Chicago Skin Solutions offers effective ways to enhance the look, feel of skin

By Eva Hofmann

From teens to baby boomers and beyond, people with a wide variety of skin conditions look to Chicago Skin Solutions for non-invasive ways to improve their skin. Located at 1111 W. Madison St., this medical and anti-aging spa offers the latest technology and cosmeceutical skin care lines to slow down the skin’s aging process and correct damage.

            All procedures are supervised by Bradley Hulten, MD, the facility’s medical director and a board-certified physician with the State of Illinois. With 12 years’ experience treating patients in the Chicago area, Hulten has expertise in cosmetic laser surgery and aesthetic skin care. He is joined by two staff members who are trained and certified in all procedures they perform: Jackie, a laser technician, and Griselda Bedolla, an aesthetician who specializes in microdermabrasion treatments, facials, and skin consultations.

For the first year-and-a-half after opening, Chicago Skin Solutions shared an office with West Loop Dental Associates, using only one treatment room. With a quickly growing client base, Hulten and his staff soon realized it was time to move into their own office. They obtained a new suite within the same building, built out the space to include four treatment rooms, and moved in March 1.

            Among the most sought-after procedures, according to Jackie, are microdermabrasion, Botox® injections, Restylane® dermal fillers, and permanent hair reduction.

            Unwanted hair is removed using an intensed pulsed light (IPL) laser machine, which emits a light beam that passes through the skin and targets the pigment in the hair follicles. The pigmentation attracts the light and causes it to convert to heat, which cauterizes the base of the hair follicle. The follicle dies and should never again produce a hair. This process does not harm pores or the structure of the surrounding skin. Treatments can be completed in 30 minutes or faster, depending on the body part. After a series of treatments, patients can see an 80% to 95% long-term hair reduction in almost any part of the body. The process causes little discomfort, and recovery time varies from patient to patient, depending on the treatment and skin type. 

To promote its hair reduction technique, Chicago Skin Solutions held a “hairy back contest” in its booth at the Taste of Randolph last year. “We had 21 entrants and gave the winner four complimentary hair removal treatments,” said Jackie. The winner’s before-and-after picture will be displayed this year in the spa’s Taste of Randolph booth.

            IPL laser treatments are not effective in removing white or gray hair, however. “Because the light is attracted to pigment, there is nothing for the light to be attracted to in order to destroy it,” said Jackie.  For patients seeking a treatment for white or gray facial hair, Hulten can prescribe Vaniqa® (eflorinthine HCl) cream, which reduces the growth of facial hair and can be used in conjunction with hair removal treatments.

            Hulten also personally handles all treatments requiring injections, such as Botox®. This purified protein injection is used to improve the appearance of forehead worry lines, crow’s feet, frown lines between the eyebrows, or other dynamic wrinkles (those that result from the pull of the facial muscles of expression). Botox also can be used to treat excessive sweating. The effects of Botox can last three to six months or longer.

            While Botox is used to treat dynamic wrinkles, Restylane® is a temporary dermal filler used to treat static wrinkles and folds. Restylane is a hyaluronic acid that exists naturally in all living organisms. As we age, we lose our ability to produce hyaluronic acid. Restylane can be used to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds—including smile lines, lipstick lines, and marionette lines—and to restore contour to the lips and add fullness to the face.

            Another popular anti-aging treatment, microdermabrasion, gently exfoliates the skin’s top layer by applying a flow of fine crystals that are then vacuumed off the skin. Exfoliating the top layer leaves a smoother texture and promotes the growth of healthy new skin cells. It also stimulates blood flow, reduces pore size, and improves the skin’s overall tone and texture. The procedure can be used to improve sun damage, fine lines, wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, mild acne scars, and large pores. It also can be effective in treating oily skin as well as dry, rough skin.

            Not all patients come to Chicago Skin Solutions to treat the effects of aging. People of all ages, including teenagers and young adults, seek treatment for problems such as acne or rosacea; others seek help to improve broken capillaries, sun damage, skin texture, age spots, mild acne, and irregular pigmentation. For all these conditions, the spa uses photorejuvenation to restore the skin’s texture and appearance by delivering a series of gentle light pulses into the skin. Photorejuvenation can be used in conjunction with microdermabrasion for enhanced results; the technique also may reduce large pores as well as fine lines and wrinkles.

The latest technology to help smooth wrinkles, tighten skin, and decrease sunspots is called Fractional™ skin resurfacing. It works by delivering light in an array of narrow, focused “microbeams” to create columns of heat within the skin. The heated tissue within the columns starts a natural healing process that forms new, healthy tissue. This treatment is the only skin resurfacing procedure that offers both excellent results and no downtime.

            Chicago Skin Care also gets great results when treating vascular lesions or “spider veins.” The best way to treat them safely and effectively is with a laser or pulsed light. Sclerotherapy, which involves injecting a solution into the unwanted blood vessel, is reserved for more pronounced veins or varicose veins.

The spa strives to provide the safest, most effective non-surgical treatment using the most advanced technology. “There’s a lot you can do to improve your appearance without going under the knife,” said Jackie. “We do a lot of research and attend conferences to keep up to date on what the current manufacturers are coming out with in terms of technology and skin care lines. We make sure we’re offering the best products  on the market.

“Because we have a physician on staff, all the skin-care products we sell are medical-grade products, which means they contain a higher percentage of active ingredients than over-the-counter products, and you don’t have to use as much,” she said. “Our focus is on helping people look their best by enhancing what they already have.”

Chicago Skin Solutions offers special pricing packages for hair removal, facials, and other treatments as well as a 25 percent discount for all first-time visits. For more information, call (312) 217-7546 or go to www.chicagoskinsolutions.com.