FAQ

Conditions we can assist your family doctor or nurse practitioner (also known as your primary care provider) in managing include – but are not limited to:

• Skin cancer screening and treatment
• Dermatitis
• Eczema
• Alopecia (hair loss)
• Psoriasis
• Acne
• Urticaria and itch
• Rashes and lesions of unknown cause or diagnosis
• Warts
• Rosacea

If you feel that you may benefit from seeing Dr. Kents for a dermatological condition, you are first required to see your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) for an assessment and a referral.

Once a referral has been made to our clinic, your primary care provider will be informed and our clinic will contact you with the appointment details. If you received a message regarding your appointment, please call the clinic within two weeks to confirm your appointment.

Unconfirmed appointments will be made available to patients on the waiting list.

At this time, dermatology appointments are only available on Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you feel that you may benefit from seeing Dr. Kents for a dermatological condition, you are first required to see your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) for an assessment and a referral.

Once a referral has been accepted by our clinic, your primary care provider will be informed and our clinic will contact you with the appointment details. You will be required to complete a health history that is specific to dermatology – an email could be sent to you with a link to complete the health history OR you can find the form on our website (Dermatology > Forms > Patient Hx Form). Appointments are not scheduled until this health history form has been completed and returned to the clinic.

If you received a message regarding your appointment, please call the clinic within two weeks to confirm your appointment.

Unconfirmed appointments will be made available to patients on the waiting list.

At this time, dermatology appointments are only available on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Once a referral for dermatology is made by your primary care giver, the following will help you prepare for your appointment:

• Take photos of your condition while it is still active, as sometimes things have changed quite a bit by the time you have your appointment
• Bring any medications you are currently taking
• Bring a list of previously used medications for your current problem
• Bring a list of products you use on your skin, such as soaps, lotions, scents, etc.

We would be happy to discuss any issues or concerns you have about your skin’s appearance. The most common conditions we treat include:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Loss of facial volume
• Double-chin reduction
• Sun spots
• Hyperpigmentation
• Rosacea/redness
• Melasma
• Scars (surgical or acne)
• Loss of skin elasticity and luminosity
• Adult acne
• Spider and smaller varicose veins of the legs
• Ear lobe rejuvenation
• Hypotrichosis (not enough eyelashes)
• General skin vitality
• Male-specific concerns such as post-shaving irritation

The best age to start using medical aesthetic services varies with each client. People of all genders and ages should consider a product with sun protection for use on a daily basis. Skin care products, such as retinol, can provide significant benefits to adolescents with acne. In order to minimize the signs of aging, a proactive skin care regime may be highly recommended for clients in their 20s and 30s, when the structure of the skin begins to change.

Botox Cosmetic and Dysport can be used for both the treatment and the prevention of wrinkles, and is commonly used in clients from their early 30s to over 60 years of age. Many clients choose to start receiving Botox Cosmetic® Dysport in their mid to late 30s, when they start to notice fine lines and wrinkles forming. Others choose to start before wrinkles form; usingBotox Cosmetic and Dysport to relax a muscle’s action can prevent a wrinkle from forming in the first place.

Hyaluronic acid injectable fillers can be used to soften scars and augment facial features, such as the chin and jawline. Facial volume loss can become apparent after you lose weight, or as you age. Many clients in their late 30s to early 40s will note some degree of volume loss or facial feature flattening which can be rejuvenated with injectable fillers. Clients often benefit from the use of hyaluronic acid injectable fillers well beyond their 60s.

Wrinkles of the face may be fine or deep, and can be located anywhere on your face. Some wrinkles occur only when your facial muscles are moving. These are known as wrinkles in motion. Other wrinkles are present even when your facial muscles are relaxed and are known as wrinkles at rest.

As we age, soft tissue in the face may shrink causing thinning of the skin and loss of plumpness and elasticity. This can lead to sagging and flattening of facial features, as well as the progression of wrinkle appearance.

The treatment of wrinkles depends on the type of wrinkle involved. There are many cosmeceuticals available which can help improve the condition of the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, particularly fine lines. For even greater results, many clients choose to have injectable treatments. Botox Cosmetic and Dysport targets wrinkles in motion. Hyaluronic acid injectable fillers target wrinkles at rest, as well as restore lost facial volume. Microneedling can improve the appearance of fine lines and skin texture by allowing the controlled induction of the skin’s self-repair mechanism. These three treatments can be used individually, or combined for a natural, youthful rejuvenation of the face. These two treatments can be combined for a natural, youthful rejuvenation of the face.

Botox Cosmetic, Dysport and hyaluronic acid injectable fillers involve the use of small needles to inject the product at specific areas of the face. Most clients do not describe the treatments as painful, but they may experience a temporary discomfort, such as a pin prick. Clients are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to injectable filler appointments for the application of numbing cream to treatment areas. At Medical Aesthetics of Muskoka, Dr. Kents uses an advanced technique to inject fillers, which involves the use of a blunt-tipped cannula under the skin. This technique substantially reduces the number of injection sites to one small poke per treatment area. The use of cannulas results in significantly less bruising, swelling and discomfort. Hyaluronic acid injectable fillers also contain an anesthetic medication called lidocaine, which increases the comfort of the injection. Ice packs can be applied at the injection sites to lessen any discomfort.

Rosacea and prominent red blood vessels on the face are common skin complaints. Rosacea is a condition defined by its clinical presentation. The most common symptom is that of facial flushing, and can also cause an acne-like reaction over the nose, forehead and cheeks. Rosacea can cause skin thickenings to nose, chin, or forehead, and in many clients, eye symptoms such as conjunctivitis or irritated eyelids.

While sun damage can contribute to the appearance of facial vessels, the cause of rosacea is not known. Common triggers include alcohol, heat, exercise and stress. Avoidance of triggers can help improve the redness of the face, but the use of advanced laser treatments as well as pharmaceutical-grade skin care products can further decrease these symptoms.

Medical Aesthetics of Muskoka provides advanced laser treatments to remove both individual veins as well as reduce diffuse redness, whether due to sun damage or rosacea. We also carry effective cosmeceuticals that are easy to use, work quickly, help reduce the appearance of redness, and decrease the development of further redness.

The term “cosmeceuticals” is a combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. These skin care products contain biologically active ingredients that can improve your skin’s vitality and appearance.

At Medical Aesthetics of Muskoka, we carry cosmeceuticals that are manufactured and tested at pharmaceutical standards. Most skin care products available through drug stores and department stores are not subject to rigid safety and quality testing, which can result in lower quality and less effective products. The medical grade products at Medical Aesthetics of Muskoka provide treatments and maintenance options for a wide range of skin conditions.