ShanthiMD dermatologist will work with you to choose the best treatment for your specific skin type and cosmetic goals.
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What can light and laser skin devices do for me?
Light and laser skin resurfacing treatments are efficient and effective at reducing the appearance of blemishes, scars, marks, lines, and spots that can give your skin an uneven look. There are many different light and laser skin resurfacing treatments to choose from. Your ShanthiMD dermatologist will work with you to choose the best treatment for your specific skin type and cosmetic goals.
How do light and laser devices work?
Light and laser devices all generally work in the same way. Your skin absorbs light energy as heat, which can be used to remove unwanted hyperpigmentation, red blood vessels, hair follicles, and much more. Heat also stimulates new collagen production, which can improve the skin's texture and tone, reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, acne and other scars, etc.
What can I expect during/after my treatment session?
Most patients typically experience a mild hot rubber band snapping sensation during the treatment which is significantly reduced by prescription numbing cream and skin cooling with ice packs and cold air. A mild sunburn sensation usually follows immediately after the treatment and resolves quickly with minimal to no downtime. Proper UV protection and a gentle skin care regimen are highly encouraged after your laser treatment for optimal results.
Are there any side effects?
Device specific predictable side effects are mild in nature, and serious side effects (including scarring and changes in skin pigmentation) are rare and unlikely to occur in experienced hands.
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The Lutronic LaseMD is a new non-ablative, fractional laser resurfacing experience which includes a low-energy, zero downtime treatment (the LaseMD Glo!) similar to Clear and Brilliant and a high-energy full resurfacing treatment comparable to Fraxel.
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Lumenis Resurfx® is the latest in non-ablative fractional (often referred to as “Fraxel®”) laser technology: a newly-FDA approved skin resurfacing option that prioritizes patient comfort as much as it does effectiveness.
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Laser hair reduction is an affordable, safe, and relatively painless way to permanently reduce unwanted face and body hair for all skin types and body parts.
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Sun damage and the redness of rosacea can leave you feeling less than confident about your appearance. At ShanthiMD Dermatology, we provide long-term solutions for uneven skin pigmentation with intense pulsed light (IPL) photofacials. IPL treatments are a gentle way to get your desired results with little to no discomfort.
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Vascular lasers can effectively treat a variety of cosmetic concerns caused by undesirable redness including telangectasias (tiny superficial broken blood vessels), angiomas (harmless growths of blood vessels), red pigmented scars, etc.
Non-Laser Skin Rejuvenation
Got fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone, mild acne scarring, or rough dull skin? If your cosmetic concerns are generally mild and/or you want to begin more conservatively than laser or IPL treatments, consider a series of professional chemical peels or microneedling sessions. Chemical peels and microneedling are popular treatments for people who want to see a noticeable difference in their skin tone and texture, minimize wrinkles and scars, or reduce unwanted hyperpigmentation. Recovery ranges from zero downtime (light peels) to 3-7 days (microneedling and medium peels) to 14 days (Genius microneedling RF).
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Chemical peels are a popular treatment for men and women who want to see a noticeable difference in their skin tone and texture, minimize wrinkles, or reduce unwanted hyperpigmentation. The highly trained aesthetics team at ShanthiMD Dermatology in Los Angeles offers an extensive variety of professional strength chemical peels as part of a custom skin care plan designed to address your individual skin concerns.
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The Melanage Peel System for skin lightening dramatically reduces unwanted pigmentation in all skin types, including melanin rich skin and is truly a breakthrough for the treatment of melasma and other types of hyperpigmentation. A Mini Peel is available for those who prefer a shorter recovery time.
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Chemical peels are one of the oldest non-surgical skin treatments used to address a variety of cosmetic concerns, including wrinkles, scars, and discoloration. Professional medical grade solutions are used to exfoliate the outermost dry and damaged layer of the skin. TCA CROSS is a procedure that uses tricholoracetic acid (TCA) to chemically reconstruct skin scars (CROSS). It is especially effective in treating atrophic scars including ice pick and boxcar acne scars.
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Sun damage, acne scars, and aging can leave your skin looking dull and worn. Cosmetic dermatologist, Shanthi Colaço, MD, FAAD, of ShanthiMD Dermatology offers state-of-the-art microneedling treatments which can be combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to revitalize your skin’s tone and texture. Microneedling is safe and effective in all skin types and produces long-lasting results.
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The Genius is the latest and greatest FDA-approved skincare technology that takes microneedling to a whole new level with the added benefits of radiofrequency (heat) –and ShanthiMD Dermatology is one of the first offices to have the machine in Los Angeles!
Skin Tightening/Lifting
Aged, sagging skin occurs gradually over time as skin loses collagen, elastin and its natural firmness. But all hope is not lost! There are minimally invasive cosmetic procedures like Genius microneedling with RF (radiofrequency) that can help firm, tighten, and lift your skin while treating textural imperfections at the same time! And if you are interested in treating a double chin, Kybella is an FDA approved tool to tighten and lift the skin under the chin.
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The Genius is the latest and greatest FDA-approved skincare technology that takes microneedling to a whole new level with the added benefits of radiofrequency (heat) –and ShanthiMD Dermatology is one of the first offices to have the machine in Los Angeles!
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Kybella® is the first FDA-approved, non-invasive injectable medication used to treat submental fat or “a double chin.”
Other Cosmetic Services
If you have any cosmetic concerns regarding your skin, for example uneven skin pigmentation, melasma, hair loss, or acne scarring, the highly trained aesthetics team at ShanthiMD Dermatology can create a customized treatment plan for you. If you don't see your specific concern listed on our website, that doesn't mean we don't treat it! Feel free to schedule a consultation and talk to one of our providers about your personal skin goals today!
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Hyperpigmentation is a common condition in which some areas of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. Although it is usually harmless, the uneven skin tone resulting from hyperpigmentation can be very cosmetically bothersome. There are many effective treatments for unwanted pigmentation, however, recurrence is common. Effective sun protection is the major key to preventing new dark spots from occurring after treatment.
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Melasma is a common skin disorder that appears as dark patches or areas of gray-brown patches on your face and is caused by hormonal changes. There are several effective treatment options for melasma, but reoccurrence is almost inevitable without maintenance and strict sun protection.
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Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections have been extensively studied in the treatment of hair loss with good success. This naturally occurring blood component contains a high concentration of growth factors that can stimulate your body’s natural ability to heal itself and in the case of hair loss, to grow new hair, thicken existing hair, and/or slow hair shedding.
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Acne is extremely common during teenage years and young adulthood. While acne ultimately resolves in many cases, inflammatory acne lesions can leave behind unsightly scars. The good news is that there are many options for acne scar treatment, depending on skin type, scar type, and tolerance for downtime.