Dr. Berkowitz was recently featured in the February 2009 issue of Styleline magazine in an article titled “Getting The Upper Hand” by Cathy Nelson. The article details the procedures available for hand rejuvenation, which has become an increasingly more popular treatment.

In the article, Dr. Berkowitz discusses the three main characteristics of aged-looking hands – a thin, transparent appearance caused by a loss of subcutaneous fat; pigmentation problems caused by the sun; and a veiny appearance caused by the hand’s frequent downward position – as well as the treatments that can address these issues.

“There are a lot of things we look at”, Dr. Berkowitz is quoted in the article. “Is the main concern thinning of the skin, or is it crepey and needs tightening? Or it can be mostly a pigment problem… The treatment is done on a case-by-case basis, and most women have two of the three problems.”

For thin, transparent hands caused by a loss of subcutaneous fat, Dr. Berkowitz cites Radiesse as his most frequently used treatment. “It lasts 12 to 18 months, and the calcium helps the hands to build their own collagen”, he is quoted as saying. Dr. Berkowitz performs Radiesse injections in his office with just a local anesthetic, and patients are able to return to their normal activities right away.

In the article, Dr. Berkowitz also cites the use of Thermage in treating a “crepey” appearance and the use of laser resurfacing for age spots and other pigmentation issues. “The heat from the laser itself also de-natures the collagen”, he is quoted as saying. “That process causes the collagen to start rebuilding to a level the patient may have had years ago. So you get a thickening of the skin, as well as a loss of pigment.”

Dr. Berkowitz can perform all three treatments – filler injections, Thermage and laser resurfacing – during a single visit. Treatment takes approximately ten minutes per hand and there is no downtime, resulting in what Berkowitz calls “the definitive lunchtime procedure”.