In 2014 CBS Los Angeles reported that researchers ranked the Inland Empire region north of Los Angeles as America’s “most wrinkle prone” area. “It’s hot, it’s dry, it has a significant amount of pollution, and it has a long commute,” said Bert Sperling, one of the study’s main researchers. “All of these things add up to taking a toll on your skin.” Whether or not you live in Inland Empire, a similar environment may be making your face and neck look older than you’d like. Rejuvenation options include fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse, injectables like Sculptra, laser skin resurfacing and what I consider the ultimate method – facelift plus fractional laser treatment. Which do you need to achieve the results you want?
Editor’s Note: Dr. Brian Machida is a highly experienced, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Ontario, CA, part of California’s Inland Empire. He has performed thousands of facial rejuvenation procedures. Dr. Machida taught facial plastic surgery for years at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.
It all depends on your age and the extent to which too much sun and pollution have damaged your good looks. Once wrinkles start to appear and your skin begins to sag, you’re probably beyond the point of getting much help from creams and home treatments. Here are the methods we use in Inland Empire to help our neighbors gain the rejuvenation and younger-looking faces and necks they seek.
Fillers like Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse and injectables like Sculptra
If you’re still relatively young, don’t smoke and don’t show advanced signs of facial aging, fillers may be an excellent option for you. They’re quick and virtually painless. They can make a real difference in reversing the early signs of aging.
However, fillers are a temporary solution. They’re easy on your system because most are based on natural body fluids. That advantage also brings one disadvantage: In time, your body will absorb them. You’ll need another set of filler injections to keep your younger look.
There are important differences that make each filler and injectable treatment preferred for a specific application.
Radiesse, for instance, contains calcium microspheres that provide volume. Collagen will form around the calcium. This can make its effects last up to 1 ½ years. But it’s not for everyone. It’s often used over the cheekbones.
Restylane, on the other hand, can be used in the tear trough area under the eyes. Juvederm is widely employed for plumping lips. Sculptra works by stimulating collagen and elastin production. Results appear more gradually than fillers but can last up to 2 years. It’s important to consult an expert in determining which injectable is suited to your particular needs. A physician experienced with fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse as well as injectables like Sculptra can tell you whether using one – and which one – will work well for you.
Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing
Fractional laser skin resurfacing is the next tool for rejuvenation of the face and neck. People with a greater degree of fine lines and wrinkles who do not yet need a facelift are ideal candidates. If you fall into this category, laser resurfacing may provide a long-lasting solution. It can help reverse facial aging caused by the kind of bright sunlight, hot and dry conditions and air pollution you’ll find in Inland Empire, California.
Although microneedling is gaining in popularity, fractional laser actually offers some significant advantages. Laser does require additional downtime, but tightens skin more than microneedling. The heat generated by lasers causes a controlled “thermal injury” to deeper layers of skin than microneedling or non-ablative lasers can effectively reach. This triggers collagen production to go into high gear. Collagen is the building block of healthy tissue. More collagen means a firmer face and tighter skin.
Not everyone is a good candidate for laser. Those who scar easily as well as people with darker complexions do better with other treatments. Those with darker pigment absorb more laser light. This can cause dark or light spots to form on their faces – certainly not the kind of result they want. Those who scar easily will also need to choose a different therapy. They could develop scars that fractional laser treatment usually avoids.
Facelift plus laser to get the ultimate rejuvenation results
For those show a greater degree of facial aging with deeper wrinkles, a facelift plus laser skin resurfacing can provide the best results and an outstanding new look. It treats dull, sagging skin, jowls and deeper lines and creases on two levels.
A facelift will tighten muscles and tissues that support your face and neck. After firming those areas your surgeon will remove excess skin. This will effectively treat jowls, deep lines and creases, pronounced nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
If you have a double chin or extra fullness in the neck, there’s an advantage to starting with a different laser treatment. It will liquefy fat and tighten skin, setting the stage for significantly improving your neck’s appearance. This SmartLipo laser treatment is outlined in the LookYounger.News article, “How Laser Can Make a Good Facelift Better.”
Adding full-face fractional laser treatment to your facelift will treat fine lines and wrinkles on the surface. This combination therapy can provide outstanding rejuvenation. It can give you a natural, younger, attractive look that will last for years.
Your face and neck may have been weathered by age along with the hot sun and smog in Inland Empire or by environmental conditions elsewhere. In either case, you can benefit from the rejuvenation methods available to skilled, experienced plastic or facial plastic surgeons. If the years are starting to show when you look in the mirror, why not consult an expert in your area. Get their recommendation on which method will give you the great new look you want.
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