Vanity may be described as taking excessive pride in one’s appearance. As little as 15 years ago, anyone having a cosmetic procedure, regardless of the invasiveness and the cost, was thought to be vain. Today that has changed. Aesthetic procedures, especially the minimally invasive to non-invasive ones, are mainstream and considered maintenance—something done to keep your face and body looking youthful and healthy.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal concluded that people who look younger than their chronological age are more likely to live longer than those who don’t look younger—another reason to consider aesthetic surgery.
Facial rejuvenation has long been the most desired aesthetic improvement, and today there are more options than ever to refresh the tired, aged reflection you see in the mirror.
Delaware Valley’s most comprehensive laser and aesthetic center
“At The Institute, we have the most comprehensive collection of skin tightening and resurfacing devices in the Delaware Valley, with more than 45 lasers and light sources,” says Dr. Glenn DeBias, founder and medical director of The Institute for Laser and Aesthetic Medicine, with offices in Doylestown, Bethlehem and King of Prussia.
The most popular and longest studied of these devices is the CO2 laser used today in a fractional technique. Dr. DeBias, who has performed more than 4,500 such procedures over the past five years, is considered an expert in the field, and is the most experienced physician performing CO2. He is known internationally for developing the first fractional CO2 procedure in the world, and The Institute has five such fractional lasers.
Other popular skin tightening procedures at The Institute include the Titan, a non-invasive flashlamp technology that takes about 30 minutes to perform and stimulates collagen production for four to six months. The Starlux and Affirm lasers are also non-ablative and offer a similar collagen-building matrix that refreshes your look. Other office procedures complementing skin-tightening procedures are microdermabrasion, chemical peels and intense pulsed light treatments.
Smart Lipo, a laser assisted liposuction procedure is a popular, in-office process for eliminating areas of fat, and providing a more aesthetically pleasing body shape.
One of The Institute’s newest technologies, Isolaz, is a procedure for facial rejuvenation for teen and adult acne. This device uses a vacuum and painless broadband light therapy to mechanically withdraw debris from the skin pores, to clear acne and to treat age spots, broken capillaries and unwanted pigmented hair.
Choosing the right aesthetic physician
It’s important to ask the right questions in order to choose the right aesthetic physician for you. How many of these procedures have they done? How long have they been doing them? How many do they do in an average week? Do they train other physicians on this type of procedure? There is no board certification that is AMA or AOA recognized in this subspecialized area of medicine.
“The doctors who consistently obtain the best results are most likely the ones who have the most experience and best technology,” says Dr. DeBias. “There is also a level of skill and art to round out the equation for optimal results.”
Exceptional growth for The Institute
The Institute has continued to experience phenomenal growth over the past 11 years, with more than 110,000 procedures performed to date. The second facility was opened in Bethlehem, in the Lehigh Valley, four years ago, and the third office in King of Prussia, was opened in November of 2008.
“We have a very high retention of patients who are satisfied and return to the office. Many refer their family and friends. We also treat new patients who have had treatments at other facilities and for one reason or another, have not been happy and are looking to see if better results are available,” says Dr. DeBias. The King of Prussia office, especially, is growing exceptionally well, despite the current economic conditions.
“We offer patients a highly skilled and experienced staff utilizing the best technology available to achieve optimal results at a fair price,” he adds.
The Institute for Laser and Aesthetic Medicine
1-866-48-LASER
www.ilamed.com
110 Hyde Park, Doylestown
1030 Continental Drive, King of Prussia
1655 Valley Center Parkway, Bethlehem
Jeanne Criblear is a freelance writer from Doylestown
The Institute’s menu of services
Skin tightening and rejuvenation
• Active Fx fractional laser skin tightening using Titan, Affirm or Starlux
Other laser procedures
• Laser hair removal
• Smart Lipo
• Laser spider vein treatment
• Laser tattoo removal
• Laser skin resurfacing-ablative, minimally ablative rejuvenation
• Laser mole, wart, benign skin lesion removal
• Laser genesis and photo genesis-facial redness and skin rejuvenation
• Laser treatment for pigmented lesion, vascular lesions and skin rejuvenation
• Laser treatment for acne breakouts, scarring, oiliness
• Laser treatment for Rosacea
Cosmetic injectables
• Botox, Dysport, Restylane/Perlane, Juvederm/Juvederm Plus, Radisse and Sculptra
Light source procedures
• IPL photo facial rejuvenation—blue, red, yellow light for acne
• Infrared light treatment for acne breakouts, scars oiliness
• Photodynamic therapy for acne and skin rejuvenation
• GentleWaves LED photo modulation skin rejuvenation
Skin care and permanent makeup
• Medical microdermabrasion and Vibraderm
• Permanent makeup with new digital technology
• AHA and BHA light and medium peels
• Medical grade skin care products
