Time can take its toll on skin – so can the sun’s rays, cold and dry winter weather, cosmetics, and everyday exposure to toxins in the environment. Skin can show signs of premature aging, wrinkles, dull skin, age spots, and sun spots. Fortunately, skin doctors now offer a wide variety of rejuvenation treatments that refresh and revitalize skin for a vibrant, youthful appearance.
Botox is an injectable treatment that stops the formation of wrinkles. Botox temporarily paralyze the small muscles that stretch skin to cause wrinkles. The treatment prevents crow’s feet, worry lines, and laugh lines. Because the injections are virtually painless, doctors administer Botox without anesthesia. Patients can resume their everyday activities immediately after treatment. The effects are not permanent, so patients may opt for repeated treatments two or three times a year to maintain the effects. Long-term use of Botox can optimize the effects.
Time, sun exposure, and gravity can decrease the volume of fat layers sitting just below the skin, and this loss of volume can contribute to wrinkles and sagging skin. Dermal fillers add volume to the skin to lift sunken areas, fill in wrinkles, and even plump up the lips for a fuller appearance.
Dermal fillers involve injecting substances directly into the fat layers with a very thin needle. Some dermal fillers contain hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance found in skin and connective tissue. Others consist of substances that stimulate the production of collagen, which is a protein that gives skin its structure.
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As its name suggests, InstaLift instantly lifts sagging skin to rejuvenate skin and provide a more youthful appearance. Doctors perform this minimally invasive procedure to lift sagging skin without surgery. Done in an office setting, the InstaLift procedure takes only about 45 minutes and yields immediate results.
The skin doctor performs InstaLift by inserting and securing tiny bidirectional micro-cones beneath the surface of the skin. The micro-cones elevate and reposition the skin to reduce sagging while stimulating the production of collagen to produce long-lasting, natural-looking results.
The body slowly absorbs the micro-cones over time, leaving the collagen behind to continue providing the beneficial effects of the InstaLift.
Ultherapy lifts the skin of the brow, chin, and neck, and helps erase lines and wrinkles on the upper chest. This FDA-cleared, non-invasive treatment uses ultrasound technology to tone, lift, and tighten sagging, drooping skin on the face and neck. Ultherapy is the best non-surgical alternative to a facelift procedure available today.
The procedure takes one to two hours. Patients experience a moderate warming sensation as the ultrasound energy reaches the deep subdermal layers of the skin.
Nothing ruins the youthful appearance of skin like an age spot, also known as a sunspot. Larger than freckles, these brown spots are usually the result of sun damage, appearing in areas of the body left unprotected from the sun, such as the face, shoulders, arms, and hands.
A number of treatments for sun spots exist. Applying liquid nitrogen to brown spots destroys the extra pigment that causes them. Skin bleaching and chemical peels lighten the color of age spots so that the brown spots match the surrounding skin.
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Chemical peels remove the outer layer of skin to ease acne breakouts, lessen the appearance of fine lines, shrink pores, and fade pigmentation and dark colorations. Chemical peels create smoother, more appealing-looking skin. The treatment is appropriate for all skin types.
During the treatment, the patient will likely feel a mild stinging sensation as the chemical peel solution goes to work. For 3 to 4 days following the procedure, the top layers of skin will slough, or peel off. Repeating the chemical peel every 2 to 4 weeks optimizes the benefits of the procedure. Chemical peels are an excellent addition to other skin therapies, such as acne treatments, laser therapy, and microneedling.
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Microneedling stimulates the production of collagen and skin tissue to help skin become smoother, firmer, and more toned. The procedure involves moving a derma roller, which is a pen-like tool, which causes slight injury to the skin. The skin responds by making new collagen and tissue. Skin doctors often recommend microneedling to treat wrinkles, large pores, and scars on the face.
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Microdermabrasion is similar to microneedling in that the treatment triggers the production of new skin tissue and collagen. Microdermabrasion is different in that it uses a mildly abrasive instrument to sand the skin gently, which removes the thicker, uneven outer layer of skin. Dermatologists often recommend microdermabrasion to treat damage from sun, light scarring, discoloration, and stretch marks.
The non-invasive procedure takes 20 to 30 minutes to treat the face, and about 20 minutes to treat skin problems on the neck. Following the treatment, the skin doctor will apply a moisturizer to the treated skin. There is no downtime – patients can return to their normal activities right away – although some patients’ skin turns pink or red following the treatment, somewhat similar to a sunburn. Repeated treatments optimize the beneficial effects of microdermabrasion.