As we age, our skin begins to lose laxity to the point where we begin to notice areas of loose and dangling skin on areas such as our arms, abdomen, and neck.  One of the most commonly complained areas of excess skin and fat from our patients is around the chin and neck, also known as the submentum.  Because our face and neck are the most visible parts of our body that is seen the most, it can be the area that can be most bothersome, even though other areas may be affected.

The typical treatments for tightening and removing excess tissue and fat around the neck and chin is a face and neck lift surgery.  This type of surgery is still the best option for overall improvement; however, many individuals do not want to go through with a surgery or cannot take the adequate time off after surgery.   In recent years, new or improved technologies and treatments have come through to

help eliminate fat, or tighten the skin around the neck and chin.

Belkyra is a new injectable medication that is approved for the treatment and reduction of excess fat under the chin on the upper neck.  In the United States, Belkyra is called Kybella.  The treatment is non-surgical and non-invasive, and consists of a series of injections of deoxycholic acid, a naturally occurring molecule in the body that helps break down fat, into the problem areas.

CoolSculpting is a treatment that is typically associated with freezing away the fat cells of the abdomen.  Recently, however, with the addition of the CoolMini, a new applicator that treats the double chin area, patients have noticed tremendous success and improvement to their unwanted double chin.

ThermiTight is the newest and most exciting technology for tightening loose skin!  ThermiTight is a treatment whereby radiofrequency energy is applied below the skin’s surface.  This technology involves inserting a small probe under the skin so that thermal energy can be safely delivered to the fat and the tissue beneath the surface of the skin to tighten the area from underneath without endangering the overlying skin.

For some people, they love their double chins and find them endearing.  For others that do not feel the same way about their double chin, there are options.  Give our centre a call today at (780) 482-1414 to book a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nakatsui to discuss the various options and treatments for you.

Patio Season is here!

Friends, Drinks, and great weather can only mean one thing: Patio season is upon us!  During this time we want to look our best when socializing with friends.  Firstly, we want to keep our skin looking young.  The easiest and simplest way to do that is to lather on the sunscreen.  Applying a good sunscreen with an SPF of 60 over all exposed areas of the skin will help prevent our skin from prematurely aging.  Protecting our skin by covering up will also help reduce the chances of skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Having a great fashion sense!

Hats are in fashion this year and wearing a large brimmed hat will not only keep your style up to date, it will also help add another layer of sun protection.  Your eyes are just as susceptible to sun damage as your skin.  Wearing sunglasses will not only allow you to express your style, sunglasses with 100% UV protection will help protect your eyes from possible sun damage.

Let the good times roll!

Laughing and smiling are all part of having a good time.  Through movement around the eyes and forehead, wrinkles can start to appear.  Smiling very deeply can create crows feet on the side of the eyes, while being expressive and moving your eyebrows up and down can create wrinkles on your forehead and in the area between your eyebrows called the glabella.  The wrinkles in the glabella, many people call them the anger lines or number 11’s, is the most commonly complained area.  Through the use of Botox, Dr. Nakatsui is able to reduce the appearance of these lines in the glabella, forehead, and around the eyes.

Looking our best!

Fillers placed in select areas can help rejuvenate the appearance of your face.  Through age and weight loss, areas on the face can lose it’s fullness.  For many, losing weight is a great accomplishment from hard work and dedication.  With weight loss, one of the first areas to show is the face.  Areas such as the cheeks and the lines around the nose and mouth, called the nasolabial folds, begin to sink.  Through the use of fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane, Dr. Nakatsui is able to give the youthfulness and bounce back into these areas with a very natural appearance.

Having radiant skin!

The summer months can be harsh on the skin.  The mixture of sun, wind, and dirt can take its toll on our face.  Through new technologies, Dr. Nakatsui and the Groot DermaSurgery centre is able to improve the appearance of our skin.  HydraFacial MD cleanses, exfoliates, and extracts impurities and dead skin cells while at the same time replenishes vital nutrients into the skin.  

Look great in that summer dress!

Did you buy a dress that almost fits perfectly, but because of one little bulge in your stomach region you are contemplating throwing it away?  Through the use of CoolSculpting, Dr. Nakatsui and the Groot DermaSurgery Centre can help eliminate localized areas of unwanted fat so that you can look your best in that sexy summer dress.

If you have any questions about any of the above treatments, or you want to book a complimentary consultation with Dr. Nakatsui, please do not hesitate to contact our clinic at (780) 482-1414.  Thank you!

Approximately 3 percent of the population suffer from excess sweating.  The excess sweat can be generalized all over the body or in more targeted areas such as the armpits, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet.  This condition is called of excessive sweat is termed hyperhidrosis.  Excessive sweating becomes noticeable after puberty. Stressful situations such as examinations, job interviews, or an important date often aggravate the sweating. Sometimes, it takes almost nothing for the sweating to start and once it starts, it usually worsens until the affected person can get away from everyone else and cool down. Unfortunately, most over the counter antiperspirants do not control hyperhidrosis.

Treatments For Excessive Sweating

Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate
Treatment aims to control the excessive sweating; it is not a permanent cure. A topical agent known as aluminum chloride hexahydrate in absolute alcohol is available in Canada without a prescription under the name of Drysol.

Other Treatment Options
Usually localized applications of aluminum chloride hexahydrate provide satisfactory sweat control. When this regime does not work, other options may include internal medications (such as anticholinergics), electrophoresis, a technique utilizing a device called the Drionic machine, dilute formalin (for sweaty feet). In very rare cases surgery is necessary to remove the sweat glands or cut the nerve responsible for their stimulation.

Neuromodulator Injections

Sweat Inhibiting or Neuromodulator Injections, such as botox,  have proven to markedly reduce sweating for an average of 6 months after 1 or 2 treatments.

When used correctly, neuromodulators are highly effective therapy for excessive sweating and effects can last 6 months or more in the majority of patients. Patients who have had Botox injections for excessive sweating are amazed by the positive change such a simple treatment can have. They often tell us that Botox injections free them from their fear of social embarassment!

Neuromodulators are highly purified proteins that interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses to the sweat glands. Consequently, once the neuromodulator has been injected around the sweat glands, they can no longer sweat for 6 months or more. Eventually the body recovers its ability to transmit nerve impulses to the sweat glands. At that point, the sweat glands can be reinjected.

It’s a very simple process and patients are usually extremely happy with the results as it essentially eliminates the need to worry about the excessive sweating for many months at a time!

If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our clinic at (780)482-1414 to book a complimentary consultation.

The answer is, unfortunately, yes.

One of Dr. Nakatsui’s patients presented this mole to him and when presented this mole, Dr. Nakatsui had a strong suspicion that this oddly shaped mole could be something sinister. Through a diagnostic biopsy performed by Dr. Nakatsui at the Groot DermaSurgery Centre, the results confirmed that the mole was indeed a malignant melanoma, the most worrisome form of skin cancer.

What made Dr. Nakatsui concerned about the mole? We can look at the ABCDE’s of mole checking.

A – Asymmetry: The mole is asymmetrical in shape. If you draw a line through the middle, it is not perfectly symmetrical.

B – Border: The border is uneven and ill-defined. Malignant melanomas typically have uneven, scalloped, or notched borders.

C – Colour: The colour variation in this mole was subtle, however there are elements of light and dark brown, and even some shades of dark blue. Having a multitude of colours in a single mole can be a warning signal. These colours can be reds, browns, blues, whites, and/or blacks.

D – Diameter: The physical size of the mole was another concern for Dr. Nakatsui. The mole was approximately 2.0cm x 1.6cm in size. Malignant melanomas usually are larger than a pencil eras in diameter (6mm), but many malignant melanomas can be smaller than 6mm in size when they are first detected.

E – Evolution: This patient noted that the mole had changed in a relatively short period of time. It grew in size rapidly and it changed in colours within a few months. Any change in colour, shape, elevation, or any other trait, or even new symptoms such as crusting, bleeding, or itching should be examined by your family doctor or dermatologist.

Did you answer the question correctly? It can be difficult to determine whether a mole is good or bad and the best way to determine is to have your family doctor or dermatologist examine the moles.

Keep tabs on your moles – Take monthly photos of any or all moles. Use a ruler beside the mole and take a photo. A couple weeks to a month later, take another photo with the ruler again and determine if there is any change to the mole in size, shape, colour, etc. If you do note changes, it is time to see your doctor.

Avoid sun exposure! Wear hats, sunscreen, long shirts to cover your arms, and long pants to cover your legs. Sun exposure can increase the chances of malignant melanomas and also increase the risk of other forms of skin cancers such as basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas.

When in doubt, check it out!

The best way to prevent your skin from prematurely ageing is to apply sunscreen whenever you go outside!  Collagen deterioration is accelerated by the sun’s rays. The Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays and the longer Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays of the sun penetrate into the dermis, causing the breakdown of collagen and the formation of wrinkles, as well as other signs of sun damage: dilated superficial blood vessels; pigment changes; and scaly patches.  Wearing a hat to cover your face and sunglasses to protect your eyes can also help protect you from the damaging effects of the sun.

Through the use of SPF’s over 50, you can potentially help slow down the signs of ageing and also decrease the chances of skin cancers such as Basal Cell and Squamous Cell carcinomas.  If you would like more information on how to slow down ageing of the face or you would like to look more youthful, please contact our clinic at (780)482-1414 for a complimentary consultation.

For your convenience, Botox and filler appointments, as well as Coolsculpting, Thermitight, and HydraFacial MD appointments can be booked directly online or by calling the office directly at 780-482-1414. There is a $100.00 refundable deposit required to reserve an appointment using the online booking service (please note there is a $20.00 administrative fee deducted from this deposit). If you cannot find a convenient time using the online scheduler, please call as there may be additional appointment times available that are not visible online.

For all other services, please call to schedule an appointment.

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Are you always asked, “Why are you angry?”, even though you may not be angry in that moment? Vertical lines in between our eyebrows (Glabella) can often give the appearance of anger or frustration. Squinting, concentrating, and yes, being upset will naturally cause you to use the muscles above your eyebrows and eventually form anger lines.

Through the use of Botox® Cosmetic, Dr. Nakatsui is able to help these frown lines fade yielding a more pleasant and more youthful appearance. Botox Cosmetic® can also be used to get rid of the horizontal lines on your forehead and the crows feet we get on the sides of our eyes.

Dr. Nakatsui personally performs all of the Botox® Cosmetic injections. There are no nurse injectors for fillers or Botox at the Groot DermaSurgery Centre.  If you would like to book a free consultation with Dr. Nakatsui please fill in the form or contact our office at (780)482-1414.  Thank you and have a great day!

Basic Life Support and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is an important skill to have. Knowing how to respond to a cardiac emergency can increase a person’s odds of survival and recovery by 30% or more.

Dr. Thomas Nakatsui and his team at the Groot Dermasurgery Centre take the time to educate themselves in order to stay on top of current treatments to help you look younger. Staff at the Groot Dermasurgery Centre also take time to stay on top the newest guidelines for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

St. Johns Ambulance put together a short video demonstrating what to do in just that situation. Please click on the link below to watch what to do in just that case. Please note – Watching the video below does not replace actual training from a trained professional. The Groot Dermasurgery Centre encourages everyone to take a certified course in Basic Life Support and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Rosacea is a chronic condition of the skin which is often characterized by flare-ups and remissions. It typically begins from 30 years of age on, as a redness of various areas of the face; including the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. It may also occur on the neck, chest, scalp or ears.

Rosacea can vary substantially from one individual to another. Some common signs of rosacea include: facial flushing, persistent redness, bumps and pimples and facial veins.