Urban Allure Blog - Learn More About Our Services!

Reduce Unwanted Lines with BOTOX Cosmetic in San Francisco

When you are young and your skin looks fresh and healthy, looking at yourself in the mirror is an awesome thing. You are happy with the way that you look, and you are happy with the condition of your skin. Unfortunately, as a person gets older, things start to change. Smooth and healthy skin slowly morphs into skin that is old and full of wrinkles. In times past, the only options that were available for addressing unwanted wrinkling was surgery or ineffective topical creams. Now, San Francisco residents have the option of reducing unwanted lines with BOTOX Cosmetic.

This is a neural modulator. What this term means is that it modulates or controls the way that facial muscle nerves receive or send signals. When BOTOX Cosmetic is injected into an area, the nerves in that area are basically told to stop sending the signals that lead to muscle contractions. This means that while BOTOX Cosmetic is active, your facial muscles will not be making the movements that cause dynamic wrinkles.

This does not mean that BOTOX Cosmetic is going to give you a frozen face. To the contrary, people who have these treatments are able to express a wide range of emotions. What BOTOX Cosmetic does is control the intensity or the severity of muscle contractions.

Controlling muscle contractions is the key to eliminating dynamic wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are formed when your facial muscles contract, thereby folding your skin. Over time, the contracting motion of your facial muscles will cause your skin to fold to the point where the creases become permanent. The dynamic wrinkles will be visible on your face even when you are not making a facial expression.

BOTOX Cosmetic is a minimally-invasive treatment. It is administered via an injection. Most people are able to have the treatments without needing any form of anesthesia. The product produces little to no side effects. The vast majority of people are able to leave our office and go back to their everyday activities.

You can reduce unwanted lines with BOTOX Cosmetic. See for yourself how good you look and how great you feel as you recapture your youthful appearance. Contact us today at Urban Allure for a consultation in San Francisco!

Achieve Permanent Hair Reduction with Laser Hair Removal in San Francisco

Many find that shaving with a razor is frustrating, time-consuming, and does not always produce results that are satisfying. However, getting rid of unwanted hair in certain places is necessary. We invite you to consider a better solution. You could achieve permanent hair reduction with laser hair removal at our office in San Francisco.

While you have likely heard of laser hair removal, you may not be familiar with the way it works. When you visit us for a laser hair removal session, we are going to use a laser device that will direct energy at certain areas of your body where you have hair that you would like to have removed. The treatment is very quick. The area the size of a quarter can be treated in just seconds. The energy from the laser is absorbed by the pigmentation in your hair. As it is absorbed, the follicle becomes damaged. This means that it will not produce hair in the future.

It is good for our clients to know that they will need a series of separate treatment sessions in order to get permanent hair reduction. These treatments are spaced at least a couple of weeks apart in an effort to get the best results. Only the hair that is going through an active growth phase will be damaged during the laser treatment session. When multiple sessions are scheduled several weeks apart, this gives us the best chance of treating all of the hair in a particular area.

One misconception that people have about laser hair removal is that they have to let their hair grow out in between their treatment sessions. This has actually made some people in San Francisco quickly dismiss laser hair removal treatments when they think about spending months with unwanted hair growing on obvious parts of their body. However, you are actually encouraged to shave before your treatments with us. There is no embarrassing hair growth between sessions.

If you are not satisfied with the results that you are getting using a razor, waxing kits, or other temporary forms of hair removal, permanent hair reduction with laser hair removal may be the best option for you. Learn more by contacting us today at Urban Allure and scheduling a consultation at our office in San Francisco!

Rejuvenate Your Skin with IPL Treatment in San Francisco

Light energy can be used to improve the appearance of the facial skin. It’s not just lasers that can do the trick. A specialized instrument that pulses special light energy is now being employed as a means to stimulate healthy, collagen-rich skin. Known as intense pulsed light therapy, or IPL, this cosmetic treatment is one of the simplest yet most effective remedies for blotchy, discolored, blemished, or wrinkled facial skin. If any of this sparks your interest, you may want to consider IPL treatments at our office in San Francisco

What IPL Can Correct

IPL treatment works by using light energy that’s absorbed by darker, denser tissues including blemished skin, age spots, darkly scarred tissue, and capillaries. The absorbed energy causes the capillaries to shrink, and it also shrinks collagen. The body responds to this by accelerating the production of more collagen. This helps smooth out fine wrinkles, crow’s feet, and marionette lines, among other things. The procedure also results in less noticeable age spots and other forms of hyperpigmentation. It may even reduce the appearance of melasma, rosacea, liver spots, and freckles.

A Simple Procedure

The skin is coated with a thin layer of cooling gel. The lamp is pressed against the skin surface, and the brief pulse of light sends energy right through the epidermis without harming it. Each pulse lasts only a couple of milliseconds.

We usually schedule a series of treatment sessions at our office in San Francisco. There’s no downtime for the client, making this procedure preferable to more aggressive treatments.

Get Clearer, Better-Looking Skin

At Urban Allure in San Francisco, we serve the entire Bay area and are ready to answer all your questions regarding IPL skin rejuvenation. Contact us today to book a consultation and get started!

Get Smoother Skin with Laser Hair Removal in the Bay Area

You moved to the Bay Area because you wanted to be closer to the water. You like having fun in the sun also. It is something you look forward to every year as the colder weather fades with each passing day. The only problem you face is that you have a lot of body hair that you must shave off before sporting your new swimwear. When you shave your body hair off, your skin does not get nearly as smooth as you would like it to be. To make matters worse, you have this problem of getting razor bumps all over your bikini line. In a word, it is just not very attractive, and you like looking your best even down to the fine details. To keep razor bumps, nicks, cuts and razor scrapes from roughing up your skin, you thought that this year you would try out laser hair removal to see how it would work for you.

The Initial Visit

Since you are a person who believes in getting the best quality service in the Bay Area, you decided to opt to learn more about laser hair removal. It all starts with scheduling a consultation at our office. During the actual treatment, a laser is used to target the hair follicle with a single laser pulse. In fact, it can work over an area the size of a quarter each second. In what seemed like a short time, your armpits and legs may be finished. It’s important to understand, however, that a series of treatment sessions at our office in the Bay Area is typically required in order to achieve the desired results.

Multiple Laser Hair Removal Sessions

While your first laser hair removal treatment session is a great start, it’s crucial to realize that you’ll need to come back for more sessions in the future. The more you have the laser hair removal treatments done, the more effectively they will impair the hair follicles in your skin and prevent hair regrowth. Over the course of multiple treatments, you will notice that your hair is not growing back in as thick or as frequently.

Learn more by scheduling a consultation at Urban Allure in San Francisco. Contact us today to schedule your appointment in the Bay Area!

How Intense Pulsed Light Can Benefit You

One of the newer approaches to skin rejuvenation, intense pulsed light therapy, or IPL, is gaining in popularity because of the simplicity of the treatment and the rapid results it produces. Some people confuse this procedure with laser skin resurfacing, but the instrument used in IPL treatment is somewhat different than a laser. It produces pixelated beams of broadband light, meaning that a number of different wavelengths are emitted.

This allows the dermatologist to customize a treatment for each client, and the concentrated yet gentle light energy pulses trigger a rejuvenation of the skin without the harmful effects of skin cauterization. We encourage you to read on to discover the benefits of IPL treatments and why we prefer this type of photorejuvenation over other means of correcting common age-related skin problems.

Using Light Energy For Skin Treatment

Light is made up of photons, and photons are absorbed by certain materials having a given density and tone. When energy is absorbed by skin tissue, the tissue heats up and is slightly damaged. This is a good thing, because the body will respond by creating healthy replacement tissue.

However, subjecting the skin surface to concentrated light energy is similar to suffering from sunburn. An IPL device doesn’t cause this because it can be calibrated to deliver a combination of wavelengths that pass right through the epidermis and be absorbed deeper down. The skin surface will benefit anyway, because it is in the lower dermal layers than new epidermal tissue is created.

How We Perform The Treatment

We consult with the client and examine the facial features closely. We’re looking at the dynamic wrinkles, acne scars, injury scars, and other forms of hyperpigmentation. This allows us to customize the treatment and schedule the proper number or treatment sessions.

After the skin has been treated with a cooling gel, the IPL instrument is pressed against the surface. Each pulse of the lamp is very brief in duration. The darker, more dense tissues beneath the epidermal layer will absorb the energy and heat up slightly.

This shrinks the collagen in the affected tissues. Strange as it may sound, this results in an increase in collagen production. The heat also shrinks capillaries, and this helps to minimize the appearance of blemishes such as age spots and injury scars.

Gradual Improvement In Skin Texture

After about four treatments, spaced apart by a week or so of healing, the skin becomes more taut and supple. Fine lines become almost invisible thanks to the increased amount of collagen in the skin. Blemishes all but disappear, and age spots are not as dark as they were before the treatment began.

There’s no downtime after IPL treatments. The client can go on with normal activities. However, it’s a good idea to stay out of the sun during the treatment schedule.

No Surgery, No Strange Chemicals

The rising popularity of intense pulsed light therapy is due primarily to the simplicity of the procedure and the fact that the skin isn’t subjected to harsh chemicals. The skin isn’t ablated, meaning that the results are far more predictable. Contact us today to learn more about IPL and how you can benefit from this effective cosmetic skin rejuvenation technique.

Get Longer Lashes with Latisse in San Francisco

When you hear about getting longer lashes, one of the things that you may think about is using false eyelashes. Or something else that might come into your mind is using eyelash extensions. While these things have definitely benefited individuals who have used them, they have their downsides. We are talking about getting longer lashes in a natural way. Latisse can help you to improve the way your eyelashes look. If you live in the San Francisco area, we invite you to our office to learn more.

The first thing that you should know is that Latisse is not a cosmetic treatment. It is not like mascara. You do not apply it to your lashes in the same way that mascara is applied. It is not used to darken or lengthen your eyelashes in the same way that this cosmetic product is designed to improve your eyelashes. Latisse is actually a medication. It is designed to help you to actually grow eyelashes that are longer and thicker. Individuals who use Latisse will also notice their lashes get darker as well. These are usually goals that individuals hope to achieve with false eyelashes, eyelash extensions, and mascara. However, you can get these amazing benefits on your own with this amazing product.

If you regularly use mascara, you know what a hassle it can be. First, it is something that you have to apply every day. In some cases, you actually have to touch it up throughout the day. You may have issues with it clumping on your eyelashes or you may have had the negative experience of having it run if you cry or if you live in a hot environment. If you use waterproof mascara, you know that it is extremely difficult to remove. When you use Latisse, you can say goodbye to your mascara. Your eyelashes are going to look longer, thicker, and darker. However, you can achieve all of these amazing results without the need to apply mascara. And since you no longer have to use mascara, you will not have the same exposure to the harsh chemicals contained in the product.

In order for you to use Latisse in a safe and effective way, you must visit one of our doctors. Since it is a prescription medication, it needs to be applied in a specific way in order for you to get the best results. When you visit our San Francisco office for your first consultation, we will discuss all of the details of how to use Latisse and when you can start seeing benefits from the product.

The great thing about Latisse is that most people out there qualify for this treatment. If you have serious eye issues, you may not qualify. Or if you have other serious health issues, we will discuss these with you when you visit us for your consultation. The majority of healthy individuals out there can start getting longer lashes with Latisse right now. Please contact us today at Urban Allure to schedule your consultation.

Refresh Your Look with Juvederm in San Francisco

Would you describe your facial skin as smooth, soft, and youthful? While everyone would love to use these words to describe their appearance, many cannot do so if they are going to be really truthful. Unfortunately, things like wrinkles, indentations, and sagging skin all cause a person to have an appearance that is anything but perfect. If you would like to refresh your look, Juvederm® may be the right option for you. San Francisco residents are warmly invited to contact us to set up a consultation.

It is very likely that you have heard of Juvederm®. However, you may not completely understand how or why it is used. It is a very popular line of dermal fillers. They have several different products that can be used to help individuals who are dealing with a loss of facial volume, wrinkles, fine lines, and other imperfections that make them feel less than attractive.

Dermal fillers are extremely popular because they are safe, quick, and provide fantastic results. If you have areas of your face that are losing volume because of the aging process, dermal fillers can be injected in order to give you back some of your facial volume and provide just the right amount of lift. They are extremely versatile and benefit your skin in a variety of ways.

As you learn more about dermal fillers, you are going to quickly see that they are based on several different types of ingredients. For example, some are based on collagen. Others are based on synthetic ingredients. Juvederm® is based on hyaluronic acid. This is a substance that your skin naturally produces and it is what helps your skin to hold onto moisture and to look and stay hydrated.

When you visit us in our San Francisco office for Juvederm® treatments, you can expect several different benefits to come from these injections. First, you are going to have a more attractive facial contour. You are going to notice that your skin has more lift and volume and looks smooth. You’ll also notice that the results are natural-looking.

Another benefit that you will enjoy because of Juvederm® treatments is the fact that the hyaluronic acid that is contained in the product is going to bring many benefits to your skin. It is going to help your skin to look moisturized and hydrated. It will help your skin to hold onto water, so it will keep your skin looking fresh and plump.

If you live in the San Francisco area, make an appointment at Urban Allure to find out more information about Juvederm®. Contact us today to book your consultation at our office in San Francisco!

3 Skin Treatment Options at Our Med Spa in San Francisco

Being treated at our med spa in San Francisco is a great way to brighten your complexion and rejuvenate the appearance of your skin so that you appear like a younger and/or better version of yourself. Some patients are baffled at the wide range of treatment options that are available to them, so let’s take a look at just three of the most popular skin treatments we have to offer.

1. Professional Peels

The typical peel can be seen as a simple form of exfoliation; we are able to gently remove only the very outermost layers of skin that is actually composed of dirt and cellular debris. This material is not part of your living skin. Therefore, it acts as a kind of cover over your naturally radiant skin. Once we remove it, the true beauty of your skin can shine forth and brighten your complexion in a very noticeable way.

2. Cosmetic Injectable Treatments

We are proud to offer BOTOX®, which is the go-to treatment at our med spa for anyone in San Francisco dealing with dynamic wrinkles. The treatment basically relaxes the muscles that are responsible for dynamic wrinkles, thus, smoothing the skin above the treatment area.

Dermal fillers have exploded in popularity recently as a way to fight static wrinkles and fill in places that have lost volume as a result of the aging process. This is largely due to the fact that they can offer significant results without the need for incisions that can sometimes cause complications or lengthy downtimes. Most patients are able to resume their normal activities right after their treatment.

3 . Dermalinfusion Skin-Resurfacing Treatment

Dermalinfusion Skin-Resurfacing is an amazing treatment at our med spa that aims to exfoliate your skin and infuse it with helpful substances while also extracting impurities. It helps minimize the appearance of many different skin concerns.

Are you interested in taking advantage of skin treatments at a state-of-the-art med spa? Make an appointment at Urban Allure in San Francisco and learn more about your treatment options. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

Smooth Away Dynamic Wrinkles with BOTOX in San Francisco

Everyone makes facial expressions from time to time. This natural response to something funny, confusing, scary, or happy often has the added adverse results of creating deeper facial lines and unattractive creases. Individuals might notice these as vertical lines on the forehead or as drawn down mouths with downward mouth to chin creases. These expression marks can leave individuals embarrassed by the very skin on their faces. Individuals with these deeper skin mars often only had the option of fixing them through a long and involved facelift surgery. An option to eliminate these unwanted lines and wrinkles is BOTOX!

BOTOX® is a treatment that involves a tiny amount of this product directly injected by a trained healthcare professional to the stubborn expression telltale signs. This impressive treatment actually works on the small muscles under the areas where individuals have these creases and wrinkled areas. The product relaxes those muscles without causing that wide-eyed crazy look that many today are afraid of developing. The truth is, that performed correctly by a trained professional, BOTOX treatments are considered by the FDA and medical experts to be generally safe, and the treatment gives natural looking results. Patients notice that their skin smooths out and the unappealing skin wrinkles disappear.

There can be some more serious reactions if patients have certain medical conditions or are taking certain medications. It is important to share all of your health information just so that these rare effects can be avoided. The minute amount of BOTOX enables those affected facial muscles to stay relaxed enough to not cause those deep creases, but still allows for the natural expressions that all individuals have. This procedure won’t make individuals look different or even that they had anything done.

All of your concerns can be discussed when you come into the beautiful facility that offers a relaxing atmosphere and cutting-edge cosmetic equipment. A consultation appointment allows every potential patient to have the time and knowledge to understand how the treatments work. Most patients are very pleased with the exceptional results. Usually, individuals begin to notice that the facial skin appears calmer and completely natural. Over several days, patients see that their facial skin has dramatically improved. Results generally will remain for months. Patients often decide to repeat the experience because they have such wonderful results.

With no recovery or downtime, individuals are back to their usual functions and activities. Patients are asked to simply avoid rubbing the area and keeping their heads elevated for the initial several hours following the treatment. While in these gorgeous surroundings, ask about additional treatments and skincare products that the staff is happy to discuss. In just 10 minutes, the easy treatment is finished. The benefits of looking your best helps to instill more inner confidence. San Francisco residents interested in BOTOX® treatments that work to gently smooth those unwanted dynamic wrinkles away can contact Urban Allure for an appointment.

Say Goodbye to Your Razor with Laser Hair Removal in San Francisco

Your razor is a trusty tool for stripping unwanted hair off your body. Whether it is a handheld manual razor with multiple blades or an electric razor with multiple rotating heads, your razor has served you well each morning in the privacy of your San Francisco home. You might use your razor to rid your face of unwanted facial hair or to give your legs that silky, sexy smooth finish. You work hard to stay on top of your hair removal efforts. The thought of not having to go through the ritual of shaving each day is something you thought was just a dream. Yet, every day people just like you are shelving their razor for an alternative method of hair removal that saves them both time and money. With laser hair removal, you will not only end up with less hair to shave off your body, but you will find that you will be shaving far less often too.

Getting Laser Hair Removal Treatments

Laser hair removal is that it is not a process that will immediately lead to no more shaving, but rather means shaving less frequently over time. What you can expect following laser hair removal treatments is that your hair will grow back thinner and less frequently. This means you will likely be spending less time shaving and more time enjoying your life!

Visiting our office in San Francisco for a consultation will help us determine the best treatment plan for you. Depending on the area treated, you may require follow-up treatments to achieve your goals and best results. A member of our staff will work with you to review your goals and options.

Why Laser Hair Removal Works

Laser hair removal treatments involve using a laser to specifically target and damage the hair follicles in an area where there is unwanted hair growth. When it comes to preventing thick, frequent hair growth from coming back with a vengeance, a laser is used to do damage to the hair follicles. Damaging more of these follicles is key to maintaining less hair growth.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you could benefit from laser hair removal, contact us today at Urban Allure to schedule a consultation. We proudly serve the San Francisco area and work to help you achieve your aesthetic goals. Take the first step to spending less time shaving!