Healthy Aging Part I

This Sunday I was at the Long Beach Esthetics conference, and the new golden phrase seemed to be “Healthy Aging.” Everyone from sales reps to educators were talking about healthy aging. The idea behind this phrase is that our industry has been making promises it can’t keep. “Anti-aging” is a lie. No product, treatment, or cream can halt or reverse the aging process. We can reverse damage and slow future damage, but we can’t just stop the clock. What we can do is help the skin age in a healthy manner, thereby extending it’s health, wellness, and beauty.

This is an idea I can happily embrace. Most of my clients are baby boomers who’s lifestyle and age is just catching up to them, and they are desperate for the next quick fix. I respect their wants and always tell them the truth. There are no quick fixes, but there are amazing technologies and sciences to help them. We are living in a health and beauty Renaissance. We have surpassed the days where beauty was only for the rich and powerful. Now everyone has a “beauty budget” of some kind. We have left behind the old ideas that facials are a luxury and taken a very Eastern or European view. Health, wellness, spirituality, and beauty are all connected. They all must be addressed to make us feel whole.

So in honor of our blossoming enlightenment, I am going to spend the next two blogs educating everyone about some of the hot “age-defying” treatments out there. Now I do not approve or disapprove of any of these, but I felt it was time to shed some light on what they’re all about.

Botox

Botox Cosmetic is a trade name for botulinum toxin A. Botulism is a form of food poisoning. The most serious symptom of botulism is paralysis. Botox has been successfully used to treat conditions that involve spasms and involuntary muscle contractions as well as treating frown lines and to stop future lines by paralyzing the muscles. So think of Botox as a “relaxer”. Generally if you have a deep wrinkle it’s too late, but if you have a wrinkle that just started, or a wrinkle that you only see when you smile or frown, Botox can help it.

An interesting note I learned about Botox is that the longer you use it, the longer it lasts. The first time you have a Botox treatment, it will probably last about three months. Subsequent treatments will last longer because the muscle learns not to make the wrinkle.

To maintain the effects of BOTOX, plan on three treatments a year. However, after eighteen to twenty-four months of maintenance, many people will only require treatments twice a year. This is more common for the forehead and less common for Crow’s feet.

The most frequently reported adverse side effects are headache (13.3% of those treated with BOTOX COSMETIC versus 17.7% of those treated with placebo), respiratory infection (3.5% vs. 3.8% with placebo), blepharoptosis or temporary eyelid droop (3.2% vs. 0% with placebo), nausea (3.0% vs. 2.3% with placebo) and flu syndrome (2.0% vs. 1.5% with placebo). Less frequently occurring adverse reactions included pain in the face, erythema (redness) at the injection site and muscle weakness. These events are thought to be associated with the injection and occurred within the first week. BOTOX COSMETIC should not be used in the presence of infection at the proposed injection site(s).

Restylane

Restylane is a filler that is injected by a doctor into the face to temporarily add volume to the facial tissue, or to fill moderate to sever wrinkles and folds. It’s made of a transparent hyaluronic acid gel that is injected into facial tissue to smooth wrinkles and folds, especially around the nose and mouth ( folds). It lasts for about 6 months. Since hyaluronic acid is a substance that is produced naturally by the body, when Restylane wears off it is naturally absorbed by the body.

Side effects include bruising, redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, and itching.
But almost all of these are created by the injection and not the Restylane.

Mesotherapy

Pioneered by the French physician Dr. Michel Pistor in 1952, Mesotherapy is a series of injections that consist of small amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbs injected into the middle layers of the skin. It is not FDA approved. The combination of ingredients stimulate cells to shed fat, which is then carried away as waste in the bloodstream.

Mesotherapy may primarily be known for cellulite and weight loss, but it’s also used to help promote skin tissue repair. Subdermal vitamin injections rejuvenate the cells, making them more active, and thereby stimulating the production of collagen and elastin making it a perfect healthy aging treatment. It is recommended that you begin treatments in your mid twenties to prevent wrinkles from forming, and treatments for the face, neck, arms, and hands are recommended several times each year.

I have been told that the magic for getting results from this treatment are in both the skill of the injector and the mix of the fluid being injected. Look to see if they have a certification in mesotherapy. According to Dr. Simon Orian, a Beverly Hills specialist in mesotherapy, “There’s a real art in it.” Different combinations of solution get different results.

The number of injections you need vary, but most of the offices I called quoted me 5-10 sessions to see results.

Side effects include slight bruising for about a week, and mild bloating and stiffness while your body is adjusting to the injections.

According to mesotherapy.com, “The results do last, especially when combined with exercise and proper nutrition. However, we cannot stop the natural aging that affects your appearance. For this reason, we recommend regular maintenance visits.”

…Go healthy aging! See you all next week when I talk about ultrasound, microcurrent, and lasers.