Snoring or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Pillar Procedure)
To view the ABC Channel 7 news program, featuring Dr. Macdonald about the pillar procedure.
Snoring can contribute to stress and conflict for both sleep partners. The more serious condition associated with snoring – sleep apnea – can lead to major problems like heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
The Pillar Procedure is a simple, minimally invasive option for treating mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and disruptive snoring. The Pillar Procedure is less invasive and less painful than other surgical procedures, can be completed in a single, short office visit and is FDA-approved and clinically proven, with results comparable to more aggressive surgical procedures.
Most patients soon report a noticeable, lasting reduction in snoring. In clinical studies, sleep apnea was reduced in nearly 80% of patients. Patients also experienced less daytime sleepiness.
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a purified protein which may be injected into the muscle beneath the skin to reduce or eliminate "dynamic" wrinkles. Alternatively, when injected into the skin, BOTOX® Cosmetic can be used to affect the function of the local sweat glands to eliminate or reduce excessive sweating.
In addition to the more commonly known applications of BOTOX® Cosmetic in the elimination or softening of wrinkles and fine lines in the brow, forehead and crows feet areas, Dr. Macdonald also offers advanced treatment options including brow shaping or elevation, neck rejuvenation and management of abnormal dimpling in the chin or droopiness at the corner of the mouth. One simple treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic will smooth away lines by relaxing the muscles that cause them to occur.
Alternatively, the effective use of BOTOX® Cosmetic in the treatment of recurrent tension or migraine headaches, tempero-mandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome and for management of excessive sweating (hyperhydrosis) has now been well established. Dr. Macdonald is pleased to offer these treatments to you.
After a few tiny injections, you will see dramatic results, and be able to return to your normal activities right away!
Injections of small amounts of a tissue filler can produce wonderful results in improving the skin's texture, and in restoring facial contour in areas of tissue volume loss. Depressions in the skin surface can be raised to the level of the surrounding skin. Lines and scars can be minimized. Textures can be improved to soften the skin's appearance and give a more even contour. Lips may be made more voluptuous. Nasolabial folds (the junction between the lips and the cheek) and "marionette" lines (below the corners of the mouth) can be softened or eliminated. Restylane® and Radiesse™ are the most recent additions to our ability to improve your appearance through the simple injection of dermal fillers in our office. Proven to be safe, with almost no side effects or downtime, these products provide a soft, natural looking appearance with results lasting six months to a year or more. They do not require a skin test and you can have your treatment the same day as your consultation, if desired. You’ll see the results immediately!
For years, cosmetic surgeons have sought methods to permanently enlarge lips and fill in depressions in the face. Many different materials have been used, including the patient's own fat, patient dermis (the deeper layer of the skin) and Gortex®, or a similar product called Softform®. Gortex® has been used successfully for a variety of medical purposes including the creation of artificial aortas, repair of abdominal wall defects, and recently for soft-tissue augmentation. Surgical lip enhancement or reduction procedures are also available.
The use of dermis is effective but requires the creation of a scar at the skin donor site and a scar for placement. The hollow-tube versions of Gortex® implants such as Softform are very well stabilized in tissue and result in a very natural look and feel, but they have lost popularity because of their tendency to shrink slightly over the long term. Fat grafting or fat transfer is also very effective in facial contouring and lip enhancement in the short-term; unfortunately, the transferred fat is gradually reabsorbed and this tends to be uneven and produces irregular
contour lines.
VariLite™ Laser Treatment for Pigmented & Vascular Lesions
Dr. Macdonald uses the VariLite ™ laser in his office for the treatment of small facial and leg veins, as well as for age spots. Vascular lesions are comprised of blood vessels of various diameters, lengths and shapes, many of which lie near the skin's surface. The coloring of these lesions can be red, blue, purple, light brown, or dark brown. Non-malignant, pigmented lesions are comprised of melanin in various intensities and sizes. Currently, the preferred method of treatment for these lesions, when they occur on the face, is laser therapy. Veins of the surface of the skin of the face most commonly occur on the side of the nose or in the front of the ears. They may be more diffuse as with rosacea. Brownish age spots may occur anywhere on the face. The VariLite ™ laser emits an intense beam of laser that is selectively absorbed by abnormally large vessels or abnormally pigmented lesions so that there is virtually no adjacent tissue damage. The results are observed immediately!
In the legs, superficial veins known as "spider veins" may be eliminated with the KTP laser alone or in conjunction with sclerotherapy (direct injection of a saline-based solution into the vessels). Selection of the appropriate treatment modality depends on the vessel diameter. The KTP laser is most effective in treating smaller-diameter vessels, while sclerotherapy is better suited to the elimination of larger ones.
There are many benefits associated with newer laser and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) hair removal procedures. For example, larger areas may be treated at one time. In contrast to other hair removal treatments, the patient experiences less pain and discomfort and the effects are long-lasting. Safe and effective treatments are now also available for darker-skinned patients.
The optimal number of treatments you may require for long-term benefits will depends on hair density, the thickness of the individual hairs, hair color, the area you would like to treat, and your hair's growth cycle. Age, ethnicity, weight, hormones, diet, medication and metabolism all play a role in determining optimal treatment approaches for each patient.
Nature and heredity play key roles in the aging of our skin. Accelerated by stress, sun exposure, pollution, smoke and alcohol, fine lines appear around the eyes and lips and even across the cheeks and forehead. Due to loss of elasticity and tone, creases deepen around the mouth and between the eyebrows, and natural support structures gradually weaken, causing a tired, harsh appearance.
Laser resurfacing of the entire face may delay the need for a comprehensive facelift. Imagine using the energy of light to gently erase facial wrinkles and fine lines to help tighten the skin, reduce acne scarring, and promote new collagen formation. The advantage of laser is that the depth of treatment is extremely well controlled and predictable. Laser technology can be used to treat facial wrinkles, post-acne scars, post-injury scars, to reduce dark circles under the eyes, remove facial veins and remove freckling and other pigmentation or surface texture irregularities on the face.
A remarkable new alternative to laser resurfacing, in use since 1998, is rapidly gaining popularity. This technique, known as “Collagen Induction Therapy,” uses a device that creates channels deep into the dermis of the skin to naturally induce collagen and elastin deposition in the skin. Building on the knowledge gained through laser resurfacing procedures, this technique produces the same collagen and elastin deposition through a similar post-traumatic inflammatory reaction but without damaging the skin’s superficial layer – the epidermis.
This Collagen Induction Therapy will typically soften fine lines, tighten skin, restore elasticity, reduce the appearance of scarring and help reduce hyperpigmentation of the skin with results similar to those using Erb:YAG laser resurfacing, and far superior to radio-frequency ablation (e.g. Thermage®) or phototherapy techniques.
The advantages over laser include a shorter healing phase (1–2 weeks), broader applications (including stretch marks – previously very difficult to treat effectively, facial wrinkles and acne-scarring) and it can be performed under topical and/or local anesthetic alone, or with light sedation only, if desired. No sun-sensitivity is induced and it can be used on all areas of the face, neck and body. Dr. Macdonald combines Collagen Induction Therapy with pre-treatment and post-treatment skin care regimes to produce dramatic results.
Dr. Macdonald and his staff offer a variety of skin care treatments and products (including lymphatic massage for circulation, post-surgery, post-injury or to reduce swelling of any kind).
A laser facial is a gentle procedure that uses the handheld ScanLite™ scanner with an IRIDEX laser system to improve the overall appearance of skin. This new laser procedure can reduce sun-induced damage, even out pigmentation, remove vascular and pigmented lesions, decrease redness from rosacea, and give skin a more youthful appearance. Laser facial treatments can be performed on the face, neck, chest and hands.
