The holidays are a time to connect, to celebrate, to think beyond ourselves… so finding time for yourself can be hard to squeeze in when your calendar fills up with festive get-togethers. From family brunches to work parties, you’re already wondering what to wear and how to look your best – especially now that we’re all back to seeing each other in person again!

If you’re looking in the mirror and thinking, “Why didn’t I do something sooner?” no need to worry. A professional dermatologist has multiple options for skin treatments that will help you look and feel your best, with little to no downtime.

Not Just for Light Shows: Target the Trouble Spots with High-Tech Skin Lasers, Microneedling, and energy-based Devices

If you’re concerned about wrinkles, microneedling with or without radiofrequency is a good option to consider. Each procedure in this category functions a bit differently, but in general, these treatments address wrinkles, “age spots,” and uneven skin tone.

The technology prompts your skin’s healing power to increase collagen and elastin. Those proteins work together: collagen for strength and resilience, and elastin for flexibility (it’s why your skin ‘bounces’ back no matter how many funny faces you make!).  We tend to hear more about collagen, perhaps because 90% of the skin is made of collagen fibers with elastin making up the remaining 10%.

Both proteins decrease as we age, so any technique or tool that can stimulate the body to produce more can be helpful.

Brand names include SkinPen, Vivace RF, Intracel, Scarlet, and Agnes RF. You can also get similar results with IPL FotoFacial (Intense Pulsed Light) as well as with “intelligent lasers” like the Clear + Brilliant laser. (And many of these lasers also help with sagging skin.)

“I often recommend these procedures to my clients who have trips coming up, or a big event like a wedding or a college reunion,” says Dr. Andrew Menkes of The Menkes Clinic, a Golden State Dermatology Affiliate. “The perception is that all treatments like this will cause redness, irritation, even peeling skin, but that was old technology. With an experienced provider and the right procedure for your specific skin and health, you’ll have very few side effects.”

A Lift Just When You Need One

If you’re concerned about sagging skin, surgery and lasers aren’t the only solutions. You can see immediate and ongoing improvements with dermal fillers, such as Sculptra, a product beloved for its collagen-building effects that continue long after being injected.  All of our dermal fillers are FDA-approved for adding volume to the cheeks, chin, lips, and even more areas where desired.

Some areas may have shorter or longer periods for any swelling or minor bruising to subside depending on the area injected, but there’s still plenty of time to get the instant results that filler can offer in time for those holiday events!

Save the Red for Holiday Decorations, Not for Your Skin

If you’ve spent too much time in the sun, and now your skin is discolored, you don’t have to resort to wearing high-necked dresses or layers of makeup. Treatments like the Fraxel dual laser (a superficial Thulium laser treatment) can eliminate sun damage with less soreness than prior options. In just one or two treatments, you can improve pigmentation on the neck, chest, arms, and hands. And the laser is so precise it doesn’t harm nearby tissue.

Treatments Versus Procedures: When Less Can Be Just What You Need

Maybe your skin concerns are minimal, or perhaps you have time booked later in the year for a larger procedure but still want to look your best for the holidays. Some of our trusted and true cosmetic and aesthetician services like Botox, chemical peels, and facials are patient favorites—especially before special events.

• Facials are always a good idea for party prep! With new facial technologies, like HydraFacial, and SilkPeel, you get deep cleansing, exfoliation, and deep moisturization. You will glow immediately after your facial with zero downtime! (And facials make great gifts, too.)
• Chemical peels remove dead skin cells and activate new cell growth. They take less than half an hour to do! After treatment, the skin will peel for 3-7 days. So, with the right timing, you’ll have fresh glowing skin by the next get-together!
• Botox®, or our other brands of injectable neurotoxins, are quick ways to reduce frown lines or expression-caused wrinkles without any numbing required. At GSD we have highly-skilled, experienced injectors to get you the results you want. Results from our wrinkle-relaxing injectables can be seen within the first few days! You can usually head straight back to work afterward – or straight out to a holiday party!

Personalized Cosmetic Consultations

If you’re not sure what treatments or services will get you the results you’re after, no need to wonder! Our providers and cosmetic coordinators are available for consultations to make sure you get the treatments that suit you and your calendar of events best. 

Call your closest Golden State Dermatology location to book an aesthetic service or to learn more about which one is right for you.