Cosmetic Enhancement

While the key to inner beauty is confidence, it’s ok to speed up the process with new technologies that don’t involve going under the knife.

We spoke with two aesthetic-savvy Akron doctors on the latest innovations in cosmetic enhancement. They shared tips with us on how patients can work with doctors to get the look they want at a price they can afford.

The Key to Confidence

Dr. Mark Iati will help you show off your smile.

Stow Dental Group has been offering services in cosmetic dentistry almost 50 years. Anything from non-invasive procedures, such as whitening or cleaning teeth to full-on dental makeovers, the clinic has been there to help all patients through treatments.

Dr. Mark Iati says the benefits of paying attention to your smile are limitless. A patient can have better chewing capabilities, less chance of infections and the avoidance of headaches linked to Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) in the lower jaw muscles.

“Treatment is not painful if the patient doesn’t delay seeking help,” Iati says. “The more broken-down and infected the situation is, the more complex and potential pitfalls exist when treating. The absolute best time to get dental care is when you’re not in pain.”

Stow Dental Group takes a unique approach to the dental health of its patients. Many of the procedures performed have a cosmetic component. The clinic offers porcelain crowns, veneers, dentures and implants. The cost and treatment time for each procedure varies, but Iati says his office works with each patient to make sure affordability is always an option.

“Prices range from a few hundred dollars to thousands depending on the extent of the work and can be done in a single appointment or over several months,” he says. “Financing is available for select terms, and we maximize the patient’s insurance benefits as much as humanly possible.”

While whitening and cleaning are the most common options for people who come into the office, Stow Dental Group offers other popular wrinkle-reducing treatments including Botox and Juvederm.

“Modern cosmetic reconstructive dentistry is truly amazing,” Iati says. “It is painless and predictable, as well as long lasting, if done correctly. It must be well-planned out and communicated well to the patient in order to get the best results.”

No matter what kind of procedure a patient wants, Stow Dental Group is there to help people find what they’re looking for. 

“The smile is the gateway to the soul,” Iati says.

Less Risk, Less Cost 

Akron Skin Center’s Dr. James Libecco shares valuable skin care tips.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one in five people will be diagnosed with skin cancer during his or her lifetime.

Taking care of your skin is an important aspect of looking and feeling great, says Dr. James Libecco, of the Akron Skin Center. Tanning may be one of society’s popular trends, but many people forget that their skin is susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays which can increase the risk for skin cancers. Not only that, excessive exposure to the sun can cause wrinkling and spots on your skin, which can give an individual the appearance of aging.

To protect the skin outdoors, the AAD recommends the usage of sunscreen and encourages everyone to seek shade between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are at their peak. 

Libecco says patients often come to his office feeling self-conscious about flaws in their skin, but he says there’s no need for them to hide. There are treatments available that will allow patients to be confident about their appearance.

“We don’t feel that people should be embarrassed by their skin. People are often afraid that they look out of place or feel too old to be seen,” he says. “Sometimes people say that they feel they’re being vain, but in reality, we look at patients' concern about their skin health as a marker of good mental health.”

Once new patients understand which area of their body is of concern, Libecco provides a consultation. During this meeting, he will discuss possible treatments and what levels of improvement the patient can expect.

“Realistic expectations are important, and expected costs for those improvements should be made clear,” he says. “Some of these treatments are helpful in reducing the risk of skin cancer or ongoing sun damage, which affects so many of our patients.”

Thanks to innovations in medicine and cosmetic enhancement, the Akron Skin Center offers a variety of treatments that are both non-invasive and less costly — such as Botox and Juvederm — which act as fillers to tighten wrinkles. A new version of Juvederm, called Voluma, can lift the entire lower face without having a facelift procedure. Another popular option is the Forever Young BBL which uses lasers to treat skin pigments, redness and blemishes.

The pain associated with cosmetic enhancement procedures can sometimes cause patients to cringe even more than price. However, Libecco ensures that each person is comfortable during his or her treatments. In fact, most procedures don’t even require anesthesia.

“Some procedures can have more discomfort than others, and we try to ensure patients understand what they can expect,” he says. “We try to provide multiple levels of comfort like chilled-air anesthesia, stress balls, relaxing music and simple things, like hand-holding, when necessary. We want to be sure that patients are comfortable and happy with their outcomes.”

When it comes to skin enhancement procedures, prices range from $100 to $2,000 depending on what treatment is being used, how much time it takes to perform the treatment and what materials are required to perform the procedure. “Financing is available through Care Credit, although most patients pay at the time of the treatment,” Libecco says.

Akron Skin Center focuses primarily on aging skin, brown and red spots, and wrinkles. These skin issues can all be treated with injections of either Botox or Juvederm or with lasers like Forever Young BBL.

When he’s helping his patients decide on a treatment for a skin problem, Libecco says while invasive treatments are still being used, modern research has led to the creation of non-invasive procedures. Whatever the patient chooses for his or her needs, the Akron Skin Center is there to help every step of the way.

“There is still a great place for more invasive treatments,” he says. “But there are so many good non-invasive procedures with very minimal downtime now, that we can address most patient needs with less risk and less cost.”

/ Writer Hannah Yang is a senior at Ohio University working on her bachelor’s in journalism.