Doctors Edward Buckingham and Erin Smith offer BBL Ultra Peel solutions for patients in Austin & Sunset Valley, TX. BBL ULTRA PEEL combines Broadband Light treatment followed by Nano Erbium Laser. Brown spots or freckles are removed, while the Nano laser removes the outermost layers of the skin for a smooth glow. Patients see improvement in sun damage spots and improvement in fine lines and wrinkles.
Most skin areas can be treated. Popular treatment areas are the face and neck though some people also treat the chest and hands. You should discuss your needs with the Buckingham Center clinical staff.
Treatments can be performed on the face, neck, chest, and back of hands for:
- Mild wrinkles
- Softening fine lines
- Sun damage (e.g., freckles)
- Pigment irregularities
- Stimulating collagen production for long lasting deep wrinkle improvements
BBL Ultra Peel Before and After Photos
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
Dr. Buckingham feels that successful facial plastic surgery results from the development and maintenance of good rapport between the patient, the surgeon, and his staff during the consultation and future appointments. The consultation will include a complete facial analysis to determine the best procedure to bring about the desired results and all questions relating to the patients specific concerns will be addressed.
Prospective patients are encouraged to call the office to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Why to Choose Buckingham Center
About Dr. Buckingham
- B.B.A. in Accounting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
- Completed his pre-medical coursework achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average at the University of Texas in Austin.
- Received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
- He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society as a junior medical student and served as the organization’s vice-president and later president.
- Graduating medical school in the top 2% of the class with highest honors, Dr. Buckingham received the Donald Duncan Memorial Scholarship in Anatomy, the Edward Randall Medal for Academic Excellence, and the Merck Manual Award.
- He then performed a general surgery internship and Otolaryngology residency at UTMB and was a nominee for the UTMB overall-outstanding resident.
- Additionally, he served as president of the UTMB House Officer Association and served two years on the Graduate Medical Education Advisory Committee and Executive Committee.
About Dr. Smith
- Dr. Smith completed her undergraduate education at the University of Mississippi with a double major in Biochemistry and Psychology.
- She completed a Masters in Science in Neuroscience from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA.
- Received her Medical Degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, where she graduated in the top 5%.
- She then went on to complete a rigorous 5-year Head & Neck Surgery residency program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where she served as Chair of the Chief Resident Council.
- Also, she was appointed as the resident member of the Facial Plastic and Reconstruction Education Committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Society.
- She treated patients from all over the world and gained expertise in facial paralysis surgery, primary and revision rhinoplasty, face and neck lift, lip lift, eyelid and eyebrow surgery, and skin cancer reconstruction.
- Dr. Smith has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal publications and book chapters and has presented her work at medical meetings across the country.
BBL Pre-Treatment Instructions
- BBL is used to reduce the appearance of age spots, small facial veins (telangiectasias), rosacea, solar lentigines (freckles), brown spots, poikiloderma, skin laxity, acne and remove hair.
- Multiple treatments are usually needed to achieve the desired results. Usually, 2 to 4 treatments spaced 2 to 4 weeks apart.
- The BBL light pulse is most commonly described as a rubber band snapping against the skin, and most individuals are able to tolerate this sensation for the short duration of the treatment.
- Treated lesions may appear darker during the initial stages of treatment. This is a positive sign that the treatments are effective. They will fade and flake off at a later stage.
- Stop using Retin-A, Renova, Differin, for one week prior to treatment.
- Avoid sun exposure, tanning beds and sunless tanning lotions for 2 weeks prior to and throughout the course of your BBL treatments. It is important that your skin remains its natural color without any tanning. In order to avoid tanning, a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sun block with an SPF of 30 must be applied 15 minutes prior to casual sun exposure. Prolonged sun exposure requires repeated applications of sunblock every 2 hours. Sunblock must be reapplied after swimming. If sun exposure is unavoidable, more treatment sessions may be needed to achieve the desired results as lower settings must be used to protect sun-exposed skin.
Recent sun exposure that causes tanning may result in cancellation of the treatment in order to avoid complications. - Please inform us if you have any history of “herpes”, “cold sores”, or “fever blisters”.
In such instances, Valtrex may be prescribed prior to treatment. Like sunlight, laser light may cause a cold sore or fever blister leading to more serious complications. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us without hesitation.
BBL Post-Treatment Instructions
The natural extrinsic consequences of aging on skin include sun damage, freckles, age spots, and redness caused by broken capillaries and rosacea. Some skin defect consequences may arise from intrinsic hormonal factors that create an over production of melanin as in melasma or hereditary factors that produce more vessels. Phototherapy involves the reduction of these signs of aging and skin defects using non-invasive pulses of BroadBand Light (BBL).
If brown spots are the target, BBL penetrates the skin to reach the melanocytes. The particles of the cells left behind will peel or slough off within 7-14 days.
If redness is the target, blood vessels in the deeper layers of the skin absorb the light and the heat created by the light damages the vessels. The vessels are shut down and the body continues to absorb the destroyed vessel remnants.
- Until sensitivity has completely subsided, avoid all of the following:
- Use of scented lotions or soaps, exfoliant creams (Retin-A, glycolic/salicylic and alpha- hydroxy acids), acne creams or gels, loofa sponges and aggressive scrubbing
- Hot or cold water – wash with tepid water
- Shaving
- Swimming pools and spas with multiple chemicals/chlorine
- Activities that cause excessive perspiration
- A cold compress or an ice pack can be used to provide comfort if the treated area is especially warm. This is typically only needed within the first 12 hours after the treatment.
- Skin may be appear red and swollen and have a mild sunburn sensation. This is a normal reaction. It can last from a few hours to days after treatment. Applying an ice pack for the first 24 hours will help minimize swelling.
- Vitamin E or Aloe Vera applied to the treatment area may provide a soothing effect. Post treatment discomfort is typically minimal but if the area is very uncomfortable, oral pain relievers; i.e. Extra Strength Tylenol or Advil, may be used.
- Freckles and sunspots may turn slightly darker initially and then flake off within 7-14 days. This is a desired and normal reaction.
- There may be erythema (redness) and slight edema (swelling) around the treated vessels. Often they are lighter in appearance and look somewhat smudgy or less defined.
- Makeup may be applied immediately after the treatment as long as skin integrity has not been compromised.
- In the unusual case of crusting of the skin in the treated area, apply an antibiotic ointment twice a day to the affected areas. Do not pick at these areas, as this may result in infection or scarring.
- If the skin is broken or a blister appears, apply an antibiotic ointment and contact the office immediately. Keep the affected area moist and avoid direct sunlight.
- Strictly avoid any sun exposure to the treated area for a minimum of 7 days after the procedure. The treated area is more prone to sunburn and pigmentation change. Keep the area covered and use a sun block with a protection factor of 30+, and reapply every 2 hours. Delayed blistering secondary to sun exposure has been noted up to 72 hours post treatment.
- If in the middle of a series of PhotoTherapy treatments, sun exposure should be avoided between treatments and a sunblock should be used on a daily basis.
Subsequent treatments are based upon your clinician’s recommendation and are typically 2-4 weeks apart.
Frequently Asked BBL ULTRA Peel Questions
The number of treatments depends on your skin’s condition and desired results. Buckingham Center’s clinical staff can personalize a plan based on your specific needs and may choose to combine BBL ULTRA PEEL with other aesthetic procedures to further personalize your treatment.
BBL ULTRA PEEL is a very tolerable treatment that requires, at most, a topical anesthetic which is applied 45 minutes to 1 hour prior to treatment.
After the treatment pigmented spots will turn dark and you will experience mild redness and warmth, similar to a sunburn-like sensation.
Depending on the depth of treatment, most patients feel comfortable enough to return to work within a couple of days- an attribute that has given rise to the nickname “the weekend peel”. Typically, at day 2 skin will begin to peel. Peeling usually lasts about 2-3 days. Redness may persist up to seven days and can be covered by make-up.
You may be given skin care products and instructions on how to use them. Your skin will be sensitive to ultraviolet light after the procedure, so you must avoid direct sun exposure until fully healed. It is recommended that you always use some level of solar protection to avoid sun damage and premature aging of your skin.
Most patients notice improvement in tone, texture and color evenness once the skin heals in approximately one week. Nice results can be obtained in just one treatment, however the number of treatments needed may vary from patient to patient.
BBL treatments will improve dermal thickness and cellular architecture. The patient may notice some improvement in skin tone and texture as a result. It is not particularly dramatic treatment for significant skin wrinkling however and other treatments are better. BBL is excellent at reducing broken capillaries as well as brown spots caused by aging and sun damage. It is also a good modality to keep the skin healthy and prevent significant wrinkle formation. Think of BBL as repairing these issues, then helping to keep skin healthy all to help slow the aging process.
Certainly BBL can cause burns but only if used inappropriately. While mild superficial burns can occur on rare instances even in the best of hands severe burns should be able to be avoided always. These mild superficial burns cause only blistering and peeling and are easily treatable without complication. BBL is a very powerful device which allows for excellent results but safety and judgment must always prevail.
BBL (broadband light) is an excellent treatment for brown spots on the face. It usually requires 2-3 treatments to get maximal improvement but the recovery time from each treatment is minimal. Ongoing skincare and some protection will minimize recurrences, but studies have shown that BBL treatment twice yearly will greatly improve skin and reduce signs of aging.
Melasma is hard. BBL will improve melasma in some patients, but the treatments need to be very gentle or the condition may be made worse. We usually prefer to use Fraxel laser, targeted chemical peels and topical agents for melasma.
Melasma is hard. BBL will improve melasma in some patients, but the treatments need to be very gentle or the condition may be made worse. We usually prefer to use Fraxel laser, targeted chemical peels and topical agents for melasma.