Julene B. Samuels, MD Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

"We all need to explore the paths that will help us to discover our best selves. We can choose to take physical paths...intellectual paths...or spiritual paths. If you choose a path involving plastic surgery, choose a surgeon who is uncompromisingly committed to providing quality care, to thoroughly understanding each patient's needs, and one who is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of technical expertise." "I am a surgeon, and while I love the surgical results I can achieve for women, I fully understand the limitations of surgery, as well as the fact that not all women desire surgical intervention. With surgery, I am not directly improving skin quality…I am lifting skin that continually ages, thins, and loses youthful collagen and elasticity. If I can help patients truly improve the quality of their skin, then patients may be able to avoid surgery longer, undergo fewer surgical revisions over their lifetimes, as well as improve the surgical result and its longevity, in those who do choose to add surgery to their intervention program. Part of the way to avoid an over-operated look is to avoid too many operations. With proper surgical techniques and the addition of so many newer and more meaningful nonsurgical interventions, I love the fact that my patients are taking longer to look their age!"

"I am most excited about:

Skin care products that have therapeutic amounts of ingredients that can be combined to target the most common skin aging problems (cleansers, toners, antioxidants, exfoliants, hyaluronic acid replenishment, vitamins and growth factors, collagen stimulators, bleaching agents, and stem cell activators). Injectables to treat volume loss (loss of fat and collagen) that last longer and can be used in a “panfacial" way, not just in localized areas, for the most natural results. We love adding PRP to our facial treatments to boost the body’s natural collagen and elastin production! Nonsurgical options that now can truly improve the quality of skin by increasing the content of collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin (the latter being the hardest thing to increase by any modality)...treatments like Profound and the new Exceed, both by Candela. We serve as a Center of Excellence for Candela and do a lot of teaching of other physicians and nurses. Our office also offers Sciton BBL Hero and Halo, as well as fractional CO2 laser (CO2RE, by Candela). New nonsurgical methods of tightening skin, especially in the lower face and NECK. For so long, the neck has been the "missing piece of the puzzle”…women hate their aging necks...and surgery used to be the ONLY option to really tighten the neck in a meaningful way, since lasers cannot be used as aggressively on the neck as on the face. For skin tightening of the face and neck (and also nonfacial areas), the single greatest new tool in our armamentarium is Microneedling with Radiofrequency. The only long-pulse microneedling device currently on the market that has been scientifically shown to even remotely approach a surgical facelift or neck lift is Profound, by Candela. Scientific studies and clinical trials have proven that the amount of radiofrequency (heat) energy delivered by Profound causes an increase in the amount of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and ELASTIN in the skin. We can see increase in dermal volume (like a filler), skin surface textural improvement (like with a chemical or laser peel), skin tightening of the face and neck (best alternative to a surgical lift…one study compares it to 80% of a facelift result), and the ability to truly contour the face and neck by reducing fat in desired areas (like the fat of the jowls and neck). Some of our Before and Afters almost look like a facelift or neck lift or neck liposuction was done. Profound is a single treatment, in-office procedure with results seen in 1 to 3 months with about a week of downtime (swelling and mild bruising). For a minimally invasive option, Renuvion for the neck is a short in-office procedure that can contour and tighten neck skin, with or without liposuction, with less downtime and cost than a facelift. For the body, there is UltraShape Power and the new EMSCULPT NEO, both of which reduce fat 32% in each treatment area…that’s compared to CoolSculpting’s 18% fat reduction, and Sculpsure’s 13% fat reduction. EMSCULPT NEO is the hottest device on the market and is the only device out there that reduces fat (30%), tones muscle of the abs, buttocks and thighs (26%), AND tightens skin. We just completed a clinical trial that shows just 4 treatments of EMSCULPT NEO is the equivalent of 12-16 wks in the gym, and a current study is underway for moms combining EMSCULPT NEO with EMSELLA in a nonsurgical Mommy makeover “core to floor” treatment. Vaginal rejuvenation...my office completed a clinical trial using the CO2RE Intima laser (fractional CO2 laser by Candela, that has both facial and vaginal applications) to treat post-menopausal women suffering from VVA (Vulvovaginal Atrophy) or atrophic vaginal changes of menopause (stress urinary symptoms, dryness, itching, tightness or looseness, painful in*******se, prolapse). CO2RE Intima also benefits postpartum women suffering from VRS (Vaginal Relaxation Syndrome) characterized by looseness, or****ic dysfunction, stress urinary symptoms and laxity. Some of the improvements seen are of course functional and improved by the internal portion of the laser procedure, but the CO2RE Intima laser also improves the external appearance of the labial tissues during the external portion of the treatments. This is a simple in-office 3-treatment series of the laser requiring no anesthesia or downtime, with results being seen as soon as days after the 1st of 3 monthly treatments. One annual maintenance treatment is recommended to maintain results (to deal with continued aging in both the postpartum and menopausal patient, and loss of estrogen in the menopausal or breast cancer-treated patient). " We also use 2 RF vaginal devices (Exilis Ultra Femme 360 and Votiva Forma V), and offer the O-Shot for improving sexual function. We also just introduced the at-home red light vaginal rejuvenation device called vfit plus, which can help maintain the results achieved with any of our in-office vaginal rejuvenation series devices...all in the privacy of your own home and with our direction. EMSELLA is the product of another clinical trial we performed for BTL and uses HIFEM technology (like EMSCULPT NEO) to correct urinary incontinence of all types and to also improve female sexual function. Lastly, Renuvion...finally, a technology through minimal surgery in our office to tighten skin of the lower face and neck, or all over the body, with or without liposuction. Renuvion, FaceTite and BodyTite can in many cases eliminate the need for a lift surgery! Most of our surgical procedures can be easily accomplished in our fully credentialed, new, state-of-the-art spa and surgery center for added convenience and comfort in beautiful Norton Commons.