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WILTED BY WINTER WEATHER ? USEFUL TIPS TO MAINTAIN YOUR GLOWING YOUTHFUL APPEARANCE

Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

You have packed away your flip flops and Daisy Dukes and pulled out your boots, long sweaters, leggings and warm winter coats; but did you remember change up your skincare routine?  This is the time of year when patients flood the skin rejuvenation suite in Dr. Castillo’s Savoy location, desperately looking for solutions to their concerns of suddenly seeing more wrinkles and sagging, dull, flaking, even red and irritated skin. With a few simple changes recommended in their skincare evaluation, they are re-united with the soft, supple skin they work so diligently all year to achieve.

4982The unfavorable changes winter brings is often due to a drop in humidity, not only outdoors but indoors as well.  When we get exposed to the cold, windy, dry air, our first reaction is to rush inside and crank up the thermostat or jump a steaming hot shower. Unfortunately these “feel good” reactions de-hydrate our skin even more, causing our skin to look even more wilted.

Dry, winter weather can really pack a wallop.  Before you know it, dry air and harsh elements can heighten the appearance of wrinkles, and crepiness, flaking and loss of radiance.  Who wants to wake up with these changes right before the holiday gathering season?  Not me!  This calls for some simple changes in your everyday skincare routine to maintain your youthful, supple, radiant appearance.

I recently stayed in a lovely hotel for a few days in one of the more blustery weather states. I woke up after the second night feeling as if my face might actually crack in half.  True statement! My face felt dry, tight, rough, irritated and what’s worse… I looked as if I had aged 10 years over night!  NOT what I was hoping to get out of my vacation!  Well, I decided instantly that I was not going down without a fight! After all, I am a skincare specialist!

I immediately took some successful precautions to help return my skin to its normal condition.

  • I kept my hotel room temperature at 67 degrees – higher temperatures will cause dry skin.
  • Avoided hot showers that feel so good in cold weather – again causes dry skin.
  • Added a humidifier to add moisture to the room
  • Increased my water intake
  • Loaded up on my skin barrier protecting moisturizer
  • Continued to apply my medical grade, broad-spectrum sunscreen. Remember that the combination of winter sun along with snow glare can really damage your skin.

Making an appointment to speak with a trained skincare specialist in your local cosmetic plastic surgeons office will be time well spent.  You will receive information that will be hard to find at your local store counter.  A skincare specialist will be able to analyze your skin, review your current product regimen and suggests the simple adjustments you will need to make to look your best all winter long!

Yours Truly,

Roxanne Hammond, Skincare and Laser Specialist Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Center

Roxanne Grace
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM

800-252-7123 (within IL)
217-359-7508 Savoy (Champaign-Urbana)

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Posted in Facelift, Non-Surgical Treatments, Products, Skincare & Aging, Uncategorized | No Comments »

How To Revive Your Skin After a Little R & R

Tuesday, August 19th, 2014

 

cosmetic plastic surgery, skin rejuvenation, medical spa champaign il, Kankakee, decatur Ahhhh vacation! There is nothing like a summer vacation to re-charge your body and mind and take a much-needed break from the demands of daily life.  Even though you return relaxed and ready to head back into the rat race, vacation often has the opposite effect on your skin.  I see a lot of concerned patients in the Skin Rejuvenation Suite at Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Center once they return from their summer vacation destination. Long flights and changes in climate can dehydrate your skin making it even more susceptible to sun damage and other environmental stressors.  Too much sun, too many sugary Pina Coladas on the beach, not enough exercise, or sunscreen and skipped skincare regimens may not help your case either.

So how can you revive your skin after a little R &R?

EXFOLIATE: Use an exfoliating cleansers and buff puff on your face, neck, décolleté to remove dry, dead skin cells that leave your skin looking dull and flaky.  Dead cells can even decrease the effectiveness of your skincare products.  Use a salt or sugar and coconut oil body scrub to exfoliate the rest of your body. After exfoliating, your skin will be ready for re-hydration.

As long as you are not sporting a sunburn, you might even consider scheduling a exfoliating microdermabrasion treatment at you local plastic surgeons office.  Within 30 minutes, your skin will look brighter and feel smoother. Dr. Castillo’s patient’s tell me that microdermabrasion in our office leaves them feeling so relaxed they feel like they have just a had a min-vacation.  You can even top off your treatment with a rejuvenating, hydration mask.

4311♦RE-HYRATE:  Apply an at home moisture mask to your face, neck, décolleté every two-three days for the first week after your vacation then follow with your moisturizer.  Apply coconut oil to the rest of your body.  If you are looking for a quicker fix than your home regimen can provide, Dr. Castillo or your local plastic surgeon will have effective solutions to boost your skin radiance.  ♦Increase your water consumption.

♦PROTECT: Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from further damage.  Re-apply as needed.

**Remember to increase your water consumption, and consider investing in UV rated clothing and a wide-brimmed hat prior to your next trip.

 

♥Yours Truly,

 

Roxanne Grace
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM

800-252-7123 (within IL)
217-359-7508 Savoy (Champaign-Urbana)

 

 

 

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Posted in Microdermabrasion, Non-Surgical Treatments, Patient Advocacy, Products, Skincare & Aging, Sun Protection, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Doctor Approved: How To Minimize Bruising After Dermal Filler Injections

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

Create balance with dermal fillers. Lasts upto 18 months.

Dermal fillers such as Voluma, Perlane, Juvaderm, Restylane or Radiesse are one of the most popular non-surgical solutions to improve aging skin. Dr. Castillo’s patients choose dermal fillers because it is a great way to increase volume in areas where the aging process has deflated their lips, cheeks, temples, or lower lids.  It is a quick way to fill in unwanted lines around the mouth and face to restore a more smooth, youthful appearance.

Though this treatment is not a facelift by any means, dermal fillers have made a place for themselves in the world of beauty enhancement and anti-aging.  Even though dermal fillers cannot provide the results of a facelift, they are at the height of their popularity today and their use is growing by leaps and bounds.

I think their increase in popularity has much to do with the idea of how they are marketed.  They are often referred to as a “no down-time” treatment in comparison to a facelift which does require a brief down time.You can have this treatment done on a free afternoon.  Dr. Castillo typically injects a local anesthetic to assure that you are comfortable during the procedure. You will be numb and have difficulty speaking for 2-4 hours after the treatment due to the localized numbing. Most people are ready to be seen socially by the next day.

While some patients can experience minor bruising or swelling, these side effects can be minimized or avoided with a little bit of preparation before their treatment.

     •  EXPEREINCE is Key!

Here is where preparation begins.  Do your homework.  Injecting dermal fillers within or under the skin is not as easy as it seems and far from a cookie cutter treatment.  You will be best served seeking a board certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon’s office.  They have the detailed training, expertise and experience to achieve your desired results.  Also keep in mind that on the rare chance that an adverse reaction could occur, you want to choose an injector who is qualified and experienced enough to recognize and treat your reaction. There is a multitude of decisions to be made and you want to make sure your injector is qualified to make them…

1.    Is this patient a good candidate for dermal filler?

2.    Which type of dermal filler should be used?

3.    How deep should the filler be placed?

4.    Which anatomical areas should be avoided?

5.    Which is injection technique is best or this case?

  • DISCONTINUE “BLOOD THINNERS” one week prior to your treatment.

Dr. Castillo recommends discontinuing all aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), NSAIDS / blood thinners one week prior when possible, for his patients.  This will significantly reduce your chances for bruising. Blood thinners delay the coagulation process that would normally occur after an injection. This may result unwanted bruising. Over-the-counter medications such as Aspirin, Ibuprophen, Advil, Aleve, Motrin would fall under this category along with a number of vitamins and supplements such as fish oil, Vitamin E, St. John’s Wart and Primrose oil.  If you need to take mediation for discomfort, OTC Tylenol can be used.

  • AVOID STRENUOUS EXERCISE

Strenuous exercise can prolong your symptoms and is best avoided for the first 48 hours after your dermal filler.

  • APPLY A COLD COMPRESS

If swelling occurs, applying a cold compress to the treated area can help reduce swelling more quickly. It can help for the first 12 hours after treatment, but should not be used beyond 24 hours after your treatment.

If you have further questions about dermal filler solutions, schedule an appointment with Dr. Castillo 217-359-7508 or leave your questions in the blog comment box.

 

Yours truly,

 

Roxanne Grace
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM

800-252-7123 (within IL)
217-359-7508 Savoy (Champaign-Urbana)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in BOTOX® Cosmetic & Dermal Fillers, Facial Surgery, Non-Surgical Treatments, Skincare & Aging, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Ask Our Expert – Will My Nose Get Smaller?

Tuesday, June 17th, 2014

Question:  I had Rhinoplasty two weeks ago.  Will my nose get smaller over time?

Answer: Dear reader, I would first encourage you to speak with your plastic surgeon regarding your concerns as he will be able to best answer your questions as your surgeon.  However, in general, two weeks is definitely too short of a time period to make any kind of decisions as to what the final outcome will be from your nose surgery.  Six to Eight weeks after surgery, you will be better able to evaluate the nasal dorsum. Ittakes time for swelling to settle down and for the nose to take its shape.

Rest assured that your nose will continue to change for up to one year post-surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

G.D. Castillo, M.D., FACS

COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER

Become a Facebook Fan of CPS @  http://www.facebook.com/pages/CosmeticPlasticSurgery
https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com
800-252-7123 (within IL)
217-359-7508 Savoy (Champaign-Urbana)

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Posted in Rhinoplasty | 1 Comment »

ASK OUR EXPERT – Can the general mass of my nose be made smaller?

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Q:  Can you tell me if the general mass of my nose be made smaller by the photos I have enclosed?

 

A: There seem to be two things that are quite obvious, the first one is that there is a greater width at the base of the nose (the radix) and the second one is that there is an obvious disconnect between the bony nose and the cartilaginous nose, that is between the top and the bottom half of the nose.  When the transition between the cartilaginous and bony nose is quite sharp, there is an unsettling disconnect of the nose that nasal surgery can correct by narrowing the bony pyramid of the nose.  The cartilaginous portion of the nose can be tailored at the same time to fit onto the bony nasal dorsum.

Rhinoplasty is one of the most popular procedures performed in my champaign, cosmetic plastic surgery facility today and is one of the most rewarding for our patients. Should you choose to have a consultation for further assessment, we can review before and after photos of real patients with issues similar to yours to give you some idea of the type of results that are generally achieved with a rhinoplasty.

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

G.D. Castillo, M.D. FACS

Director of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Center

www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com

 

 

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Posted in Rhinoplasty | 1 Comment »

ASK OUR EXPERT: Why is breast fat transplantation more expensive than implants?

Friday, May 16th, 2014

QUESTION:  Why is it that breast augmentation through fat transplantation is more expensive than breast augmentation done with implants? 

ASWER:  In order to augment the breast with implants, one needs only to select a desired volume for the implant, place the implant in a pocket, typically created behind the pectoral muscle and…voila…there is a new breast in the size the person always dreamed of. 

In contrast, augmentation of breasts with fat transplantation is quite laborious.  The surgeon needs to first harvest the fat via liposuction.  Then the harvested fat must be prepared for transplantation.  Once prepared, the fatty tissue is carefully and strategically placed in many areas throughout the whole breast in order to accomplish a relatively small increase in breast size of approximately 3-4 ounces.  This procedure is time consuming for the surgeon because he/she needs to place this fat through many repetitious passes with a special instrument that deposits the fat within the tissue in small amounts and allows it to be able to be incorporated by the breast into living tissue. 

Therefore, the operative time for a regular augmentation through implants is approximately 1-1/2 hours, while to do a breast augmentation through fat transplantation, the operative time required is approximately 3-1/2 hours.  So the procedure becomes longer and more expensive for both the surgeon and the patient.  In addition, for a patient looking for larger volume improvement like that produced by breast implants, https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com/cosmetic-surgery/breast-enlargement.cfm  the procedure would need to be repeated several times in order to accomplish a larger volume.

 G. D. Castillo, MD, FACS

Director of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

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Posted in Ask Our Expert, Body Procedures, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Ask Our Expert: Why are more breast augmentations done with implants rather than fat transplantation?

Friday, May 16th, 2014

 

QUESTION:  If fat transplantation can be used for breast augmentation, why is it that its done only in a few cases and most cases of breast augmentation are done with implants?

 

ANSWER:  Breast augmentation with fat transplantation has some limitations and those limitations have to do with:

 

  1. Availability of fat – one needs to have a fair amount of fatty tissue in order to harvest it from the area, while at the same time, contouring that area and creating  a pleasing shape.  Then the harvested fat needs to be transplanted into the breast tissue and incorporated into the breast tissue.  Fat is incorporated into the breast tissue at a slow rate (see #2).
  2. Large volume increase – the idea that during a single procedure of fat transplantation one can change the breast shape to be much larger is not quite possible.  It is not possible because fat needs to be incorporated as living tissue in the breast.  In order for this to happen, it needs to be placed in small amounts in multiple places so that the existing tissue develops new blood vessel circulation and incorporates this fatty tissue as normal living tissue.  For practical purposes, the breast can only be augmented by approximately 4 ounces per breast.  This is a smaller change than most people would like to have. 
  3. Cost – while one can increase the size of the breast in a very significant way with a single trip to surgery and the placement of saline or silicone implants, in order to accomplish the same thing with fat one would need to have several sessions of fat transplantation over a period of time in order to accomplish the same volume.

 

G.D. Castillo, M.D. FACS
Breast Augmentation Expert

 

 

 

 

 

G. D. Castillo, MD, FACS

Director of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com/cosmetic-surgeon/

 

 

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ASK OUR EXPERT: FAT TRANSPLANTATION

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

 

Question:  Can Dr. Castillo take fat from my hips or stomach and put it into my breasts? 

Answer: The short answer to that question is yes; though, it is not as simple as it sounds. 

Fat transplantation to the breasts has been done for many years, starting in earnest around the mid 1980’s by many cosmetic surgeons. At that time, we did not have answers to important questions like:

  1. What, if any changes would fat create in breast tissue?
  2. Will these changes be misdiagnosed as disease and/or cancer in the future?

  Due to the lack of information available at that time, the use of fat transplantation to increase breast volume was never truly accepted or recommended.  However, early results indicated that it did work.

 Today we know that we can remove fat from anywhere in the body and transplant it to anywhere in the body with results that will accomplish

  1. an increase in volume
  2. an improvement in the skinFor example, if fat is transplanted underneath scar tissue, the scar tissue tends to remodel and turn into better skin.  In so far as increasing volume, fat transplantation needs to be done with quite a bit of care and by an experienced surgeon because if fat is placed in large lump quantities,  not only will the procedure be ineffective but it  is likely to create issues. Fat needs to be transplanted in very small amounts and in many areas within the breast and surrounding tissue in order to accomplish an increase in the volume of the breast. We can increase the volume of the breasts by approximately 120 cubic centimeters maximum. This is related to a limitation with the rate in which the body will incorporate this fat into the tissue. Fat that is placed in a new area needs to be colonized by small blood vessels and made into living tissue in whatever area it was transplanted.  This can only happen when it is transplanted in small amounts that are small enough to be able to be sustained by the microcirculation of the area.

Fat transplantation is best utilized for patients who are seeking small adjustments to their breast proportions.  If you desire to go from an A to a C cup size breast, fat transplantation will not give you your desired outcome.  To increase breast volume in a more significant way is better accomplished with breast implants. https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com/cosmetic-surgery/breast-enlargement.cfm.

G.D. Castillo, M.D., FACS

Director of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com/cosmetic-surgeon/

 

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Posted in Ask Our Expert, Breast, Breast Enlargement, Liposuction, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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