Non-surgical Skin Care Treatments for Maryland and Washington, D.C.

Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery offers a range of non-surgical procedures. Residents in northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Chevy Chase and Bethesda, Maryland, can elect to undergo BOTOX® Cosmetic, Restylane®, Juvederm, IPL, and laser hair removal treatments. Here are some easy links to the treatments we provide:

• BOTOX® Cosmetic
• Restylane® and Perlane® Injections
• Thermage® ThermaCool™
• Radiesse™
• JUVÉDERM™

Unhealthy environmental factors contribute to premature aging, leaving many people between the ages of 40 and 60 with fine lines, furrows, and wrinkles. Medical advances in anti-aging technology can help you combat age-related skin damage before it becomes noticeable. There are options and many of them are painless, affordable, and non-surgical. Here are descriptions of several non-surgical facial cosmetic procedures that Jennifer Parker Porter, MD, can perform at her Maryland practice. Please contact Dr. Porter for more information on how to achieve more youthful looking skin through simple, non-surgical treatments.

BOTOX® Cosmetic: Age Defiance

Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery serving Maryland and Washington, D.C. offers BOTOX® Cosmetic injections to decrease the signs of aging. BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are used to diminish fine wrinkles between the eyebrows, as well as to lessen the appearance of crow's feet. BOTOX® Cosmetic, an FDA-approved agent, inhibits the function of the muscles that cause the wrinkles. The chemical used in BOTOX® Cosmetic was originally approved as a medical treatment to help control the excessive contraction of muscles around the eyes. When physicians noticed that patients being administered BOTOX® Cosmetic medical treatments were enjoying smoother skin and fewer signs of aging, they began to develop a lower dose of the chemical that would achieve only this effect. Many of the movements made by the brow muscles are non-functional. These superfluous muscle contractions are a stress response that produces nothing but worry lines. Maryland and Washington, D.C., patients who receive BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments have faces that both look and feel more relaxed.

BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are not permanent. They usually last about three to four months, although with repeated treatments, they can sometimes last for six months. BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments can be combined with other forms of treatment such as chemical peels or laser skin treatment for more large scale facial improvements. For patients with fine wrinkles, results can be seen soon after injection.

Restylane® and Perlane® injections : Fine Lines Replaced with Fuller Skin

Residents of northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Chevy Chase and Bethesda , Maryland can receive Restylane® injections from Dr. Jennifer Parker Porter of Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery in order to improve their skin fitness. Restylane® is a chemical injected into the dermal layer of the skin. It is a safe and relatively pain-free treatment designed to restore your skin’s fullness and volume, decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Restylane® can eliminate the deep lines that appear in the nasolabial folds, the pathways between the nose and the mouth. The procedure will take about 30 minutes. Dr. Porter will administer small injections of hyaluronic acid into the skin zones that you want revitalized. This is the same fluid found naturally in the body’s connective tissues where it functions as a cushion and a lubricant. Perlane® is of a similar composition but works on moderate to severe folds in the area of the mouth. The two products can be used together for full correction in some case

Many types of hyaluronic acid treatments use rooster-derived hyaluronic acids and bovine collagen products. This is not the case with Restylane® and Perlane®, which uses a clear gel compound called NASHA. The letters stand for Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid, and the company that produces Restylane® and Perlane®, guarantees that none of the NASHA compounds it manufactures contain animal derived products. Restylane® and Perlane® treatments produce no allergic reactions in the patients in which they are administered. Skin treated with Restylane® shows fewer signs of aging and the effect lasts for six months. For out-of-towners staying in the Bethesda , Maryland area, we offer Restylane® injections. Our office is easy to get to using the free shuttles that depart from the Bethesda metro.

Thermage® ThermaCool™: Skin Tightening For All Skin Types

Washington, D.C., residents seeking a Thermage® ThermaCool™ procedure can travel little more than a mile into Maryland and receive a treatment that is non-surgical, non-invasive, and takes less than two hours. Also referred to as ThermaLift or simply Thermage®, Thermage® ThermaCool™ has the lowest recovery time of any skin tightening procedure. You can go back to work immediately after the procedure is done as the mild post-treatment swelling will subside quickly. Patients in northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., calling to request Thermage® often refer to it by its popular name, ‘the non-surgical facelift however, Thermage tightens the skin, improving the overall appearance of the face.

The Thermage® procedure employs a machine called the ThermaCool™ system, which uses radio waves to conduct energy into the skin. The connective tissue of the dermis, the lower layer of skin, is uniformly heated while the epidermis, the surface layer of skin, is kept cool and protected. The heat is sustained to produce of contraction in the skin’s deeper tissue. The skin is tightened to create a more youthful appearance with the absence of loose skin and a reduction of ingrained wrinkles. One added benefit of a Thermage® ThermaCool™ procedure is that the skin’s collagen fibers are tightened, which leads to increased production of collagen over time. As a result, the skin that is produced post-procedure has a much firmer and healthier appearance.

Radiesse™: Long Lasting Facial Contouring Without Surgery

Radiesse™ is a non-surgical facial contouring filler that can be used to treat a variety of facial imperfections, including deep facial lines, weakened jaw contour, and a disproportionately small chin. Additionally, Radiesse™ can be used to augment the cheeks in patients whose faces have developed a slightly hollowed or sunken appearance as a result of aging. Radiesse™ treatments are much longer lasting than most facial fillers; the results of a Radiesse™ injection can last for up to 18 months. Additionally, Radiesse™ acts as a scaffold on which collagen can lay down.

Radiesse™ filler is composed of calcium hydroxylapatite mineral particles suspended in a water-based gel. Calcium hydroxylapatite is the main mineral found in bones and teeth. The material was originally employed as an ingredient in the manufacture of dental and orthopedic implants, and is still used in these products today. Be sure to speak with Dr. Porter about how Radiesse™ injectable filler can be of benefit to you.

JUVÉDERM™: The Latest Facial Filler

Like Restylane®, JUVÉDERM™ is a hyaluronic acid based facial filler that is completely biocompatible and synthesized rather than of animal origin. JUVÉDERM™ is designed to soften the signs of aging by physically filling in areas of skin volume deficiency, but also by acting as a source of internal skin hydration. JUVÉDERM™ injections can be used to treat facial lines and wrinkles, augment facial contours such as the jaw line or the cheek bones, or enhance the appearance of lip fullness. JUVÉDERM™ treatment is very safe, and even beneficial to your skin. Prior to being approved as a cosmetic injectable filler, hyaluronic acid injections have been used to induce tissue healing after cataract surgery, and as an analgesic remedy for knee joint pain.

One characteristic that sets JUVÉDERM™ apart from other hyaluronic facial injections is that JUVÉDERM™ has been clinically proven to be an effective treatment for patients of all skin types and colors. Another is that the minerals contained in JUVÉDERM™ gels are not suspended particles in the gel formula. Using an innovative new manufacturing process, the company that produces JUVÉDERM™ has been able to invent a gel formula that is smooth and homogeneous, creating more natural cosmetic results and longer lasting benefits. The effects of a JUVÉDERM™ treatment usually last for about six to nine months.

Contact Our Maryland Practice near Washington, D.C., to Schedule a Consultation

At our Chevy Chase practice near Bethesda, Maryland and Washington, D.C., we offer BOTOX® Cosmetic, Restylane®, Juvederm, IPL, and laser hair removal procedures to help you achieve a complete facial rejuvenation. To find out which procedure is right for you, contact the practice office of Jennifer Parker Porker, MD for more information.