Healthy Body
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Searching for the Fountain of Youth:
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Oh, the benefits the years bring: experience, wisdom, patience. Along with the benefits of aging, though, are those other realities of a life well-lived: wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin. And to many, these are not as endearing.
“In our field,” notes dermatologist Suzanne Friedler, M.D., with Advanced Dermatology PC, “decades of research have brought major anti-aging advances that can help people enjoy the plusses of getting older while still looking younger.”
Thanks to breakthroughs in understanding our skin’s underlying processes and the cumulative roles that time and lifestyle play in aging, today’s skincare specialists have a robust portfolio of options to address both prevention and restoration.
“At this point,” Friedler observes, “we have a comprehensive understanding of what causes our skin to age – from wrinkles and sagging to the appearance of ‘age spots.’ And we can provide a wide range of interventions, from minimally invasive procedures to face lifts.”
The public has taken note, with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reporting increased demand for everything from surgery to injections like Botox and fillers – with numbers topping out at over fifteen million in 2019 alone. “Today’s anti-aging choices,” Friedler explains, “really include all ages and budgets.”
Less extensive treatments, such as specialized facials, can start at under two hundred dollars, according to the ASPS, with more intensive interventions costing more. “Individuals can customize a plan that factors in their budget, their desired outcome, and the involvement required, such as recovery time and touch-ups,” Friedler advises.
With that in mind, Friedler offers the following suggestions to grow older while still rocking a youthful look.
5 Tips for Young-Looking Skin
Put a stop to ‘dynamic’ wrinkles: “Dynamic wrinkles,” Friedler explains, “are caused by repeated muscle movements – for example, the smiles of a life well-lived. Muscle relaxers, such as Botox, are a great fix for dynamic wrinkles. These injections can reduce their appearance as well as limit further formation.”
Harness your skin’s own power: “Another reason we see wrinkles over time,” Friedler observes, “is that our skin settles into furrows as it gradually loses the collagen that provides its underlying framework. There’s been an explosion of treatments to jumpstart the skin’s own collagen production. Microdermabrasion, microneedling, lasers, radiofrequency, ultrasound – and treatments such as the Fraxel laser, Ulthera ultrasound, and Thermage radiofrequency – these all act as triggers for our skin to produce new collagen. And the Intensif Microneedle, for example, offers a combined approach, pairing microneedling with radiofrequency stimulation.”
Add back what time has taken: “Fillers,” notes Friedler, “are another great way to address the loss of support that leads to wrinkles. Radiesse and Sculptra injections, for example, can add volume and boost collagen. And hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are also very effective, replacing a key ingredient that helps our skin retain moisture and stay firm. Juvederm and Restylane both have a menu of tailored HA options for fine and deep wrinkles, as well as loss of volume.”
Banish ‘age’ spots: “Years of sun exposure,” explains Friedler, “can result in what are permanent spots, basically patches of tan that do not fade. Laser treatments can eliminate the melanocyte clusters that cause age spots. And specialized exfoliation, such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels, can remove spots and support skin regeneration.”
Practice ‘safe sun’ behaviors: “It’s never too early – or too late – to adopt ‘safe sun’ practices,” emphasizes Friedler. “Ultraviolet radiation is a key culprit in skin aging, speeding up the loss of collagen that causes wrinkles and disrupting skin tone and texture. Many people actually see their sun exposure increase as they get older, due to retirement lifestyle changes, for example. The good news is that adopting sun-safe practices – sunscreen, protective clothing, and seeking shade – can not only prevent additional damage but may allow one’s skin to repair.”
“Today is a golden age for aging, offering choices so that people can enjoy growing older without looking older,” concludes Friedler.
Oh, the benefits the years bring: experience, wisdom, patience. Along with the benefits of aging, though, are those other realities of a life well-lived: wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin. And to many, these are not as endearing.
“In our field,” notes dermatologist Suzanne Friedler, M.D., with Advanced Dermatology PC, “decades of research have brought major anti-aging advances that can help people enjoy the plusses of getting older while still looking younger.”
Thanks to breakthroughs in understanding our skin’s underlying processes and the cumulative roles that time and lifestyle play in aging, today’s skincare specialists have a robust portfolio of options to address both prevention and restoration.
“At this point,” Friedler observes, “we have a comprehensive understanding of what causes our skin to age – from wrinkles and sagging to the appearance of ‘age spots.’ And we can provide a wide range of interventions, from minimally invasive procedures to face lifts.”
The public has taken note, with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reporting increased demand for everything from surgery to injections like Botox and fillers – with numbers topping out at over fifteen million in 2019 alone. “Today’s anti-aging choices,” Friedler explains, “really include all ages and budgets.”
Less extensive treatments, such as specialized facials, can start at under two hundred dollars, according to the ASPS, with more intensive interventions costing more. “Individuals can customize a plan that factors in their budget, their desired outcome, and the involvement required, such as recovery time and touch-ups,” Friedler advises.
With that in mind, Friedler offers the following suggestions to grow older while still rocking a youthful look.
5 Tips for Young-Looking Skin
Put a stop to ‘dynamic’ wrinkles: “Dynamic wrinkles,” Friedler explains, “are caused by repeated muscle movements – for example, the smiles of a life well-lived. Muscle relaxers, such as Botox, are a great fix for dynamic wrinkles. These injections can reduce their appearance as well as limit further formation.”
Harness your skin’s own power: “Another reason we see wrinkles over time,” Friedler observes, “is that our skin settles into furrows as it gradually loses the collagen that provides its underlying framework. There’s been an explosion of treatments to jumpstart the skin’s own collagen production. Microdermabrasion, microneedling, lasers, radiofrequency, ultrasound – and treatments such as the Fraxel laser, Ulthera ultrasound, and Thermage radiofrequency – these all act as triggers for our skin to produce new collagen. And the Intensif Microneedle, for example, offers a combined approach, pairing microneedling with radiofrequency stimulation.”
Add back what time has taken: “Fillers,” notes Friedler, “are another great way to address the loss of support that leads to wrinkles. Radiesse and Sculptra injections, for example, can add volume and boost collagen. And hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are also very effective, replacing a key ingredient that helps our skin retain moisture and stay firm. Juvederm and Restylane both have a menu of tailored HA options for fine and deep wrinkles, as well as loss of volume.”
Banish ‘age’ spots: “Years of sun exposure,” explains Friedler, “can result in what are permanent spots, basically patches of tan that do not fade. Laser treatments can eliminate the melanocyte clusters that cause age spots. And specialized exfoliation, such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels, can remove spots and support skin regeneration.”
Practice ‘safe sun’ behaviors: “It’s never too early – or too late – to adopt ‘safe sun’ practices,” emphasizes Friedler. “Ultraviolet radiation is a key culprit in skin aging, speeding up the loss of collagen that causes wrinkles and disrupting skin tone and texture. Many people actually see their sun exposure increase as they get older, due to retirement lifestyle changes, for example. The good news is that adopting sun-safe practices – sunscreen, protective clothing, and seeking shade – can not only prevent additional damage but may allow one’s skin to repair.”
“Today is a golden age for aging, offering choices so that people can enjoy growing older without looking older,” concludes Friedler.
Suzanne J. Friedler, M.D. F.A.A.D., is a board-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, with expertise in many areas of medical and cosmetic dermatology. She has been with Advanced Dermatology PC, one of the leading dermatology centers in the nation, since 2002.
