Toronto Centre for Advanced Skin Repair

Just received by email a newsletter that features a November special for a microdermabraison for only $ 50! I paid $ 105 a few months ago — great deal! Soo if you want to try that clinic this is the time to do it!

I’ve been going to the clinic for treatment of my acne scars, which although not severe, are deep (Dr. Kevin said they are in «ice pick» format). He understood what I wanted and didn’t try to push extra things on me — he actually told me I needed less than what I actually thought, which made me feel quite good about myself. He recommended a set of glycolic peels to soften my scars and make my skin smoother. I was impressed right from the first appointment — the peel went great and the staff are so knowledgeable. The whole procedure was quick (that’s why they call it lunchtime peels) and the person that applied the glycolic on my face was very attentive to my skin’s reaction. She took every measure to ensure that we were taking it slow until we both learn my skin’s tolerance and reaction — I had done peelings at other places before, and had the terrible experience of having my face burnt by the acid, which now I understand as being unnecessary and irresponsible. At those places I dreaded going back to finish treatment. At the Centre for Advanced Skin Repair though they removed the acid as soon as my skin started showing redness, so after the procedure it only took a few minutes for it to go back to its normal tone. I could also see improvement right away, my skin was smoother, glowing and what’s the best part for me, not irritated or sensitive at all. I’ll write an update with my results once I finish the treatment, but this time I can say I’m actually looking forward for my next appointments!
I don’t know why this clinic has only bad reviews posted on the page and the good reviews are hidden at the bottom and classified as «non recommended»? I think all reviews are valid, so you should also look at the hidden reviews at the bottom of the page (they put it as a light grey color so you can barely see it). I highly recommend this clinic.

I was very impressed with the friendliness of the staff and the expert care and service I received from Dr. Silwowicz. I appreciated the time he took to explain the procedures and am very happy with the results of my treatments. I have already recommended this clinic to others.

This place is both known as the Toronto Acne Clinic and The Toronto Centre for Advanced Skin Repair. I started coming here in 2011 for my acne prone skin, which was pretty much under control from medication. The doctor told me the reason I break out is because I was using moisturizer on my skin. He told me I have to stop using moisturizer. So I stopped using moisturizer and my skin got extremely dry. The doctor told me this was normal and after going through a dry phase my skin would produce oil on it’s own. I followed his advice for over a year. My skin began to look very scaly. It was so embarrassing to have skin that looked like a snake. I kept at it and he kept preaching for me not to use moisturizer. I used to have skin where everyone would complement me saying how youthful and radiant it looked. I just didn’t like my few breakouts.
After complaining about my newly horribly dry and embarrassing skin, he told me it would be okay for me to use moisturizer on the driest patches on my face. I did this and after two years I started using Cliniques toner and moisturizer in addition to the Ducray facewash that they sell at this clinic.
The Ducray facewash is amazing and that is the only good thing that came out of this experience. It isn’t too harsh on your skin and it removes dirt, oil and most of my foundation. I still use it today and you can also purchase it at the Main Drug Mart on the main level of the building.
I knew something was still wrong with my skin before adding Cliniques products to my skin care regimen because every time I went for a facial I was told my skin was severely dehydrated and aging prematurely. I would then tell the technician that my dermatologist would not allow me to use moisturizers and the aesthetician would tell me that I must use moisturizer.
So now it’s 2013 and I’m using the Clinique toner and moisturizer. My skin began to be a bit more hydrated but it still wasn’t enough. I don’t recommend the Clinique toner or yellow cream as they strip the skin of oils and kind of replace what it stripped from the skin. My skin felt slightly better but it was still dry.
Today I’m still looking for my perfect skin care regimen. I almost have a solution for my severely dehydrated skin that is almost working but I would have been better off to have gone to Sephora where the staff are very knowledgeable on their skincare products.
I am saddened that my skin has aged prematurely because this doctor recommended I don’t use moisturizer.
I don’t recommend this clinic at all. They will ruin your skin. Now I have to use all these serums and so forth to make up for about 2 years of damage that could have been avoided if I went to a place where they could better advise me on my skin.
If this also happened to you, you can try the following as I find it to be helping my skin.
Ducray facewash
First aid toner from Sephora
A serum — (there are so many to choose from; test a bunch and asks for samples to find the best one)
A moisturizer (there are many you can choose from. Something oil free would be good. I don’t recommend Clinique for this)
Oil Free Sunscreen
Face Primer if wearing makeup
This is helping my skin but I have a lot of damage I now have to reverse.
I don’t recommend this clinic at all.
My skin type is combination (oily and normal) and severely dehydrated.

I initially called on Saturday to get a cortisone shot which they apparently don’t do on Saturdays anymore (?) and couldn’t get anything until I had had a consultation anyway. I was recommended to come here from a close acquaintance so I figured why not and made an appointment for noon today.
I showed up early (around 11:40) and was asked to provide my health card, fill out the form and wait. I’ll never understand why it’s acceptable for doctors to keep patients waiting past their appointment time, receptionists really should leave a bigger buffer between patients as I was shown into an exam room only at 12:15 and then made to wait another 15 minutes, now 12:30, a half hour after my actual appointment time. And when Doctor S came in, no apology for keeping me waiting (which also seems to be common practice amongst health care professionals!)
I no longer really needed the cortisone shots as it had been a few days so we just discussed my general needs instead. I guess other people have had a different experience because he ended up prescribing Accutane for me (I will be going back next week to pick it up as I will be drinking on vacation starting tomorrow = no no while on antibiotics). He asked me what I do for work, I told him and said I don’t have insurance so I’ll be paying out of pocket, he said Accutane is inexpensive and I should only have to do one 6 month cycle to see permanent results versus permanently using other topical or oral remedies forever (we discussed a few other options as well.
His timeliness could use some work but as a healthcare professional, he came across as totally competent to me. My only other thought is I wonder if he received a commission for prescribing certain treatments but I don’t think that’s the case as we discussed a few options in length.

I went in with a few milia to extract. I came out missing a chunk of skin under my eye…
Apparently, one milia was hard to extract, so — without first informing me — Dr Sliwowicz — decided to cut it out. I now have a big (2mm) cut under my eye, which he had to «glue» back together. Can’t wear makeup and it looks like I got in a bar fight.
It made me cancel my evening plans. He promises it will heal in 10 days, so I will update then. Right now — I’m really upset. If my undereye is messed up forever because of a poorly executed $ 25 extraction, I’m going to sue him.
Either way, I think a doctor should ask before he cuts out a piece of your face! Especially when it’s a cosmetic clinic so obviously I’m there to look better not a hell of a lot worse!

Dr. Sliwowicz is a terrible doctor. Inattentive and more interested in up selling expensive treatments and therapies to me. Under his suggestion, I was undergoing treatment for mild acne, which increasingly became worse, and he barely gave me the time of day when I wanted to discuss my concerns. Never go here. I wouldn’t recommend this place to my worst enemy.