Monday, February 16, 2015

What Are Spider Viens, and How Can They Be Treated?

No matter how smooth and flawless skin and muscle tone may be, spider veins can detract from them. These thin, blue or purple veins get their name from their fine, web like appearance — but what are they, and how can they be removed?

Spider veins are small blood vessels near the skin that have become dilated. This can occur because of heredity, injuries, hormonal fluctuations, or sun damage, among other reasons. Spider veins commonly happen on the face, especially around the nose area, and on the upper thighs. Cosmetics alone generally don’t do a very good job of hiding spider veins, and many people opt for a more permanent solution.

In the past, treating spider veins typically involved minor venous surgery or having needles or catheters inserted into veins. While these procedures are generally minor and low-risk, there are newer, more effective, non-invasive techniques available at our medspa here in Los Angeles. We utilize Cutera’s CoolGlide laser therapy — a method for getting rid of spider veins that doesn’t involve needles or surgery.

With Cutera’s CoolGlide system, just the right laser wavelength is used to allow us to treat spider veins. Patients can experience immediate results in small spider veins, and improvement in larger veins in as little as two weeks. Side effects like unsightly bruising or uncomfortable blistering are minimized, ensuring that patients have the most comfortable, effective spider vein treatment experience possible.

If you have unwanted spider veins and are looking for a permanent solution to get rid of them, we would love to help you. Armed with Cutera’s CoolGlide laser therapy system, we can help you achieve the flawless skin you’ve always wanted as quickly, easily, and painlessly as possible.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy in Studio City

Hormone imbalances are no laughing matter. Both women and men can suffer from hormonal imbalances at all stages of life. Women with hormone imbalances can experience hot flashes, weight gain, mood swings, and the other symptoms associated with menopause, early-onset menopause, and premenstrual symptoms. Hormonal imbalances in men tend to lead to loss of libido and muscle and weight gain, as well as affecting the memory. Dr. Berkley can treat these hormonal imbalances in both men and women through the use of a tailor-made treatment of bioidentical hormones.

As opposed to prescription hormone replacement therapy drugs, which seek to create new levels of inner body hormones, bioidentical hormones are exact replicas of the same kinds of hormones produced naturally by the body. They include commonly known hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, as well as progesterone, and cortisol.

At our medi spa in Los Angeles, we customize bioidentical hormone treatments to precisely meet each patient’s body’s imbalances.

The treatment includes several steps. Patients will undergo an initial evaluation that includes a physical exam, a discussion of their known symptoms, their medical history, and lab tests for hormone levels. All the information is necessary to create a precise plan for each patient. Patients will review their laboratory testing results with the doctor at a follow-up appointment before beginning a personally customized prescription therapy and treatment plan.

This treatment allows for patients suffering from hormonal imbalances to regain their normal lives, activities, and hobbies in a natural way through customized bioidentical hormone gels, creams or capsules.