Starting to see wrinkles and lines on your face? Yes, sooner or later we are all going to see the signs of aging. But, you don’t have to rush to get plastic surgery just yet. There are many benefits to surgery, but there are also some risks. While surgery can tighten loose and sagging skin, it can’t improve the texture or quality of your skin. For the early signs of aging, non-surgical cosmetic treatments may actually be more appropriate for you. Let’s take a closer look:
The Upper Face
When we talk about the upper face we are mainly referring to the forehead, eyebrows and the area around and underneath the eyes. These areas are often the first to show the visible signs of aging. The reason for this is that the lines and wrinkles that form in these areas are a result of repetitive muscle movements over time. For those of us who are very expressive, these lines may appear as early as our teens or 20’s. Also, because the skin in the area under the eyes is thinner than the skin on other parts of the face, these aging signs become more noticeable sooner.
Non-surgical options, which include neuromodulators such as Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin work great to treat the lines and wrinkles of the Brow, Forehead, and Crow’s feet areas. They work by weakening the muscles that are responsible for causing these wrinkles. When used early, they can be an excellent preventative measure and keep the wrinkles from becoming worse over time.
The Mid/Lower Face
These areas include the cheeks, the mouth and the lines around them (smile lines, nasolabial folds), and the jowls. Wrinkles, lines, and folds in these areas are typically the result of volume loss and collagen depletion. The effects of gravity contribute to make their appearance worse. In the early stages, these wrinkles and lines respond well to injectable fillers, such as Juvederm, Voluma, Restylane, Radiesse, etc. These fillers help smooth lines and wrinkles by increasing volume in the area. Depending on the type of filler used, the results from an injection can last anywhere from six months to two full years.
Those pesky vertical lip lines which can be so difficult to get rid of can also respond best to a combination of non-surgical treatments including Fillers, Botox, Microneedling, Chemical Peels, and Laser Resurfacing.
Improving Skin Quality
As I said earlier, surgery can’t fix skin damage that results in changes to the texture and quality of your skin. As we get older, cell turnover slows down and our ability to naturally repair skin cells decreases. External factors such as sun damage and smoking also increase damaged skin cells. That’s why it’s important to have a regular skin care routine. Treatments such as Microneedling, Chemical Peels, Stem Cell Therapy, and Laser Resurfacing all help to exfoliate and repair damaged skin cells to give your skin a glowing, refreshed appearance. These treatments also help stimulate collagen production in the superficial skin layers to create tightening. They also help improve the appearance of pigment changes in the skin, providing you with better skin tone.
And, don’t underestimate the importance of using skin care products at home. They help maintain the improved quality and texture of your skin. Sunscreen is an absolute must, as is moisturizer if you have dry skin. Medical grade products are the way to go as over the counter skin care products often don’t have the strength of active ingredients to give you a clinically beneficial result.
Don’t know where to start or need more help? We’re here and happy to assist you! Working with Dr. Michael Zadeh or one of our trained skin care specialists we can develop a treatment plan for you that will keep you looking young and refreshed for as long as possible. Call us at (818) 789-5500 to schedule your personalized consultation today!