How To Look Young, Not Done

By Hema Sundaram, MA, MD, FAAD

Sundaram Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery Center

. http://doctorhema.com

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How To Look Young, Not Done

As an Italian poet once said, we do not remember days, we remember moments. One of the defining moments in my career as a cosmetic dermatologist is my first experience treating a patient with collagen injections, about 15 years ago. I was immensely moved that a few teaspoons of collagen injected in a few short minutes could produce such amazing results. The physical improvement in my patients skin, though impressive, paled in comparison to her psychological transformation. It was a real reminder that how we look profoundly impacts how we feel.
We are no longer limited to collagen as a filler. Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse, Sculptra and now Perlane have ushered in a paradigm shift in how fillers can be used no longer just for wrinkles and scars, but for targeted volume replacement that directly reverses the effects of aging and, when skillfully performed, actually produces a precise, non-surgical face-lift with minimal discomfort, bruising or recovery time.
This article focuses on rejuvenation of the midface the area that extends from below your eyes to the corners of your mouth. The midface is the power zone of your face. High, full, softly rounded cheeks make a womans eyes and lips appear larger and her nose and jawline appear smaller. A youthful midface is also important for men. As you age, volume loss from your midface causes flattening of your cheeks, development of under-eye hollows and deepening of the nasolabial lines running from the sides of your nose to the corners of your mouth. You can see this most clearly if you view your face from below in a mirror. As a result, your face and nose look longer and you look tired or sad, even when you dont feel that way inside.
The old approach to fixing these problems was to insert cheek implants, and to surgically stretch your skin and shorten your nose. Unfortunately, this can make patients look done, rather than younger. Perlane and Restylane injections lift your cheeks and fill under-eye hollows and nasolabial lines, to restore your youthful facial contours and make you look naturally younger, while avoiding a done look. The old, surgical approach has been compared to trying to stretch out a raisin, only to find that it still looks the same. The new, non-surgical approach is like re-volumizing the raisin so that it is restored to a youthful grape.
To achieve the best results, you need a cosmetic surgeon who thoroughly understands ideal facial proportions, uses advanced techniques and has consummate artistry. Your surgeon should formulate an individualized treatment plan that addresses your own unique pattern of aging by harnessing your bodys own abilities to rejuvenate itself. One of the newest technologies for painless, no-recovery skin tightening of your face, neck, arms, stomach and other body areas is Lux IR infrared treatment. This can be combined with Lux 1540 fractional laser resurfacing to dramatically fade sunspots, wrinkles and scars including acne scars with little or no down time.
The best part of these treatments is that they are a lot more permanent than we realized previously. They stimulate your skin to permanently produce new collagen and elastic tissue, truly reversing aging and restoring youthful glow and firmness to your skin. Todays technology, in the right hands, offers you the opportunity to look young rather than done and to balance how you look with how you feel at any age.