• SA Bodysculpting
• Laser Vein Treatment
• Laser Hair Removal
• Synergie Cellulite Treatment
• Hair Transplant
• HGH
• Testosterone Replacement
• Mesotherapy
• Breast Augmentation
• Breast Lift

SA Bodysculpting back to top

What is SA Bodysculpture?

SA Bodysculpture uses a modified combination treatment solution. This is an advanced technique of permanently removing excess fat deposits in areas that are resistant to diet and exercise. It is called tumescent (which means to "swell") because the physician fills and swells the fatty areas to be removed with large volumes of special solution before the procedure. This solution completely numbs the area due to the effect of local anesthetic, therefore general anesthesia or heavy intravenous sedation is not required. At the same time, a substance called epinephrine constricts the blood vessels, reducing bleeding to negligible amounts. Fatty deposits are then removed using small straw-like tubes called cannulas connected to a large bulb syringe. It is called bodysculpture because the trained physician is able to artistically sculpt the body into a new shape using delicate instruments. Besides the obvious increased safety of the procedure being performed totally under local anesthesia there are other significant benefits. You can cooperate with the physician by changing position so the areas can be more easily seen and multiple areas can be treated during the same session. Plus the finer instruments that are used in the tumescent bodysculpture technique allow the physician to target specific areas with accuracy and control never before possible.

Please feel free to view our before and after gallery.  You can click on the picture to enlarge.

 

Laser Vein Treatment back to top

Spider veins, or “starbursts,” are so named because these tiny veins just beneath the skin often radiate out from a central point, reminiscent of the shape of a spider. They may also appear as fine, separate lines, as a web-like maze, or as “branches” from a single “trunk” of a tree-shaped form. Spider veins can develop on any part of the body, including the face, thighs, calves, and ankles.

Although their exact cause is unknown, it is known that spider veins are related to abnormal blood flow in the affected veins. Any condition or activity that puts pressure on leg veins (e.g., gaining weight and sitting or standing for long periods of time), can contribute to their development. In women, spider veins often appear during pregnancy. Other contributing factors include sustaining an injury in the affected area, taking medications that affect hormones, such as birth control pills, advanced age, and a family history of spider veins. Spider veins on the nose or face, which typically appear as unsightly red or pink clusters, may also be related to overexposure to the sun.

Treatment Choices for Spider Veins of the Legs

The two options for spider vein treatment are sclerotherapy and laser. They can be employed independently or in combination.

Sclerotherapy (spider vein injection)

Sclerotherapy involves injecting a liquid agent through a tiny needle directly into your spider veins, causing them to contract and collapse. This procedure is best suited for medium to large spider veins because it relies upon fitting a tiny needle into a tiny vein. The procedure is performed in the office by a plastic surgeon or nurse and is relatively painless. Depending on the number of spider veins, the procedure may require five minutes to one hour. Afterward, you will wear ace bandages or compression hose for three to ten days as recommended by your plastic surgeon. You may resume sedentary activities immediately but should avoid exercise, hot baths and alcohol for two to three days. You should anticipate 50% improvement in spider veins following each sclerotherapy session. Expect that two to six sclerotherapy sessions at one to two month intervals may be necessary to achieve your desired results. Understand that some spider veins may never be successfully treated through sclerotherapy.

Laser treatment of spider veins

During laser treatment, a laser is applied to the skin over your spider veins. Laser energy causes your spider veins to coagulate and shrink. Laser therapy is most effective for small and medium size spider veins. Large spider veins respond poorly and are best treated with sclerotherapy. You are likely to experience mild discomfort similar to having a small rubber band snapping against skin. Treatments usually do not require sedatives, pain medications, or injections of local anesthetic.

Immediately following treatment, spider veins will be darker and more visible. Over two to six weeks, your spider veins usually fade. After each treatment, you will see a 70% to 80% improvement in the appearance of face spider veins and 30-40% improvement in leg spider veins. An average of three treatments will be required at three-month intervals to produce desired results. Combination therapy can be considered and beneficial if you have small, medium and large spider veins. You may wish to start with sclerotherapy, because sometimes all veins will be improved after injecting the larger ones. This may reduce the number of veins that need to be treated by laser and minimize your overall cost.

Spider Veins of the Face

A patient with spider veins in the face will usually choose to have laser therapy rather than sclerotherapy. Laser treatment may cause minor bruising that usually improves within a week, but often, recovery is immediate. Two to four treatments may be required to achieve your desired result. Immediately following treatment, you may apply makeup for a presentable appearance

Laser Hair Removal back to top

One of the biggest advancements in recent years has been the use of lasers to treat unwanted hair that people may have. In as little as four to seven treatments, our laser removes unwanted hair from any area of the body with the exception of underneath the brow. Through a series of treatments patients are finally able to get rid of unwanted hair that previously had to be done by repeated waxing treatments, tweezing and painful electrolysis. The laser works by emitting a gentle beam of energy that passes through the skin into the hair follicle. The overriding concept is that hair growth may be reduced, both temporarily and permanently, by light based treatment. We only use an ND:YAG laser at our facility. The great thing about the ND:YAG laser is that it is safe for all skin types and can even be used on darker skin. Because only a portion of hair follicles are subject to destruction at any one time, hair removal requires multiple treatments in order to be successful.  The technique of hair removal includes a number of important factors.  One of the most important is the need for cooling of the skin.  Cooling the skin allows the treatment to proceed at a higher fluency with less pain and less chance of burning the skin.  The area must be clean shaven prior to treatment also. The clean shaving surface allows the photons to be absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle beneath the epidermis and avoids vaporizing the external hair, which causes a heat build-up and superficial burns of the skin.  For certain areas such as the underarms, bikini line and upper lip we apply a topical anesthetic to make the treatment more comfortable for the patient.

Synergie Cellulite Treatment back to top

What Can Synergie do for you?

Over the years, many have claimed "miracle" cures for cellulite, but nothing has proven effective - until now.  The Synergie Aesthetic Massage System, is the ultimate solution for reducing cellulite.  Synergie AMS, uses revolutionary vacuum massage technology proven to improve the appearance of the skin while improving circulation.  Synergie AMS finally provides the solution millions of women have been seeking. 

Does Synergie for Cellulite Work?

A 1998 study conducted by two noted plastic surgeons confirmed the efficacy of Synergy AMS with 91% of the women treated reporting significant reduction in the appearance of cellulite, and 100% achieving a reduction in circumferential measurement.  More importantly, since Synergie was introduced in 1998, thousands of women across the country have experienced similar results.

Hair Transplant back to top

For many men hair loss will be inevitable.  Roughly 80% of men will experience some amount of balding, with a noticeable change in appearance.  Many men (and women) become increasingly self conscious as their hair begins to become progressively thinner and eventually dies altogether. Most often hair loss is not caused by an illness, but simply by a genetic trait.  It begins most often in middle age, but can start as early as the teens.  It can also skip generations. There are several treatments available for restoring a natural looking head of hair.  The most common is the hair transplant or hair restoration.  In a hair transplant, the doctor removes hair follicles from a different part of the body (usually the back of the scalp) and grafts them onto the area of balding or thinning hair. Micrografts (hairs of 1, 2 or 3 hairs) and mini-grafts (grafts of 4 or more hairs) are frequently placed just behind the hairline  to build up hair density.  For more detailed information about this procedure, please call our office to schedule your FREE consultation with Dr. Sant Antonio.

HGH (Human Growth Hormone) back to top

Aging takes place at a more rapid pace when your hormones start to decline.  Once your hormones start to decrease, your body starts to change as well.  You tend to gain weight easier, you're not as athletic, you tend to be more up-tight about things, depressed more frequently – these are all signs that your hormone levels are beginning to drop.  Natural hormones are protective and aging is related to the loss of these hormones.  Replacing the hormones to youthful levels delays the aging process. Deficiency of Human Growth Hormone has also been associated with fatigue, poor muscle development, lack of drive and initiative, decreased endurance and strength, sagging breasts, sagging abdomen and poor self esteem.  Without a doubt, Human Growth Hormone can counter these adverse effects.  All major studies have documented these improvements in body composition and function. If you are serious about starting an anti-aging program, remember that all good programs consist of discipline and commitment in five major areas: HGH replacement, proper diet, nutrition, exercise and sleep.

Testosterone Replacement back to top

There is a gradual decline in the level of testosterone in all men as they age.  This natural decline starts around age 30 and continues through life.  Many men however, experience a lack of testosterone production sufficient to result in significant symptoms.  This will have applied to approximately 50% of men by the time they reach age 55. Testosterone is the hormone produced by the testicles.  It is responsible for the proper development of male sexual characteristics.  It also modulates the dilation of the arteries, promoting the circulation of blood and is responsible for the maintenance of muscle bulk.  Without an adequate testosterone level there can be important psychological effects such as loss of libido (low sex drive) reduced brain and intellectual activity and mood changes. Low levels of testosterone may result in an increase in central and upper body fat, a decline in the amount of muscle in the body and a decline in strength.  Osteroporosis which may lead to hip and spinal fractures may also occur.  The bone marrow is less active and produces less hemoglobin and red blood cells which transport oxygen around the body.  Lack of testosterone can also be a cause of high cholesterol levels.  Depressed mood, anxiety and problems associated with concentration and memory are associated with low levels of testosterone.  Heart disease may also be linked to low testosterone levels. The aim of treatment is to normalize the low level of testosterone in the blood stream by returning the blood testosterone level to a more  “youthful” level.   Side effects are rare as it is the deficiency of testosterone that causes the symptoms.  While there is no evidence to suggest that testosterone replacement therapy causes prostate cancer, it should never be given to patients who already have prostate cancer.  Tests for the presence of prostate cancer must always be undertaken prior to treatment.

Mesotherapy back to top

Mesotherapy is by far the most successful of all current cellulite treatments available today. Mesotherapy, as seen on 48 Hours and 20/20, is used for cellulite reduction, spot weight reduction, and skin rejuvenation. Mesotherapy is a safe, non-invasive procedure used to get rid of cellulite, improve skin tones, and decrease wrinkles. For the right candidate, mesotherapy can be an excellent alternative to tumescent liposuction, the safest form of liposuction. Mesotherapy is for men and women and is an exciting specialty in Aesthetic Medicine. It has revolutionized the treatment of fat and cellulite, giving dramatic results without surgery. By using microinjections of conventional and/or homeopathic medications, plant extracts, vitamins and nutrients, we can now target specific hard to reduce areas of the body.

Breast Augmentation back to top

Augmenation mammoplasty, or breast enlargement is a surgical procedure that can enhance the size and improve the shape of a woman's breast. If you feel  your breasts are too small, or if you feel you need a balance in breast size, or if you need to correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy, then a breast enlargement procedure may be right for you.  Although improvement is a reasonable expectation of breast enlargement, perfection is not. Remember that breast enlargement is a surgical procedure and as such carries with in an element of risk.  Although, Dr. Sant Antonio is a talented surgeon, sometimes complications do occur.  The most common problem occurs when the scar capsule surrounding the implant begins to tighten, causing the breast to feel hard.  This problem can be corrected through surgery or removal or replacement of the implant. There are two types of implants - gel-filled and saline solution filled.  Before your surgery, Dr. Sant Antonio will help you decide which type of implant is best for you.  It is not unheard of for an implant to rupture or break.  If breakage occurs in a saline filled implant, the implant will empty and your body will harmlessly absorb the solution.  If a gel-filled implant breaks, two things may occur: the gel may stay within the scar capsule without you detecting any change, or if the scar capsule ruptures as well, then the gel collects in a new area of the breast or it spreads to other parts of the body.  In some cases, it may be impossible to remove all the gel that has leaked out.  Both saline and gel implant ruptures may necessitate a second operation. The incision for a breast implant is usually made around the dark skin the surrounds the nipple. It can also be made in the underarm or the crease where the breast meets the chest.  The tissue is then lifted to make a pocket, and an implant is inserted underneath the chest muscle or behind the breast tissue alone.  The surgery normally takes about 2-3 hours. The patient follows a minimal activity regimen for 2 weeks and slowly increases their activity so they are back to normal 4 weeks after their breast enlargement.

Before and After:

Breast Lift back to top

The cumulative effects of gravity, pregnancy, and nursing can cause a woman's breasts to lose shape and sag.  Mastopexy , or a breast lift can re-shape sagging breasts.  The procedure will take the flattened tissue and place it more into a cone shape, to give not only a lift, but also better projection.  Although there are numerous benefits to a breast lift, remember that these benefits are temporary.  No surgery can counteract the effects of gravity permanently. Women who have experienced a loss in breast volume due to age, pregnancy or nursing or genetics may find a breast lift beneficial.  Women who seek improvement over perfection may find the procedure beneficial as well.  Women who plan to have more children however, should postpone their breast lift until after they are through nursing their last child.  Pregnancy would counteract any benefits gained from the breast lift. During a breast lift, first the new location for the nipple is made by an incision in the breast.   Excess skin is removed and the nipple and areola (dark skin surrounding the nipple) are moved to a new location.  The nipple is always left attached to the breast tissue to maintain as much nipple sensation as possible.  The breast is reshaped when the surrounding the areola is brought together and stitched into place.  The breast shape is maintained by placing sutures into the breast tissue.  Following the surgery, the patient needs to only have light activity for the first two weeks, but most return to normal activity by 4 weeks after surgery.