Are you a young person walking around in an older person’s body? Do you sometimes wonder who that person is looking back at you in the mirror? If you’re like many of my older patients, you’re answering yes and wondering what you can do about it.  That’s what I’d like to tell you about – 6 new dermatology treatments that can help you look years younger.

Look as Young As You Feel with These Treatments

If you’re over 50, 60, or more, and want to look your best while making the most out of your life, you may be considering some cosmetic surgery to help you achieve that.  Today, many people in their 50’s and beyond are literally starting over at this stage in their life. They may be entering a new, second act career, or are dating again after divorce or death of a spouse, or they just want to look as young as they feel.

So, patients ask me all the time about procedures that can erase that tired look, get rid of some of the unsightly cellulite, tighten up age-revealing turkey neck, or give a little lift to their old smile. Some of them would even like to remove tattoos from their “old life”. And I’m happy to tell them, that there are now some new dermatology tools that can do all those things.  Here’s what you should know about them…

1. Skin Tightening and Resurfacing.  Refined and improved in-office ultrasound and radiofrequency technology is available now that can significantly lift and tighten that loose “turkey neck” skin on your neck, under arms, thighs or lift those down-drooping eyelids. Visible tightening is usually noted in the first 1 month with optimum results achieved at about 4 months.

2. Abdominal/whole body fat removal. You’ve tried diet and exercise and still you have that belly pudge that just won’t budge. Cryolipolysis freezes fat cells of the abdomen so that they dissolve away. Usually 3 treatments are needed to melt an inch of fat and 3-4 months are necessary to see real improvement.

The Zerona cold laser is still relatively new, but has been used successfully for a few years now.  You can achieve noticeable results of 5 or more inches of fat loss in 2 weeks with Zerona laser treatments.  It drains and collapses fat cells so they dissolve out through your lymphatic system.

There’s no downtime, causes no bruising or swelling, is completely painless, and is effective on the waist, thighs and hips. Many women, especially, like it for its success in reducing the circumference of the upper arms and underarm fat.

3. Cellulite removal. Unfortunately, no matter what you do, 80% of women (and many men) have cellulite. And it gets worse with getting older.  But, the new 1440 nanometer laser is now available to go to work on your cellulite. It can break up that cottage cheese under your skin on many areas (buttocks, thighs, hips) in just 1 session. You’ll have a little down time of about 1-2 weeks too for the swelling and bruising to resolve.

4. New Life, Old Tattoo. Nothing brings back memories of your former life as old tattoos. Now you can get rid of them with the new picosecond laser.  The very short pulses on this laser make it very successful at breaking up old ink depositions and intricate colors of tattoos. It takes less treatments to remove them as well, some even in one office treatment.

5. Good-Bye Wrinkles, Scars. Now it’s possible to remove old scars from acne or other injuries, as well as buff out wrinkles with the new second generation fractionated CO2 laser. It delivers energy deep to underlying tissues, breaking up scar tissue and removing wrinkles. It also stimulates collagen production to fill these areas in with new, firmer, younger-looking skin.

6. Reclaim Your Youthful Smile. One of the most frequent questions I get asked by women and men alike is can I do something about those awful vertical lines around my mouth? “Monkey mouth” lines can now be erased both with resurfacing lasers and lip augmentation injections.  They can even help re-fill out thinning lips. Be realistic with your expectations and don’t do too much injection at one time. Otherwise, you can wind up with a very unnatural “duckbill” mouth. Your new smile should last about 6 months or more.

Some Tips on How To Maximize Your Treatments

The last thing you want to do is return to old, bad habits after getting new cosmetic procedures to look younger.  To maximize your results, you’ll want to do the following:

• Reduce/omit alcohol and caffeine. These impede the drainage of lymph glands that clears toxins out of your body and ages your skin.

• Eat a nutritionally optimal diet. As you get older, muscle mass breakdown from inadequate protein can make the skin overlying them lose its contour, wrinkle and sag. Be sure to include enough protein for your body weight, at least half of it. For example, if you weigh 180, your protein intake should be 90 grams.

• Vitamins. Be sure to get enough Vitamin C that stimulates collagen production in your skin. You may also want to add some hyaluronic acid to boost collagen levels. In addition, B vitamins and beta carotene help promote skin health.

• Water.  I can’t stress this enough to my patients. Many superficial lines and wrinkles form on the face, body and hands from dehydration. You need to drink at least 64 ounces or more of water per day to stay hydrated and keep your skin moisturized from the inside as well as outside.

• Exercise.  Regular aerobic exercise helps bring fresh oxygen into your skin, your largest organ. It needs oxygen to maintain its healthy color and tone.

• Sleep. Chronic, inadequate sleep can age you faster than anything. Sleep helps repair tissues and help remove aging waste products from your skin and the rest of your body. Be sure to get at least 6 hours, if not 8, per night.

Even though you’re getting older, you don’t have to wear your years on your face or your body.  Healthy aging means leading an active, fulfilled life well beyond your 80s. Keeping youthful appearing with new treatments allows you to stay looking as young as you feel.

Stay Well,
Jay Brachfeld, M.D.

New and Improved Laser and Light Treatments Take Aim at Cellulite, Fat, and Wrinkles  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140321094705.htm

Lip Augmentation Enhances the Natural Smile, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120816092357.htm