Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Purchasing on-line

The internet has quickly become a money saving tool, though unsuspecting shoppers may find what initially appears to be a great deal is actually not. This is frequently the case when it comes to skin care purchases on-line via non-medical, commercial trade or sale websites. More recently patients have inquired to purchasing his or her skin care products on-line versus in the office. Although it seems perfectly reasonable, patients should be apprised to the perils and pitfalls of doing so.

The skin care products offered at PVPS are pharmaceutical grade products that are ensured to be what the patient is buying at 100% purity, potency, efficacy, and authenticity. Our patients can be confident that the appropriate standard of care has been taken in the ordering, storing, and distributing process to safeguard these sophisticated skin care products from variables that can alter the integrity and stability of what will eventually be applied to the face and/or body. PVPS will only offer products that are of the utmost quality to affirm the products you purchase will deliver results.

Despite the allure of similar lower priced products available on-line, please be advised that what product(s) is purchased on-line may have been subject to variables that essentially render it worthless. The integrity and effectiveness of pharmaceutical grade skin care products is influenced by multiple factors, including shelf-life and temperature variations, not to mention authenticity as well.

PVPS invites you to visit with one of our well informed skin care specialists to individualize a skin care regime for you with products that will be equal to the quality you have come to expect with PVPS.

Monday, April 13, 2009

PVPS Cares: Join us for the 2009 Great Strides Walk

donate to my cause

PVPS Cares is participating in the 2009 Hannah Park Great Strides Walk on May 2, 2009. Join us in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis! The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

Let us know if you would like more information on joining the PVPS Cares Team. For a minimum donation of $20, you can receive a complimentary PVPS Cares T-Shirt.

For the first time in 2008, Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery participated in the Great Strides Walk. PVPS Cares got involved with Great Strides because one of our staff members, Beth, has a granddaughter that was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as an infant. Camryn, Beth's granddaughter is now 18 months old.

Help PVPS Cares make a difference in the lives of children like Camryn.

For more information on joining our team, email Adrian at adrian@pvps.com

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Non-Surgical Procedure of the Month - Juvederm Injectable Gel

Nothing brightens the room like a warm, welcoming grin. Don’t let your desire to beam diminish when those smile lines become a permanent fixture on your face. When you’ve had enough of those “parentheses” around your mouth, it may be time to consider JUVEDERMinjectable gel.

As your skin ages, the reduced production of a naturally occurring hydrating substance called hyaluronic acid (HA) results in facial wrinkles and nasolabial folds around your mouth.

Lasting up to a year, JUVEDERMinjectable gel replaces the HA your skin has lost, restoring volume and smoothing away facial wrinkles and folds. You will see the difference immediately after your PVPS plastic surgeon or nurse practitioner eases JUVEDERM™ under your skin in a simple and quick in-office procedure. Unlike other dermal fillers on the market, FDA-approved, JUVEDERMinjectable gel is the first smooth-consistency HA gel proven to hold up over time. JUVEDERM™ is manufactured by Allergan, the same producers of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

From static forehead lines, nasolabial folds and vertical lip lines to oral commissures, marionette lines and chin wrinkles, JUVEDERMinjectable gel offers a long-term smoothing solution with no downtime. Call us today to schedule your consultation!

Plastic Surgery Procedure of the Month - Liposuction

You’re at the right weight. You eat right. You exercise. But are you still unsatisfied with your body contour? Maybe you have certain trouble spots that just won’t respond to traditional diet and exercise? If this sounds familiar, it may be time to see if you’re a good candidate for liposuction!

Liposuction surgery is used to improve body contour by removing fat deposits from specific areas of the body including as hips, buttocks, thighs, neck, arms, chest and abdomen. Performed by skilled board certified plastic surgeons - like those at Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery - liposuction can contour the body to a more aesthetically pleasing state.

A wand-like vacuum (called a cannula) is inserted through small incisions to suction unwanted or excessive fat. The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis. The length of the liposuction procedure, as well as healing time, depends on several factors, including the amount of fat being removed, the number of areas being treated and the technique offered.
The most common technique is referred to as “tumescent liposuction.” A mixture of local anesthetic and adrenaline is injected into the area through tiny access points to help numb the treated area and control bleeding. Additionally, the tumescent liquid reacts with the fat to ease in its removal. During your cosmetic liposuction consultation, be sure to thoroughly discuss your expectations. Remember, your plastic surgeon is your partner in your journey to a more contoured, aesthetically pleasing physique!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Non-Surgical Option of the Month - Botox Injections

BOTOX Cosmetic: Freedom of Expression

You’re probably familiar with the basics of good skin care: cleansing, toning, moisturizing, exfoliating, sun screen, etc. While these elements are essential to healthy skin, they do very little for those pesky crows feet or vertical lines between the eyebrows that can make you look old, worried or angry.

When the powerful muscles between the brows contract, they draw the brows together, causing the skin to furrow and fold. As you lose elasticity with age, those folds result in deep lines, sometimes referred to as the “elevens.”

During the 10-minute treatment, low doses of BOTOX Cosmetic are administered via a few tiny injections directly into the muscles responsible for frown lines between the brows. By blocking the release of a chemical that causes these muscles to contract, BOTOX Cosmetic enables them to relax.

While BOTOX Cosmetic is typically used for the dynamic lines around the eyes and between the brows, static lines (those deeper lines that are present at rest) may benefit from the use of a dermal filler such as Juvederm Injections or Restalyne Injections. You can learn more about dermal fillers by visiting us at http://www.pvps.com/.

BOTOX Cosmetic results can typically be seen between three to seven days after your treatment. Results may vary, but improvements usually last three to four months. When administered by experienced aesthetic-specialty practitioners and physicians - like those at Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery - the effects are very localized and you will not lose your ability to smile, laugh or otherwise show expression.

Minimally invasive, BOTOX Cosmetic is the most popular physician-administered cosmetic procedure in the United States, with nearly 3.2 million treatments in 2006, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Before and after BOTOX Cosmetic photos courtesy of Dr. Scioscia.














Visit our Jacksonville Med Spa and non-surgical procedures page for more information regarding our facial rejuvenation treatments.

Plastic Surgery Procedure of the Month - The Tummy Tuck

The Tummy Tuck, also known as Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty, more commonly referred to as the tummy tuck, is often the procedure of choice for getting the abdomen back in shape after pregnancy, after extreme weight loss and for those whose tummies simply don’t respond to traditional exercise and proper nutrition.

There are two general types of abdominoplasty: the mini tummy tuck and the full tummy tuck.

The mini tummy tuck is generally reserved for those who have minor contour problems and less loose skin, yet still need more correction than liposuction alone can fix. The mini tummy tuck procedure uses a short U-shaped incision which is made just above the pubic region. Excess skin is removed and the muscles are tightened which moves the belly button down slightly.

The more commonly performed full tummy tuck provides much more correction and therefore, more profound results. The procedure, which generally takes between two and five hours under general anesthesia, uses an incision which is made slightly above the pubic area from one hipbone to the other. A second incision is made to free the navel from the surrounding tissue. The skin is separated from the abdominal wall up to the ribs and lifted to expose the muscles. The muscles are tightened and sewn in place. If you have muscle separation, pulling your muscles closer together and suturing them will give a tighter look to your abdomen. The skin is stretched back across the abdomen and extra skin is removed. Your belly button is then repositioned and sutured in place. Finally, all incisions are sutured, dressings applied and temporary tubes may be inserted to drain excess fluids.

Abdominoplasty is frequently performed in combination with liposuction (especially around the sides of the stomach, hips, and thighs) to give additional contouring and enhance your final results.

While there will be permanent scars, they will be well hidden when you’re wearing clothing, and low enough to even be concealed by a swimsuit in most cases. After about nine months to a year, your scars will usually flatten and become less noticeable.

Doctors Rumsey, Burk, Scioscia and Snyder all have extensive experience in performing abdominoplasty surgery and can help you achieve truly amazing results. If you feel this procedure may be right for you, schedule your consultation today. They will take the time to discuss your expectations, and will thoroughly explain precautions, risks versus benefits of the procedure, as well as what to expect before, during and after your tummy tuck.



Image Courtesy of Dr. Burk's Plastic Surgery Photo Gallery


Friday, February 13, 2009

Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery Proudly Presents LATISSE™ Eyelash Treatment - For Fuller, Darker Lashes

Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery is excited to present LATISSE™ Eyelash Treatment to our Jacksonville plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery clients!

LATISSE™ (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is the first and only science-based treatment approved by the FDA for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes. LATISSE™ is proven to enhance eyelash prominence as measured by increases in length, thickness and darkness. This once-daily treatment applied to the base of the upper eyelashes (like eyeliner) with a sterile single-use-per-eye disposable applicator.

Results can be expected in as little as eight weeks, with significant results in 16 weeks. To maintain effect, continued treatment with LATISSE™ is required. If use of LATISSE™ is discontinued, eyelashes will gradually return to where they were prior to treatment over a period of weeks to months (average eyelash hair cycle).
In clinical test studies, patients treated with LATISSE™ in the clinical study experienced a:


  • 25% increase in length of their eyelashes


  • 106% increase in thickness/fullness of their eyelashes


  • 18% increase in darkness of their eyelashes

To make an appointment or to purchase our new skin care product LATISSE™, contact our plastic surgery center or call us at (904) 273-6200.

Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery is a leading plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery practice in Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, Amelia Island and St. Augustine. Our Jacksonville Plastic Surgeons offer several plastic surgery procedures to choose from including Jacksonville Breast Augmentations, Jacksonville Liposuction Procedures, Jacksonville Abdominoplasty/Tummy Tucks, Post Gastric Bypass and Post Major Weight Loss Surgery and Jacksonville Rhinoplasty/ Nose Surgery. Visit the Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery web site for more information regarding our Jacksonville plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery procedures or contact our main plastic surgery center at (904) 273-6200.