Every person has pores, which are the tiny openings on the uppermost skin layer. Through pores, the body’s natural oil, known as sebum, is released to the surface. Human body has pores everywhere, except the soles of the feet and palms of the hands. 

Dr. Q Medical Spa, led by board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Suzanne Quardt (Dr. Q), provides treatments for enlarged pores reduction to patients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and surrounding communities.

Why do Enlarged Pores Occur?

Most pores in the skin are so small that they are hardly visible. At times, the pores are larger, especially on facial skin. Enlarged pores may occur due to the following reasons:

• Aging (the process of aging causes elasticity loss in the skin, which makes pores appear larger than they actually are)
• Acne or oily skin
• Genetics
• Sun exposure
• Excessive oil production
• Specific drugs

Laser Treatments for Enlarged Pores

When home care is insufficient, a person may seek more effective treatment for their enlarged pores at a qualified med spa.

Fractional ablative laser skin resurfacing reduces the appearance of acne scars and pores. The doctor may use both non-ablative laser and fractionated CO2 lasers for the treatment of enlarged pores. Both of these laser types are effective and necessitate less recovery time than traditional resurfacing procedures, which burn much deeper into the uppermost skin layer. 

Other benefits of laser procedures include a lower risk of scarring or changes in the color of the skin, a more natural appearance, and the ability to address darker skin complexions. The treatments are fast (under an hour), but patients may require more than one treatment for optimal outcomes. 

Following treatment, the patient may experience some minor inflammation or redness, which typically resolves in two to five days. In this case, apply cold compresses regularly. It is also important to avoid sun exposure during the treatment and healing process. 

Laser Resurfacing Benefits

Patients usually elect to undergo laser skin resurfacing as an alternative to expensive, invasive surgical solutions. Unlike surgery, laser resurfacing med spa treatments:

• Are associated with minimal, if any, discomfort
• Are targeted procedures that address only the designated skin area, which prevents skin lightening (hypopigmentation) or damage the surrounding skin tissue
• Rapidly and uniformly create beautiful clinical results
• Have a low risk of treatment complications
• Necessitates minimal, if any, post-treatment downtime
• Are safe and suitable for use on all types of skin 

Why Choose CO2RE Laser Skin Resurfacing?

The CO2RE system consists of a total of six distinct treatment modes offering maximum flexibility:

CO2RE Light

This laser resurfacing mode offers more superficial treatment, focusing on the uppermost layer of the epidermis. 

CO2RE Mid

CO2RE Mid offers a slightly more powerful fractional ablative effect, which penetrates deeper into the dermis.

CO2RE Deep

This laser surfacing mode penetrates into the dermis for the deepest fractional ablative impact. 

CO2RE Fusion

CO2RE Fusion offers a unique blend of intensity and depth to optimize treatment of both the dermis and the epidermis at the same time. 

Plus:

• An excision mode for minor dermal excisions
• A traditional laser resurfacing mode

Chemical Peels for Maintenance after Laser Treatment

Chemical peels use a variety of prescription-strength acids, such as salicylic or retinol, to eliminate the uppermost layers of dead skin and reveal smoother, healthier skin from within.

Dr. Q Medical Spa receives patients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and nearby areas for the treatments to reduce enlarged pores.

For more information on Plastic Surgery and Non-Surgical Medical Spa Procedures and Treatments in the Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, Palm Desert and surrounding areas please contact the offices of Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Suzanne Quardt (Dr. Q) by clicking here or calling 760-324-2660.

Stretch marks are harmless, but they create an unappealing appearance. Some people choose to live with these permanent marks and lines, but for many others they are quite frustrating. What makes it even worse is their resistance to all possible treatments to remove these streaks. 

Dr. Q Medical Spa, led by board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Suzanne Quardt (Dr. Q), provides treatments for stretch mark reduction to patients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and surrounding locations.

What are Stretch Marks?

The occurrence of stretch marks is a common skin issue that impacts most people around the globe, irrespective of ethnicity and gender. Stretch marks develop most commonly in:

• Pregnant women
• Obese individuals
• Anyone who has put on or lost weight rapidly

The skin is quite elastic and regains its position and shape as soon as it is released after being stretched. However, when the skin is stretched beyond its elastic limit, the dermal layers tear and heal. 

The internal damage creates noticeable scarring, which appears on the skin’s surface as shades of color tone. These unattractive marks develop mostly on the thighs and abdomen, but can develop anywhere on the body.

The four most popular stretch mark removal med spa treatments are as follows:

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are the mildest treatment used to address new stretch marks. As the name suggests, the solution applied eliminates some skin layers that have been compromised by stretch marks. The bare layers are replaced by new smooth and clear skin, without marks. 

Micro-Puncture with and without Radiofrequency (RF)

Dermapen is the most sought-after microneedling treatment. In this procedure, small-sized needles are used to create microscopic injuries on the skin in a controlled manner. 

This initiates the healing process as well as increases the collagen levels in the treated sites. Consequently, the marks fade and the skin becomes more elastic as well. Microneedling can also be combined with RF to enhance the effectiveness of the procedure.

Laser Treatment for Stretch Marks

This procedure involves projecting a high intensity laser beam onto the grooves. The energy of the laser beams disintegrates the scar tissue in the inner skin layers, which is the reason for the appearance stretch marks. The healing process starts as the scar tissue breaks down. 

This promotes the production of new skin cells and new tissues in the inner skin layers. In addition, the laser treatment also promotes the generation of collagen, which leads to skin thickening and the removal of these unattractive streaks altogether. 

The patient may require multiple med spa treatment sessions to attain desirable outcomes. A majority of patients report significant softening in the appearance of these bands after the fourth treatment session.

Fractional CO2 Lasers

Fractionated CO2 lasers provide the best solution for the removal of stretch marks. A special kind of fractional laser is used to create microscopic injuries in the narrow channels of the skin. The use of innovative fractional laser technology allows small pinpoints of CO2 laser energy to be delivered to ablate the problematic areas of the skin, while leaving the healthy surrounding skin undisturbed. 

The laser promotes collagen and elastin generation in the dermis, and enables more rapid skin healing along with a resurfacing of the superficial skin layer. This brings about a reduction in the appearance of stretch marks and creates a smoother skin texture. 

Dr. Q Medical Spa receives patients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and nearby areas for the treatments to reduce stretch marks.

For more information on Plastic Surgery and Non-Surgical Medical Spa Procedures and Treatments in the Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, Palm Desert and surrounding areas please contact the offices of Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Suzanne Quardt (Dr. Q) by clicking here or calling 760-324-2660.

Age spots are marks that usually appear on the skin after extensive sun exposure. They are not harmful, but some people want to remove them for aesthetic purposes. 

A person may notice an increasing number of tiny dark spots on the skin as they age. The development of these age spots is a normal bodily response to sun exposure over time. 

They usually start developing at or around the age of 50. However, younger individuals can get age spots as well if they spend significant time in the sun. If a person does not feel comfortable using topical creams to eliminate their age spots, there are certain types of makeup available that are specially designed to conceal them. 

Dr. Q Medical Spa, led by board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Suzanne Quardt (Dr. Q), provides treatments for age spots, liver spots, and melisma to patients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and surrounding communities.

In-office Treatments for Age Spots

The doctor may be able to treat age spots in-office quicker than a person can at home. Some in-office medical treatment options for age spots. 

Laser and Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

These treatments target the cells that produce melanin (the cells that color age spots) without causing harm to the skin’s surface. In general, patients will need to visit their doctor two to three times for treatment.

A few weeks or months after the treatment, the age spots should start to fade. There are some side effects of laser and intense pulsed light therapy. Patients commonly experience some temporary skin discoloration. 

Following the procedure, the patient should apply sunscreen and use other sun protection measures as directed by the treatment provider. 

Freezing (Cryotherapy)

In this treatment, the doctor will apply liquid nitrogen or another freezing agent to the age spots using a cotton swab. This should destroy some of the pigment (color) of the age spots. 

The skin will appear lighter in color as it heals. This type of treatment is typically only used on a single age spot or on a small risk of permanent scarring, temporary skin irritation, or discoloration. 

Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion

Dermabrasion involves planing (sanding down) of the skin’s surface using a fast spinning brush. This procedure gently removes the top surface of the skin, enabling a new skin layer to emerge in its place. The doctor may have to perform this treatment more than once for optimal results. The patient may experience temporary redness and scabbing following this treatment. 

Microdermabrasion treatments are less intense than dermabrasion, which can help the age spots appear a bit lighter. It requires multiple in-office treatments over a period of months to see outcomes. 

Chemical Peels

In a chemical peel treatment, the doctor will apply an acidic preparation to the patient’s face. This will remove the dead cells on the superficial skin layer down to the age spots. As the outer skin layer peels off, new skin replaces it. The patient may require a few treatments before they start to see the outcomes they desire. 

Dr. Q Medical Spa receives patients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and nearby areas for the treatment of age spots, liver spots, and melisma.

For more information on Plastic Surgery and Non-Surgical Medical Spa Procedures and Treatments in the Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, Palm Desert and surrounding areas please contact the offices of Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Suzanne Quardt (Dr. Q) by clicking here or calling 760-324-2660.