Regain Your Short-Skirt Confidence with Sclerotherapy

When’s the last time you wore shorts or short skirts without feeling self-conscious? If you’re a woman between the ages of 40 and 50, you’ve noticed the increase of those pesky spider-like purple-bluish veins blemishing your legs. Over 50% of the population is affected by unsightly varicose or spider veins. Age is just one contributing factor to spider vein development. Hormonal factors, genetics, pregnancy, injuries, and prolonged standing still also contribute to this cosmetic condition.

Many Vitamin-K based creams and gels claim to remove spider or varicose veins, but researchers have shown that topical remedies are not effective at penetrating the skin’s surface. Which treatment options offer optimal, long-lasting results? Sclerotherapy is an effective, scientifically-proven procedure to eliminate a vein’s appearance. “The gold standard of spider vein treatment is sclerotherapy,” says Dr. Steven Zimmet, President of the American Board of Phlebology, a non-profit group to provides certification to vein physicians in the US.

In sclerotherapy, a fine needle is inserted into the vein. A sclerosing agent is injected into the vein itself, causing the vein walls to shrink and collapse. Since veins vary in depth and thickness, the injection is customized according to each patient’s condition. Various sclerosants are used, including dextrose/saline, Sotradecol® and Asclera®. Dr. Zimmet does not recommend routine use of hypertonic saline as this causes significant burning. Performed in a doctor’s office, the outpatient procedure takes an average of 20 minutes and patients can resume normal activities the same day of treatment. According to The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 572,863 sclerotherapy treatments were performed in 2010.

The procedure’s popularity may be due in part to its success rate. The Mayo Clinic for Medical Education and Research reports that sclerotherapy has an overall success rate of 50% to 80% in eliminating treated veins. Maximal clearing generally requires a few sessions, with results seen about one month after each treatment.

With spring and summer around the corner in Austin, it is an ideal time to start spider vein removal. Learn more about leg veins and sclerotherapy vein treatment at Dr. Zimmet’s website.

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CoolSculpting: A Permanent Way to Freeze Away Fat

Over 75% of Americans undergoing cosmetic procedures are choosing CoolSculpting, a non-invasive procedure to get rid of unwanted belly bulges more affectionately called love muffins or love handles. The procedure also treats back fat and the post-pregnancy pooch- problem areas that are resistant to diet and exercise. Best of all, the average procedure lasts one hour and doesn’t involve needles, surgery or downtime off work.

The sound scientific research behind CoolSculpting was recently highlighted on Good Morning America and Nightline, two of the top-watched TV news programs. Dr. Dieter Manstein and Dr. R. Rox Anderson of Massachusetts General Hospital (a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School) invented the patented cooling technology known as CoolSculpting. Cold lipolysis (known as Cryolipolysis TM) is the process where fat cells are susceptible to extreme cold. Several weeks after the procedure, the cooled fat cells undergo a process called apoptosis (natural cell death). During this secondary process, the fat begins to shrink and disappear.

According to a CoolSculpting by Zeltiq September 2010 press release, “on average each CoolSculpting procedure results in a 20% reduction of fat in the treated area, and patients can start to see results as soon as three weeks following treatment, with the most dramatic results occurring over a period of two or four months in most patients.” This clinically proven method for fat reduction is not only effective, but safe. In the fall of last year, CoolSculpting received clearance from the FDA for the non-invasive reduction as fat.

Dr. Zimmet is among the first in Austin to offer this breakthrough procedure. Curious how it works? Watch a video of Dr. Zimmet performing CoolSculpting on a recent patient.

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1 in 30 Adults are at Risk for Developing Skin Cancer in their Lifetime

Did you know that the incidence of  invasive skin cancer in the US is rising by 4%- 6% each year? Will you be among the over 68,000 Americans that will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2011, and that 1 in 58 Americans will develop melanoma over their lifetime? The Journal of Clinical Oncology (January 20, 2011 issue) recently published a study which revealed a significant reduction in the risk of invasive melanoma with regular sunscreen use.

The study randomly selected and followed a total of 1621 people between the ages of 25 and 75 years over a 14 year period. The study assigned participants to “apply daily or discretionary sunscreen to both heads and arms in combination with 30 mg beta carotene or a placebo supplement. Ten years after trial cessation, 11 new primary melanomas had been identified in the daily sunscreen group, and 22 had been identified in the discretionary group, which represented a reduction of the observed rate in those randomly assigned to daily sunscreen use.”

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