Life can leave us with many different scars. The visible scars left behind from surgery or accidents can be unwanted, leaving you feeling self-conscious or they can serve as a constant reminder of what the scars are connected to. Today, we are going to be talking about our scar revision services, Secret RF. 

Hello readers! Welcome back to the blog! How has your new year been going so far? Now that we're a month into 2021, the new year feels much more solidified. How have you been doing with your personal goals and resolutions for the new year? Are you still holding on and working on a game plan to keep up with them? We believe in you, and know you can do it! Don't forget that resolutions and goals can be trying something brand new or finally permitting yourself to try something you've been wanting to try. Make 2021 your year of yes, your year of trying something new, your year of taking a step into the unknown, and your year to let yourself try some new things you haven't yet! In our last blog, we talked about the realities of laser hair removal treatments in our office, in this blog we will be discussing the realities of surgical scar removal in our office. 

Carrying scars that people can and cannot see is something we all battle with that can be incredibly difficult to deal with. They all have their own weight, memory, and story connected to them. Physical scars left behind due to surgery or accident can be unwanted, due to the memories connected to them or just how they make you feel. We have integrated laser technology into our offered services that break down the texture and appearance of scars and improve the cosmetic outcome for our patients. Coupled with top of the line products to enhance your results, a scar revision can decrease the appearance of unwanted scars. From accidental scars to surgical scars, everyone has a scar they wish they could get rid of. If you have ever wanted to improve the appearance of your skin, don't hesitate to contact us for a consultation and customized treatment plan for you. We would like to introduce you to Secret RF. 

What Is It & What We Do
Secret RF is a micro-needling device paired with fractional radiofrequency designed to stimulate and remodel collagen and address the common signs of aging. Using micro-needles that can be adjusted to penetrate at various depths, Secret RF can deliver energy at the necessary levels of the skin to promote anti-aging by addressing fine lines and wrinkles but also to correct the appearance of scars and stretchmarks. Not to be confused with at-home micro-needling rollers that only go to a depth of 0.3 mm MAXIMUM, Secret RF can penetrate up to 3.5 mm below the skin's surface with minimally invasive micro-needles to spare the epidermis and reduce downtime. One of our skilled medical providers will do a full assessment to provide an accurate treatment plan tailored to your individual needs. Actual results may take up to 3 months to be fully appreciated.

A Little More Background Information
Similar to our laser hair removal procedures (truSculpt ID) Secret RF falls into the noninvasive category of treatment that doesn't give a patient any downtime needed to recover. Non-surgical procedures in the aesthetic world have become very popular, and rightfully so. Who wants to go through a potentially dangerous and painful procedure that takes time to go through and recover from when you don't have to? When it comes to aesthetic procedures, it's hard to justify carving out time in a busy schedule to make anyone happy, especially if it isn't a pleasant experience. Thankfully that is one of the many benefits of Secret RF, it is a non-surgical aesthetic procedure with little or no pain that is followed by little to no down time. 

According to Cutera, more than 70% of patients are bothered by signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Secret RF is described as a novel functional radiofrequency micro-needling system for "tissue coagulation and homeostasis designed to stimulate and remodel collagen and address signs of aging" according to Cutera. It is a great tool to also help with the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and scars left behind from acne. How does it work? Sterilized needles are used to create microscopic wounds at precise levels of the dermis while not affecting the epidermis. The heating of the dermis causes collagen production and derma thickness and causes the body to naturally heal around the microscopic wound area. According to Healthline.com, collagen is the most common protein in the body and it creates the framework of your skin and gives the skin its firmness. The production of new collagen can help smooth out unwanted wrinkles and lines in your skin.

The microneedles used in the treatment can be adjusted so it can deliver energy at different depths to the skin, so every treatment is tailored to every patient's treatment area and skin type. The microneedles used and the ability to tailor the depths they go into the skin helps keep it as noninvasive as possible, helps spare the skin, and reduces the patient's downtime after the procedure. There are two different types of needles used in a Secret RF treatment, non-insulated and semi-insulated. Having these options allows treatment on all skin types and treatment in challenging areas to be possible and successful. Patients can receive treatment on both the face and the body, and it is a treatment that you can receive all year round. 

Advantages Of Secret RF

• Secret RF allows the treatment to be focused entirely on the damaged area, and not the entire surface of the skin. 
• The tissue surrounding the treated areas that are left intact after treatment help the entire healing process of the treated area. This helps reduce recovery time and leaves the patient with very few side effects. 
• Secret RF micro-needling was created as a device especially focused on skin revitalization, helping signs of aging, scars, and much more. 
• It is a tool and treatment created for all skin types.
• Secret RF has a very small risk of hyperpigmentation. 
• Secret RF is reliable and very safe.
• According to Cutera, treatments can last between 15-20 minutes or 30-40 minutes depending on the area you are working on, and only requires as little as three months to begin to see the final results. 
• The radiofrequency used in the treatment can result in mild skin tightening, which helps with the treatment of wrinkles. 
• Secret RF helps leave your skin looking rejuvenated, healthy, restored, and refreshed. 
• Secret RF can also help with the tone and texture of your skin, uneven skin tones, blackheads, excessive sweating, crepey skin found across the body, large pores, dull complexion, helps add luminosity to the skin, helps with the treatment of scars, and much more! 
• There is rarely swelling that comes with treatment, the patient will usually only experience swelling on the day of their treatment. 
• Secret RF has even less downtime than that of micro-needling due to the heat used in the procedure. The heat seals up the bleeding caused by the micro-injuries the micro-needling creates. 
• You can return to your schedule, skincare routine, and wearing makeup the day after your treatment. 
• After your treatments, it is highly recommended that you continue or begin wearing sunscreen every day. Immediately after your treatment, please refrain from wearing makeup and using strong cleaning agents or other products that have retinol or acid in them. 
• There is little to no risk of burning, scarring, or pigment issues from the treatment. 
• It is a safe enough procedure to do around your eyes and lips. 
• The needles used leave such micro holes in your skin that without help, they can't be seen by the human eye. 

The Con's 
With all the good, there can be a few things that you need to be aware of with this treatment, and any treatment available to you. 

• A topical pain cream is used in the treatment to help with the patient's comfort, which is very important to us. However, patients could experience a feeling of pinching or discomfort during treatment. 
• You must only receive treatments from very experienced and trained individuals like ourselves. If you are in the hands of someone inexperienced it can cause more of what the procedure is trying to remove and can hurt during the process. 
• It is not a one and done treatment, you will need a few treatments to get the desired outcome and the results won't be overnight. 

The benefits and realities of Secret RF are so vast that we couldn't recommend it more to our patients. It is a treatment for everyone! If you want to help ease signs of aging, stretch marks, acne scars, and many other benefits, Secret RF is the perfect treatment for you. Calling all warriors, blog readers, friends, and patients! Is 2021 your year for Secret RF? Let's get started! Give us a call, we are ready to go on this journey with you! Dear readers, please know we are always here for you with your best interests at heart. Please stay safe, make smart decisions, and be kind to yourself in 2021! 

To see real examples of patient's experience and success with Secret RF follow the link below: 
https://www.thebreastplacesc.com/scar-removal.html

While we offer so many different kinds of services for our warriors and anyone who comes into our offices, skincare and body care is a big part of what's important to us and what we give to our patients every day! 

Hello to all of our warriors, friends, supporters, and readers! We are so thrilled you're back reading the blog and here to read more about the many different ways The Breast Place can make you feel better, look better, and how you can enjoy a little more out of your everyday life. In our last blog, we debunked some of the top myths about botox, and it got us thinking about all of the products, services, and merchandise we offer here at The Breast Place for all of our patients and patrons. It also got us thinking that we needed to remind all of our readers that everyone is welcome to come visit and work with us. Our offices aren't limited to a certain age group, and we are open to anyone who wants to make their bodies feel and look better. We are here for those incredible warriors who are fighting every day against that tyrant silent killer, breast cancer, and for those who are looking to support their body's natural health to make them feel better with a multitude of skin and body care. So, that inspired us to give a little blog overview on some of our many services and why they are both important and beneficial to those who get them! 

1. Laser Hair Removal

Sometimes hair doesn't always grow where you want it to. It certainly can have a mind of its own and appear wherever it chooses to! Hair in unwanted places can affect self-confidence and mental well being, both of which are very important to us and we fight hard to help our patients keep healthy and strong. Treatment can also sometimes affect where and how your hair grows. The Breast Place is now offering laser hair removal in the office with the latest laser technology. What are some of the other benefits of laser hair removal on top of adding to a strong mental health foundation and good self-confidence? There might be a few more than you realize. 

• One of the biggest reasons why many of our patients get laser hair removal is the cleanliness it offers, and that it helps avoid ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs can appear in some very inconvenient places, can be very painful, and can lead to some pretty serious infection.
• If you are someone who has very sensitive skin and has difficulty with shaving due to the pain and irritation that shaving and waxing can cause you, this is an excellent option to have the smooth skin you want without the irritation and pain. 
• Waxing can come with an array of pros and cons. One of the most difficult is that to get a well done and beneficial wax, you need to let your hair grow out all the way in between waxings, which seems a little counterproductive. This can land you back into some awkward situations dealing with hair on your extremities that you didn't want to have in the first place. With laser hair removal, you can shave as often as you'd like in between treatments. 
• After every treatment, your hair will grow back thinner and softer than it was before! So thick patches of hair will be a thing of the past. The effects also last much longer, and your skin will stay smoother and hair-free longer. 
• The actual process of treating multiple different size areas can happen relatively quickly and can lead to permanent hair loss in your chosen lasered areas after only a few sessions. Those dark and coarsely difficult hairs can be targeted and taken care of without any damage done to your skin 

2. Body Contouring 
No matter how hard you work out, no matter how much you diet, and after going through some very big life changes like having a baby, your body will always decide what it wants to do with the fat in your body. Somehow, it always tends to stay in the places we hate the most, and no amount of push-ups, crunches, mountain climbers, or burpees can chase it away. After any life challenge or natural challenge, unwanted fat can hang around no matter how hard you work. In as little as 15 minutes per treatment, you can target those unwanted areas on your lunch break with no downtime and resume your daily activities right away! The muffin top, love handles, lower abdomen, and "bra-fat" can be treated with our non-invasive body contouring done in the office. Outside of these wonderful benefits, what are some other benefits that body contouring can give you? 

• After you've spent what could be years dieting and exercising to get down to your goal weight, the number on the scale might not bring you as much joy as you expected. Sometimes, in these situations, you are left with excess skin. Being able to remove it can make you feel better and look how you want after you've put in so much work. This procedure can also improve how you feel when those stubborn areas are finally gone. It can help eliminate any unwanted jiggling, chafing, you can avoid weight interference, and everyday tasks can finally be pain-free and easier to do with that stubborn excess fat gone! 
• The results are ones that you just can't beat, for most they are long-lasting effects, if not permanent, and can finally give you the look and confidence that you've been wanting. 
• What's great about a non-invasive procedure is that it allows you to heal quicker, have an incredibly mild recovery, and it doesn't get in the way of your life. You can start looking and feeling great without having to put your life on pause before you do so. Also, it means much less risk than other weight loss surgery and doesn't put the physical stress on it that bypass and other surgeries can do to your body. It highly reduces infection, pain, ulcers, and weight gain compared to other surgery. 
• We understand that surgery isn't for everyone, and we also understand that not all bodies can go through surgery safely. With non-invasive body contouring, this weight loss procedure can be done on anyone, any shape, and for any amount of weight that needs to be lost. 
• It can help reduce the visibility of cellulite on your body in those hard to reach and hard to exercise locations. It can also help get rid of and pause any unwanted lines and wrinkles in your skin by helping promote healthy, strong, and tight skin. 

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3.Facial Rejuvination
You live your life to the fullest and through each trial and celebration that comes with it. While we all work hard to care for our skin and to let it age how we choose, our bodies and our skin makes those decisions. That's where facial rejuvenation comes into play. To keep you looking young even after the effects of treatment, raising children, menopause, or surviving life’s challenges, we now offer facial rejuvenation services, Botox/Dysport, and dermal fillers! Laser resurfacing is used to address pigmentation issues like melasma and sunspots, micro-needling with radiofrequency is to promote collagen rebuilding and with no downtime. Laser resurfacing is the newest technology aiding in rejuvenation and antiaging. If you are concerned with fine lines, wrinkles or redness like rosacea, our Cutera Excel V+ laser treatments are right for you. Paired with the best skin products for optimal results, we hope to empower you to look and feel your best at all times. Outside of all this incredible information, what are some more positive benefits of facial rejuvenation? 

• Our skin reacts and is a product of everything we do. It is affected by our stress, our diets, the sun, exercise, smoking, and much more. Each of these very natural and common practices and choices can lead to the deterioration of the skin. Facial rejuvenation can help slow this down and reverse much of that deterioration. It can also help with scars left behind from acne. 
• Ever feel like the skin on your face is never as clean as you want it to be? Even after a huge amount of product and lotion? Facial rejuvenation can help with this and leave your skin feeling much healthier and cleaner than you could imagine. 
• As you age, even with proper sun protection and doing everything by the book, your skin can begin to change color, could become discolored, and your skin tone could become very uneven. Fail rejuvenation helps with all of this! It can help reduce or get rid of age spots, broken blood vessels, age spots, and more! 
• As we age, our skin begins to weigh a little bit more than we remember, and it can begin to sag in some of our least favorite places. Facial rejuvenation helps tighten your skin around your cheeks, jawline, eyes, and more. This can help make the face look rested, refreshed, and healthier. 
• While we age, your body's amount of collagen production begins to slow down. Facial rejuvenation can help the production speed back up. It can also get rid of that "double chin" effect by eliminating the extra fat in that part of your body! 

There you have it! An insider's look into just three of our many services and products. Can you believe the number of benefits that come from just these three services? There are so many wonderful reasons why these and all of our services are incredibly beneficial for all of our patrons, warriors, and friends that come to our offices! If you have any questions about these or any of our services, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to speak with you about the many ways we could help improve your life with one or all of our treatments. While this blog was dedicated to skincare and much more, we are still the best breast cancer center in Charleston! Be well out there, we know that you're fighting hard. You are not alone in this, and you never will be!

Botox has developed an interesting reputation and has been connected to a certain age group and demographic over the years. Today, we are going to break these molds by debunking the top 5 myths about botox!

Hello warriors and welcome back! We hope that Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all of October was wonderful for you and your family! Remember that it is within your power to make every month and every day Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is up to you to help spread the word, spread awareness, and help fight to find the cure faster than ever before. Stay strong, stay resilient, and keep on fighting!

In this first blog of the month, we are going to be stepping into a much different topic than our most recent blogs. While the Breast Place is dedicated to helping women navigate their bodies during their breast cancer treatments and through their survivorship, we offer so much more. Did you know that we also offer a plethora of other services including laser hair removal, facial rejuvenation, body contouring, scar revision, many different kinds of skincare treatments, tru sculpt, and Botox? A lot of people think that many of these services are for certain age groups and not welcomed or accessible to younger audiences. It might surprise you to learn that our youngest patients that we see are in their early 20s and they have had very successful treatments and experiences in our offices. Botox is one of the most popular of these services, and we see a wide range of patients from all age groups for this service.

Over time, Botox has attracted a very unique reputation and a lot of people out there believe that only older women use Botox, and it was designed for only them in mind. We are here to tell you just how wrong these connotations are! Due to all of this negativity and the bad reputation that has attached itself to Botox and those who use it, we wanted to debunk some of the top myths out there about Botox! Please note before we begin, that Botox is one of the most common and safest aesthetic treatments out there - and you will be amazed at what all it can do for you.

Myth #1 Botox will Freeze My Face and Leave Me Expressionless!
Truth: Thanks to pop culture, this idea has been solidified in our minds that if you get Botox you will no longer be able to move your face muscles and your face will be stuck in one expression forever. The only time that your face will even remotely have a slightly frozen reaction is if you get your Botox injections from someone who has poor technique and they don't truly know what they're doing. To help avoid situations like these, please visit us to get the proper treatment or make sure to do in-depth research when choosing where to get your Botox injections. Botox relaxes wrinkle-producing muscles only at the point of injection, and will not affect any other muscles that are involved or help create your facial expressions. After your Botox treatment, you will still have your full range of facial movements and responses all while looking refreshed and rejuvenated.

Myth #2: Botox Is Painful
Truth: With a trained hand and excellent expertise, the doctors and medical professionals you should be going to you for your injections will make sure that the experience is not painful, does not cause damage, discoloring, or any bruising. Skilled and expert treatment shouldn't be noticeable, meaning the treatments and injections should be done gently and gradually so no one realizes that you're even receiving injections. The needles used for Botox are incredibly thin, and only a small amount of liquid is injected into the skin. If patients feel anything at all, they describe it as a small pinch that only lasts for a few seconds.

Myth #3 Botox is Just for Wrinkles
Truth: While Botox is most commonly known for the treatment of getting rid of wrinkles and lines today, there are many other aesthetic and medical uses for Botox. As a matter of fact, it was first approved by the FDA and used to help treat a condition called strabismus, which is a flickering and spasming of the eyes. Doctors didn't know that Botox could be used for cosmetic purposes until they treated eye conditions such as this. Today Botox can be used to treat limb spasticity, excessive sweating, over reactive bladders, chronic migraines, cervical dystonia, eyelid muscle spasms, TMJ conditions, back and neck pain, and more.

Myth #4 Botox is Dangerous and Toxic
Truth: Botox has been used in the aesthetic and medical world for over 20 years. It was officially approved by the FDA in 1989 and is a completely safe treatment. The treatment for it to be used cosmetically came in 2002. The reason why so many think it's toxic is that is connected to the botulinum toxin that is related to the cause of food poisoning. What is injected into your face and body is a purified protein version of this toxin making it extremely nontoxic. To even have some kind of problem or reaction, you would have to have 100 to 300 times the accepted amount of the toxin to cause any problems.

Myth #5: Botox is Addictive
Truth: There is nothing inside the Botox injection that has an addictive property, and if you choose to stop getting treatments it will not make your wrinkles or lines worse. There is nothing that will physically or chemically make the patient addicted to Botox itself. What people do become dependent on is the results of the injects making them look younger and being so excited and thrilled about the results. The only thing close to addiction is becoming very reliant on the results and the patient's features and has nothing to do with the injection itself.

How do you feel about Botox now? For our readers, do you feel a little more comfortable with the idea of Botox? Are you excited to try it out? We couldn't blame you if you were! That's what we are hoping for you to feel! Please remember that Botox is also not just for one type of person, one age group, or just women. Botox has incredible benefits for everyone. If you have any questions or concerns about Botox, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to speak with you about the many ways Botox could improve your life. While this blog was dedicated to skincare and much more, we are still the best breast cancer center in Charleston! Be well out there, we know that you're fighting hard. You are not alone in this, and you never will be!

When dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, one of the first things you'll have to deal with head-on is what is true and what is false in the information available to you. Just like any medical diagnosis, you will come across myths and falsehoods that need to be debunked right away. Today we are going to be tackling the top three most common myths about breast cancer.

Hello, Warriors! We hope this blog finds you well and fighting hard. We hope you are keeping up the hope in yourself and your treatment. If no one has told you recently, you are incredible. You are getting up every day and facing every challenge head-on. With how this year has turned out, that is truly an amazing feat. We are constantly blown away by your journies, strength, and how you balance your everyday professional and personal lives while going through treatment and recovery. We are in awe of you and are inspired by you every day. Keep up the incredible work, we believe in you.

Out of everything that you've already been dealing with and what you're going through, one thing you should never have to deal with is incorrect information and myths. We are the biggest proponents of education and early detection, but we also want to eliminate any fear or misinformation due to old wives' tales or poor information that has turned into what seems like it could be true facts. To deal with this, we want to discuss and debunk some of the most common myths about breast cancer.

Myth #1: If I don't have breast cancer in my family history I won't get it; If I do have breast cancer in my family I will get it.
We wanted to roll this into one myth because to a point both myths are incorrect. It is true that if your family's medical history does include breast cancer you will be at a higher risk, but this doesn't mean you will for sure get breast cancer. According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, only about 13% of women who have breast cancer had a direct relative who was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Also, please be aware that even if breast cancer hasn't been in your family history, this does not mean you won't get it. Breast cancer will appear when it wants to and can happen to anyone at any age. According to BreastCancer.org, most people who do get breast cancer have no family history of it at all, which means other factors besides heredity are most likely the cause. These other factors could be your environment or your lifestyle.

Myth #2 Wearing a bra with an underwire, wearing deodorant, carrying a cellphone in your bra, or using a cell phone can all cause breast cancer.
Please remain calm, if you do any or all of these things, there is nothing to worry about. Keep wearing a bra if you want, use it as a handy pocket for your phone when you need to, put on your deodorant in the morning, and keep up with your nighttime scrolls. None of these statements have actual scientific proof that links them to causing breast cancer. Although, some are still being studied to see if there is a link that could have been overlooked. According to the Susan G. Koman foundation, there are certain chemicals found in certain antiperspirants and deodorants that, "can enter the skin and cause changes that could lead to cancer". Even with that knowledge, there is still no direct link between the two. There is also no direct link between how you use or carry your cell phone that links either activity to breast cancer. There is also no increased risk of getting breast cancer connected to using your phone for long periods.

Myth #3: When you have breast cancer, a lump always forms so you know it's there.
This is very untrue. While discovering a lump can indeed be a sign of breast cancer, our last blog should be proof enough that one lump does not automatically mean you have breast cancer. Actually, most lumps are not connected to breast cancer at all. Sometimes there are no warning signs, while some are slight or drastic physical changes that you can see. Some cancers don't form a lump at all. Any change to the breast that is abnormal for your body could potentially be a sign of the early stages of cancer. When you do notice something, your doctor needs to be alerted right away!

It's easy to get caught up in everything you hear when you're dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. You want to have something to blame for what you're going through, you want to justify why you have it, and to know what caused it in the first place. Sometimes these answers won't be easy ones to find if you can even find them at all. Do your research, talk to your care team, and try to avoid anyone who thinks they've heard something to share with you. Leave the myths at the door! Be well out there, we know that you're fighting hard. You are not alone in this, and you never will be!