Treatments to Delay the Effects of Facial Aging
No matter what we may do, like it or not aging is something that we will all eventually have to face. However, ever since Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. was first founded back in 1968, our board-certified plastic surgeons have helped thousands of men and women from all around the world avoid some of the more noticeable effects of aging with a variety of facial rejuvenation and cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. Although no procedure can completely and permanently halt the aging process, we have found that certain advanced techniques and technology can help keep you looking young longer by effectively “pressing the pause button,” minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while delaying the point at which more comprehensive facial plastic surgery procedures, like a facelift, may become necessary. Particularly useful in this regard are injectable cosmetic treatments, like Botox®, and facial fillers like Juvéderm® or Restylane®.
Most of the symptoms that are commonly associated with facial aging result from the gradual loss of skin elasticity and fat volume. Youthful, healthy skin constantly produces collagen and elastin, natural chemicals that keep the skin moist, flexible, and “springy.” However, as we grow older the rate at which the skin produces these vital substances greatly diminishes. Simultaneously, the deposits of fat that give a youthful face its rounded fullness also begin to break down. Together these processes give the face a “deflated” appearance, and loose, sagging skin forms wrinkles and creases, especially in areas where facial muscles keep the skin constantly moving and shifting.
Botox® cosmetic injections work by temporarily relaxing the tiny, underlying facial muscles whose movement is responsible for the formation of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly around the eyes and between the brows. When these muscles are relaxed, not only are the wrinkles they form softened and made less noticeable, but the skin itself is allowed to rest, preventing the dynamic facial wrinkles from growing more pronounced. Because the progression of facial aging is largely dependent on the worsening of these creases, anything that stalls that process will effectively keep a face looking younger and more vital.
Facial rejuvenation with injectable facial fillers, like Juvéderm® or Restylane®, works a little bit differently. Rather than relaxing the muscles that cause dynamic facial wrinkles, facial fillers help to replenish the volume and moisture that the skin has lost. Formulated from hyaluronic acid, a substance that occurs naturally in the human body, facial fillers restore fullness to features that have begun to take on a sunken or haggard appearance and “fill in” deep creases like those that commonly form along the sides of the nose and mouth. Facial volume will, of course, continue to diminish, and so the effects of facial fillers do not last forever. However, because they effectively undo the damage of time and gravity, they can “reset” a face’s youthful appearance, delaying the point at which more significant plastic surgery procedures might be needed to achieve longer lasting plastic surgery results.
Facial rejuvenation with cosmetic injectable treatments can be more affordable and convenient than full cosmetic plastic surgery, and in many cases may be able to achieve subtle but impressive results in as little as a single fifteen minute treatment session. It is also a great way to maintain your results after undergoing a facelift or brow lift procedure. If you have questions about facial rejuvenation, or would like to learn more about any of the various anti-aging procedures that we can provide, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. at one of our Atlanta, Alpharetta, or Cumming offices to schedule a consultation. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news.
