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Robert G. Aycock, MD, FACS · Plastic Surgery

San Francisco Cosmetic Surgery Blog

Pucker Up for Your Sweet Valentine With Lip & Lash Enhancements from Dr. Aycock

February 5th, 2012

The Allure of Lips & Lashes

Long lashes and full lips — two classical symbols of beauty that have withstood the test of time. Your cosmetic options for enhancing your lips and lashes are safe, FDA-approved treatments that offer quick results with minimal or no healing time necessary. Dr. Robert Aycock can help you improve the look of lips and lashes just in time for Valentine’s Day, with results that require little if any effort to maintain.

Latisse® for Lashes

Whether you were born with sparse or short lashes, or you’ve noticed thinning or lash loss over time, Latisse® from Allergan can help improve both fullness and length. Guided by Dr. Aycock’s careful instructions, you apply the Latisse® formula directly to the lash area. It works by increasing the length of the growth cycle of the eyelashes, thereby producing additional growth. No numbing is needed, but ongoing use is required to maintain results.

Luscious Lips

It’s a snap to get gorgeous, full lips with lip augmentation in the form of synthetic lip implants or injectable fillers. Dr. Aycock will explain the differences and help you choose the right method for your needs.

Lip Implants

PermaLip™ is a biocompatible, flexible silicone lip implant that can give you plump, youthful lips that are highly kissable, too. As the name implies, these implants are permanent, and there’s no risk of leakage or rupture. After you’ve chosen the ideal thickness and shape, Dr. Aycock inserts your implants in a short 30-minute procedures using only local anesthesia.

AlloDerm® is an FDA-approved implant material made from actual human collagen that can be used to create subtle or dramatic improvement, depending on your goals. During a quick surgical procedure that requires only local anesthesia, AlloDerm® is inserted into the upper and lower lips.

Lip Fillers

Injectable fillers such as Restylane® or Juvederm® are a very effective and natural-looking option for patients who desire more temporary lip augmentation and a noninvasive method.

Find out how easy and affordable it is to sweeten your look — whether you’re spicing things up with your sweetheart or hoping to find one! You can contact Dr. Aycock online or call him at (925) 937-8377 to schedule your Valentine’s Lip & Lashes Makeover.

Skin Rejuvenation Options for Limited Time & Budgets

December 4th, 2011

Your delicate skin is often the first place that telltale signs of aging appear. Sun exposure, stress, lack of proper hydration, and genetics all affect the quality of your skin. If you’re looking for a way to combat wrinkling, discoloration, and other skin problems, investing in nonsurgical skin rejuvenation can be easy on your wallet while producing instant rewards.

Dr. Robert Aycock offers a bounty of solutions for improving skin tone and texture. Consider any of the following options as a cost-effective way to enhance the appearance of your skin and look years younger.

  • Laser resurfacing uses focused beams of light from Sciton’s Contour Tunable Resurfacing Laser (TRL™) for safe laser treatment. These treatments are useful in minimizing  the look of irregular contours and other issues. The Sciton laser system utilizes Full Field Resurfacing (Contour), MicroLaserPeel™, and Fractional Resurfacing (ProFractional™) with TRL technology to smooth lines and tighten skin. Sciton laser treatments like the MicroLaserPeel™, ProFractional Therapy™, BroadBand Light (BBL™) and SkinTyte Photofacial Therapy™ provide a painless way to refresh facial, neck, extremity and body skin without surgery.
  • Spider vein treatment is conducted using three methods — sclerotherapy, laser light, and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) — to reduce or eliminate the look of spider veins caused by weight gain, aging, pregnancy, medication, and genetics. Patients with dark skin tone or very tanned skin are generally not good candidates for treatment of veins with laser therapy.
  • Laser hair removal is effortless with the Sciton Profile ClearScan™ and BroadBand Light Hair Reduction procedure, which targets underarms, face, legs, back and most other skin surfaces.
  • BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dysport™ are nonsurgical wrinkle treatments that can be done on your lunch hour and is great for targeting wrinkling around the eyebrows, neck bands, lip lines, and crow’s feet.
  • Chemical peels and facials refresh your appearance by removing top layers of old skin to reveal new skin underneath. Choose from a variety of types, including Intraceutical® Oxygen Facials, Vitamin C Facials, Glycolic Facials, Pumpkin Enzyme Peels, and Vitalize Peels® for gorgeous, glowing skin.
  • Juvederm®, Juvederm® Ultra Plus , Restylane® and Perlane® are injectable gels which treat nasolabial folds, thinning lips, and facial wrinkles. Injectable dermal filler delivers a high concentration of hyaluronic acid to minimize facial wrinkling.
  • RADIESSE® is an injectable filler that uses calcium hydroxylapatite for correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds such as nasolabial folds.
  • Sculptra® Aesthetic is intended for use in people with healthy immune systems as a one-time treatment regimen of up to 4 injection sessions that are scheduled about three weeks apart for the correction of shallow to deep nasolabial fold contour deficiencies and other facial wrinkles. Sculptra® combats facial fat loss by improving skin’s volume in areas that have lost their “plumpness.”

Frequently, our patients combine nonsurgical skin therapies to get the best results possible. Let Dr. Aycock help you develop a personalized skin treatment plan that addresses your unique skin issues and respects your time and budget constraints. To set up your personal consultation, please contact our office in the Bay Area today.

Summer of Reinvention: Why Now is the Best Time for a Total Body Makeover

May 8th, 2011

Although most of us don’t get the freedom that kids enjoy, summertime allows us a few months of that feeling of freedom and a carefree, lighthearted attitude. We may plan family vacations, weekend getaways, and new recreational activities. However you spend your summer, one thing is for sure — you want to look and feel your best.

At the office of Dr. Robert Aycock, we recognize the importance of reinvention, and we perform more total body makeovers around the end of spring or beginning of summer than any other time of year.

Designing Your New Figure

Body recontouring is the art of combining cosmetic body shaping procedures to help you improve your appearance. The total body makeover is the ultimate body recontouring method that aims to enhance several areas for a comprehensive result.

The most popular procedures today are those that address specific areas of the body that are limited by Mother Nature. If you are not happy with your breast size or shape, the breast enlargement, breast reduction, and breast lift work wonders. Liposuction and tummy tuck are the quintessential tools for women and men who simply cannot lose localized pounds due to genetics and body type.

There are also a variety of noninvasive treatments you can use to improve the appearance and texture of skin, such as fat transfer and laser hair removal.

If you are not ready to have surgery, we also offer the nonsurgical body shaping/cellulite reduction procedure called VelaShape.™

Facial Enhancement

Dr. Aycock has a variety of facial plastic surgery procedures that can beautifully complement a total body makeover. Choose from dramatic anti-aging procedures like the facelift, neck lift, and eyelid lift, or opt for the less invasive, nonsurgical treatments like BOTOX® and laser skin resurfacing. We can also get you started on a new skin care regimen, designed to promote healthy tone, texture, and vital new cell growth.

Why Dr. Aycock?

When you choose Dr. Robert Aycock as your total body makeover surgeon, you can expect only the highest standards of care. Every step of the process is expertly handled to ensure your experience and your results are exceptional.

Dr. Aycock’s philosophy of care is centered around using specific procedures to enhance each patient’s overall appearance, considering what techniques will fit perfectly with individual goals. Dr. Aycock’s cosmetic surgery facility is state-of-the-art. The staff is warm, welcoming, and very professional in everything they do.

If you are interested in a total body makeover this summer, please contact Dr. Robert Aycock to schedule a consultation. You can also visit Dr. Aycock’s Facebook page under Bay Area’s
Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center.

Effortless Rejuvenation at SkinPresence MedSPA Laser Center

March 1st, 2011

The new year is in full swing and Spring is edging closer. If you’ve been craving a change, but you are too busy to commit much time or effort to reinventing your look, SkinPresence MedSPA Laser Center has some wonderful options for you. While you may be hesitant to follow those appearance-enhancing instincts because you think treatments are time-consuming or expensive, Dr. Robert Aycock and his MedSPA team offer several rejuvenation treatments that are both quick and affordable.

Whether you are committed to a full-time job or a stay-at-home mom, you will no doubt find a treatment or combination of treatments to indulge in at our SkinPresence MedSPA Laser Center.

All of our Sciton Laser treatments, peels, and facial fillers are targeted for women on the go, designed to improve appearance with a short treatment time and little or no downtime. Here’s a brief run down of the rejuvenation options offered here.

SkinTyte™ Photofacial Therapy

Light energy is used to stimulate damaged skin cells and restore a smoother, more uniform complexion.

Sciton MicroLaser Peel™

The Sciton MicroLaser Peel is a facial renewal treatment that refines the epidermal skin layer. This effective peel is personalized to improve the look of wrinkles, scars, keratoses, and pigmentation problems.

Sciton ProFractional™

ProFractional is a minimally invasive laser resurfacing solution for sun spots, age spots, uneven pigmentation, acne scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks.

Sciton Broadband Light™

Sciton’s “BBL” treatment lets you improve your skin condition without the discomfort or downtime of more invasive options. Using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology, Dr. Aycock can create visible improvement in your complexion, targeting blemishes, discoloration, and other skin irregularities.

Laser Hair Removal

This clean, virtually pain-free hair removal method is far more time-efficient than repeated shaving and plucking. The laser targets hair follicles during strategic growth phases to provide long-lasting, smooth results.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Wrinkles, sun damage, age spots, spider veins, and other skin imperfections are no match for our laser skin-smoothing treatments.

Chemical Peels & Facials

Safe acid solutions remove damaged skin while facial treatments replenish and restore nutrients for a healthier appearance.

BOTOX®

BOTOX is the king of wrinkle reduction — perfect for temporary wrinkle softening.

Facial Fillers

Fillers like Juvederm®, Restylane®, and Radiesse® can provide a more youthful, softened facial appearance without the need for invasive surgery.

All treatments at SkinPresence MedSPA Laser Center are performed by highly trained, experienced Aesthetic Nurse Specialists and Medical Aestheticians who provide customized care in a relaxing environment. To learn more about the state-of-the-art nonsurgical options we offer, please contact Dr. Robert Aycock to schedule a consultation. You can also visit Dr. Aycock’s Facebook page under Bay Area’s
Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center.

Improve Facial Appearance With Sculptra®

February 25th, 2011

If you are considering a facial enhancement, you may want to research the benefits of Sculptra®, a facial filler that reduces wrinkles and facial lines for a rejuvenated, refreshed appearance — and it’s been impressing countless patients with its anti-aging effects and long-lasting results.

Sculptra’s active ingredient is poly-L-lactic acid, a safe, man-made substance designed to mimic the qualities of a natural acid produced by the muscles. Poly-L-lactic acid has been used as a medical product for more than 20 years and was just recently discovered as a highly effective dermal enhancement ingredient. In addition to improving the look of lines and creases, Sculptra is also very successful as a plumping agent to treat loss of facial volume.

Unlike facial fillers that use animal-derived ingredients, there’s no risk of allergic reaction and no need for allergy testing prior to use.

Is Sculptra Your Ideal Filler?

Most people who are interested in facial enhancement with Sculptra will qualify for this treatment. If you have an immune system disorder, Sculptra may not be ideal for you. Dr. Aycock can discuss the benefits and risks of several nonsurgical anti-aging options to help you choose the ideal one.

Your Sculptra Appointment

When you come in for your first treatment, Dr. Aycock will show you where the injections will go and use lidocaine along with Sculptra for a more comfortable treatment experience. The formula is injected under the skin in the desired areas. A gentle massage helps distribute the filler below the skin and reduce any discomfort. Following treatment, you are free to return to your daily activities with no downtime. If you experience mild redness or swelling, you can minimize these side effects with a cold compress.

Scupltra’s Effects

Once the Sculptra formula is in place under the skin, the poly-L-lactic acid induces an inflammatory reaction that stimulates the creation of collagen. After the recommended number of treatments (on average, three sessions over the course of few months), the amount of collagen produced gradually increases to achieve your beautiful final result. While most facial fillers last a matter of months, Sculptra’s effects can last as long as two years!

The immediate “plumped” appearance of the treatment area is only a temporary reaction — you can expect the swelling to subside and the fullness to return gradually as collagen production increases.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Aycock to learn more about Sculptra, please contact our office to set up an appointment. You can also visit Dr. Aycock’s Facebook page under Bay Area’s
Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center as well as SkinPresence MedSPA.

BOTOX®: Quick Guide to Non-surgical Wrinkle Reduction

February 25th, 2011

BOTOX® isn’t a miracle cure for wrinkles. BOTOX Cosmetic from Allergan is an international phenomenon that noticeably softens wrinkles brought on by aging, smoking, and environmental damage. This non-surgical wrinkle reduction treatment has been changing faces and improving confidence in the United States since its FDA approval in 2002.

BOTOX works by targeting the muscle, thereby forcing the skin above it to relax and smooth out. Countless men and women have used this advanced facial rejuvenation treatment to fight back against the signs of facial aging and temporarily improve the look of facial wrinkling.

The Secret to BOTOX Success

Here’s how it works:

  • Dr. Robert Aycock or one of our Aesthetic Nurse Specialists injects BOTOX into specific facial areas like the lines between your brows that make you look grumpy, forehead creases, and the area around your eyes most commonly referred to as crow’s feet.
  • BOTOX therapy works by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, causing the muscles to become weakened or paralyzed.
  • Results can last anywhere from three to six months, with retreatment generally recommended about three to four times per year.

BOTOX Safety

BOTOX has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including eyelid spasms, neck spasms, cerebral palsy, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), severe neck and back pain, and strabismus (eye misalignment). It is deemed safe for use in small doses by the FDA when handled by a trained medical professional. To find additional information on safety and side effects, please visit the Allergan BOTOX® page.

If you are searching for a way to improve the appearance of facial wrinkles, Dr. Aycock can help you understand the benefits of BOTOX and present other non-surgical medspa treatments that can help. Check back next week when we’ll be talking about the dermal filler Sculptra,™ another effective and popular anti-aging solution.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Aycock to learn more about Sculptra, please contact our office to set up an appointment. You can also visit Dr. Aycock’s Facebook page under Bay Area’s
Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center as well as SkinPresence MedSPA.

Powerful Facial Skin Rejuvenation By Skin Medica

January 16th, 2011

Are you looking for a safe and effective way to fight back against facial signs of aging? At SkinPresence MedSpa, part of the cosmetic surgery

office of Dr. Robert Aycock, we carry most Skin Medica products, including two incredible facial rejuvenation options that produce noticeable skin improvement.

The first, Skin Medica’s Vitalize Peel®, is a professional chemical peel that uses an advanced solution to reveal new skin and take years off your facial appearance. The second, Skin Medica’s TNS Essential Serum®, is an at-home treatment that offers a unique strategy for flawless skin.

Skin Medica’s Vitalize Peel:

Benefits: The Vitalize Peel is an in-office treatment designed to combat aging, sun damage, and environmental skin damage using alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, resorcinol, and retinoic acid. It’s a customizable peel that can be used on a variety of skin types to target skin conditions like hyperpigmentation, melasma, and photodamage.

  • Encourages skin regeneration
  • Promotes smoother skin
  • Enhances tone and texture
  • Improves pigmentation
  • Tightens skin and minimizes pores
  • Minimizes acnes scarring, sunspots, and freckling

Highlights: Using an exceptionally high PH level, the peeling solution includes Retinoic acid to exfoliate far better than other similar peels. Despite the higher PH, this peel causes mild to no irritation and patients can be back to their day with very little if any downtime required.

Cost: $150

Skin Medica’s TNS Essential Serum:

Benefits: TNS is an all-in-one anti-aging serum which actually regenerates skin using the patented growth factor serum TNS Recovery Complex®, aided by antioxidants and several other skin restoration ingredients.

  • Decreases skin elasticity
  • Diminishes fine lines, wrinkles and age spots
  • Improves skin tone and texture
  • Increases plumpness and fullness
  • Fights free radical damage
  • Ingredient alpha arbutin brightens the skin

Highlights: TNS combines several revolutionary ingredients in it that, if bought separately, would cost upwards of $1000. Celebrity clients like Oprah and Bo Derek have recently endorsed this serum due to its incredible anti-aging properties.

Cost: $250

Facial rejuvenation treatments including the Vitalize Peel are performed by our Clinical Aestheticians in our SkinPresence MedSpa located in Walnut Creek and

Greenbrae. Whether you are interested in a professional treatment or a take-home skin enhancement solution, we would be happy to explain your options and match your skin type with the optimal treatments.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with one of our clinical aestheticians, please contact Dr. Robert Aycock to set up an appointment. You can also visit Dr. Aycock’s Facebook page under Bay Area’s
Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center.

New Year, New You: Revitalize Your Appearance With Cosmetic Surgery as an Investment in Yourself

December 28th, 2010

The holidays are a time to practice generosity of spirit, but also a time to treat yourself as much as you treat those around you. The dawn of a new year has a way of bringing with it thoughts of reinvention and renewed commitment to self.

This New Year’s, why not consider cosmetic surgery as both a reward and a catalyst to bring back that youthful appearance or enhance features you once thought were lost in years past? By improving your appearance through body contouring or facial rejuvenation procedures, you are taking a positive step towards a healthy body image and kickstarting a powerful motivational force to treat your body well. In fact, many women and men who have had cosmetic surgery often find that they are more motivated to engage in a healthier lifestyle through balanced eating and regular fitness activities as a result of their increased self confidence.

This is your opportunity to view the New Year as a time to achieve your personal goals. Have you been planning on making changes for a while now? There is no time like the present to take the first step in achieving your personal goals for 2011. At the San Francisco plastic surgery office of Dr. Robert Aycock, we can show you a variety of self-improvement procedures designed to accentuate your natural beauty and revitalize your appearance.

As part of your New Year’s resolution, perhaps you are considering one of the following cosmetic enhancements:

Facelift

Necklift

Browlift

Eyelid lift

Cheek implants

Lip augmentation

Breast enlargement

Liposuction

Tummy tuck

Or these nonsurgical beauty treatments:

Botox® Cosmetic

Dysport®

Juvederm®

Radiesse®

Restylane®

Sculptra™

Perlane®

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser Hair Removal

Fat Transfer

Each person who walks through our doors has a personal reason as to why they are choosing now to move forward with physical enhancements. If you’ve been frustrated with certain aspects of your appearance, now may be your perfect time to look into cosmetic surgery. Even small physical enhancements have the power to restore confidence and build a positive total body image.

If you would like to do something special for yourself this New Year’s, please contact Dr. Robert Aycock for a one-on-one consultation. You can also visit Dr. Aycock’s Facebook page under Bay Area’s
Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center.

SkinTyte™ For Tighter, Younger-Looking Skin

June 6th, 2010

You may have read about the incredible Sciton Laser, an innovative tool used to refine facial imperfections and enhance complexion, in a previous blog. Now, we would like to highlight the facial treatment called SkinTyte™ Photofacial Therapy, a nonsurgical skin enhancement that uses the light energy of the Sciton Laser to improve skin laxity and refresh skin appearance.

What is SkinTyte?

SkinTyte is a non-invasive treatment that is safe to use on a wide variety of skin types. Pulsed infrared light is combined with advanced cooling technology to target damaged tissue below the skin’s surface. The underlying collagen is gently stimulated into contraction, resulting in a tightened effect. While the dermal collagen layers are warmed, outer layers are simultaneously cooled, effectively minimizing discomfort and protecting surrounding skin. Anesthesia is rarely needed; however, a mild topical cream may be used to ensure comfort.

When is SkinTyte Recommended?

SkinTyte works well for patients with sun damaged skin or premature signs of aging, and it is also a great option for minimizing facial redness. If you have acne scars, Rosacea, hyperpigmentation, or fine lines, this might be the perfect treatment for you. Generally, patients enjoy an overall younger appearance after their sessions, though it may take three to six months to realize the full results. SkinTyte is most often used on the face, but can also be applied to the neck, chest, abdomen, arms, and hands. For best results, most individuals will require two to five sessions, spaced three to four weeks apart.

Your cosmetic surgeon may recommend SkinTyte as a freestanding treatment, before or after a face or neck lift surgery, after chemical peels or BOTOX®, or in combination with microdermabrasion and other facial rejuvenation sessions.

How Can I Learn More?

Renewing your skin’s appearance is simple and affordable with the incredible SkinTyte treatment. If you would like to learn more and find out if you are a candidate for this and other noninvasive skin care options, please contact Dr. Robert Aycock today or find him on Facebook under Bay Area’s Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center. As an International Trainer for Doctors & Surgeons for Advanced Training on the use of the Sciton Laser, Dr. Aycock is a wonderful choice for your SkinTyte treatment.

Nonsurgical Facial Rejuvenation With Sciton’s Broadband Light™

May 15th, 2010

If you are searching for a non-invasive way to enhance your skin condition without significant discomfort or downtime, the revolutionary Broadband Light (BBL) treatment can deliver incredible results.  This state-of-the-art treatment is also easy, affordable, and highly effective for treating many different skin imperfections.

How BBL Improves Facial Appearance

Broadband Light is an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment that creates visible improvement using targeted laser energy. During a BBL treatment, the Sciton Laser is used to refine facial imperfections and enhance complexion, leaving skin refreshed and healthier. Light energy is delivered to the damaged skin cells in a precise, gentle treatment that requires no anesthesia. The top layers of skin are warmed, and skin cells are stimulated as they absorb heat. In minutes, irregular spots, acne, and discoloration can be minimized, creating a more attractive look and texture.

BBL patients love the fact that they don’t have to miss work or other important activities after a treatment. You can expect a slight skin darkening after your session, followed by a gradual skin lightening. The result is younger-looking, glowing skin that can lead to a more self-confident you!

Skin Problems Treated With Broadband Light

BBL may be used to treat a variety of skin issues, including age spots, freckles, hyperpigmentation, rosacea, and facial spider veins, among others. This safe procedure is most commonly used to improve facial appearance, although other body areas like the neck may be treated, as well. Your skin type and condition will determine the outcome of your BBL treatments, so it is important to come in for a confidential consultation before scheduling your first session.

Your Personalized BBL Treatment

After a thorough skin analysis, Dr. Aycock will make his personal recommendation for enhancing the tone and texture of your skin. You may need multiple BBL treatments to achieve the desired degree of skin refinement. If you like, Broadband Light can be combined with other nonsurgical facial rejuvenation treatments for an amazing, vibrant appearance enhancement.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay area, you can visit renowned facial rejuvenation specialist Dr. Robert Aycock, who offers real results and a philosophy of comfort and personal service. Contact Dr. Aycock today to learn more about Broadband Light, as well as other Sciton Laser treatments like Skin Tyte™, MicroLaser Peel™, and ProFractional™ Treatment. You can also visit him on the Web at www.aycockmd.com or find him on Facebook by searching Bay Area’s Premier Aesthetic Surgery and Laser Center.

Call our San Francisco plastic surgery office at 925.937.8377 or contact us online.