5 Bang for your buck cosmetic treatments by dermatologist Dr Davin Lim

Chemical peels: Retinoid Peels, AHA peels – Lactic acid or Glycolic acid peels. Salicylic acid peels or BHA peels are best for congested skin. Consumable costs for peels are much less than lasers, hence why they are one of the best ‘bang for your buck’ treatments. My pick would be the retinoid peels. Why? Because unlike AHA peels that require a step up program, for suitable patients you can start at 1-2% Retinoic Acid. Peels start at around 90-100 dollars. 3-5 peels over 3-6 months will make a bigger difference in your skin compared to skin care / creams.

Fractional Laser – Clear & Brilliant is a mini Fraxel. One of the best ‘Bang for your Buck’ treatments, especially in the 1927 Diode delivered wavelength (Permea). A good operator will concentrate the card energy to where the problem is. (For example crow’s feet for wrinkles, or spots of pigmentation). This laser is gentle & more predictable than say a Picolaser. Picolasers are dependent on the skin type, whilst fractional laser in this setting is not limited to skin of colour.

Dysport or Xeomin, over Botox. Botox is the market leader for muscle relaxants. Performed correctly it can do wonders. For crow’s feet you do not need to use much Botox to get a good result. Infinitely more predictable than say eye cream ! Following Botox, dermal fillers are more expensive, however in general they last longer than Botox; typically 1-3 years for Hyaluronic Acid fillers, longer for collagen stimulating fillers

Eyebrow feather tattooing – Feathertouch Typically lasts 9 to 18 months with an outlay of between 400 to 900 Dollars. Touch ups every 12-18 months are usually a fraction of the initial costs. IMO the brows frame the eyes, and rank within the top 5 of my picks.

Microneedling is a form of CIT or collagen induction therapy. 3 ways to microneedle. Firstly with a skin roller or dermaroller. Done safely in the context of skin type & clinical indications, rolling can give good results. Dermapen, SkinPen or vertical delivery is the most commonly practiced needling procedure. Dermastamping is also a vertical delivery of needles, less popular with clinicians. CIT as the name suggest can improve enlarged pores, pigmentation (not melasma), wrinkles & scars.

Thanks for watching this video, one new video every week, now that I am back on track. Comment as to what you would like me to shoot in the future. More skin care guidelines on my IG account @drdavinlim

Davin Lim, Dermatologist Brisbane Australia
#microneedling #botox #chemicalpeels