PROFESSIONAL SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
It’s normal to hope that low-priced, over-the-counter department store or drugstore skin products will produce significant results. After all, the TV commercials are so compelling! 

Unfortunately, the majority of these products end up in the back of the bathroom shelves until we finally throw them out. Sound familiar? Our patients find that spending just a bit more for professional, physician-only products ultimately saves them money. How? One, because they are so effective, and two, because you don’t need to use a large amount to enjoy the results. The skin care products that we offer here in our Traverse City, Michigan plastic surgery office have been tested on thousands of men and woman, on all kinds of skin and have been scientifically proven to be effective.

We offer two lines of physician-only skin care products: Vivité and PCA Skin. Each line is for a slightly different skin need.

Vivité
You’re familiar with the makers of Vivité: they also make BOTOX® Cosmetic, the injectable wrinkle-relaxant that everybody’s been using since 2002. Allergan formulated Vivité with neutralized glycolic compounds and natural antioxidants to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and increase your skin’s hydration. In about 3 weeks after beginning to use Vivité, you’ll begin to notice your skin’s surface is smoother and younger-looking.

There are 4 products in the Vivite Skincare System that exfoliate dead skin cells, hydrate the skin and protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals that accumulate in your skin due to environmental stressors such as air pollution, the sun’s rays and the normal aging process.  For example, Vivité’s Daily Antioxidant Facial Serum actually traps and neutralizes every free radical it touches, like a warrior at the gate of your skin cells. One of the recent studies of Vivité showed the following results after only three weeks:

• 22% reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
• 36% increase in skin hydration/ moisture content
• 54% improvement in skin smoothness
• 65% decrease in dryness

PCA SKIN® Clinical Care Products
A licensed aesthetician, Margaret Ancira, created PCA SKIN® in Arizona in 1990. It was one of the first physicians-only products ever developed. Margaret’s groundbreaking work in aesthetics has brought her a reputation as a respected educator and innovator in the field of skin care, and their company has been named as one of the Best Companies for Women as well as Best Companies to Work For in Arizona. They provide a range of products for a variety of skin types and conditions, such as acne, hyperpigmentation (dark spots), sensitive skin (including rosacea), sun damage and aging skin. In addition, the company conducts nearly 300 educational seminars for skin care and medical professionals annually. The PCA SKIN® line also includes a men’s line and a lip care line. Their products include cleansers, toners, moisturizers with and without sunscreen, Vitamin C topicals, peptides, masks and exfoliants. Their products are available in trial size systems, so you can “test drive” their products and in full size versions once you know which ones work best for your skin.

OBAGI

The goals of the Obagi line are to:

• Correct
• The Nu-Derm line penetrates beneath the skin’s surface to transform skin cells and correct the damage within them. Redness, sallowness, hyperpigmentation (discoloration), skin laxity and , fine lines and wrinkles, age spots and rough skin texture are the primary targets of correction with the Nu-Derm line.
• Optimize
• The Condition & Enhance system has been clinically proven to address age spots, fine lines, redness and to prevent future skin damage while transforming acne scars and other pigmentation problems.
• Prevent
• The Obagi-C RX system is all about revitalizing skin from the cells up to the surface. Treating early skin damage, it uses a 4% solution of hydroquinone to reduce the appearance of age spots and hyperpigmentation. The addition of Vitamin C stimulates collagen growth and protects your skin to prevent future cell damage.
• Protect
• Obagi Professional-C Serums offer maximum antioxidant protection with its amazing penetration of Vitamin C. This prevention-based product will stimulate collagen, lighten and brighten the skin tone and protect against future damage.
• Restore
• ELASTIderm Eye Treatment isn’t like other eye creams. Its gentle but powerful ingredients include zinc and copper for elasticity, Malonic Acid to stimulate production of new skin cells and Blueberry Extract, a powerful antioxidant that eliminates free radicals.
• Lighten
• ELASTIderm Décolletage is a system of 2 patent-pending technologies that treat wrinkles and age spots on the skin of the chest to give you a more beautiful décolleté.
• Clear
• If you’re still suffering with acne, the CLENZIderm M.D. systems penetrate deep into the follicle to quickly clear up acne. Studies prove it penetrates the skin better than other acne treatments.
• Balance
• Rosaclear is the best treatment for rosacea, in our opinion! It treats the redness and flushing while diminishing inflamed areas to give you a calmer more balanced complexion.

Both men and women come to Dr. F. Matthew Smith’s office in Traverse City, Michigan seeking high quality, results-oriented skin care products. As you can see, we have a number of options, so call us today for a private consultation to learn what can be done to heal and rejuvenate your skin.