by Kylie Blanchard
Aging is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean you have to look your age. Current medical technology can slow the outward appearance of the aging process and, even better, offer minimally invasive procedures to get the job done with little or no down time.
Miranda Olson, RN, MSN, FNP, at Skin at the Institute of Facial Surgery is working to make individuals aware of the options available to repair damaged skin and stay ahead of the aging process. She wants to get the word out it isn’t always necessary to go under the scalpel to find a younger, fresher look.
“I love educating my patients on skin care and how to treat their skin as they age,” says Olson. “One thing I have noticed is most people don’t realize they can correct many skin conditions they didn’t think they could.”
Olson began working as a nurse at the Institute of Facial Surgery and was aware of the minimally invasive skin care procedures available at the facility, which specializes in maxillofacial and cosmetic surgery under the direction of Dr. John Stanley. But she also knew these procedures weren’t a focus of the facility or well known by its patients at that time.
During graduate school, she completed her thesis on Botox and its uses which piqued her interest in medical skin care. “I noticed there was a definite need for these services at the Institute,” Olson says. After becoming a family nurse practitioner, Olson began offering the minimally invasive procedures full-time at the Institute of Facial Surgery.
“This way we can offer our patients a full spectrum of treatment from the clavicle up,” she notes. “For me, to be able to focus on this and give it a name through Skin at the Institute of Facial Surgery makes everyone aware of all the services we provide.”
The services provided by Olson include medical grade skin care, skin analysis and chemical peels, Botox, dermal fillers, and laser treatment of various skin disorders including acne, rosacea, facial veins, sunspots, malasma, the hyperpigmentation of the skin caused by hormones, and hair removal.
Skin at the Institute of Facial Surgery has a Palomar Starlux 500 laser with platform and intense pulsed light (IPL) technology. “Women are educated and know what they are looking for,” says Olson regarding the type of laser she researched and chose for the facility.
The non-ablative fractional laser has some unique features included in its treatment options and recovery time. “This is the first laser that is FDA approved for the treatment of stretch marks,” notes Olson. “You can also have a treatment over your lunch break and still go back to work.” In addition, she says the laser “does a beautiful job” of treating acne scars.
“With the laser, I can help treat and manage the things people don’t think they can treat,” she says, adding the laser removed her own sunspots. “I thought I would have to live with them the rest of my life.”
The services offered at Skin at the Institute of Facial Surgery are not limited to a certain age or gender. Olson has treated patients with acne as young as 11 years old and has also provided Botox, rosacea and hair removal treatments to men. “Ten percent of all Botox sold in the United States goes to men,” she adds.
The number of treatments required for each patient depends on the particular condition. Dermal fillers and Botox injections are often covered in one visit but conditions treated with the laser can range from four to eight treatments. Consultations are offered Monday through Friday, and the consult fee is applied to the first treatment, says Olson.
She believes it is important to provide patients with a full range of treatment options, including the option of surgery if they are not seeing desired results. “We offer a full scope of options,” Olson notes. “I can do Botox on someone for years and down the road it might not be cutting it. Dr. Stanley can then do, for instance, an eye brow lift and the patient can stay somewhere they are comfortable.”
“We have a symbiotic relationship,” she adds. “Dr. Stanley helps my patients and I help his patients.”
The results she sees in her patients after treatment are the most rewarding aspect of her job, says Olson. “I love it when the patient gets a good outcome and they are happy with the results. It just makes me happy.”
For additional information on the services offered at Skin at the Institute of Facial Surgery or to schedule a consultation with Olson call 701-255-4000.