:: Restylane®
 Restylane is one of the most popular injectable fillers on the market. Made of hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in our bodies, it is a safe and effective way to smooth wrinkles, sculpt lips, and contour the face. With just a little topical and sometimes local numbing medication, Restylane is injected underneath the skin. You may have some swelling and bruising that can last for a few days, but you will be able to apply make-up right after your treatment. You will also be able to see the results immediately! Restylane typically lasts for 6 to 9 months, however, with a small retouch treatment, the results can last for at least 18 months! (see Restylane 18 month data below). Over 1.5 million people in the U.S. choose to have hyaluronic acid fillers injected each year! To see if Restylane is right for you, make an appointment with Dr. Reichel or Dr. Chiu today for a free cosmetic consultation. Remember, at PD&CC, all of your filler injections will be personally performed by one of our highly qualified physicians.
In a recent study, 75 patients were treated with Restylane in both nasolabial folds at baseline. Half the patients were retouched with Restylane at either 4.5 months or 9 months and evaluated again at 18 months after the initial treatment session. In both groups, 95% of patients still had wrinkle correction even after 18 months! Restylane is the only hyaluronic acid filler to show 18 month data. In a previous study, it was also shown to increase the body’s own collagen production, which could lead to even longer-lasting wrinkle reduction!
Click here for more information on Restylane®.
:: Radiesse™
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 Radiesse is a long-lasting injectable filler that is composed of calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres in a gel matrix. It is made of the same minerals found in our bones, carrying virtually no risk of allergic reactions. Radiesse is especially good for deeper lines on the face and facial contouring. We inject it under the skin using only topical numbing cream. You may have some swelling and bruising for a few days, but you will see the results immediately! “I love Radiesse for cheek augmentation and nasolabial folds. As we age, we lose volume in our face, most noticeably, in our cheek bones. In just a few minutes, we can restore that volume to achieve a natural, rejuvenated appearance. Especially when combined with Botox, you can see really dramatic results with very little downtime. This is what we refer to as a ‘liquid face lift’.” (Dr. Chiu) Radiesse can last for a year or more. Recent studies have also shown that Radiesse increases your body’s own collagen production, possibly providing even more permanent results.
Click here for more information on Radiesse™.
:: Fat Transfer (Fat Grafting, Fat Injections)
What is fat transfer?
Fat transfer is a method of using your own body fat to fill in unwanted facial creases or improve hollowing around the eyes, cheeks or temples caused by aging. Fat injections can improve acne scars, and augment certain features such as lips and cheeks. It may also be used to improve the look of the aging hand. Fat transfer is our favorite way to perform the “liquid face lift” because fat is the most pliable filler and is the same consistency as your own facial tissue. The procedure can be performed along with a liposuction, or by itself.
Dr Reichel has extensive experience with fat injections. “I love using the patient’s own fat for hand and face rejuvenation. As we age, we loose the natural fat pads in the face. Injecting fat can rejuvenate and add back that lost volume. I like to have patients bring in photos from when they were younger so we can restore that lost volume.”
How is the procedure performed?
Fat transfer is performed by removing fat from one area of your body such as your abdomen or thighs, and then injecting it into the desired site. The “donor” area (abdomen or thigh) is cleaned and then anesthetized with tumescent anesthesia, just like in liposuction. Tumescent anesthesia uses a solution of lidocaine and saline. After the anesthesia, the fat is removed using narrow metal tubes called cannulas. The cannula is attached to a sterile syringe where the fat is collected. The fat is then centrifuged and purified so that it can be injected into the treatment site. In most cases, we will collect enough fat to store for future treatments. The fat can be stored for up to 2 years.
After the fat “harvest”, the treatment area is numbed using local anesthetic, and then the fat is injected via very small blunt ended cannulas. It is then massaged into place. Before the procedure, you will be given pain medication and a light sedative to make you more comfortable.
Side Effects
The treated area may look overly plump or swollen for about a week. You may want to plan a few days of “down-time”. However, many patients are able to return to their normal activities immediately. Most notice some bruising, swelling and redness in the donor and injection sites.
Additional Information
Because some of the fat is reabsorbed by the body after the injection, it usually requires 3 treatments to accomplish a 75 to 80 percent correction. The treatments are usually performed every 3 months. Some patients do not need all 3 treatments, and some patients may need more.
The rejuvenation effects of transferred fat can last years, and in many patients, the effects are permanent. However, in some cases, the transferred fat may be reabsorbed resulting in loss of effect. Some patients require booster injections of fresh or stored fat to maintain results.
Because the fat is from your own body, unlike collagen or other “fillers”, your body will not react against the fat. Results from patients, physicians and other researchers place the durability of fat injections anywhere from half a year up to eight years.
Click here for more information on Fat Transfer.
:: Tumescent Liposuction
After more than 10 years as America’s most popular surgical beauty fix, liposuction remains the only true method to permanently remove unwanted fat deposits and reshape the body.
Dr Reichel is specialty trained in the tumescent liposuction technique. Using the tumescent technique, Dr Reichel is able to perform the procedure without general anesthesia. This decreases the medical risk to the patient. During the 1 – 2 hour procedure, areas to be treated are first injected with a dilute local anesthetic to eliminate any discomfort. Dr. Reichel then uses a small hollow stainless steel tube, called a cannula to remove the unwanted fat. Using the small bore cannula decreases the recovery time and allows patients to return to normal activity in just a short time.
All liposuction procedures are done in Dr Reichel's AAAHC accredited Ambulatory Surgery Center, assuring the highest level of safety and care for her patients.
Liposuction is so effective that in 2006, more than 403,000 liposuction procedures were performed in the United States, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Of those, more than 53,000 were for men and another 3,200 were for persons age 18 or younger.
Interest in liposuction remains strong because it is still the only way to re-sculpt the body in just one procedure. The technique is considered permanent, because the fat cells that are removed can never re-grow.
Results are especially good for those who have tried dieting and exercise but are still unable to lose areas of exercise resistant fatty deposits. Liposuction can be used to smooth the tummy, thighs and love handles. It is also great for shaping the neck and jawline. Liposuction can reshape smaller areas like the arms and legs. This can provide more definition to these areas, creating a leaner and more graceful silhouette.
Dr Reichel has been performing liposuction for more than 8 years with fabulous results. Please call 206-859-5777 for your free liposuction consultation.
For more details about liposuction, please click here.
To email Dr Reichel about liposuction, please click here.
:: Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is the standard treatment for varicose and spider veins. A special sclerosing solution is injected into the diseased vein, which then collapses and is gradually absorbed by the body. By the end of the treatment program, the veins are less visible on the skin surface. Sclerotherapy usually also relieves symptoms associated with enlarged veins and prevents further complications.
Click here for more information on Sclerotherapy.
:: JUVÉDERM® Injectable Gel
Juvéderm is a safe and effective nonsurgical option for smoothing facial wrinkles and folds. Juvéderm injectable gel works to add volume and hydration by restoring hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in your body, into treatment areas. Results are immediate and last up to a year or more with minimal recovery or downtime.
Juvéderm injectable gel is available in two formulations- Juvéderm Ultra for versatility in contouring and volumizing facial wrinkles and folds, and Juvéderm Ultra Plus, a more robust formulation for volumizing and correcting deeper folds and wrinkles.
Dr Reichel and Dr Chiu both have vast experience with injectable fillers. “I love to use Juvederm to improve the dark circles under the eyes. The consistency of this hyaluronic acid filler is perfect for smoothing out the shadows that make you look tired and older.” (Dr Reichel). Juvederm is also great for plumping and shaping lips.
Patient safety and comfort are important at Pacific Dermatology & Cosmetic Center. One of the top dermatology clinics in Seattle performing Juvederm, we continue to have only our physicians do the injections. As our patient, you will be taken care of directly by one of the doctors from your consultation to the actual treatment.
Click here for more information on Juvéderm.
Click here for the Juvéderm Treatment Visualizer.
:: Eyelid Surgery: Blepharoplasty
As you age, excess fat and skin around the eyelids begins to sag. Besides making you look older, severely sagging skin around your eyes can impair your vision. Blepharoplasty is a procedure that rejuvenates the upper and lower eyelids through the removal or repositioning of excess skin and fat. In order to minimize visible scaring, small incisions are made along the natural skin lines of the eyelids.
From her experience with performing skin cancer surgery on and around the eyes, Dr Reichel has a firm grasp on the anatomy of the eye. During her formal training at the University of Washington, she worked with some of the best eyelid surgeons in Seattle.
“I like to combine eyelid surgery with laser resurfacing around the eyes to erase the bags, excess skin, and wrinkles all at once. Eyes are one of the most important features of the face. It is amazing how refreshed and natural your face can look after eyelid rejuvenation.
For most, results last 10 years or more. For some, results are permanent. It can take 3 to 6 months for results to be visible. Recovery time is fairly fast, for most, you can be back to normal activities in 7 days. Pain from the procedure is mild. Dr Reichel uses local anesthetic injections to numb the area. She also uses mild sedation during eyelid surgery to relieve any discomfort. Call 206-859-5777 for a free consultation on eyelid rejuvenation.
Click here for more information on Eyelid Surgery. |
