Quick Trip to LA: My first cosmetic procedure & a long overdue reunion

Earlier this month I traveled to Santa Monica for a quick overnight trip to go to a medical seminar for work and I had an interesting trip. First of all the seminar was held at the beautiful Le Merigot hotel, beach front next to the Santa Monica Pier which I was hoping to visit for the first time. Unfortunately my only chance that evening to be outside was for a quick 10 minute meal on the picturesque veranda before I needed to work. This is when the fun started! I had an odd opportunity to face my fear of needles and took it. You would think someone who gets daily shots wouldn't be bothered by needles anymore but not so much.

The seminar I was attending was on Physiological Regulating Medicine in Aesthetic Medicine and Dermatology: Use of oral and injectable drugs with Mesotherapy. Dr Frasca from Italy is an amazing dermatologist and surgeon of twenty years and was the keynote speaker. She mainly focused on a specific type of Collagen (MaDe) that is different than what most doctors are currently using here in the US and also her protocols and technic of injecting it. This type of collagen is used for the normal wrinkles and lines but also for extreme scars. The reason they use it on scars is to stimulate the growth cells underneath the scar tissue in hopes of the scar healing better, getting smaller, and less noticeable.

She then showed a fascinating video showing her using this on her clients in Italy, also some Before and Afters (Amazing) she then proceeded to ask for volunteers and easily found some other doctors who wanted to be injected on various neck lines, foreheads, and lips but no one would volunteer for her to demo on their scar. So being as I needed an excuse to get in front of everyone and since I have a massive scar from when I broke the growth plate in my elbow when I was 5 years old, I decided to go for it. What I didn't know was the small needles that you use on the face like in the video were very different from the needles they use on a large scar. I laid on the table and Dr. Frasca proceeded to tell the 29 doctors crowding around me that for this type of procedure she uses a much bigger 30 millimeter needle. It looked like a freakin lipo suction needle or something and I just about died.

Being as it was too late to turn back and I really needed to make a good impression on all the docs I looked the other way and held on to the underside on the table as hard as my fist could grasp. The poking began. The pain actually wasn't too bad until she offered to let the other doctors try her method of injecting. on me... Luckily since I was the first demo only one other doc took her up on her offer. After all was said and done they filled my scar up about a quarter of an inch off my body full of this special collagen that my body eventually absorbed through out the night. I had about 20 injections all in all in my scar. After about an hour I decided to send a cell phone picture to Dane to show him about my experience of facing my fear. It's crappy quality because it's a cell phone but take a look below. Today my scar does look lighter and better, I wish Dr. Frasca lived here so I could get 4 more sessions for optimal results!

Unfortunately this trip I was unable to meet up with my brother who lives in LA but the next morning I did get an opportunity to have brunch with my old friend Whitney and her new baby Tanner before I had to head back home. Tanner is a little stud (So Cute!) and it was so nice to see Whitney and catch up. I can't believe it had been 4 and half years since we saw each other last at her wedding! I wish I would have remembered to get a picture of our little reunion but spaced it, so I will post a pic of the last time we saw each other prior. Thanks for the fun morning Whit!!