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Schlessinger Eye & Face March Madness!!

Botox starting at $199 (normally $450)…Juvederm & Restylane starting at $499 (normally $650)…Microdermabrasion just $99 (normally $150)

*Entire month of march - free touch ups DO NOT APPLY*

Around this time of year, we can start to feel the effects of spending less time outdoors and the decrease in daylight hours. Our skin begins to really feel dry from the weather and the indoor heat. Are you feeling the Winter Blahs? You are not alone!

In addition to running a Special Event in my office in an effort to help you chase away those Winter Blahs and get you ready for Valentine’s Day, here’s a bit of advice on how to minimize the blues this winter.

Schlessinger Eye & Face Winter Blues Event

Aside from the pick-me-ups you can get in my office what are some other ways to combat the blues we feel from the long Winter?

• Keep up the exersize! Exersize is a great way to release those endorphins that make us feel good.
• Try to get out in the sun for 15-20 minutes a day. Some sun exposure can be beneficial as it is a great source of Vitamin D!
• Limit your alcohol intake. A glass of wine is fine but remember that too much alcohol disrupts your sleeping patterns and causes dehydration - not good for your skin!
• Drink plenty of water. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - water moisturizes your skin from the inside-out. Try to drink 24 ounces a day.
• Spend time with friends, especially those that make you laugh - a good laugh is the most fun way to do a crunch and work your abs.

After healthy living and good habits, what next? At Schlessinger Eye & Face, we will do our part to help you feel rejuvenated by offering some special Winter pick-me-ups including….

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light Photo Facial treatment) book 2, get second treatment at half price! A $900 value for only $675 through 2/28/2010 only

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) facial rejuvenation can correct or erase the signs aging. The IPL machine treats sun damage, brown spots, freckles, broken blood vessels, enlarged pores, rosacea and uneven skin tone on the face, hands and body. Following treatment, you will see smoother skin, smaller pore size and fading of sun spots. Rosacea, a common vascular problem, will show significant improvement.

Botox, Restylane, Juvederm $100 off of any of these injectables through 2/28/2010 only

Microdermabrasion 20% off. If you book a SERIES OF %, discount increases to 25%

A technique for gently exfoliating the topmost layer of your skin delivering immediate results for tighter, glowing, more beautiful skin. Microdermabrasion treatments for the face, neck and eye area combat the visible signs of aging and sun damage, reduce the appearance of enlarged pores and diminish fine lines, as well as sun and age spots. Microdermabrasion is a wonderful alternative to laser or chemical peels because it is non-invasive procedure that requires no downtime. Ideal results are achieved over a series of treatments (customized depending on skin type and condition) approximately two weeks apart. Following treatment you’ll see an immediate vibrant ‘glow’ to your complexion which gives way to an overall rejuvenation of your skin’s total health.

January is almost over and Spring is just around the corner!!!

Schlessinger Eye & Face Winter 2010

Got last minute notice today that a segment that I taped for The Today Show was about to air. This is a piece that features a friend (and patient) named Leslie Adler.

Take a look at this interesting piece that explores honesty in relationships and how much information we exchange with our partners versus keeping some information personal. Here, Leslie takes a day to go shopping and get a little Botox. She takes the position (as many of us do) that there is nothing wrong with avoiding the days’ events when it comes to her spouse.

Here’s the clip. What do you think? In my line of work I see many couples who do not share their visits to my office with one another, and incidentally, those are “secrets” that stay in the confines of the Doctor/Patient relationship. As I state in the segment, there have been instances when I see one spouse in the morning and the other in the afternoon and both ask me to keep their visits in confidence….a favor I will of course honor without even being asked.

Certain subjects like cosmetic injections, plastic surgery and a day of shopping are ones that people view differently. Sneaking new clothing items into the house may be more difficult than smuggling in your newly injected  Juvederm.

As far as your visits to your favorite boutique, I will leave that to you, but you can rest assured….your visits to Schlessinger Eye & Face are a secret that is safe with me!

Oh, and for the record, I am an Ophthalmologist specializing in Oculoplastic & Aesthetic Eyelid Surgery, NOT a Dermatologist as stated in the segment.

If you are interested in learning more about the exciting cosmetic injectable procedures BOTOX Cosmetic® & Juvéderm™ or if you want to learn more about how to enhance your overall cosmetic appearance, then my November 11th Seminar is for you….

BOTOX Cosmetic®, Juvéderm™ performed in the office - LIVE.

You can schedule an appointment for same-day Botox/Juvederm (if available) at substantial savings of 25%!!

Please call 516-496-2122. Seminar hours are 10:00am - Noon and breakfast is on me!

Hope to see you there!

Here I’m featured in a segment for FOX5 (aired Wednesday, October 28, 2008) about the health hazards of wearing contact lenses without a prescription.

David A. Schlessinger, M.D. appears on Fox 5

Today there was a piece in the New York Post in the “Pulse” section all about Bunny Lines. I love when a new phrase is coined by the media in an effort to identify a supposed condition or malady.

What are Bunny Lines you ask? Great question. In lay terms, they are the fine lines that begin to form around the area between the top (bridge) of your nose and the inner corners of your eyes. They are, in truth - present in many women, regardless of their experience with cosmetic injectable use using products such as Botox or Restalyne.

The presence of Bunny Lines should not be alarming to you if you suspect you have them. They are common and so easy to treat, but as I always say - each patient is different so you should be seen by a qualified physician with experience in this particular area.

Here are a few examples of Bunny Lines as seen in some very familiar faces. They may or may not have been previously treated with fillers or Botox - of this we cannot be sure, and none of these women are my patients but I will make my educated guesses….in the cases of the two women below, I would think that they have had Botox in the past, the application of which can help to accentuate your Bunnies or to completely remove them (temporarily), depending upon the skill level of your Doctor.

Bunny lines - do you have them? Have you grown attached or would you like to see them as they hop off into the distance? Give my office a call and we can discuss options

Best,

Dr. Dave

When discussing your lashes, how to grow them and some possible reasons for loss in fullness and length, we cannot ignore the possibility (and hopefully eliminating) the fact that a patient may have a condition that could be a contributing factor.

Enter your Thyroid, a small, hormone-secreting gland located in the lower part of your neck. This gland delivers energy to all of the cells in your body, so if there exists any type of malfunction, many symptoms can manifest.

The association between Thyroid disease and eye disease is well known. We can all picture Don Knotts and his bulgy eyes as a condition associated with an overactive Thyroid. However, the Thyroid gland controls many functions of the body. When women have hair loss of their head or eyelashes, an underactive Thyroid may be to blame.

The following is a small excerpt from Ask.com

Signs and symptoms include:

Below is an excerpt taken from ask.com that gives a brief overall description of some common Thyroid-related Eye Disease symptoms:

* Pain in the eyes, pain when looking up, down or sideways
* Dryness, itching, dry eyes, difficulty wearing contact lenses
* Inflammation and swelling of the eye, and its surrounding tissues
* Swelling in the orbital tissues which causes the eye to be pushed forward — referred to as exophthalmos — which can make Thyroid Eye Disease sufferers appear to have a wide-eyed or bulging stare.
* Bloodshot appearance to eyes
* Double vision (doctors call it diplopia)
* Impaired vision

Thyroid Eye Disease is known to go through varying degrees of severity, and can go into periods of remission as well. When it has been inactive for a period of around a half a year, it’s less likely to recur. Treatments for Thyroid Eye Disease range from lubricating eyedrops and ointments to, in very rare cases, surgery”

What it doesn’t say here is that you could experience changes in your eyelashes and if indeed you are diagnosed, Latisse may not be the treatment for you.

I treat a myriad of thyroid-related eye disease in my practice in Woodbury, NY. If you think you may be experiencing any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your Endocrinologist or Internist to get a complete physical and thorough blood work up.

Treatment is available and your condition can be managed. And of course, any questions, just shoot me an email at info@schlessingereyeandface.com or give me a call in my office 516.496.2122.

Dr. Schlessinger

Dr. Schlessinger comments on Blepharitis your decision to use Latisse

I spoke in my last post about Latisse - a wonderful product for the right candidate. I also mentioned that there may be some underlying issues related to eyelash thinning and loss to take into consideration before obtaining this prescription medication to increase thickness and lash length.

For those of you who may not know me or who are not familiar with my Practice, I see all sorts of eye conditions, disease, trauma and the like. There’s never a shortage of conditions, but thankfully, there are treatments that I provide every day to my patients here in Woodbury & Hauppauge.

One such condition that would preclude a patient from benefiting from using Latisse is Blepharitis. This is a condition that is characterized by inflamation and redness in the margins of the eyelid. Symptoms can include one or more of the following: redness, itching, scaling and irritation of the eyelid. If you’ve ever had “Pink Eye” (conjunctivitis) you may notice that the symptoms are similar. It can also be mistaken for “dry eye” by patients due to the gritty sensation that may occur.

The clinical definition (as provided by the American Academy of Ophthalmology) is

“…a chronic condition that has periods of exacerbation and remission. Although onset
usually occurs in middle-aged adults, it can begin in childhood. …Severe staphylococcal blepharitis may eventually lead to eyelash loss…”

If you suspect that you have this condition, naturally come see me in the office for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment, as this may be the cause of your thinning lashes.

I mentioned other conditions in the 6/15 post on Latisse, such as thyroid disease, eyelid skin cancers and trichelomania. Stay tuned to my blog for more info on these conditions and what to look for.

Dr. Dave

Dr. Schlessinger comments on Latisse

I’ve talked before about the benefits of Latisse. It’s a great product and has given many of my patients here in Woodbury some fantastic results. As a cosmetic eyelid surgeon here on the north shore of Long Island, I see many patients who have this concern and who would love to forego the application of false lashes when they get their makeup done for a special event.

Today I’d like to talk briefly about the small population of patients that this product may not be suitable for. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this product, it is put out by Allergan (also the makers of Botox) and is has been used recently to treat thinning eyelashes. In a period of 2-4 months, patients who use this prescription properly and under the care of an Ophthalmologist, can see fuller, darker and longer lashes. Truly a wonderful product for some of my patients who have been looking for a remedy for their thinning lashes!

However, all patients need to undergo an Ophthalmic Exam prior to going on the Latisse regimen. In certain cases, Latisse is not the answer. Have an ophthalmologist check to see if you have a problem that causes eyelash loss. Blepharitis, thyroid disease, eyelid skin cancers and trichelomania are some of the conditions I look for that would preclude a patient from beginning the Latisse Regimen.

For now, click here to take a look at the FAQ’s for this product. The link will take you directly to their website.

Check back to future posts where I will describe these conditions and treatments.

Dr. S

Just read an item in USA Today where David Ortiz blames his recent slump on possible problems with his vision.

Ron Borges of The Boston Herald observes, “with his batting average still hovering at a career-low .187 a third of the way through the season, Ortiz is, of course, looking for answers”.

This confirms what I and all of my patients know (if you are listening!!)…it’s so important to get your vision checked every year. The DMV requires that you do so and that keeps the road safe for all of us. Of course I can perform this service in my office or you can go to your local Optomotrist. Either way, stay on top of this. You don’t have to be a professional baseball player to have motivation to maintain your healthy vision.

Have a Great Weekend!