Health & Beauty pages
From facial to face-lift: Options in the quest for youthful skin
Popular
shows like “Extreme Makeover” and “A Makeover Story” have captured our
imaginations, fueling the fires of self-improvement. Teeth-whitening,
Lasik eye treatments, facelifts and implants are becoming mainstream —
and more affordable than ever.
With that in mind, let’s talk
about the first thing people notice about you: your face. What kind of
epidermal landscape are you dealing with? Perhaps there’s something
you’d like to correct. Face it, you can’t stop the hands of time, but
thanks to modern technology, you can always upgrade.
Here’s a peek at some of the countenance-enhancing opportunities now available:
•
Topical agents include sunscreens to prevent sun damage, Retin-A to
improve fine wrinkling, roughness and pigment changes, bleaching creams
to balance skin tone and antioxidants to help repair cell damage from
ultraviolet radiation and smoking.
• Facials and chemical peels
remove outer layers of skin in varying degrees. Mild to moderate-level
treatments tackle acne scarring and rough, blotchy or sun-damaged skin
with various types of chemicals, including glycolic, lactic or salicylic
acid peels. Rose Reis, owner of Pele Fina Skin & Body Day Spa in
Modesto, offers the above acid peels as well as hydrating, acne, vitamin
C and microdermabrasion facials. “Facials keep the skin clean and
healthy while delaying the effects of aging,” says Reis. Stronger
treatments are offered in clinical or medical environments.
•
Microdermabrasion, performed by a physician, RN or esthetician, is a
progressive, non-invasive treatment that lightly “sands” the skin and
stimulates the formation of collagen and elastin. As the name suggests,
the treatment is a scaled down version of dermabrasion which helps
relieve hyperpigmentation, fine lines and superficial scars.
•
Botox, a compound that is injected into the skin to temporarily paralyze
facial muscles in areas such as the forehead, between eyebrows and
outer edge of eye area (crow’s feet), reduces the appearance of
wrinkles. Injections are administered every 3 to 4 months. “As you use
Botox, the effects tend to last longer,” explains James Payne, MD, of
Pueblo Nuevo Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Associates in
Modesto.
• MicroLaser peels are touted as the new “non-surgical
face lift.” MicroLaser peels use laser to correct skin conditions such
as wrinkles, scars, acne scars, keratosis and pigment problems. The
treatment is stronger than light chemical peels and microdermabrasion
and requires a longer healing process (3-4 days). Typically, the
procedure is repeated 2 to 4 times and 6- to 8-week intervals.
•
Tissue augmentation refers to injections of collagen into the skin to
fill in deep lines and furrows, generally around the mouth and eyes. The
effects last from three to twelve months. The latest type of collagen
is new substance called Restylane, which lasts longer than traditional
collagen.
• Photo-rejuvenation zaps wrinkles, scars, redness,
rosacea and texturing problems with a non-ablative laser to create more
uniform skin “from the outside in.” “It takes just 20 to 30 minutes,
with amazing results in the next 30 to 60 days,” says Debbie Perry, RN,
with Age Defying Medical Clinic in Modesto. “It stimulates skin to start
growing new cells; your cheeks and bags under your eyes start to firm
up.”
• Dermabrasion is sometimes referred to as surgical skin
planing because it involves abrasion of the surface of the skin. A
rapidly rotating brush removes multiple skin layers that eventually
regrow. Treated skin appears to have a severe sunburn. Healing takes
about 10 days.
• Laser skin resurfacing utilizes laser
technology to address sun-damaged skin, age spots, fine lines, acne
scarring and more. The non-surgical procedure requires no down time
after treatment, which is usually applied over 4 to 10 sessions.
•
Eyelid surgery reduces excess fat and drooping skin around the eyes.
Fewer “bags” under the eyes, as well as a more alert appearance, result.
• Brow lifts reduce severe lines in the forehead and raise the eyebrows.
•
Face and neck lifts last approximately seven years and involve very
little discomfort, according to Dr. Payne, who says that the goal of
face and neck lifts are to “help the patient to look healthy and rested,
not pulled tight, like they’re in a wind tunnel. Good surgery puts the
face back into balance. There’s a very steep learning curve.”
Vena
Hutchins, owner of Skin Care Center of Oakdale and a paramedical
esthetician, says there’s no reason for people to walk around with a
brown mark on their cheek or any number of other conditions. “In our
society, if your teeth are crooked, you fix them. When you look good on
the outside, you feel better on the inside,” says Hutchins. “If you’re
not satisfied with something about yourself, it’s so easy to take care
of, and it’s not that expensive.”
When considering a treatment,
ask questions about costs, length of treatment, results, recovery and
side effects. “When talking with doctors, make sure they’re certified by
the American Board of Plastic Surgery,” says Dr. Payne. “A good plastic
surgeon is looking to get the best results for the patient in the
safest manner and at the best cost for the patient,” he adds.
Whether
or not you opt for a treatment, you can your skin youthful as long as
possible by wearing sunscreen every day, avoiding prolonged sun
exposure, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, drinking plenty of
water, taking vitamin E and moisturizing thoroughly.
Thanks to modern technology — and good skin care — you can erase years from your face and discover a whole new you.
© HHWS for The Modesto Bee
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