Plagues of Being Blonde…

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If you’ve blessed with fair skin and light hair you know that a dab of eye liner or a streak of mascara can instantly take your eyes from homely to stunning. Unlike our dark haired/dark lashes friends, many light haired women know that the appearance of nearly invisible blonde eyelashes or eyebrows can make getting ready much more difficult. But fret no more, we have a solution for you. Eyelash and eyebrow tinting could be just the pizzazz you’ve been waiting for!

Tinting blonde eyelashes a darker color leaves them looking more visible. This is the best kept beauty secret to help frame and enhance the depth of your facial features. Same goes for your brows, tinting them a darker color allows them to be more striking making your eyes pop and sparkle!

What’s the procedure? The entire lash tinting process takes approximately ten to fifteen minutes. First, special stickers are placed around the eyelids to prevent the dye from reaching the actual eye. Next, the dye is applied carefully to the upper and lower lashes. The dye must then set for at least five minutes to penetrate the lashes. Finally, the dye is washed away and the lashes are left darker.

How Long Does it Last? Since lash tinting is done with vegetable-oil based dyes, it is not a permanent solution. The lashes will stay dark for about 3 to 5 weeks.

What colors do you have? We offer variety of colors to match different skin types, our most popular colors are brown, black and black-blue.

But I’m not blonde… Don’t worry, the perks of tinting are easily transferable. Got a big summer vacation coming up? Skip putting on the mascara in the morning or looking washed out in photos, choosing a black dye on darker eyelashes gives the appearance of having mascara on, without the clumps or mess! Plus, if it is a water bound trip there’s no fear of coming in and out of the water with black smears running down your face.

Are your eye brows looking sparse? Tinting can help bring your brows back to life. A well-define brow can polish every look. Plus tinting can help flatter your hair and skin tones bring a more natural, balanced look.

Check Out Our Before and After Photos:

 

On Board and Soaring!

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Success! I am now fully practicing as an associate at Suzanne Bruce and Associates, P.A., and my former office continues as our Post Oak office until we move over to the St. James office in late summer. Merging our two successful practices has been surprisingly easy. This smooth transition made it clear we made the right decision; our teams have come together seamlessly while focusing on servicing you, our patient! Now, we have new computer systems, access to new products and services, fun monthly specials, and we had a successful event at the St. James office 2 weeks ago. I hope to see you at our next big event on May 9th, when we will be offering Botox at a special Mother’s Day price.

Please note I am still practicing from my current address:
515 Post Oak Blvd. Suite 535
Houston, TX 77027

My hours of operation have changed slightly: we are now open at the Post Oak office from Monday through Thursday, 8am to 5pm.

If you have any questions about our office or my new relationship with Suzanne Bruce and Associates, please don’t hesitate to call our office at 713.627.1776.

Hope to see you soon!
C. William Doubleday, M.D.

Meet Our Newest Addition: Dr. Doubleday

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WHERE ARE YOU FROM?  I am as native as they come! I was born in Houston, grew up in River Oaks, attended St. Johns and Lamar, and finally attended The University of Texas for both undergrad and medical school and my residency.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT MEDICINE THAT YOU LOVE?  I do love practicing dermatology. In the last 26 years of practice every patient has had unique needs and challenges. I enjoy individualizing my treatment plans to meet those needs.  It’s truly a profession where you never stop learning.  Best of all, you get to meet new people daily, and over the years you get to know them. And, as a trusted doctor, you get to know their entire family through the generations.  It’s really a privileged place to be.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO INTO DERMATOLOGY?  It is the most visual of all medical specialties. Dermatology is just fun.  I enjoy helping patients determine the correct diagnoses and then following their response to treatment.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE AS A DOCTOR?  Over the years I have developed a saying that has been the building blocks for my practice and daily routine; it’s called the 3 A’s: Affability, Ability and Availability!  I want it to be easy for my patients to be able to talk to and have a dialogue with me; I want to have the ability now in the years to come to provide excellent care; and I want to be available when my patients need me.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PRACTICING AND WHERE?  I have been practicing dermatology for over 26 years.  I originally worked with Dr. J. B. Richardson, who was a great mentor to me.  I have worked hard at building my practice and have been recognized by various organizations for my work, both professionally and in the Houston community.  This year, I finally decided that I wanted to relieve some of the stresses of being a solo practitioner.  Dr. Bruce has been a colleague of mine since our days in residency at UT and Baylor, and she has built a dynamic and successful group practice just blocks away from mine. In fact, I’m sure we share quite a few patients!  I really was looking for a place that would leverage both my skills and experience with a well-run practice with a greater variety of cosmetic services.  SBA was the perfect answer.  It’s run like a tight ship with customer service at the forefront.  I can’t image a better place for me or my patients!

HAVE YOU DONE ANY RESEARCH?  Yes, I spent an entire year doing bench research in 1985 when I was awarded a dermatology foundation Research Fellowship studying Pemphigus Vulgaris. At SBA, I am fortunate to have the ability to get back into research!  I can’t wait to get started.

ARE YOU ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY?   Yes! I take pride in being a native Houstonian and doing my part. I am very active in our community from board positions at UT-Health Science Center to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

SOMETHING YOU FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT….   Spending time with family and friends at our weekend farm near Schulenburg. I especially enjoy horseback riding with my daughter.

Summer 2013 – Katy

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Coming Soon to the Katy/Cinco Ranch Area
(Kingsland Blvd & Grand Parkway) 

Back in September we were excited to announce our newest addition to the SBA family: a second location in the Katy area! And things are coming along nicely.

Our all GREEN building will be completed in August of 2013.
Stay tuned for more updates and pictures.

We hope to see you there at our
big opening event in August!

SBA Cares 2013

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During the Month of March SBA will be creating awareness, walking and collecting donations for the Houston Area Women’s Center.
We believe all women, men, and children deserve to be treated with respect, and no one deserves to suffer at the hands of another. SBA is partnering with the Houston Area Women’s Center and their mission, “[To] help individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence in their efforts to move their lives forward. We provide shelter, counseling and advocacy to support them in building lives free from the effects of violence. We seek social change to end domestic and sexual violence through community awareness and education. Our services are confidential and available to everyone.”

THE WALK - Saturday March 2, 2013
Our Community Outreach Team made up of staff members and their family joined over 2,000 runners, walkers, supporters & survivors for the 25th Annual Race Against Violence!

Here’s how you can help!
We collecting donation items for the Houston Area Women’s Center:

March 4th – March 9th
Donate: 1 New O•P•I® or ESSIE® Nail Polish
Receive: $20 OFF 1 TNS ESSENTIAL SERUM*

March 11th – March 16th
Donate: 1 $10 Gift Card to Target or Walmart
Receive: A FREE VIVITE® LIP PLUMPER*

March 18th – March 23rd
Donate: 1 New or Gently Used “Rated E/Rated T” Video Game
Receive: JUVÉDERM AT $500 A SYRINGE*

March 25th – March 30th
Donate: 1 New or Gently Used Blow Dryer, Curling Iron or Straightener
Receive: 20% OFF 1 CLARISONIC® DEVICE PURCHASE*
*CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. SOME RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY.  SEE OFFICE FOR MORE DETAILS.*

But wait there’s more…
We’ve partnered with SkinMedica® & Neutrogena® to create Personal Hygiene Kits! Each $5 donation will purchase 1 Kit to help a client of the Houston Area Women’s Center as she starts to build a life free from the effects of violence.

Join us to create a community free from violence.

 

 

 

It’s time to Duet!

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Laser hair removal has consistently been in the top 5 nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in the U.S, currently just behind Botox® and injectable fillers. Just think…no more shaving, no more unwanted facial or arm hair or imagine, your hubby without back hair. At SBA we have 3 machines, Duet, Cutera and Palomar to meet all your laser hair removal needs, including darker skin types.

So many people ask, how does a laser remove hair? Light energy is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle and damages or destroys its ability to grow hair. Since pigment is needed to absorb the energy, the laser is most effective on brown or black hair and ineffective on blonde, grey, or white hair. After the treatment, the hair falls out over the next 1 to 2 weeks. Because hair grows in phases, it takes an average of 6 to 8 treatments, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, to get to the point where you do not have to worry about shaving, waxing or plucking.

The next major question is, does it hurt and how long does it last? It varies from person to person. However, to reduce any discomfort and help you relax, we can apply anesthetic cream an hour before treatment to the targeted areas. The length of each treatment session depends on the size of the areas being treated.

We each have 12 years of experience at SBA treating unwanted hair from your head to your toes. When you come to SBA for permanent hair reduction, you are in the hands of experts. With spring right around the corner, it won’t be long before shorts and swimsuit season are here. Now is the perfect time when your skin is at its palest to get rid of unwanted hair permanently. So make 2012 your year to be hair-free. Come in for a free consultation with Marcela Ramirez, RN, or me by calling (713) 850-0240.

To Dual or to Re:pair…

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To Dual or to Re:pair. What one of our most Proven Technologies can do for you.

If you have been to our office before you have most likely heard of one of our most proved and preferred technologies: The Fraxel Laser®. The Fraxel is primarily used for skin resurfacing (i.o.w. laser assisted skin rejuvenation) and uses a pixelated laser beam to create microscopic treatment zones in the skin.  It’s been out on the market for 10 years, and we have had it at SBA since 2004. We carry two types of Fraxel lasers, the Fraxel Dual ® and the Fraxel Re:pair®, each have slightly different indications and different recovery processes.

Even Skin Tone, Improved Texture and Reduced Fine Wrinkles
The Fraxel Dual® laser has shown great results for evening skin pigmentation and improving texture while reducing fine wrinkles. In order to see the best results, a series of at least four treatments is recommended about 4-6 weeks apart. This treatment takes about 30 minutes for a full face treatment with 1 hour of topical numbing prior to the treatment and optional prescription medication for optimal comfort during the treatment. After the procedure you can expect to be red, like a sunburn, and puffy. The downtime after treatment is about 3-4 days. If you had pigment or blotchiness pre-treatment you can expect your skin to slough off the top layers for a few days after that too. Once you have recovered you will have beautiful skin underneath! Your post-treatment skin will have diminished fine lines and wrinkles, pore size, and pigmentation, you should also see improvement in skin texture, scars and redness. You may even see some mild skin tightening effects.

Click Here For More Photos

Re:Pair Sun Damage and the Effects of Aging
The Fraxel Re:pair® is what I like to call the “big” one. That is because it is a stronger procedure with bigger results. The ideal patient for the Re:pair is a person who primarily wants improvement in deeper wrinkles or acne scarring. With the Re:pair, we can also treat the entire upper and lower eyelid to help with crepeness and  laxity. That’s in addition to the other benefits of the Re:store! Most patients are very satisfied with just one Re:pair treatment, but may opt for a second several months later. In order to make the procedure as comfortable as possible, we perform nerve blocks and prescribe oral pain medications. Unfortunately, big results do come with more down time, in total it’s about 7-10 days. During this time you can expect to look red and swollen with some oozing that resolves after a couple days. However, once you have recovered, you will reveal beautiful tighter skin and it will all have been worth it!

Click Here For More Photos

Hopefully, I have helped inform you about some of what Fraxel has to offer and some of the differences between the Dual Re:store® and Re:pair®. If you would like to learn more, visit the office for a consultation. If you mention this blog entry, your consultation will be for free! I look forward to seeing you soon!

Get Your Glow On!

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Holiday Glow…

You can change your dress as many times as is necessary, but if you’re looking dull and lifeless then what’s the point?! Party season is in full swing and everyone wants to glow for the season. The good news is that you don’t have to look dull and lifeless, because we know how to achieve that glow. Sometimes it’s as easy as doing a microdermabrasion, but for best results we like to recommend a chemical peel. It will help slough off the top layer of skin, exposing the healthier and newer skin underneath.  You will look positively radiant!

Doing these two treatments together also allows for better absorption of products. A great combination of products can do wonders for the skin, and best of all it’s not too late to start. If you have some unevenness of skin tone, sometimes referred to as blotchiness, that comes from sun damage or even if you are experiencing increased fine lines and wrinkles; we can make it look better by Christmas time.  So let’s partner together and really make that holiday dress stand out!

Check out the awesome deals we’re offering this month to help you look your best!

Or contact the SPA at 713.850.0470 to schedule your appointment today.

Happy Holidays! -Patricia 

“Pink Out” at SBA!

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September was Komen Month at SBA. As many of you saw, we were in full “pink out” mode. This year we decided to challenge our staff by not only setting our fundraising goal at $1,000 to match Suzanne Bruce & Associates Company donation, but we made things even more interesting. We divided our staff up into 5 teams and gave each team a week to fundraise as much as they could. The winning team would receive a celebratory catered lunch.

With the announcement of the goal and the placement of the teams, strategies began forming immediately. Team game plans became a secret, needless to say, “It was on.”  In addition to the money the teams were raising, we also offered “Jean Friday Days.” On Friday’s, with a donation of $3, staff members were able to wear to jeans and “pink out” with pink accessories.

Each week it was a delight to see what each team revealed as their strategy. From bake sales to raffles, it was a very exciting and scrumptious month. It was cool to see what some of the amazing prizes we were able to have donated for our fundraising event. We had everything from skincare products to body contouring treatments to massages. It was incredible to see the generosity of time and commodities everyone was willing to give for such a great cause.

Beyond that, it was a blessing to see the kindness of our patients. For many of our bake sales, donations were only a $1, but to see patients throw in $5’s or $10’s was heartwarming. It was great that we could come together and raise money for such a great cause. (Plus, it didn’t hurt that treats were p-r-e-t-t-y delicious)

We wrapped our Komen Month, the Friday before the annual Susan G. Komen walk on October, 6, 2012. We had over 65 staff and family members participate in the race this year. It was overwhelming to see the amount of support Houstonians have to the Komen Foundation and Breast Cancer Awareness, we were delighted and honored to be able to participate.

We are happy to announce that, Suzanne Bruce and Associates was able to raise over $6,700 for Komen foundation. We were able to surpass our goal of $1,000 nearly 6 times and we have most of you, our gracious patients to thank. Thank You!

We want to take the additional opportunity to give mention those in particular who we were walking for. They are the mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts and friends of our staff members who have been impacted by this disease: 

Isabelino Agosto • Janice Banks • Windsor Bell-Wimbish • Tita Canas • Cecilia Charles • Tula Grote • Pam LaRue • Emilie Krupski • Gert Krupski • Lidia Moreno • Carolyn Sanders • Deborah Sopher • Patty Taylor • Iris Vasconez • Beverly D. Webb • Ruby F. Webb

Thank you again for your continued support!

-Suzanne Bruce & Associates

BYE, BYE BROWN SPOTS!

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Brown spots show up on our faces as we age due to cumulative sun damage. The more ultraviolet radiation you’ve had from sun exposure the more brown spots you will get. Larger brown batches called melasma come from a combination of sun exposure and hormone effects from pregnancy or birth control pills. Melasma can be difficult to treat and has a tendency to recur. The medical term for these conditions is hyperpigmentation.

The first step in treating excess pigmentation issues can be summed up in three words: use sunscreen religiously. Even 20 or 30 minutes in the sun without sunscreen can cause brown spots to darken. We recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen with micronized physical blockers of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. The Elta MD® line of sunscreens is a favorite among our doctors and other providers.

The next step is a good skin care regimen with active ingredients which will lighten the hyperpigmentation. Our go-to regimens are Obagi® NuDerm and Obagi-C® Rx. We have seen consistently excellent results with these systems in just 12 weeks among our medical and cosmetic center and spa clients as well as with patients in studies we’ve conducted in our Center for Skin Research. Seeing is believing with these regimens, and we have a program by that name where one of our patient care coordinators, aestheticians or nurses will stay and consult with you every step of the way. Seeing Is Believing is a 16-week, 3-visit program combining VISIA® photographic Complexion Analysis, expert advice and a tailored regimen for your skin type and hyperpigmentation issues that includes product discounts and free products.

For those of you who want to speed up the improvement process, we have a variety of in-office procedure options available. Ranging from mildest to strongest, they include chemical peels, intense pulse light (IPL) treatments and laser procedures. Two our favorite lasers for outing brown spots are the Clear + Brilliant® and Fraxel® Dual. Clear + Brilliant is targeted for mild hyperpigmentation while the Fraxel Dual is excellent for moderate to more severe hyperpigmentation. Both offer additional anti-aging benefits, and both are October specials. Schedule your consultation today with one of our dermatologists or other skin care experts to start on your own path to clear, more radiant skin.

If you would like to learn more sign up for our Power Lunch on October 17th. I will be presenting, along with Dr. Ali, more information about the condition and treatment options. Look forward to seeing you there!

Dr. Suzanne Bruce