I hate getting older. It’s not so much that I have less years to “live” the older I get but more so I hate looking older. For many years I was fortunate that wrinkles didn’t appear on my face. I’m overweight so that extra “padding” in my face helped to keep the wrinkles away. Sadly even that is not helping me anymore. I see wrinkles that I didn’t have a year ago. Sigh…
I’m not one to look into cosmetic procedures, but the older I get the more it looks like an option.
Money is the one thing that is holding me back. If money wasn’t an issue I would get a breast augmentation so that my breasts were not dangling by my knee caps (ha ha). I would also consider injections in the “laugh lines” around my mouth. I hate those! I don’t know which is worst, those or the sagging skin on my neck. Blah!
I have to admit that I Google dermatology services, just to get an idea of what procedures are available, what’s involved and what costs are associated with them.
I spent time on the Westlake Dermatology website (WestlakeDermatology.com). Wow! They have ever procedure available. Some I wasn’t even aware of like fat transfer (I could benefit from that!), lip implants and something called a “Smartlipo”. There are plenty of “before and after” photos on the website for the Smartlipo procedure. Some of the after photos are amazing! I’m also surprised that it’s not as expensive as I thought it would be.
They offer a procedure called Zerona that helps to contour your body that is non-invasive and doesn’t require needles or surgery. I would certainly look into having that done before liposuction. I already have enough surgery scars on my body, I don’t need anymore.
They have another non-invasive procedure called CoolSculpting. They have performed 1,000+ such procedures since November 2010.
I have to admit that idea of a lip transplant sounds odd, but my lips have thinned out over the years. I wouldn’t mind having a luscious “pucker” again. I’m sure my hubby wouldn’t mind that either. 🙂
Westlake Dermatology offers a lot of procedures to help combat the signs of aging too. I think the procedure called Fraxel Re:Pair Fractionated Resurfacing looks interesting. It helps with wrinkles, sun spots, irregular texture and sun-induced redness – all of which I have. The site says you can notice a difference in as little as one visit, but over all you should notice a big difference in 3-6 months as the deeper layers of your skin heal. The procedure is on sale (10% off) this month too. Wow. Who know you can get procedures like this on sale.
Out of all the procedures and services offered at Westlake Dermatology I think one of the ones I am most impressed with is Mole Mapping. At first I had no clue what that was but after reading more about it on th site I am very interested in having something like that done. With Mole Mapping they take photos of all the moles on your body and measure their sizes. Your doctor will recommend how often you should have the mapping done. Each time you get “mapped” they will compare the photos to your baseline photos, as well as measurements. Should anything change they will be able to treat it immediately. This is an important procedure to have done to protect yourself against skin cancer. I had to have six moles removed from my back years ago because the doctor felt they were “suspicious”. I have many moles so I have concern that they might develop into something. I would really love to have the Mole Mapping done because the thought of having skin cancer scares the heck out of me.
Westlake Dermatology also has an online skin store, Iderma.com. The company is based out of Austin, Texas. It was founded by Gregory Nikolaidis, MD. He is the same person who founded Westlake Dermatology too. Iderma.com offers quality, professional grade skin care products. These are the very same products that he recommends to his own patients.
I checked out the products. They have products for your face, hair and body. They even carry make up. Many of the products cannot be purchased at a department store or spa. They even have clothing that helps protect your skin against the sun. It’s appropriately called Cover Clothing. Unfortunately they don’t carry plus sizes or I would certainly look into getting a few pieces for myself.
At Iderma.com you also get free samples with every order plus free domestic shipping for order $75 or more. Experts are available to answer your questions too.
If you happen to be in the Austin, Texas area Westlake Dermatology also has a retail store called Eden. Eden offers many of the fine products found on the Iderma.com website. In addition to beauty products you can also find jewelry and more apparel. They even sell products for your home.
Having any type of cosmetic surgery is financially not possible for me in the near future. Westlake Dermatology does offer financing, including a 12-month no interest option, it’s just not a good time for me. We’re trying to sell our condo and buy a house. Once that happens and we’re settled in then I’ll look into having something done. Or I might have to wait and see what happens with my teenagers and college.
Whether you are looking to rid your skin of acne, have laser surgery to remove unwanted hair, or have a few things “tweaked” to make you look better, you might want to consider all the options available at Westlake Dermatology. After all, when you love the way you look it can really be a huge boost to your self esteem and confidence. It’s also perfectly acceptable in this day and age to have a little “work” done. What was once only available to the rich and famous is now more affordable than ever so “regular” people like you and I can afford it too.
Kimberly