Turning back the hands of time

Turning back the hands of time…As we age, there are many factors that play a role in your skin’s health. From pigment changes, pore size, skin laxity, and volume loss, the years of sun exposure can take a toll on your skin.

The world of non-invasive cosmetic treatments has grown a substantial amount through the years and there are a multitude of options to address issues-from dermal fillers, to lasers, to chemical peels, and more. The treatment and provider options can be overwhelming to say the least.

First, let’s discuss some of the most common areas for concern and how they can be addressed:

• Facial lines and wrinkles – Botox and dermal fillers are probably the most commonly know treatments to address movement lines and lines at rest. Botox-prevents the muscle movements from happening by reducing the contractions and relaxing the underlying muscles of the face. Patients see noticeable results in their non-surgical Botox treatment with very little downtime. Dermal Fillers are most commonly made of hyaluronic acid and are used for lines at rest. Fillers restore volume loss and bringing back lost structure to many different areas of the face.Microneedling is also a great option to stimulate collagen production and offer a multi-layered approach for tightening the skin and softening fine lines and wrinkles.
• Volume loss – Dermal fillers like Juvederm Voluma and Restylane Defyne do a great job of restoring lost volume. These hyaluronic acid fillers have subtle lifting capabilities to add instant volume. The most common treatment areas are cheeks, temples, and jawline contouring.
• Skin Texture and Tone– Chemical peels work by removing the outer layers of your skin damaged by the sun, aging and environmental conditions, thus improvements to skin tone and texture. There are multiple strengths of peel options, but most are better served in a series of 2-4 treatments. Dermal infusion treatments are also a great, no downtime option for tone and texture improvements to your skin. This advanced skin-resurfacing treatment combines exfoliation, extraction, and infusion of condition-specific serums to improve skin health, function and appearance.
• Sun spots and sun damage – Laser treatments are great options for battling years of sun damage. From full face treatments to targeting specific dark or red spots, the advancement in lasers over the years is instrumental. With advanced lasers that utilizes nano + pico laser pulses, they now allow for the shattering of deep dermal pigments and full clearance to bothersome areas. The best time of year to focus on laser treatments is always during the winter months, as sun exposure post laser treatment runs risks of damaging the skin.
• Sagging skin – Ultrasound (Ultherapy) to rebuild collagen from the inside out. Ultherapy, known as the non-invasive lift, is focused ultrasound energy delivered to the dermal and deep layers of the skin without affecting intervening tissue. Over a two to three month period, weak collagen is reorganized and strengthened with the growth of new collagen, which in turn tightens and lifts the skin. This no downtime, no restrictions procedure is definitely a favorite in the non-invasive procedure world.

Before you jump into getting treatments – here are some things to watch out for:

1. Make sure the facility extensive experience in treatments, laser treatments, and dealing with the skin. Lasers can cause damage in the wrong hands and trying to fix any issues can be difficult
2. Make sure they are extensively trained in facial anatomy. Many have tried to jump on the injectable bandwagon and are doing so with minimal experience and or the ability to correct issues that could occur.
3. Not all treatments and products are right for all skin types and individuals with various conditions – make sure you compare your options and do not rush into your decision
4. Take your time to evaluate who you want doing the work – Have any provider show you before and after photography of their treatments and ask for training experience
5. Finally make sure you like their aesthetic – many can be heavy handed and look overdone. Depending on your goals, you may want a more natural look – some are more skilled at this than others.