Hoping to turn back time? Welcome to the world of non-surgical anti-aging treatments. These options may make you look younger and better looking and who knows they may be a perfect match for you.
Dermatology procedures can improve the appearance of your skin by correcting your skin flaws such as acne, scars, wrinkles, sun damage, age spots, and rosacea.
Dermatologists can also treat your skin conditions that may not necessarily be harmful. But can affect or even disfigure your appearance. You typically need multiple treatments to achieve the desired results, but most dermatologists and medical spas give package deals. The significant benefit of these skin treatments is they don’t cause scarring.
These procedures can significantly reduce the appearance of cellulite and makes your skin more tightened and toned. These body skin treatments require little downtime, making them an excellent choice for patients who can’t take time off from work.
In this article, you’ll find helpful information about cosmetic dermatology procedures and how they can help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
Cosmetic Procedures For Aging Skin
Chemical Peels
Chemicals peels are one of the oldest treatments in the world. It was practiced in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to help people achieve smooth and beautiful skin. Today they are popular worldwide because the chemical peel procedure offers immediate results and physicians consider it as an outpatient procedure.
In this treatment, dermatologists use an acid solution to remove the damaged outer layers of the skin. While performing this procedure physician apply alpha hydroxy acids, trichloroacetic acid or phenol to the skin. Your doctor typically administers it as a facial peel. These peels enhance and smooth the texture of your skin.
A chemical peel is a powerful treatment for blemishes, wrinkles, and uneven pigmentation. They exfoliate the outer layers of dead skin, revealing a new skin layer with improved tone, texture, and color. Not only does chemical peels give you full facial rejuvenation but certain types of skin peels are also used for spot treatments, to remove stretch marks and to rejuvenate skin elsewhere on the body.
If you have fair skin and light hair, then you are the best chemical peel candidate. However, individuals with other skin pigmentation and hair color can also have good results. You’ll be an ideal candidate for this procedure if you’re in good physical health, understand the procedure and have realistic expectations of the outcome.
If you want to correct blotches due to sun exposure or age, minimize coarse wrinkles or remove the pre-cancerous growth, you may benefit from a deep peel. However dark-skinned patients and people with heart problems are not ideal candidates.
IPL Photofacials
IPL photorejuvenation is the newest procedure in modern dermatology. It turns your red blotchy skin into a radiant complexion. A photo facial is a 30 minutes procedure in which intense pulses of light are used to penetrate deep into your skin. The photo facial then causes blood vessels and collagen below your epidermis to constrict reducing lines and redness.
If you go in for this procedure, you’ll face only a mild discomfort. The redness and swelling that sometimes occur after this treatment disappear shortly. You’ll see most of the benefits of fotofacial occur gradually in the weeks following the treatment. If you want even more cosmetic enhancement, you may also opt for a FotoFacial RF™. This treatment combines radio waves with light waves to give you stunning results.
If you have blotchy, sun damaged or discolored skin, or if your skin is affected by large pores, freckles or wrinkles, then you may benefit from this photo facial. The procedure is quick and requires no downtime. You’ll be the best candidate for this treatment if you have white, untanned and somewhat elastic skin.
If you have dark or deeply tanned skin, you can experience complications with this treatment. You must have a realistic understanding of what this procedure can do. If you suffer from rosacea, you may benefit from this facial. Pregnant women should postpone this treatment until after giving birth.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
It is a popular cosmetic procedure that can help rejuvenate your skin. Laser skin resurfacing reduces the effects of sun, aging and some skin disorders. This treatment is safe, efficient and convenient. Its cost is minimal compared to other treatment options.
During the procedure, a laser is used to dissolve the molecular bonds of your skin cells layer by layer until you get a smooth and more uniform skin. Dermatologists call this method as skin rejuvenation because it gives significant anti-aging benefits or laser peel because it peels your skin away.
Laser skin resurfacing is effective if you suffer from lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation such as acne scars that do not respond to gentler treatments. You’re an ideal candidate for this treatment if you have elastic, non-oily skin that is not prone to scarring after minor injury. It is best if you’re free of any medical considerations. It may include prescription medication, and existing health conditions that might cause unnecessary risk during the procedure or recovery period.
Persons with lighter skin tones are more suitable than individuals with darker skin tones. During laser resurfacing, the pigment in the targeted skin cells absorbs the highly dynamic laser light. The laser produces intense heat resulting in the cell’s destruction. Any excess laser light is either diffused or gets absorbed by surrounding untargeted cells.
In darker skin tones there is a danger of excess laser energy getting absorbed more, than for a person with light skin tone. This unintended absorption can result in skin discoloration and even blisters.
Medical Considerations
Many physicians consider laser resurfacing as a surgical procedure even though it involves no incisions. The healing process can be quite taxing for anyone and even more if you suffer from a disorder of the immune system.
Lupus erythematosus or Sjogren’s syndrome present an increased risk of complications. So, if you suffer from these, it is better to forego the treatment and choose alternatives.
Botox
Botox provides useful and quick remedy for facial lines, and wrinkles that age, stress and worry cause even on a younger person’s face. Botox is got from Clostridium botulinum an organism found in the natural environment where it is mostly nontoxic and inactive. Botulinum is one of the poisonous toxin known to man.
Botulinum toxin gets injected into humans in minuscule concentrations. It works by preventing signals from your nerve cells reaching your muscles effectively leaving the muscles without instructions to contract, therefore paralyzing them.
Nerves release chemical messenger acetylcholine for your muscles to contract at the nerve endings where your muscles meet the nerve cells. The acetylcholine attaches to the receptors in your muscle cells and causes them to contract or shorten. The injected botulinum toxin prevents the contraction of muscle cells by stopping the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The effect of botulinum toxin causes muscles to become less stiff.
Botox is effective in treating facial lines, and wrinkles. From the treatment of crow’s feet to (glabellar lines) wrinkles between the brows Botox can smooth a broad range of facial lines and wrinkles with a simple 10-minute treatment.
This treatment is proven safe for a wide variety of candidates. The FDA has approved this treatment for patients aged between 18 to 65. The cost of this treatment may vary depending upon the area which you’re living and from physician to physician.
Eyes. Botox weakens the muscles that squint and crinkle in the eye area. The treatment reduces or eliminates crow’s feet and other wrinkles around the eyes.
Brows. Botox reduces the deep and stubborn furrows between the eyebrows. You will start to see aesthetic improvement from your Botox injections after a few days and results can last up to a few months.
Forehead wrinkles. Botox is effective in treating horizontal wrinkles. Once you have received the Botox treatment the muscles that cause lines and wrinkles in your forehead are no longer as active for several months.
Microdermabrasion. It is a facial treatment in which doctors spray tiny exfoliating crystals on your skin. These small crystals remove the dead skin cells and heal any imperfections of your skin. Microdermabrasion stands effectively in treating wrinkles, brown spots, fine lines and other aging signs.
Your treatment would last for nearly 30-45 minutes. The physician uses a specialized tool for the procedure known as vacuum suction nozzle. Firstly, it shoots tiny crystals such as sodium chloride, aluminum oxide or sodium bicarbonate and collects the dead skin cells and used crystals.
Secondly, it suctions your skin and promotes lymphatic drainage to remove rough crystals and excess skin cells. After your session gets over doctors, apply a specialized lotion and cream to the treated area. It keeps your skin hydrated and promotes the growth of healthier skin.
You can start seeing the results after one session, but to get maximum results you must undergo 5-12 sessions.
Microdermabrasion helps to remove blackheads and whiteheads, treats dull, stressed, or congested skin minimizes enlarged or open pores, and the sun damaged skin. The benefits include no invasive surgery, provides instant results, comes with zero downtime and smoothens your skin.
Filler Injections
Filler injections are a cosmetic treatment which helps to smooth your wrinkles or pitted scars on your skin, usually on your face. Best of all it contributes to plump up your lips and gives it a fuller appearance. When injected under your skin the filler raises or plumps up that area.
The many kinds of injectable fillers include
- Hyaluronic acid- it draws fluids to the treated area. The effects last for up to 9 to 12 months.
- Bovine collagen- you need allergy test four weeks before the treatment.
- Sculptra- Manmade biodegradable polymer. The effect can last up to two years.
- Radiesse- Calcium Hydroxylapatite. The effect lasts for 12 months.
- Autologous fat- Fat cells harvested from your body. The effect can last for months to years.
- Artefill- Microscopic plastic beads and bovine collagen. The collagen goes away over time. But the plastic beads remain under your skin. The effects have been shown to last for at least five years.
For some kinds of fillers, the dermatologist numbs your skin with a local anesthetic. Then the dermatologist uses a needle to inject the filler under your skin. A single session takes about 15 minutes. Some fillers get done in repeat sessions a couple of weeks apart.
After the treatment, there will be some pain, swelling, and itching. Swelling may last up to 36 hours. Each syringe of filler will cost you several hundred dollars. The prices vary depending upon the type of filler.
Filler injections can lead to problems such as infection, bleeding or bruising, allergic reaction and lumpy skin surface after the treatment.
Laser Skin Tightening
This method is an excellent facial rejuvenation option that gives you dramatic results. It reduces the appearance of wrinkles and loose skin for a smoother and more youthful appearance. This process uses the infrared light source to tighten your skin by heating the collagen beneath the skin’s surface causing your skin to tighten.
During the therapy session, the doctor uses a handpiece to apply brief pulses of laser energy. The continuous burst of cold air from the laser will ensure the patient’s comfort. The sessions usually last from 30 minutes to one hour. You may require three sessions for optimal results.
The results are seen immediately after your treatment. You need no downtime thus making it an increasingly popular procedure. Additional skin tightening occurs over the next few months, but for optimal results, you need two or three more treatments usually a month apart.
Laser skin tightening is an FDA approved method. It is efficient and safe for restoring a more firm and youthful appearance to your skin all over your body. The skin tightening treatment encourages the growth of new collagen. With the regeneration of natural collagen, your skin starts to look smoother, softer and more youthful.
This procedure is not painful. It applies to men and women of about 30-60 years of age. The treatment cost varies depending upon the patients need such as size, area to be tightened and the type of laser used.
Conclusion
No one treatment deals with all skin issues and works for all skin types. Your cosmetic physician may suggest the process that is highly suitable for your skin type. It is always best to do your research before attempting any of this procedure. So, you’ll have a clear idea of its pros and cons.
There are plenty of online reviews of these anti-aging procedures, but take the reviews with a pinch of salt because they can be subjective. When choosing a doctor for cosmetic procedures, you can ask recommendation from your GP or from your relatives or friends who have undergone such a kind of method.
Consider the qualifications and experience of your doctor and the cost of the procedure. Check with your physician whether there are any medical considerations related to the cosmetic treatment. Make sure whether you’ll be a suitable candidate for the treatment. Have thorough knowledge about the side effects, the therapy process, required time for healing and the time span for the results to appear.
