What
you can do to take care of your skin.
Treat your
skin very gently...............it's all your have! There
are many products advertised in magazines, TV, the Internet and radio which
"guarantee" to make your skin young again - most are exaggerated
claims. Some are inexpensive - others cost $150 or more for a few drops of
a "serum". In your teens, you had good skin and didn't do much.
Now that you are older, you are scared, and are spending hundreds to thousands
of dollars a year on heavily advertised cosmetic products, chasing the "fountain
of youth". Even if you don't use our cosmetic services, consider the
simple regimen discussed next.
Skin care by your age:
20's - Use a non-fragrance moisturizer AND a sunscreen of SPF 20-30, Use a bland skin cleanser. Gently wash with a soft face cloth - no scrubbing! Use the moisturizer morning and night. The sunscreen needs to be applied every few hours while outdoors. That's it! (Acne problems are discussed here.)
30's - Same as the 20's. In the mid to late 30's, substitute a retinol skin cleanser twice a day. You may need to add a prescription retinoid cream at night. Other problems are addressed separately.
40's - Use a non-fragrance moisturizer AND a sunscreen of SPF 20-30, Use a retinol skin cleanser twice a day using a soft face cloth - no scrubbing! Use the moisturizer morning and night. The sunscreen needs to be applied every few hours while outdoors. Use a prescription retinoid cream at night. Cosmetic treatments are done as needed.
50's and older - Same as the 40's. Additional cosmetic treatments are done as needed.
For any age, dark spots may need a prescription bleaching cream or Laser. Acne problems are discussed here. Wrinkles may temporarily respond to some "serums" by making your face swell. They are expensive and it is better and less expensive (in the "long run") to use our Laser treatments to permanently reduce wrinkles. Botox®, Restalyne® and other fillers, are a temporary and expensive fix. Spider veins, age/brown spots, redness, scarring, tightening lax skin and other skin imperfections respond nicely to our cosmetic Lasers and skin resurfacing & rejuvenation. An excellent old-time and inexpensive "quick fix" is to use theatrical make-up.
This simple skin regimen works for most people with dry, normal or oily skin. For dry skin you will need more moisturizer; oily skin uses very little on dry spots. For more difficult skin, changes are made to this simple program. Discuss with Dr. Battista how to modify this simple skin care program to meet your needs and any of your concerns.
Your skin is your body - it needs proper nutrition, exercise and care. Smoking and UV light in any form (sun, shade and tanning booths!) are skin killers causing premature aging. Bad habits such as excessive drinking, and generally not taking care of yourself (physically & mentally), help in causing premature body and skin aging. Beyond your control are family genetics, and various chronic diseases that affect many people as they age.
You are "what you eat". Proper nutrition is important for healthy skin. Eat a least 5-7 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day. Broil foods, don't fry. Use several servings of olive oil per day. Eat more fresh fish (especially smaller ones which have less mercury in them). A little wine every day. Some dark chocolate and nuts. Practice stress reducers, like yoga, prayer or meditation. And exercise every day.
What about vitamins and herbal supplements? Our ancestors didn't need them because they ate a lot of fruits, nuts, whole grains and veggies. Do you? Discuss your issues with Dr. Battista.
How about vitamin C and E creams on my skin? Many of these are not formulated properly to absorb into your skin. It is difficult to choose the correct preparation from the many choices available. Vitamin C & E, from your diet, seep into your skin from blood vessels buried deep in the skin, and are less expensive.
You don't advertise any skin creams, serums and other products on your web-site. Why not? I will happily discuss these as only a few of the thousands sold really work well. You don't need many creams, serums etc. for healthy skin. I have discussed what you really need - so "get going". Feel free to contact me for any of your concerns at (727) 446-3346.
Why don't
you use Email? I respect your privacy and have found that patients
reveal "too much" information that "billions" of people
can read and misuse. Until encryption of email is available to all, I will
spend the time to talk privately with you in my center or by phone.
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What
do you choose? What do
you choose?........Are your choices made because it's "hot" on
Oprah? ............Or the fad is Botox®?............
Or because everybody is doing it? Your goal is a more
rejuvenated, naturally appearing face & skin, not choosing from a "laundry
list" or what's "hot"! Whatever
you need, Dr. Battista will be your advocate. Our
Center provides a full
range of treatments to
reach your goal of a more rejuvenated appearing face and skin.
Advertisements
are confusing. Web sites can be misleading. Some let you choose from a "laundry
list" of procedures instead of fixing your cosmetic problem(s):
Botox®,
Chemical Peels, Micro-dermabrasion, Lasers, LED lights, Fraxel, Collagen
injections, Thermage®, Restylane®, Laser Resurfacing, Face-lifts,
and others.
The
list and choices are seemingly endless.
Dr. Battista and his staff are dedicated to help you make the right choices.
You will get honest answers to the many treatments available. What works and
what does not. Since Laser and similar treatments are sometimes misunderstood,
we have included a separate comprehensive discussion about them here.
For information about our
treatments for more natural skin, please read this discussion. You may prefer
VIDEO presentations by clicking
here.
Our
Center has procedures that are capable of hair removal, diminishing
or eliminating age/sun/liver spots (lentigines), wrinkles
(rhytids), acne, facial flushing or redness (rosacea), broken capillaries
(telangiectasia), freckles, sun damage, spider veins, warts and scars!
In short, we are dedicated to making you appear in your best light
with a more natural and rejuvenated appearance. Your face can have
a reduction in pore size, smoother skin, and less wrinkles! And the best part?
No missed work or play and no downtime!
With our Anti-Aging Skin Rejuvenation Gentle treatments, you have the many benefits of an older CO2 (carbon dioxide) laser facial resurfacing procedure without the long recovery time, pain, and a beefy red, raw skin surface that lasts for weeks and requires lots of care!
Our micro-facial treatments give you all the benefits of micro-dermabrasion PLUS the benefits of deeper penetration, reducing sun damage, wrinkles, skin discolorations, acne, facial veins, wrinkles and more.
Our Skin Rejuvenation & Skin resurfacing treatments reduce wrinkles, smooth and rejuvenate your skin without that fake Botox® look.Our Center is dedicated to helping both men and women appear to have more natural skin by reducing the premature aging of the skin that affects all of us here in sunny Florida. This is not vanity..............I will not make a 50 year old into a faking looking 25 year old. But, I will help you look great!
What
cosmetic problems does Dr Battista treat? VIDEOS
& PICTURES of Treatments - CLICK HERE Our
treatments are gentle because we minimize your discomfort and treat you as
"our family". Our Zimmer® chiller is used in most treatments
- it "numbs" the skin by using cold, natural air. This makes topical
anesthesia unnecessary for most people. Our systems are
expensive to purchase and maintain yet the treatments are surprising affordable
for you, the patient! Some
conditions treated by our Center are:
The
light pulses are directed at the age, sun or liver spots, freckles, flat
pigmented birthmarks and other types of discolorations. The melanin is
then heated and destroyed, eliminating the abnormal pigmentation, resulting
in clearer, more rejuvenated skin. Also it has been shown that actinic
(pre-cancerous) keratosis can be treated with our newest systems instead
of painful cautery, and creams. For more information, click freckles
& brown spots.
and
with minimum discomfort as compared to waxing or plucking. Our
systems are controlled
via an internal computer and with the use of special hand pieces, damages
the hair follicle and causes it to fall out. Our
systems target the
melanin pigment in the hair and the energy travels to the active hair
follicle and bulge area, heating and destroying them, causing hair removal.
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Better than Micro-Dermabrasion and safer than CO2 laser skin resurfacing.
Better
than micro-dermabrasion! Our
micro-facial treatments give you all the benefits of micro-dermabrasion PLUS
the benefits of deeper penetration, reducing sun damage, wrinkles, skin discolorations,
acne, facial veins, wrinkles and more! Micro-dermabrasion,
is a very superficial skin treatment that removes only a few cell layers of
outer skin. It requires
a lifetime of treatments that can cost more in the long run.
Dermabrasion (not the same as micro-dermabrasion)
is a true medical procedure and must be done under general anesthesia! It
is only done by medical doctors and removes deep layers of skin which may
be useful for those with deep acne scars and very deep wrinkles. It requires
long recovery times similar to the older CO2
laser. Remember, Dermabrasion is not
the same as micro-dermabrasion.
Safer than CO2 laser skin resurfacing or Dermabrasion! Dermabrasion & CO2 Laser facial resurfacing (including older style aggressive erbium lasers) downside is beefy red, raw skin surface that lasts for weeks and requires lots of care, fear, weeks to months of recovery and missed work, leisure-time, high cost - including the laser doctor, outpatient surgi-center, anesthesia doctor and other hidden costs (many thousands of $$$). In contrast, our Anti-Aging Skin Rejuvenation & Resurfacing Treatments are powerful, go deep, tighten your skin, reduce wrinkles, remove many of your imperfections, resurface your skin, are long lasting, require no IV anesthesia, less downtime and will cost less! You can accomplish the look you are after with little downtime and discomfort by one or a combination of our lasers as compared to older resurfacing lasers (CO2 and older erbium) and dermabrasion. We feature our MediDerm® Erbium laser (for laser skin resurfacing) alone or in combination with our Nd:YAG laser (LASER INFO), and laser-like pulsed light to reduce wrinkles, discolorations, spider veins, and smooth the skin. We continue treatment until you are satisfied! [ VIEW VIDEO Click here ]
Do
you want a more natural appearance ?
If
you have unwanted hair, facial wrinkles, flushing, rosacea
(redness), sun damage, sun/age/liver spots, acne, broken capillaries
(telangiectasia), hemangiomas (abnormal blood vessels), freckles, varicose
veins, spider veins, flat birth marks, scars and warts, and want tightening
of the skin, with a more natural and rejuvenated appearance, you
are a candidate for our gentle treatments.
Feel free to
contact us for any of your concerns at (727) 446-3346.
[Top]
What
To Expect At Your Consultation
Meet with Dr. Battista so that
you and the doctor can mutually decide what you need to make your skin and
face look more natural and rejuvenated. We have a full range of therapies.
Whatever you decide, clear instructions are provided on what to do prior to
your first treatment.
While tanned people can be treated, you will be asked to avoid the sun, block
the sun with clothing and hats, and use sunscreen or sunblock (at least SPF
30). Complications are greater, and more treatments are needed, for sun-exposed
and tan skin. Dr. Battista will discuss your personal and family health, review
any medical records, examine your skin, and explain to you what can be treated. You
will receive pre- and post-treatment instructions.
If light/laser is used, a test patch may be done on the same day. The test patch will cover a sample area of skin that will be treated. Dr. Battista will inform you on approximately how many treatments will be needed. After the test patch area has been examined by the doctor, you will start treatments.
How
is Laser Therapy Performed?
We have a
full range of therapies to make your skin look good. Your
comfort is important to us. If light/laser is used, a Zimmer® chiller
"numbs" your skin with natural cool air. The laser hand piece is
placed over the area to be treated. A flash of light is directed at
the skin to eliminate blemishes, wrinkles, hair or any other skin target(s),
and to begin your solution to a more natural appearance!
Remember, multiple conditions can be treated simultaneously with our
laser (and laser-like)
systems used in combination! The
initial treatment will determine your skin's tolerance for further treatments.
Treatment schedules depend on the skin condition(s) treated.
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Recovery
time
Almost no time is lost
from work or play so you may resume most normal activities after treatment!
Your skin may have mild swelling
or be red after light/laser treatment which will subside in 1-2 days. Please,
protect the treated
area from sunlight (including shade!) by using clothing,
sunscreen or sunblock (at least SPF 30).
Avoid tanning beds. Any
questions, or problems, please call Dr. Battista.
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Risks
& Complications of Laser/Light and skin Therapies
Most people follow our
simple post procedure guidelines, ask questions and avoid problems. However,
even with the utmost care by you and the doctor, rare complications can occur
include blistering, slight bleeding,
and transient hypo- or hyper-pigmentation (lightened or darkened areas of
skin) which resolve with time. Very rarely, pigmentation problems may
last for months before normal skin color returns and hypertrophic skin (excessive
healing of the skin) may very rarely occur.
[Top]
Summary
Your questions about skin
care and reaching your goal of a more natural appearance are welcome. Please
discuss them with Dr. Battista.
In summary:
Do
you want a more natural appearing face and skin?
Dr. Battista offers a full line of treatments to accomplish
that result. Over 20 years experience, board certified, he and his staff
are dedicated to treating the whole person. Have that experience help
you. For more information about our skin and hair treatments,
click here.
Pulsed
light and laser? Our state-of-the-art
systems (Pulsed Light, Nd:YAG laser, and MediDerm® Erbium Laser) are
based on emitting high intensity pulses of light to penetrate the skin
and eliminate your skin and hair problems. The systems can be used individually
and in combination for a faster response!
Can
everyone have your treatments? Almost everybody can! (Except
pregnant patients, severely sick or immuno-compromised patients).
What skin conditions
respond to your treatments? Our treatments are capable
of hair removal, diminishing or eliminating age, sun or liver spots
(lentigines), wrinkles (rhytids), facial or body flushing and redness
(rosacea) broken capillaries (telangiectasia), hemangiomas (abnormal
blood vessels), freckles, minor sun damage, varicose veins, spider veins,
acne, warts, dark bumps on the face, raised scars, tightening the skin
and more!
VIDEOS & PICTURES of Treatments - CLICK HERE
Menu for detailed info - click choice below:
Intro
- "Our Cosmetic Treatments" LASER &
COSMETIC MEDICINE
Care of the skin
Anti-aging treatment
Laser resurfacing
Skin tightening
Acne
Wrinkle reduction
VEINS - spider, face,
leg
Cosmetic Laser
& Laser-like info
Hair removal
Price comparisons
Videos & Pictures
©2005-10 JOHN M. BATTISTA, M.D. All rights reserved
JOHN
M. BATTISTA, M.D.
561 DUNCAN AVENUE SOUTH
CLEARWATER, FL 33756
(727) 446-3346
Dermabrasion (not the
same as micro-dermabrasion) is a true medical procedure and must be done under
general anesthesia! It is only done by medical doctors and removes deep layers
of skin which may be useful for those with deep acne scars and very deep wrinkles.
It requires long recovery times similar to the older CO2
laser. Remember, Dermabrasion is not
the same as micro-dermabrasion. (BACK
to your reading)