FAQs

Before you arrive at your appointment, make a list of all previous cosmetic procedures including surgical and non-surgical treatment. This includes fillers, toxins, lasers, and tightening procedures, as well as the dates associated with each procedure. Make a list of any products that you are currently using on your skin, or recently used with either beneficial or adverse effects.

If you’re a new patient and want to save time, visit our Resources page and print the forms we have available. You can fill those out ahead of time, and hand them into reception when you check in at the front desk.

If you anticipate any treatments on your visit, click here to learn more about what you should do before a procedure.

If you’re planning on having a procedure done, avoid taking these products 7-10 days prior to your appointment to help minimize bruising:

• Advil
• Aleve
• Anti-inflammatory medications (Celebrex)
• Aspirin
• Blood Thinners (Coumadin, Warfarin, Lovenox)
• Cinnamon
• Fish oils
• Ginger
• Ginkgo Bilbao
• Ginseng
• Green Tea
• Juicing/ juice cleanses
• Multivitamins or a vitamin pack
• Omega 3
• Red/Rose Wine/Tinted alcohol
• St. John’s Wart
• Vitamin E

If anything on the list was prescribed by a physician for a medical condition, do not stop taking it! Call our office at 212.684.2626 for more information.

If you have questions about how a medication might react to treatment, please continue taking your medication as prescribed, and call the office to learn more.

Finally, if you discover an active infection (such as a cold sore) on your face the day of a procedure, it’s better to reschedule. Many treatments can make the infection worse! Just be sure to cancel more than 48 hours in advance to avoid incurring a cancellation fee.

Do not schedule treatments immediately before a special event. Depending on the procedure, it takes different periods of time to see optimal results – and you might have redness, bruising, or swelling a few days after.

Your safest bet is to call our office at 212.684.2626. Explain to us when your big event is, and we’ll schedule you at a time that ensures you will look your best.

Sclerotherapy is a type of treatment that helps reduce the appearance of varicose veins. Here are some guidelines of what to do and not to do before your appointment:

ONE WEEK BEFORE TREATMENT:

• If you’re taking Vitamin E, stop taking it a week before your treatment. If at all possible, you should also avoid medications that could increase your chances of bruising, listed here
• Notify the office if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

2 DAYS BEFORE TREATMENT:

• Make sure you have no air travel scheduled 36 hours before treatment
• Do not use any lotion, oil, or self-tanning products on your legs

THE DAY OF TREATMENT:

• Do not shave your legs the morning of the treatment
• If you prefer, you may bring a pair of shorts to wear during treatment—some patients feel this is more comfortable
• If something occurs (for example, illness or injury) that would interfere with normal walking, please postpone treatment
• Let your doctor know if you suffer from any bleeding disorders, or if you are taking an anticoagulant. This could increase your risk of side effects, including serious bruising

For a full list of sclerotherapy guidelines, download the full information sheet here.

While it uses safe, noninvasive ultrasound technology, there are still a few guidelines that Ultherapy^® patients can use so they will get the best results from their treatment:

• Stay out of the sun – You can reduce your chances of irritation by avoiding a fresh sunburn a week before your procedure
• Stop applying self tanners or spray tans a week before your procedure
• Cease using products that promote cell turnover – topical products containing isotretinoin (ex. Retin-A^®), glycolic acid, or salicylic acid should not be used a week before Ultherapy treatment
• Start taking Valtrex^® – To avoid viral flare ups, begin taking Valtrex 3 days before your appointment
• Keep things clean and clear – The day of your procedure, gently wash the area you intend to treat with a mild cleanser. Do not apply any creams, lotions, foundation, powder, or other products prior to treatment

For a full list of pre- and post-care instructions for Ultherapy, download our instruction sheet here.

Laser treatments like Fraxel DUAL or Isolaz^® (and even many light- or focused-energy procedures) work by targeting pigment. So it is very important that a week before your treatment, you do not tan or use self-tanner. This can result in the laser overcorrecting, leading to uneven results (or worse, permanent depigmentation). In some rare cases, it can cause discoloration where there was none before. Be sure to talk to your doctor about any cosmetic, lotion, or moisturizer you’ve recently used that may darken your skintone.

You could, but then it would look like a bruise with makeup! You should leave several days for your final result­—try taking a long weekend off. If you have the time after your procedure, we have the ability to treat bruising with lasers, which will decrease the duration of the bruise.

For all products in the filler family, our goal is to lift and shape: no one has ever asked for a rounder face! We fill where volume has been lost. The goal is NOT to recreate your face but to restore your face.

With all skincare technology, technique often matters more than the product. Botox^® should be used to decrease deep expression lines. Frozen expressions occur when too many muscle groups have been injected, rather than targeting the ones that create deep wrinkles. The goal of any toxin is to soften these expression lines while leaving natural expression. No one should say your Botox looks good!

It’s time for a facelift when adjustments with fillers, toxins, and tightening procedures no longer give you results that are pleasing. In that case, it may be time to establish a new baseline for your face. It’s like the analogy of a house whose foundation has become weak: no amount of spackle will fill the cracks.

Skin aging is about two things: genetic predisposition and lifestyle. Some women have skin that is resistant to aging; other women smoke often or don’t use sunscreen. So there is no hard-and-fast rule about when it’s time to get a cosmetic dermatology procedure.

The “right age” is the age where you feel unhappy with the tone and texture of your skin. It’s worth noting that the more repair or resurfacing your skin needs, the more repeat procedures you’ll need to get the results you want. That’s why dermatologists encourage you to get procedures at the first sign of aging—whenever that may be!

A good candidate for Ultherapy is someone with skin that has “relaxed” to the point of looking, and often feeling, less firm. A lowered eyebrow line or sagging skin on the eyelids, for instance, is often the first sign of “maturing” skin. Typically, those in their thirties and older who have mild to moderate skin laxity are candidates.

While Ultherapy is not a replacement for a surgical face-lift, there are many people who want some lifting but are not ready for surgery. There are also younger people who want to “stay ahead of the game” as well as those looking to prolong the effects of cosmetic surgery.

For more information, download the Ultherapy FAQ sheet here.

You can purchase our skincare line directly from Bath & Body Works.

If you love a product that is no longer available we encourage you to reach out to Bath & Body Works and share with them what products you’d like to see back on the shelves. The customer service department can be reached at 1-800-756-5005.

We’ve been touched at the outpouring of support and loyalty we’ve received towards the Acnescription line. Because one of the active ingredients is no longer available, we are currently working with Bath & Body Works to reformat the product and hopefully return it to market.

Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to get the latest news on our practice, including occasional updates about Wexler Dermatology products.

After you’ve received an injection, whether a filler or a toxin, it’s important to keep your head upright for at least 4 hours. Try not to bend down or tip your head to one side – it might create an uneven appearance.

For those who have been injected with filler, it’s important not to wear swim- or ski goggles for a week after the procedure, as it may cause undue pressure which may lead to distortion.

To avoid irritating the area, try to avoid excessive touching. You may also want to limit facials, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion for a few days.

Certain substances can thin your blood and lead to bruising. For a day or two after your procedure, please limit your intake of:

• Advil
• Aleve
• Anti-Inflammatory medications (Celebrex)
• Aspirin
• Cinnamon
• Fish oils
• Ginger
• Ginkgo bilboa
• Ginseng
• Juicing/ juice cleanses
• Multivitamins or a vitamin pack
• Omega 3
• Red/Rose Wine
• St. John’s Wart
• Tinted alcohol
• Vitamin E

If you’ve got pain, you can take Tylenol, or call the office at 212.684.2626 for advice.

As with any medical procedure, if you feel weak, feverish, or have chills, be sure to contact your doctor or visit the ER right away—You may have a serious infection.

Part of what makes Botox look natural is symmetry. By holding your head upright for 4 hours after injection, you can avoid an uneven appearance (such as a possible eyelid droop). Here are some guidelines that can help:

• No leaning forward or lying down- your head must remain upright.
• No shoe shopping, etc.
• No touching the injection area
• No showers
• No hair washing
• No clothing changes
• No long walks
• No cooking over a hot stove
• No exercise
• No hats

Other guidelines to help you avoid irritation include:

• Waiting 4 hours to fly in an airplane
• Avoiding lengthy hair appointments (blow outs, hair dye, or hair color)
• Keeping injected area free of makeup

For a full list of Information and instructions, download the Information sheet here.

If you’ve undergone a laser treatment, especially one to help brighten your skintone, sun exposure is your worst enemy! Your brand new skin will burn easily, and the discoloration can quickly come back (or appear, where none had been before). Be sure to cover up for a few weeks, and be diligent about sunscreen.

Once you’ve undergone a sclerotherapy procedure, you’ll be happy to know that there are only a few restrictions on activity. These guidelines will make you feel more comfortable:

• Leave the cotton balls and tape on for three hours. After 3 hours, where your support stockings until bedtime
• If you notice redness or irritation around the areas of the tape, please call the office and we’ll prescribe you a cream. If itching or burning develops, remove the tape immediately
• Once the tape is removed, wear the supplied support hose for two weeks, except to sleep
• Try to avoid bumping the treated areas doing exercises, which can cause bruising. Weight lifting with the legs should be minimized for two weeks. We encourage walking
• No flying for 36 hours after treatment
• Keep the treated area out of the sun for at least a week

If you have any questions or comments relating to your sclerotherapy aftercare, please give us a call, or download the full information sheet here.

There are a few things you can do to be comfortable and get the best possible results from your Ultherapy treatment:

• For the next few days, wash skin with cool water and a gentle cleanser
• If the treated skin is slightly pink or red, avoid hot water when washing or showering until the ‘blush’ has subsided (usually within an hour)
• Avoid exfoliation until all sensitivity in the treatment area has subsided (at least a week, but could be more)
• Make-up (preferably mineral-based) may be applied immediately post treatment
• Soothing, non-irritating creams or moisturizers may be used. See the FAQ on pre-care instructions for a list of some common irritants
• To prevent sun damage, use a sunblock with an SPF of 30 or greater
• Continue taking Valtrex until your prescription is finished

For a full list of pre- and post-care instructions for Ultherapy, download our instruction sheet here. If you have any further questions, please call our office at (212) 684-2626

As a primarily cosmetic practice, Wexler Dermatology does not take insurance. However, if you come and see us for a medical procedure (such as skin cancer removal), we can provide you with the appropriate paperwork to give your insurance company so that they can reimburse you for the cost.

Every consultation with a new patient is a chance for us to invest in the health and the goals of our patients. In addition to a full body skin cancer check, we’ll go over your medical history, review old pictures, and try to get a full sense of your treatment goals. This consultation routinely takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour, with the fee as a compensation for our doctor’s personalized expertise.

We understand that our clients are busy men and women whose calendars can suddenly change at a moments notice. That’s why there is no fee if you cancel your appointment more than 48 hours ahead of schedule. However, if you cancel with less than 48 hours notice, or if you do not show up to an appointment, we do apply a fee. To learn more about our cancellation policy, read our Financial Policy, or call 212.684.2626.

The full amount of the procedure(s) should be paid in full at checkout. We accept cash and all major credit cards.