Question:
I have many age spots on my forehead and cheeks. Otherwise I don’t look too bad for a 76-year-old grandpa. I would like to reduce the appearance of these pigmented spots. Can a chemical peel do this and what would the recovery time for a chemical peel be?

Answer:
There a many ways to treat brown spots, from topical creams such as hydroquinone, to q switched or fractional lasers, gentle IPL light treatments to fairly aggressive CO2 laser resurfacing. Chemical peels offer a one time relatively quick and inexspensive way to treat brown spots as well as mild sun damage and fine lines. While there are differing strengths of chemical peels, a medium depth peel would provide effective removal of most brown spots in one treatment. Downtime is typically 5 to 7 days. Patients can apply make-up if desired after one week, but typically will have some pink discoloration for about a month. By 6 weeks, patients should appreciate better skin and fewer brown spots.

The first step to determining if a chemical peel is right for your is scheduling a consultation with a board certified facial plastic surgeon. You can schedule your appointment by calling (317) 859-3810 or filling out the contact form here.

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Question:
I am a 42 year old mom of three. I don’t feel old, yet I feel like I constantly look exhausted. Does blepharoplasty help reduce darkness under the eyes?

Answer:
Blepharoplasty is an excellent procedure to take away the tired look of eyes. It involves removal of extra skin which cause the eyelids to look heavy as well as fat pockets which can make the eyes look puffy. Darkness in the eyelids is often due to shadowing from fat pockets, and this is improved with blepharoplasty. Darkness due to allergies, increased vascularity or skin thinness may only be partially improved. Other options for these causes include laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and topical medications such as Teamine. The first step to correcting tired eyes and eyelid darkness is to consult with a facial plastic surgeon.

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Question:
I’ve heard that Latisse can change the color of your eyes. Is this true regardless of color?

Answer:
Latisse is an FDA approved product to make eyelashes thicker, longer and darker. It has a very high safety record. One potential side effect is that it could cause brown discoloration of the iris of the eyes. We say “potential” because it has never been reported when using Latisse as prescribed. Eye darkening has only occurred when the medication is placed directly in the eye on a regular basis as it is when used to treat glaucoma. Users of Latisse should feel comfortable knowing that when properly used, the chance of eye darkening is very small if not zero.

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