In honor of the holiday season, I’d like to introduce some of my favorite products and services. I believe that you don’t necessarily have to break the bank to look great, so there is a wide range in pricing from affordable to super high end. These items could make for great stocking stuffers!

1. SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum® and Recovery Complex®

If you want a product that will help with fine lines, these two are the ones for you. Although some of the most expensive products in the world of skin care, you definitely get what you pay for. Recovery Complex® is a growth factor blend, which improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, skin tone, and texture.

TNS Essential Serum® has two chambers. The first chamber is actually the Recovery Complex®, and the second chamber is a combination of peptides, antioxidants and vitamins to support skin and prevent free radical damage (APS Corrective Complex).

I personally use Recovery Complex® because the second chamber in the TNS Essential Serum® is quite oily and tends to make my skin breakout. Anyone without acne-prone skin can use it, though. Both are amazing to use in combination with microneedling.

2. PCA Weightless Protection Sunscreen and Sheer Tint

Sunscreen is a must year-round, but many of my patients don’t like to use it all the time because many formulas can be quite heavy. PCA has two products that I am obsessed with. First, their Weightless Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 45 is quick absorbing, lightweight, and can be easily worn under makeup.

There are many days that I am in the operating room or running errands around town where I need some coverage but, I don’t want to put on a full foundation. Sheer Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 45 is perfect on those days. I usually substitute my foundation for sunscreen and apply some eye makeup.

3. Microneedling

Microneedling has become more popular over the last few years, and I have personally done treatments on myself for the past 3 years. Microneedling alone or in combination with PRP (platelet rich plasma), chemical peels, and skin products can really transform the texture and color of skin. It is also good for acne scars or scars from surgery. With each treatment, a mechanical hand piece and sterilized tip is used to poke tiny microscopic holes in the skin. Afterwards, your skin reacts by forming new collagen. As a result, any products applied afterward can penetrate deeper and work more effectively. For optimal results, I usually recommend a series of 3-5 treatments, separated by two weeks for those who have never had treatments, but you will see a difference with even the first treatment. There is zero downtime for this procedure. Patients often have what looks like a mild sunburn for 12-24 hours, and I recommend not wearing makeup until the following morning.

4. PCA Line of Retinols

Retinol can sometime get a bad rap because it causes sensitivity in many patients. It is a Vitamin A derivative that can be used topically to boost collagen production, reduce fine lines, even out discoloration, speed cell turnover, and smooth out skin texture. The one thing to keep in mind with retinol is the formulation. I love the PCA line of retinols because of their patented time-release OmniSome delivery system, which carries the product deeper into the skin without the side effects of other products of the same concentration. They also tailor each product to the predominant problems my patients are facing: wrinkles, discoloration, acne, and sensitivity.

5. Juvederm Voluma

Of all the injectable hyaluronic fillers available now, Voluma is by far my favorite. We all lose volume in our faces as we age. This creates hollowing under the eyes and deep skin folds around the mouth. Voluma acts almost like a cheek implant to lift the skin of the face back up where it’s supposed to be. It sets the foundation for any other area injected. For a more natural appearance, I will start out by injecting cheeks with Voluma before moving on to treat the area around the mouth. Ultimately, less product is needed in the lower face if the midface is addressed first. Best of all, it can last as long as 2 years!

6. Oil Cleansers

It’s a little counterintuitive, but oil cleansers are actually good for all skin types. Many cleansers on the market dry out the skin and actually cause it to produce even more oil. It starts to become a vicious cycle. Also, most makeup is oil-based and difficult to clean off with water-based cleansers. Oil cleansers work to remove all makeup and impurities in the skin, while also maintaining the skin’s own moisture. There are numerous home recipes using castor oil online, but my favorite product off the shelf is by Burt’s Bees.

7. Botox

Need I say more? Botulinum toxin is a neuromodulator which acts to prevent muscles from contracting. There are a number of medical and cosmetic uses for this wonder drug, but I’ll stick to talking about its uses in the face. When injected around the eyes and forehead it can literally prevent or allow repair of wrinkles. Talk about turning back the clock!

Botox can also be used in the head and neck to treat migraines. In addition to the upper face, treatment of migraines requires additional product to be injected into the temples, back of the neck, and possibly jaw muscles. Many of my patients have tried every medication under the sun, and botox is the only thing that works for them.

If that wasn’t enough, botox can also help with jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and TMJ issues. Similar to the treatment of migraines, to address these issues, botox must be injected in the temples and jaw muscles.

Botox lasts about 3 months, so treatments have to be repeated. With continued use, the muscles actually shrink, and time between treatments expands.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Saxon call (512) 866-8039 or email info@saxonmd.com.