Archive for the ‘Diary of a Facial Plastic Surgery Nurse’ Category

Botox vs Dysport

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

I have had a few people ask me what the difference between Botox and Dysport.  Botox and Dysport are very similiar, kind of Coke and Pepsi.  Both of these products are meant to relax the muscle  to decrease wrinkle and frown lines.  They are made up of pretty much the same thing so they act fairly the same.  Below is a table to quickly compare the two products.

Botox

Dysport

- Takes about 5-7 days to start working - Takes about 2-3 days to start working
- On average, last 3-4 months - Last 3-4 months, however studies that are out shows that Dysport might last longer than this

- 1 unit of Botox = 2.5 units of Dysport

- Max effect can take about 2 weeks - Max effect can take about a week
- Been around for 20+ years in the US - On the US market since 2009, but Europe and other countries have been using it  for several years over there

In my opinion, both Botox and Dysport are excellent treatments.  If you trying to get rid of those lines sooner, consider Dysport since studies have shown that it only takes 2-3 days to take effect as oppose to 5-6 days for Botox.  Botox has been around longer than Dysport so for some people, there might be a sense of loyalty there.

For more information, check out the link on the right side to read more on Botox and Dysport from Dr. Young.

Happy Birthday!

Sunday, October 3rd, 2010

I just wanted to write a quick message to say…..

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR.YOUNG!”

For everyone else, don’t forget to ask him how his birthday went if you see him this week.  I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.  I’m watching the Seahawks game…..GO SEAHAWKS!!!

- M

Tips for making your IV insertion a somewhat pleasant one…

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Did you know that drinking Gatorade (or any type of electrolyte drink) will helps your veins stand out when it’s time to start that IV for the surgery?  Being off of fluids 6 hours prior to your surgery (if you’re having IV sedation) causes your body to be somewhat dehydrated which in turns cause the veins to constrict and shrink.  Gatorade contains electrolytes and has a slight bit of glucose in them which can really carry a lot of volume into the veins.  In other words, REMEMBER TO DRINK YOUR GATORADE THE NIGHT BEFORE!

There was a patient that came in last week that was I had the hardest time getting an IV in and so I’m dedicating this blog to that person.  A couple of other things you can keep in mind to make it easier for the IV start:

1. Stay warm – Warmth helps dilate the veins and promote blood flow.  If you’re like me, you get cold super fast so wear a nice warm jacket on the day of the procedure.  Even if you have change into a gown, you can continue to wear it until we bring you back for surgery.  Once in the operating room, you can request a blanket to keep you warm.  A heating pad can always be applied to the area to help dilate the veins some more.

2. Beat the vein then beat it some more – Doing this causes a localized release of histamine, which causes vasodilation.

3.  Tell your nurse which vein(s) has worked in the past for you.  I always ask this question before I start the IV.  If it works, why do try something else?

4.  Lay back and relax.  I know this might sound like an oxymoron when it comes to IV but do try.  It really works!

In other news, there is currently a special at our office for people that would like to get Botox, Dysprt, or fillers with me.  Call our office for details.  Space are limited, I think I’m down to 2 available openings in the month of October.

Thanks for reading =)

-M

Hi everyone!!

Friday, September 17th, 2010
Dr. Young has asked me to help him out with this blog so eventually, I’ll start about blogging more on a regular basis.  Before I do, let me introduce myself.  My name is Michelle Lew, and I recently just joined Dr. Young’s team.  I’m very excited about this opportunity, and I look forward to all of my endeavors here.  I’m his IV nurse on surgery days, but I’ll also help out with pre-ops and post-ops appointment.  I’ll also be doing Botox and facial fillers.  I’m the short Asian girl in the office, so when you see me, please say “hi.”  I love meeting new people and I enjoy working with everyone.

A little more on my background.  Before joining Dr. Young’s team, I was the recovery nurse at a highly known body contour center which performed over 100 procedures a month.  I loved it there, but I wanted to do more than just liposuction, hence my new position here.  Dr. Young does AMAZING work, and I love all of the services that he offers his patients.  My past experiences also including working in the Operating Room at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma and on a med-surg floor at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.  Feel free to leave a comment with any questions you might have.  =)

Again, I’m very excited about this new journey, and I can’t wait to share it with you guys!

- M