Most of us don’t have unlimited funds to spend on our anti-aging treatments.  With that in mind, I’d like to suggest some tips to make your money go further.  I’m going to focus on my trifecta of the three things virtually all of us can benefit from to fight facial aging.  We’ll address them in the order that we generally recommend doing them.

Firstly, most of us of a certain age need Botox on the vertical frown lines, crow’s feet and horizontal forehead lines.  These wrinkles are caused by contraction of the muscles that we use to frown, squint and raise our eyebrows.  Inhibiting the muscle contractions with Botox improves the lines caused by those muscles for about 4 months.  If you’re trying to stretch your beauty bucks you can get Botox every 5 or 6 months instead of 4 months or take advantage of our Beauty Rewards program that offers Botox retreatments at a discount price.  Another tip is to time your Botox treatment a few weeks before the next anti-aging procedure because it will create a synergistic effect.

The second part of my trifecta of anti-aging treatments is what I refer to as a global collagen builder.  As we age, our dermis gradually gets thinner from loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid, the natural fillers present in our skin.  As a result, all of us need a treatment to thicken our dermis on our entire face to try to reverse the skin thinning and sagging that occurs with aging.  By creating micro-injuries in the dermis, we can trigger our skin’s wound repair mechanism to kick in and build new collagen.  Examples of these global collagen builders are Thermage, Ultherapy and micro needling.  Each method works well to improve skin texture, pores and wrinkles.  At a consultation we can determine which method would work best for you and your budget.

The third key component of an anti-aging plan is fillers.  The newest fillers last longer than the original first-generation fillers, so that helps make your beauty dollars go further.  By doing a global collagen building treatment on your entire face prior to doing fillers you will then not require as much filler as you would have otherwise.  Filler can just be used in strategic locations to fine tune the final results.

After the completion of your Botox treatment, collagen building procedure and filler injections, it’s important to use a collagen-stimulating skin care regimen at home to help prolong the effects of the overall treatment.  Even though the Botox and fillers are gradually wearing off, if you are continuing to build new collagen and thicken your dermis, your wrinkles won’t go back to baseline.  We can recommend a good home skin care program starting with a free photographic skin complexion analysis.  Your regimen will include potent antioxidants, peptides, retinol and growth factors tailored just for you.

To help you put together a complete skin rejuvenation plan, schedule a consultation with one of our highly experienced dermatologists, physician assistant or nurse practitioner.  All of us are here to help you achieve your best possible skin health and beauty.

To get the biggest bang for your buck, we have a new promotional program called BANK YOUR BUCKS to help you save money on skin rejuvenation in 2019.  For every $500 worth of SBA cosmetic services purchased from December 1st – December 14th  you will receive $100 of SBA Beauty Bucks to use on skin rejuvenation procedures.  The SBA Beauty Bucks must be used between December 17, 2018 and March 31, 2019.  Call today to schedule your appointment and earn your SBA Beauty Bucks to on the path toward healthy and beautiful skin!

Meet Suzanne Bruce, M.D.

©2017 Al Torres Photography Inc

Founded SBA in 1997

Dr. Bruce is President of Suzanne Bruce and Associates, P.A. She has been practicing dermatology since 1985. A graduate of Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine, she completed her dermatology residency training at Baylor. She is certified by the American Board of Dermatology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. She is a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Texas Dermatological Society, and Houston Dermatological Society. She is also a member of the Leaders Society of the Dermatology Foundation. Dr. Bruce is a former Vice President of the Texas Dermatological Society and a former President of the Houston Dermatological Society.

Dr. Bruce serves as a consultant and trainer for leading drug, cosmeceutical, and laser companies. She has been recognized for excellence by many organizations and publications, including Texas Monthly (voted a Super Doctor, 2005-2018), Houstonia (voted a Top Doctor, 2013), H Texas (voted a Top Doctor, 2014-2015, 2017), Living Magazine Ful-shear Edition (Best Dermatologist 2017) and Houston Woman Magazine (one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2009).