Skin Care & Laser Dermatology Clinic | Dr. Derek Jones : Los Angeles, Beverly Hills

Skin Care and Laser Dermatology Clinic, led by Dr. Derek Jones, offers a wide array of services in general and cosmetic dermatology. Contact our dermatologists in Los Angeles and book a consultation today!

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Juvéderm® and Other Fillers See a Rise in Popularity

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The recent release of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ 2014 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Statistics includes numbers on minimally invasive procedures, too. As noted elsewhere on this blog, Botox® proved to be the most popular such cosmetic treatment of 2014.

Fillers, however, enjoyed the highest percentage growth from 2013 to 2014. While use of Botox® went up six percent, fillers made with hyaluronic acid, such as Juvéderm®, increased eight percent, and certain types of collagen increased 11 percent.

Dermatologist Dr. Derek Jones of Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills isn’t surprised. As the lead investigator for many such products that ultimately received FDA approval, he has a vast amount of experience when it comes to fillers like Juvéderm® in the Los Angeles area.

One reason hyaluronic acid fillers may be growing at such a clip is because they’re made up of a chemical that occurs naturally in the body, which is appealing to those looking for a minimally invasive and safe treatment. Hyaluronic acid keeps your skin hydrated and pliant, keeps your joints moving smoothly, and more. As you age, however, its levels begin to drop in your body, leading most visibly to wrinkles and folds, as well as hollows where once firm skin now sags without all of its underlying support.

Juvéderm® addresses this by reintroducing hyaluronic acid into your system. Dr. Jones can fill in those new wrinkles and restore roundness to flattened areas by carefully injecting the cosmetic into key areas. The effects are temporary, but long lasting.

Find out what dermal fillers, including Juvéderm®, available at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills, can do for you. Los Angeles-area patients can call 310-246-0495, or request a consultation via the website at www.skincareandlaser.com.

ATX-101: Patients may be able to take their double chins to a dermatologist in Los Angeles

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A new injectable known as ATX-101 could soon join the ranks of cosmetics that have been approved by the FDA after an investigation involving Dr. Derek Jones. As a dermatologist in the Los Angeles area, he has served as an investigator on trials leading to the approval of a variety of products, including the facial filler family of Juvéderm®, Juvéderm® Ultra Plus, and Juvéderm® Voluma; dermal filler Belotero®; eyelash enhancer Latisse®; and wrinkle-fighter Xeomin®.

Though dermatologist Dr. Jones presented ATX-101 to the FDA in March of this year, he has been involved in this particular investigative process for quite some time. He acted as principal investigator for an ATX-101 study in 2012, pitting the new cosmetic against a placebo in trials aimed at reducing what is clinically termed “localized subcutaneous fat in the submental area.”

ATX-101 manufacturer Kythera reported that double chins are a bothersome problem for seven out of 10 consumers in the United States. More than eight years ago, to combat that problem, scientists began developing a treatment making use of deoxycholic acid to disrupt fat cells and reduce the appearance of fat in the targeted under-chin area without surgery. The process has involved 19 clinical studies and more than 2,600 patients.

If and when ATX-101 is finally approved, patients seeking a solution to their double chins could avoid liposuction and instead see a dermatologist.

To find out more about ATX-101 and how it may be coming to a dermatologist in Los Angeles, contact Dr. Derek Jones and his staff at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills. Dermatology is their focus. Call 310-246-0495, or request a consultation via the website at skincareandlaser.com.

Researchers identify rosacea’s genetic basis

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Dr. Derek Jones and his team at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills are committed to offering treatment for rosacea, a little-understood disease that causes red coloration and bumps on the skin, which is why they were excited to see that a genetics company working with Stanford University School of Medicine Researchers has identified a genetic basis for it.

The study’s findings were published March 12 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. While dermatologists like Dr. Jones offer treatment for rosacea, which plagues an estimated 14 to 16 million Americans, advances in medical understanding of the incurable disease signal an opportunity to improve care even more.

Still, there is much a rosacea sufferer can do, even today. Early detection is a powerful tool in the fight against rosacea, as the team at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills can often employ tactics to stop its progress, and even keep it from becoming visually noticeable or physically uncomfortable.

Rosacea that has become prominent on the face is more difficult to treat, but it is never too late to visit Dr. Jones and his staff. The practice offers topical, oral, and laser treatments to mitigate the disease’s impacts. The team emphasizes getting to know each patient, because rosacea presents in a unique way on every person, so no two specific treatment plans will be alike.

There may one day be a cure for rosacea, especially if researchers remain committed to unlocking its secrets. But there is no reason to wait on seeking treatment in the meantime. A simple visit with the doctor could vastly improve your appearance and quality of life.

To learn more about treatment options for rosacea in Beverly Hills, talk to Dr. Derek Jones and his staff at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills. Call 310-246-0495, or request a consultation via his website.

Botox® is No. 1 again

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Dr. Derek Jones served as an investigator when the FDA was considering whether to approve Botox® to treat crow’s feet, so he knows better than most people what the cosmetic can do to restore a youthful smoothness to a face—and why it is so popular. Botox® is a frequent favorite at his Beverly Hills practice, and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently confirmed that Botox® injections were the most commonly performed minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in the United States in 2014, up 6 percent from the year before.

Botox® outshone all other treatments, coming in first place with almost 4.4 million more procedures performed than the next most popular procedure: soft tissue fillers, including collagen.

In fact, Botox® injections accounted for almost half of the minimally invasive cosmetic procedures performed in 2013, making up 6,673,6 of the 13,945,38 total.

Far more people chose such procedures over cosmetic surgeries, revealing that Americans prefer injections, peels, and similar treatments to more invasive choices. This may be due to the fact that Botox®, dermal filler, and laser sessions generally are quick, require minimal downtime and follow-up (if any), and are far less costly than something as involved as a facelift.

Many of these minimally invasive cosmetic procedures can also be combined for a harmonious effect. Botox®, for instance, can reduce the appearance of various fine lines and wrinkles, while Juvéderm® can fill in hollows where volume has been lost, and a chemical peel can restore a youthful glow to facial skin from cheek to cheek and brow to chin.

Talk to Dr. Derek Jones and his staff to learn more about Botox® and other options in Beverly Hills at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills. Call 310-246-0495, or request a consultation via his website.

More Women Would Choose a Youthful-Looking Face Over the Body

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Botox® and Juvéderm® Voluma™ manufacturer Allergan recently reported the results of a survey given to women, age 21 to 65, across the United States: Nearly 60 percent of the respondents prioritized a youthful-looking face over a youthful-looking body. Dr. Derek Jones, a dermatologist for West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and all of Los Angeles, was not surprised. Injectables designed to treat forehead wrinkles and restore facial volume lost due to aging and other factors are popular treatments at his facility and around the world.

The survey went further into detail, questioning women as to whether they have noticed any changes to their appearance as time has passed. Some 64 percent of the respondents indicated that they have seen their facial shape change as they have grown older. A total of 44 percent said that the last decade has diminished the fullness of their faces, reducing the volume of their cheeks. That same percentage — 44 percent — reported a belief that they have no options when it comes to correcting such volume loss specific to the cheek area.

In fact, Juvéderm® Voluma™ is the only filler made from hyaluronic acid approved by the FDA for injection into what is known as the “apple” — the typically rounded and full part of the cheek prone to volume loss and sagging as people age.

The lift that Juvéderm® Voluma™ provides can last for up to two years, buoyed by a doctor with skill and talent backed by years of experience and tens of thousands of successful procedures. Dr. Jones is very familiar  with the cosmetic; he served as the lead investigator for the FDA studies that explored the use of Juvéderm® Voluma™ and led to its approval as a mid-face filler.

Specifically, Juvéderm® Voluma™ is a gel made of modified hyaluronic acid, which is a natural skin moisturizer and significant component of good skin structure and health. Juvéderm® Voluma™ also contains a type of anesthetic known as lidocaine, which makes the actual injection process more comfortable.

Women — and men — who want to restore volume lost in their cheek area can learn more about the quick and long-lasting solution that comes from Juvéderm® Voluma™ by talking to a qualified dermatologist. West Hollywood and greater Los Angeles-area patients can contact Dr. Jones at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills. Call 310-246-0495 or request a consultation.

Botox® is a simple, FDA-approved procedure, so you don’t have to hide your emotions

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Recent global news stories have focused on a woman who decided to not smile or show much of any expression for 40 years in an effort to keep her face unlined and wrinkle-free. She calls the method more natural than Botox®, and she’s not alone. A February article in the Daily Mail carried interviews with several women who have opted to practice near-24-hour poker faces as opposed to developing facial lines—and then combating those lines with an injectable.

While avoiding smiling, frowning, or making any expressions that could contribute to lasting facial changes may technically work—at least for the women interviewed—critics of the method pointed out that smiling, furrowing brows, and other facial cues are important to other people’s perceptions of us. Think of what others would think if you didn’t react to bad news with a concerned expression or happy news with a smile.

Women and men alike who want to maintain a youthful appearance don’t have to walk around with a permanently blank face. Dermatologist Dr. Derek Jones, who offers Botox® in the Los Angeles area, is an injectable expert, and he encourages people who have questions about Botox® to ask him about the prescription cosmetic’s ease of use, its record of safety, and even the way it targets only certain muscles, reducing the appearance of lines while still allowing for a range of expressions.

An injection session of Botox® in Beverly Hills lasts only minutes, and, when delivered by an expert like Dermatologist Dr. Derek Jones, is a safe and effective alternative to never showing expression.  The subject of the Daily Mail article said she hasn’t laughed or smiled since she was a teenager—not even at the birth of her daughter—which some people rightly feel is an extreme stance with negative real-world consequences.

Smile all you want. Frown away, if frowning is called for. Then, if you want to do something about any lines or wrinkles that have developed, contact Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills to learn more about Botox® and other injectables. Call 310-246-0495 or request a consultation to see what Botox® in the Los Angeles area could do for you.

Winter is for skin care, health, and Juvéderm®

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You may know about the benefits of Juvéderm®, but you may not think about them much when skies are gray.

Winter is a season of extremes, all of which can take a toll on skin. Cold temperatures (even in Los Angeles) can help to dry out a person’s face, wind can do the same—while also blowing particulates and abrasive debris onto cheeks, noses, and foreheads—and overcast skies can lull even the most conscientious of people into thinking that they don’t need to use any sunscreen for protection on cloudy days.

People who want to prevent wrinkles in this—or any—season should regularly practice the following:

• Get plenty of rest. Use the fact that days are shorter and nights are longer as an excuse to turn in earlier than you would otherwise.

• Apply sunscreen, no matter what. UV rays have a way of making it from the sun to your skin despite many barriers you may think would block them. Choose one with a suitable SPF—Los Angeles-area residents should be used to this. Or just look at the thermometer and stay inside.

• Eat better. You could always use more fruits and vegetables in your diet, right? And whole grains? In addition to being good for you in a variety of ways, these and other foods provide beneficial antioxidants.

• Bring on the moisture. That means internally and externally. Drink plenty of water, and regularly apply a carefully chosen moisturizer to your skin to keep it hydrated. Know that rain frequently splashing you in the face isn’t the same thing, as water alone can actually dry out your skin in the long run.

While regular cleaning and moisturizing schedules can help keep skin healthy, fine lines and wrinkles can still develop due to harsh conditions and the natural effects of aging.

Anyone who wants to do something more about those wrinkles can explore Juvéderm®, which smooths out facial wrinkles, primarily around the mouth and below the nose. Juvéderm® investigator Dr. Derek Jones of Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills is a facial expert and Juvéderm® authority who recommends the injectable filler to people seeking to restore hyaluronic acid lost in the face, no matter the season or weather.

Contact Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills for more information about Juvéderm®, or for a consultation by requesting an appointment or calling 310-246-0495.

Resolve to put your best face forward—consider Botox®

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The change from an old year to a new year often prompts people to reflect on changes they would like to make in their own lives, from finally losing a few pounds to getting the house in order to making a decision they’ve been putting off for a long time.

If Botox® Cosmetic has been on your perennial maybe list, perhaps the start of 2015 can be the factor you’ve been waiting for to ultimately make the call.

You may be undecided about Botox® because of questions, and that is certainly understandable. Making a decision while equipped with the most and best information possible is a wise course of action.

Dr. Derek Jones is an excellent resource when it comes to a wide variety of skin conditions and cosmetic treatments—and he has a particular fondness for and knowledge of Botox®. He has personally performed tens of thousands of injections, he treats people who make a living off of the way they look (we’re talking about models, of course), and his work as an investigator in Botox®’s use in addressing crow’s feet ultimately led to the cosmetic’s FDA approval.

While it is possible to lay out many facts about Botox® here in an attempt to answer questions for people on the fence about the treatment—a session tends to last only 15 minutes, people describe the injections themselves as giving a slight pinching sensation, results are visible in about a week and can last up to four months—you may want to contact his office, Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills, directly to have your own specific questions answered by a real, live person.

It is easy to contact Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills for more information about Botox®. Call 310-246-0495 or request an appointment by leaving your name, contact info, and any comments you’d like us to see.

There is more than one way to enjoy the benefits of Juvéderm®

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Dr. Derek Jones is a Juvéderm® authority. Among his many credentials and honors, he served as the lead investigator on the FDA trial that led to Juvéderm Voluma™ XC’s approval in the United States.

With that approval came the opportunity for patients from Los Angeles to New York to treat age-related volume loss, specifically in the cheek area. The injectable filler is intended to give men’s and women’s mid-face regions a subtle lift, restoring youthful contours that diminish naturally as people age. Juvéderm Voluma™ XC’s effects can last for two years, making it a temporary but long-lasting solution for people looking to maintain a youthful profile.

As a filler, Juvéderm Voluma™ XC targets the three distinct areas that make up the cheek: the apex, the apple, and the hollow.

Juvéderm® XC is a related injectable filler, though this one is intended to treat what are commonly called parenthesis lines and are technically known as nasolabial folds. This smooth gel filler evens out moderate to severe wrinkles for about a year. In fact, Juvéderm® XC can also be used to smooth out vertical lip lines, corner lines, and marionette lines that form as healthy skin begins to lose its naturally occurring hyaluronic acid due to the aging process, exposure to the sun, and even genetics.

Simply put, hyaluronic acid is a moisturizer that keeps the skin pliant and healthy, so its gradual loss can lead to the formation of deep lines in the dermal layer, which acts as a sort of support structure for the skin.

Juvéderm® products, available at Dr. Jones’ Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills, restore that lost support structure, the absence of which leads to hollows, sunken areas, and deep wrinkles.

One treatment takes only about half an hour, but Dr. Jones fits a great amount of attention and technique into that short amount of time. His vast experience with Juvéderm products, coupled with his artistic eye, allows him to deliver natural-looking results. He draws on his  history of serving as an investigator for a variety of Allergan products, as well as his global travels, scores of published articles, and training sessions to work with each patient’s unique facial structure and aesthetic goals.

Dr. Jones is a participating doctor in the Brilliant Distinctions® program, which rewards patients who purchase Allergan products, including Juvéderm® Voluma and Juvéderm Voluma™ XC. One syringe of Juvéderm® Voluma, for instance, nets 200 points, while two syringes bring in 400 points. Juvéderm Voluma™ XC has a similar points structure, up to 800 points for four syringes. These points can be redeemed for savings on a variety of products.

Contact Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills for a consultation by requesting an appointment or calling 310-246-0495 for more information.

Belotero® is just enough for fine lines

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Dr. Derek Jones has worked on the clinical trials that have led to FDA approvals of several injectable cosmetics available at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills. One of those is the Belotero® trial, for which he served as principal investigator.

Belotero® is a dermal filler, designed to fill in lines that become etched into the skin over time. While there are many products that act as an injectable gel to treat wrinkles, Dr. Jones has found that Belotero® is particularly suited for filling in fine lines around the lip and mouth area. This is because the injectable works to reduce the severity of such thin wrinkles without making them appear to be over-filled.

As a hyaluronic acid, Belotero® serves to replace a natural chemical in the skin that is lost due to aging and other factors. Because of its formula, it comes as an especially smooth gel that integrates into the skin and is eventually safely reabsorbed into the body. Belotero® results are typically immediate and can last up to half a year or longer, depending on the specific region of the face into which it’s injected.

Since Belotero® is so uniquely suited to treat fine lines, it can be considered as a way to add a finishing touch to a treatment regimen designed to bring an overall look of youth and health to a patient’s face.

Belotero® works particularly well in treating:

• nasolabial folds, which appear as lines that run down from your nose to your lips

• vertical lip lines, which show as fine grooves both below and above your lips

• corner lines, which run down from either side of your mouth like a frown

• smile lines, which can form around your mouth and nose area

• chin wrinkles, the most prominent of which may be a horizontal crease

Patients choose Belotero® because it allows them to maintain a full range of expression and movement while enjoying the benefits of a reduction in the appearance of their wrinkles. It is also popular due to the fact that skin treated with this injectable filler feels natural in addition to maintaining an organic, natural appearance.

Learn more about Belotero® and what it can do for you and the fine lines you want to treat at Dr. Jones’ Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills. Call 310-246-0495 to learn more, or request a consultation.