Cosmetic treatments with the latest laser technologies used to be reserved for the rich and famous.
But now those procedures are available to people in Haverhill and surrounding communities, and the best part is they are being offered by a face residents know and trust — family medicine physician Dr. Yuliya Mandel.
Mandel added cosmetic laser treatments to her offerings. She performs skin tightening, wrinkle reduction, leg vein removal, hair removal and sun and age spot removal for men and women.
She began offering such services so the people who sought them would be in the hands of a qualified physician.
To make treatments more manageable for the everyday person, she keeps her prices low and doesn't lock people into package deals that force clients to pay a lump sum up front. Instead, she gives a free consultation and lets her patients pay per treatment. She offers payment plans, special promotions and even a satisfaction guarantee.
"It's a myth that only rich people can afford it. I'm very flexible," said Mandel, a physician so dedicated to her work that she gives her cell phone number to all of her patients.
Mandel uses the Candela GentleMAX system, a high-tech device roughly the size of a washing machine. It has a touch screen and a built-in cooling device that soothes the area before and after the laser releases concentrated heat.
"Some other systems require you to apply gels to cool the skin," Mandel said. "But with this machine, there's no gel to clean off afterwards."
The machine can adjust for all skin colors and types.
To tighten skin, the laser heats up the collagen under the skin to invigorate skin's natural growth. Unlike Botox, nothing is injected into the body.
To remove hair, the laser heats up the hair follicle and destroys it. Sun spots are taken away because melanin is a target for the laser. The heat burns away the changed cells and the spot eventually scabs off.
Mandel believes the GentleMAX machine is the best choice for her practice. She spent almost a year trying different systems on herself so she would know for certain. The result? Her legs are silky smooth every day.
By offering these services, Mandel is staying on the cutting edge of the industry. Lasers started being used in the medical field 12 to 15 years ago, and as the years have gone by, the technology has gotten more sophisticated. And more and more uses have been found for lasers.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures increased from 5.5 million in 2000 to just over 9 million in 2006 — a 66 percent increase. These include Botox, chemical peels, laser treatments and microdermabrasion.
Mandel only offers laser treatments, but she does every treatment herself.
Laser procedures have become increasingly popular in the United States. In 2000, 735,996 laser hair removal procedures were performed across the country. Just six years later, that number jumped 21 percent to 887,039
Laser hair removal was the third most popular cosmetic procedure in 2006. Laser skin resurfacing increased 54 percent in that same time frame, from 170,951 procedures nationwide to 262,926.
Skin-tightening, according to Mandel, is one of her most popular treatments. It's what she called a "lunchtime procedure," meaning there is almost no recovery time needed.
Other popular treatments that may need more than one visit include spider vein, sun spot and hair removal, depending on the severity of the case.
But some treatments aren't just for looks. Often, the removal of spots on the skin can prevent them from turning cancerous.
Also, by removing hair permanently with a laser, patients will never again have painful ingrown hairs that can become infected. They'll also never have to pay for razors again, a cost that seems minimal each time, but can add up over a lifetime. Mandel recently read that the average woman who starts shaving at 12 or 13 years old spends about 22 days of her life shaving.
"With the cost of your time, the cost of razors and the pain from irritation that comes after shaving, it makes laser hair removal very appealing," she said.
Mandel believes her prices are reasonable. For example, hair removal on the upper lip costs about $150 per session, and takes an average of four to six sessions.
Some reasons for laser procedures are more trivial, like for peace of mind during bikini season and the convenience of a life without shaving or embarrassing body hair.
Mandel knows some people might see these treatments as unnecessary, shallow or even vain, but she asserted that physical appearance is a mainstay in our society, a pressure that makes people cut their hair, wear make-up or sport the latest fashions.
"It's a matter of choice," she said.
Whatever the reason people seek cosmetic treatments, Mandel thinks all procedures are valuable because of the change she sees in her patients afterwards.
"I think when you're a confident person, you can achieve more," Mandel said. "It's important to look as good as you feel."
For more information on Dr. Yuliya Mandel's cosmetic laser treatments, visit www.merrimackvalleylasercenter.com.
What Dr. Yuliya Mandel offers for cosmetic laser treatments:
r Skin tightening
r Sun and age spot removal
r Spider vein removal
r Hair removal
What Dr. Yuliya Mandel offers in her family practice:
r Medical care for families from newborns to elders
r Annual check-ups
r Pre-employment exams
r Sports physicals
r Smoking cessation
r Gynecological exams and pregnancy testing
r Management of chronic conditions
r Cancer screening
r Immunization for children and adults
From 2000-2006, laser cosmetic treatments in the United States
r Laser hair removal — from 735,996 to 887,039, an increase of 21 percent
r Laser skin resurfacing — from 170,951 to 262,926, an increase of 54 percent
r Total minimally invasive cosmetic procedures — from 5,500,446 to 9,138,275, an increase of 66 percent
— Source: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons
