Making a decision in my life has historically been a challenge. I think, rethink, and overthink again, weighing out every possible scenario before landing on an answer. Thank goodness for the guidance of Dr. Carls when it comes to choosing the right path for my facial care needs. With so many options out there, it’s best to have a medical expert walk you through it all.
After reading the handouts from my initial consultation with Christie, my thoughts had landed on either a microdermabrasion or gentle peel to start, followed up with some Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL, treatments for the larger brown spots.
I was at the office today to review my thoughts with Dr. Carls and to see if my preconceived notions were on point. Upon arrival, I shared with him that I wasn’t looking for a big change, but rather baby steps to age gracefully. My sweet husband once told me that my smile lines are an indication of a life well lived, and they remind him of fond the memories we made together.
Well, I certainly can’t argue with that. (Brownie points tipped the scale in his direction for that one). Dr. Carls shared a genuine little smirk at my story, and continued on to present me with a few minimally invasive treatments to keep those smile lines in check, and make sure the forehead crevasses don’t grow into grand canyons.
Dr. Carls then dove into a plethora of services, just so I had a well -rounded grasp of my options. Some of them I had no idea they even offered! Check here for a list of all services available at Dr. Jeffrey Carls Family Medicine and Aesthetics.
I appreciated that he started with an anatomy lesson of the skin so I could really understand how the subsequent treatment options would penetrate. Once we honed in on a few he thought would address my vanity—or as Dr. Carls put it “the top layer of skin that everyone can see”—w e got into specifics.
My top aesthetic concern right now is creating an even tone and texture. As some of my previous blogs shared, I’ve been marked by the sun and melasma, causing dark spots and uneven coloring throughout my face. Dr Carls’ top choice to treat this was with a Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, Facial, which simply put, microneedles your own plasma into your face to stimulate healthy skin and collagen regrowth.
Collagen is the groundwork of the skin, and PRP Facials help to tighten, smooth and improve skin tone. The before and after photos were extremely convincing; however, the price point per treatment was a bit over my budget.
Next up, which showed very promising results as well, was a VI Peel. The beauty of peeling is that it’s non-invasive, with very little downtime. Sure, you’re going to look like a shedding snake for a couple days, but it’s a small price to pay to strip off the dead skin and encourage new growth.
Dr. Carls suggested that I follow up this peel with a luxurious facial to clean everything out and add on standard microneedling as a bonus. While this microneedling version doesn’t have the plasma added to it, any tiny damage created to the skin will signal a time for regrowth. Both of these services were more in my price range, coming in under $250 each, which was easier to swallow. I hope to get a couple treatments of each and see where we land. If needed, Dr. Carls suggested the IPL treatment to catch any stubborn spots that still hang on for dear life.
Sounds like a plan! I can’t wait to share my results with you. Stay tuned.
