Originally Posted On: Elixir Aesthetics Scheduling (elixiraestheticsclinic.com)
Aging Prevention at 25:
At the age of 25 we stop producing collagen. You may think that is such a young age to start thinking about aging prevention but it is actually the PERFECT time! Collagen is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body’s various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals. So you can imagine how crucial collagen is to our body and keeping us youthful. Ways to induce collagen include microneedling, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinol, red light therapy and much much more.
What about when I already have fine lines and wrinkles?
Fine lines and wrinkles are caused when we make repetitive facial expressions such as smiling, frowning, and furrowing facial expressions. Having these fine lines and wrinkles is inevitable and some people choose to embrace them while others want to remain young and vibrant as young as possible. For those of who don’t want those fine lines and wrinkles let’s discuss some options. The most popular option is Botox, just a small amount works wonders. Botox is a neuromodulator as is Jeuveau and Dysport that relaxes the muscles in the face so that those fine lines and wrinkles are unable to form when we make facial expressions. You can still smile, laugh, frown, and what ever faces you may make but the lines and wrinkles will not be there when you do. This is an excellent method to eliminate fine lines and wrinkles and preventing the worsening of these lines in the future. The results take roughly 10-14days to fully set in and as we age we will need more units for the same area, so that is something to keep in mind. You can also get acupuncture facials or infrared laser light therapy which is a once a month commitment and while these options work they’re not our favorite. Another option we LOVE is radio frequency microneedling. Devices such as the VirtueRF use radio frequency microneedling to tighten and tone you skin and correct the issues deep beneath the surface. This devices induces collagen and improves skin laxity and elastin. There are 30 gold plated needles that create microchannels in the skin where radio frequency is then applied and absorbed by the skin. There are other devices besides the VirtueRF such as Thermage, Morpheus8, and Vivace that can also help with fine lines and wrinkles but not to the extent of VirtueRF which works if you don’t need a facelift like result and more of pigmented acne scarring solution or fine line treatment. For reference, one VirtueRF on a mild setting is equal to 10 regular microneedles and does not damage the surface of the skin.
What if I want a facelift result?
As we get older, the time frame varies from person to person but at some point we want a facelift. Gravity takes it’s toll and that is natural and just apart of the aging process. So, what are our options? You can always go the traditional surgical route which is well over $10,000 and requires a great amount of downtime but it gets the job done. If you do not want to go the surgical route you can also do the VirtueRF at a higher setting for 3-6 treatments. At these settings you can also treat cratered acne scarring. You may wonder how one device can treat severe acne scarring as well as achieve a natural facelift. With the VirtueRF you can adjust the depth, level, microseconds, subpulse, and energy delivered to the skin which all plays a factor in how efficient the device is and what it is treating. Here at our office we have used our device to tighten skin after having twins, facelifts, cratered acne scarring, aging prevention, and correcting skin texture. By doing this treatment at a higher setting 4-6 weeks apart for 3-6 treatments and then a yearly touch up. You’re turning back the clock by correcting your skin from the layers within and telling your body to produce more collagen. If after the VirtueRF you decide I miss the fat in my face that filled my cheeks in my 20s or the distinction in my jawline you can use filler for these options and we recommend Restylane Lyft or Restylane-L. As we age we also lose fat so this is a common thing to do. At the end of the day the choice is yours and there is no wrong decision as long as you’re happy.
