AFTER BOTOX

Dr. James W. Marsh has advice for that large segment of the population that’s moving from Botox to more involved procedures. “As the population ages,” he says, “a great number of people have been using Botox and fillers to forestall the signs of aging. Many of those people are now seeing a diminishing return on these types of minor corrections and are now considering surgery.” Unfortunately, too many prospective patients are uninformed and don’t know that “mini-surgeries” are available, he says. “In fact, a full facelift is usually not the first step.” Dr. Marsh strongly advises a consultation with a well-trained plastic surgeon.

PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE

As medical costs soar, patients are increasingly being denied coverage for crucial services by their insurance companies, warns Dr. Kenneth Andronico, medical director for Bellagio Medical Spa. In the face of potentially less coverage, Dr. Andronico stresses the importance of avoiding disease and maintaining excellent health. “Disease prevention is the key to America’s healthcare crisis,” he says. “Unfortunately, many doctors devote little, if any time to teaching patients about disease prevention, maintaining quality of life and the virtues of exercise and proper nutrition along with the importance of optimal hormonal balance in preserving vitality.” Longevity and regenerative medicine emphasizes the enhancement of health over the treatment of illness. Traditional medicine follows a “fix it when it breaks” or “diagnose and treat” approach, explains Dr. Andronico. At Bellagio Medical Spa, doctors focus on disease prevention, wellness and quality of life. These strategies include promoting optimal key hormone levels along with specific exercise and nutritional programs to lower body fat, increase muscle strength, reduce risk factors for illness and improve overall fitness.

LASER PRESENTATION

Sarasota’s own Dr. J. David Holcomb, an internationally recognized facial plastic and cosmetic laser surgeon, recently addressed international physicians at a Lutronic product launch seminar in Paris. In fact, Dr. Holcomb was the only American selected to speak at the seminar, which was held during the 17th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. Lutronic, a leading manufacturer of medical lasers, asked Dr. Holcomb to present a clinical comparison of two innovative systems. The latest generation in fractional laser technology offers faster and highly effective treatments for acne scarring, enlarged pores, increased pigment, sun damage and wrinkles—all with minimized downtime. “The combination of our medically advanced procedures and the Lutronic lasers assists me in achieving naturally beautiful results,” says Dr. Holcomb. “This is a vital element for my patients.”