| As plastic and reconstructive surgery becomes more common, patients are seeking different ways to rejuvenate their face with less invasive procedures. Not everyone is ready to commit to undergoing aggressive surgery in order to look younger or freshen up their appearance. Dealing with the discomfort and downtime from a surgical procedure such as a facelift or |  |
blepharoplasty can be intimidating, while non-surgical options can be performed with much less downtime and will cost less than surgery. In recent years, there have been many advances in facial rejuvenation. So what are some of the alternatives to getting surgery that can keep your face looking bright and fresh? Here are the most popular options I see in my practice:
Botox® and other dermal fillers:
From recent statistics gathered by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons**, Botox® was the top procedure performed in the last year. In 2012, over 6 million Botox® injections were reported, and that number is on the rise. Botox® and other dermal fillers are a great way to rejuvenate the face without the need for major surgery, and the recovery time for injectables is minimal compared to surgical options. The best part about Botox® and dermal fillers is that the procedure can be customized based on your specific needs. Your doctor will have the perfect plan for the best way to utilize dermal fillers to bring a fresh glow to your look. These are a great alternative to keep your face looking younger without the need for invasive surgery.
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Chemical Peels and Laser Resurfacing:
Chemical Peels and laser resurfacing are great ways to rejuvenate the skin of your face as it can help smooth out the uneven texture that acne, sun exposure, stress and other factors have done to cause damage to the outer layers of the skin. Chemical peels use a chemical solution while lasers use heat energy to cause the dead skin attached to your skin to peel away, revealing a fresh, new layer of skin free of all the damage of the outer layer. This is a great way to rejuvenate the skin as the recovery time is still quite limited, ranging between three and seven days, and can fit into a limited budget.
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Preventative skin care:
Preventative skin care is perhaps the most important way to keep your face looking young and fresh. There are many things in life that can cause your skin to age faster, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and too much sun exposure. It’s important to take measures as early as you can to prevent your skin from aging too quickly, and there are certain things you can do to prevent your skin from aging prematurely. You need to be sure to begin a regimen that includes vitamin A (i.e. medical grade retinoic acid or retinol) and topical antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, which are essential to anti-aging. A solution with Vitamin C should be integrated into your routine as it aids in collagen formation and combined with topical retinoic acids will assist in collagen production and aid in new cell turnover. Last but not least, don’t forget to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen on your face before you leave the house everyday. All of these things used in combination will do wonders to rejuvenate your skin and should be done at an early age to prevent the need for aggressive cosmetic work down the line.
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Medical Micro-needling
Micro-needling treatments have been studied for years as a safer alternative to lasers with many studies showing their ability to improve acne scars, lighten hyperpigmentation and minimize the signs of aging. The popularity of microneedling has increased with the development of automated equipment, such as the Bellus Skin Pen II ® that can precisely deliver trauma through small sterile needles whose depth of penetration into the skin can be controlled. With this service, about a dozen fine needles are used to penetrate deep beneath the skin’s surface. The micro-injuries stimulate the skin’s repair process resulting in new collagen production that rebuilds elasticity, tightens the skin, and reduces pore size. This procedure can be used with topical vitamin C products, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and brightening agents to help drive them into the skin for even more improvement. And because no heat is involved, this treatment can be safely used on all skin types. This is the newest non-surgical option available for the skin and we are excited to be introducing this to our practice this month.
Nonsurgical face and neck tightening
Let’s face it — most working men and women can spare very little time for recovery from a surgical facelift or necklift. Thankfully, new options over the last five years have given us more reliable non-surgical options for patients. The first option involves ultrasound technology and is called Ultherapy®. Ultrasound energy is delivered through the skin to the tissues underneath stimulating new collagen formation and subsequent tightening of the tissues over weeks to months. The treatment can be done to treat the jowls, looseness in the neck and even lift the eyebrows. This in-office procedure may give you the results you are looking for without the need for surgery or unwanted downtime.
The second option available to us is the PrecisionTx™ laser sculpting procedure by Cynosure. This is a minimally invasive option that can help you get back a more defined jawline and neck and can be done in the office in just over one hour. The downtime is limited to a few days and most people can recover over a weekend. Laser energy is delivered through a small wire inserted beneath the skin. The laser energy is directed to the skin to promote collagen formation and skin tightening, and at the underlying tissue to melt unwanted fat in order to achieve a more sculpted neck and jawline.
For more information on the best ways to rejuvenate your face and neck, contact Dr. Kristina Tansavatdi at Tansavatdi Facial Plastic Surgery. Dr. Tansavatdi has all of the information you need in order to make the right decisions on how to stay young and beautiful for as long as possible. Visit www.facesbydrt.com, or call their office at (805) 715-4996.