Peter L. Kopelson, MD

I usually ask my patients not to exercise for at least 24 hours following any sort of toxin or filler treatment. I have seen no correlation between exercise regimen and the longevity of injectables.

Depending on the size and depth, vascular lesions in general respond very well to the Nd:YAG laser treatment. Often, vascular lesions can be eradicated with one treatment; however, in some cases it may require up to two treatments.  

Radiesse is actually my first choice for filling an aged dorsal hand. I find it to be far superior in terms of it's efficacy in comparison to the hyaluronic acid fillers; it tends to last longer and spreads easier.

Factors such as stress, illness, or sun exposure can decrease the longevity of fillers and toxins. Each filler and each toxin has it's own individual properties and they are injected into different layers of the skin. It is therefore critical that the injector know not only the structure and the function of the skin but also the properties of the substance that is being injected.

In general, healing is impaired in patients who are taking Accutane. I therefore typically abstain from doing any elective or cosmetic treatments until at least 1 month after the patient has stopped taking Accutane.