The Facial Ageing Process – Doctor lead, boutique cosmetic skincare clinic https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au Sat, 09 May 2020 07:18:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.1 Smart Tips for Boosting Collagen for Skin https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/smart-tips-for-boosting-collagen-for-skin/ Tue, 17 Mar 2020 05:46:20 +0000 https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/?p=7734 Healthy skin needs collagen to look great. The more protein in your skin, the better it looks. If you want plumper, firmer, youthful skin, it’s important to make sure […]

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Healthy skin needs collagen to look great. The more protein in your skin, the better it looks. If you want plumper, firmer, youthful skin, it’s important to make sure you have enough collagen. Today, we will provide easy lifestyle tips to increase collagen for skin that is healthy and radiant.

Content:

What is collagen?

Collagen is the building block of healthy skin. A network of collagen fibers is what keeps skin strong and supple. Think of it like scaffolding for your skin. Collagen is an essential protein that keeps you looking great.

It’s easy to spot skin that lacks collagen. When you look in the mirror and think “Oh, what’s happened to me?”, that’s a telltale sign. Sagging skin, fine lines and wrinkles develop when skin doesn’t have enough collagen.

Collagen and aging

Skin Ageing Infographics

It’s no wonder that aging skin is a problem as we get older. Collagen production slows with age. Ultimately, the collagen starts to degenerate and breaks down, leaving you with aging skin, lines and wrinkles.

That’s why it is important to make healthy lifestyle choices that support collagen production, especially as you get older. The tips in this article will help you do exactly that.

Inside skin cells, there are fibroblasts that produce collagen. If you aren’t quite so healthy, are feeling stressed or not getting enough sleep, that all takes a toll on collagen production. Not only is the amount of collagen produced by skin decreased, but the quality of the collagen isn’t as good. Skin starts to sag and look tired, leading to an aged appearance. If you have signs of skin aging, today’s advice will help turn that around.

Tips for boosting collagen

Smart lifestyle choices support collagen production. Here are some easy ways to get started.

Eat dietary collagen

Increasing collagen for better skin starts with a healthy diet. Whole foods are an excellent way to up your natural collagen intake. A collagen-rich diet focused on lean protein like chicken, turkey and fish can help. High-fiber foods like dark leafy greens, beans and prunes and are a good source as well. Collagen itself is a type of protein fiber.

Fatty acids and rich oils can aid the skin cell membrane to help with collagen to make skin nice and healthy as well. Think olive oil, salmon and nuts.

Quinoa, bone broth, lentils, dark-colored vegetables, berries and citrus fruits are also good choices.

Collagen supplements are another way to improve collagen. Powder collagen is tasteless and odorless, so it’s perfect for adding to beverages or smoothies. Hydrolyzed collagen is best. If you struggle with adding collagen to your diet, ingestible collagen supplements are an easy way to support collagen production.

Spices can improve collagen levels, too. Turmeric is one of the best. It’s an anti-inflammatory that can make a big difference in the skin cells by reducing inflammation. That allows the fibroblasts inside skin cells to focus on making collagen, rather than fighting inflammation.

Antioxidant-rich foods have a similar effect. Blueberries and dark-colored fruits and vegetables are very high in antioxidants. These work by reducing the effect of environmental stressors and skin pollution so that it stays healthy and produces collagen normally.

Sun exposure

Protect your skin from Sun

A day in the sun may give your skin a glow, but it’s what is going on under the surface that we are concerned about. Sun exacerbates skin aging by causing collagen breakdown.

UV rays are proven to disfigure collagen structures in the skin. If you look under a microscope at the skin of someone with a lot of sun exposure, the collagen fibers look like a tangled mess. It’s no wonder sun worshippers have premature wrinkles and rough, thick skin.

Reducing your time in the sun can prevent damaging collagen and keep skin looking healthy and youthful. Daily sunscreen (SPF 30+) is a must. You can get the proper SPF in sunscreen, tinted moisturizers with sunscreen, daily face lotion with SPF and even foundation with sunscreen built in.

Reduce alcohol

Drinking alcohol breaks down collagen. It can also reduce the quality of your sleep, which is vital for normal collagen production. If you must imbibe, drink red wine in moderation. Red wine has antioxidants in it, which are good for skin. An occasional glass of red wine won’t hurt.

Smoking and collagen

Smoking hurts your collagen production. The chemicals in cigarettes are bad for you. It is not part of a healthy lifestyle. Being less healthy in general slows collagen production since your skin isn’t functioning optimally.

Switching to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help, but the goal is to remove nicotine from your system altogether eventually. Staying away from all the chemicals in cigarettes can go a long way toward better skin and collagen production.

Limit caffeine

Everyone loves a cup of coffee in the morning. However, caffeine can deplete the collagen pathways that help make skin nice and healthy. This can accelerate aging skin, causing lines and wrinkles to form.

If you need caffeine, tea is a better choice. Green tea and black tea contain antioxidants that improve skin health. Try to stick to one cup a day.

Drinking caffeine at night can cause you to stay up late as well. Getting enough sleep is a key component of healthy, glowing skin.

Kick sugary foods

Sugary foods affect skin cells. Eating sugar and high-glycemic foods that convert to sugar in your body can inadvertently lead to skin aging. That’s because sugary foods produce free radicals in the skin and body. While the skin is busy fighting off those nasty free radicals, it has less time and energy left to make collagen. This is exactly what we don’t want to happen.

Refined sugar, such as in soda and baked goods, is the worst offender. A sweet treat on occasion is fine. But sugar works its way into your diet in sneaky ways. For example, a fruit smoothie may seem like a healthy choice, but some fruits like mango have a ton of natural sugar. While fruit sugar (fructose) is better than the refined sugar in cupcakes, it still leads to free radicals in the body and skin.

Bread, pasta, rice and carbs may be sugar free, but they are high-glycemic index foods. That means the carbohydrates convert to sugar (glucose) in your body. The result is similar to eating sugar directly. So you may want to limit eating carbs, too.

De-stress for better skin

If you have a huge amount of stress in your life, such as changing careers, a break up, death of a loved one or some other shock, you may look older practically overnight. When the body is under constant stress, a stress hormone known as cortisol comes into play. This is bad news for collagen production.

Stress can also cause you to make poor lifestyle choices that limit collagen in skin. It’s easy to turn to sugar, caffeine and cigarettes when you are feeling down. But research shows that eating well, exercise, meditation and healthy lifestyle choices provide stress relief in a healthy way that also supports beautiful skin.

Yoga, going for a walk, redecorating your bedroom, calling a friend or taking a relaxing bubble bath can ease your mind. Changing up your daily routine is also a good way to de-stress. Even just taking a different route to work, going to the park or stopping at a new coffee shop can boost your mood.

When you are happy, healthy skin will follow.

Get a good night’s sleep

A bad night of sleep can zap your skin fast. Meanwhile, a good night of sleep can keep cortisol levels in check. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is known to decrease collagen and elastin production. Cortisol is skin’s enemy. You can fight it by improving sleep quality.

A calm, restful night of sleep can aid amino acids and glycine, which are components of the protein that makes up collagen. Aim for eight hours a night, and your skin will thank you. You will wake with fresh, rejuvenated skin. What better way to start the day?

Exercise to improve collagen

Working out is not only good for building muscles and lean bodies, but it’s great for the skin as well. Exercise boosts collagen levels through growth hormones, says dermal nurse Lea Barclay of Specialist Skin Solutions. It also improves circulation, which helps to flush toxins from the skin.

Skincare treatments

Skincare Treatment

If your skin is in a rut, clinical skincare treatments are fabulous for a quick pick-me-up. Anti-aging skin treatments and facials instantly make you look better. Not only that, but they feed your skin with all the healthy, healing skincare ingredients that revitalize skin from within.

Lea loves vitamin A for its age-defying benefits. A nice hydrating mask with collagen peptides or collagen peptide cream at the clinic will also promote a youthful complexion.

Clinical skincare treatments are about more than just good looks, though. Advanced cosmetic treatments at Specialist Skin Solutions can actually make skin healthier. Regular skin maintenance is an important part of radiant, glowing skin.

Collagen = Beautiful Skin

You can refresh, rejuvenate and revive skin by making a few lifestyle changes. As you can see, it’s really easy to boost collagen once you know what you are doing. “Collagen loves clean living,” Lea says.

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]]> Collagen for Skin, What is the Fuss? https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/collagen-for-skin-what-is-the-fuss/ Tue, 17 Mar 2020 03:09:03 +0000 https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/?p=7713 Collagen is a must for healthy skin. Surely you’ve heard about it. Well, it’s not all hype. The skin needs collagen to look youthful, strong and supple. If […]

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Collagen is a must for healthy skin. Surely you’ve heard about it. Well, it’s not all hype. The skin needs collagen to look youthful, strong and supple. If you suffer with tired, aging skin, it could be that your skin lacks collagen.

Let’s learn more about what collagen is, why your skin needs it, and how you can boost collagen the easy way for more beautiful, youthful-looking skin.

Content

What is collagen?

Skin Ageing Infographics

Collagen is a type of protein. It provides strength and support between cell layers and the muscles that are responsible for making facial expression. Collagen also provides a foundation so that the skin surface has support, helping to prevent wrinkles and skin sagging.

Types of collagen in skin

There are many different types of collagen. Roughly 80% of the collagen in skin is composed of collagen Type 1 and collagen Type 3. When it comes to rejuvenating skin, this is where you want to focus your efforts.

Collagen Type I

This is by far the most abundant collagen in the human body. This hearty, strong collagen fiber is found in the skin, tendons, artery walls, cornea of the eye, the endomysium which surrounds muscle fibers, bones and teeth.

Collagen Type III

This is the collagen that is produced by young fibroblasts before the tougher type I collagen gets synthesized. Type III collagen supports strong skin, muscles, bones, hair and nail growth. It is also found in the artery walls, uterus and intestines.

How is collagen made?

Fibroblasts are a type of specialized cell that is found in the connective tissue of humans and animals. Fibroblasts are like little collagen-making factories. They also play a critical role in wound healing.

The job of fibroblasts is to make tropocollagen, which is a collagen precursor, and also ground substance, a jelly-like matrix that fills the spaces that exist between the cells and fibers found in connective tissue.

Why skin needs collagen

Collagen is the building block of healthy skin. It’s what gives skin structure and integrity. Without it, the skin has little support. A strong network of collagen fibers makes skin firm and resilient. Loss of collagen leads to a tired, aged appearance due to the skin sagging, wrinkles, creases and fine lines that form when the surface of the skin doesn’t have a strong foundation to give it structure.

Signs of skin that lacks collagen

The skin is predisposed to all sorts of problems when collagen is lacking. Namely, an aged or tired appearance. While other factors may contribute to premature aging of the skin, collagen plays a big role in how skin looks and behaves.

Telltale signs of skin that lacks collagen include:

  • Crow’s feet
  • Nasolabial folds
  • Eyebrow furrows (11s)
  • Forehead lines
  • Sagging cheeks and jowls
  • Loss of skin strength
  • And more.
Signs of Skin lack of Collagen

How collagen changes with age

Research has proven that collagen production slows dramatically with age. By age 30, collagen production is nearly half of what it was in your younger years. Unfortunately, this shows on skin rather quickly. The problem gets worse each year as collagen production continues to slow down.

Young skin has plenty of collagen. For this reason, youthful skin is strong, resilient and supple. Wrinkles, sagging skin and fine lines are nowhere to be seen. With a strong network of collagen fibers, the skin looks its best.

While nature takes its course and more years pass by, it is inevitable that collagen production will slow down. While this can be dismaying, that is no reason to give up hope. For women that are concerned about aging skin, it pays to take steps to help skin produce as much collagen as possible.

It’s not just the amount of collagen produced that is important, but also the quality of the collagen. The best way to support collagen production is with a healthy lifestyle.

Lifestyle choices that inhibit collagen production

Poor lifestyle choices can affect collagen production in disastrous ways. A sugary diet, smoking and alcohol consumption definitely take a toll on skin. One reason is that they all produce heaps of free radicals, which are the enemy of healthy skin.

What are free radicals?

Free radicals happen when oxygen in the body splits into atoms with single electrons. Electrons prefer to be in pairs. These atoms, known as free radicals, go scavenging to find other electrons to pair with. It’s basically a war of stealing electrons that can wreak havoc on the body. The fight for electrons stresses the body, causing damage to cells, proteins (like collagen) and DNA.

For our purposes, we are concerned with the skin only. While the skin is busy fighting off free radicals, it leaves skin cells with little time or energy to do what they are really supposed to be doing, which is making new collagen, among other things. In order to maximize your skin’s collagen potential, it is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and minimize free radicals.

To protect skin from free radicals, avoid the following:

  • Smoking & tobacco products
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Nicotine use (Smoking, vaping, nicotine patches and gum aka NRT)
  • Excess sun exposure
  • AIr pollution
  • Sugary diet
  • Too much caffeine
  • Processed foods
  • Exposure to harsh, irritating chemicals
  • Drug use
  • Not drinking enough water
  • And other unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Fighting free radicals for healthy skin

In addition to eating well, exercising and limiting caffeine, alcohol and tobacco products, you can also introduce antioxidants to the game. Antioxidants are free-radical defenders that work to promote calm, healthy skin.

Eat an antioxidant-rich diet

There are two ways to incorporate antioxidants into your routine. The first is by adding them to your diet. Blueberries, acai berries and green tea are excellent sources of antioxidants.

Here are some of the foods highest in antioxidants you can try:

  • Blueberries
  • Goji berries
  • Nuts
  • Sweet potato
  • Whole grains
  • Fish
  • Red cabbage
  • Artichokes
  • Grapes
  • Raspberries
  • Beans
  • Green tea
  • Spinach & dark, leafy greens
  • Beets
  • Orange vegetables

Antioxidant skincare

While you are eating an antioxidant-rich diet, you can attack free radicals another way. Topical antioxidants help support the fight against free radicals that compete for collagen production in skin cells.

One of the best antioxidants for skin is topical vitamin C. The best vitamin C serums have a stabilizer (such as vitamin E) to reduce oxidation, since vitamin C is known to degrade quickly in the bottle. That way, you can make the bottle last months instead of weeks.

Simply dab a few drops of vitamin C serum on your face, neck, hands and décolletage every day. As a bonus, vitamin C has shown some sun protection activity, which is great for diminishing signs of skin aging. While this is no reason to skip daily sunscreen, it can’t hurt.

It’s not just vitamin C that can boost your antioxidant game. Green tea moisturizers are gaining favor since green tea is packed with antioxidants that may calm and soothe skin that has been irritated by free radicals and environmental stress. Nearly all anti-pollution skincare products contain antioxidants that help shield skin from the elements while boosting free radical-fighting activity.

Tips to boost collagen

If you are tired of looking old and tired, you may want to increase your collagen intake. Hydrolyzed collagen supplements and eating collagen-rich foods are a great way to do this. Another tip to remember is using sunscreen every day. Too much sun degrades collagen, and the damage can last a lifetime. It’s hard to reverse sun-damaged skin, but certain treatments may help. Getting enough sleep and de-stressing is also necessary to help skin cells function optimally so as to maximize collagen production.

Clinical treatments to correct collagen loss in skin

It’s important to preserve and boost collagen production by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But the fact is, doing so only goes so far. We can’t stop skin aging altogether. However, advanced clinical treatments can make up the difference when skin aging becomes moderate to severe.

SkinPen treatment

Collagen Induction Therapy

SkinPen is an in-office dermatological treatment that penetrates the skin with fine microscopic needles. It works by creating micro-channels in the skin, a controlled skin injury that stimulates natural skin repair. As a result, skin produces extra collagen and elastin. First, the skin is cleansed and then a numbing cream is applied to make the treatment more comfortable. The needles are tiny, so there is no need to be afraid.

SkinPen also boosts active ingredients and PRP facials since the microscopic holes made by the pen allow ingredients to penetrate deeper, enhancing the effects.

PRP facial (platelet-rich plasma)

One of our favorite collagen-enhancing treatments at Specialist Skin Solutions is platelet-rich plasma (PRP). You might know it as the vampire facial. Sounds icky, but the results are beautiful. PRP is excellent after SkinPen treatments. The combination causes controlled damage to the skin while introducing your body’s own nutrient-rich plasma (derived from a small sample of your blood) to improve skin firmness and radiance.

Collagen induction modalities stimulate skin to repair and strengthen itself. As dermal therapist Lea Barclay says, “It’s giving a gentle nudge to the skin to say, hey, hang on, we need a little bit more” collagen. The skin’s a lot fresher after treatment and the recovery period is short.

PRP facials stimulate collagen production for firmer skin, improves skin texture and even reduces age spots and sun damage as well.

For post-menopausal women, skin thinning is a problem due to hormones. SkinPen with PRP therapy has been shown to thicken the epidermis, adding strength and resiliency.

Vitamin A peel

Vitamin A is an anti-aging all-star ingredient. At Specialist Skin Solutions, Lea highly recommends doing a vitamin A peel to improve signs of skin aging. The results can be remarkable.

Chemical peels quickly lift off all the dead skin cells, creating a chain reaction to stimulate collagen in the skin, Lea explains. As the old, dead skin sloughs away, the fresh, radiant skin beneath it has a chance to shine. If you suffer from dull skin and/or fine wrinkles caused by collagen loss, peels are excellent for that.

Many women are scared of chemical peel downtime. Not all peels have much downtime if any, though. Light, medium and deep peels are available depending on the severity of skin aging and which condition(s) you wish to treat. With light vitamin A peels, mild flaking and a bit of red or pink skin is generally the worst you can expect. Different strengths are available depending on the skin concern.

Specialist Skin Solutions will tailor the peel strength to your exact needs, and our specialists will advise you of any special aftercare instructions if necessary.

Note: Pregnant women should avoid vitamin A due to a potential risk of birth defects.

Your skin needs collagen to thrive

Collagen is vital to skin that is strong, healthy and resilient. For women with premature aging, it’s important to promote collagen production naturally. There are many steps you can take to boost collagen production, and they are surprisingly simple to do at home. Clinical beauty treatments can take anti-aging results a step further.

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]]> 5 Incredible Eye Rejuvenation Treatments That Really Work https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/5-incredible-eye-rejuvenation-treatments-that-really-work/ Fri, 24 Jan 2020 01:14:08 +0000 https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/?p=7594 If the eyes are a window to the soul, the skin around them is a dead giveaway to your age. A crinkle around the eyes may be charming […]

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If the eyes are a window to the soul, the skin around them is a dead giveaway to your age. A crinkle around the eyes may be charming when you think of your grandmother, but for the rest of us, eye wrinkles, dark circles and puffy eyes are a no-go.

Find out what causes the most common signs of eye aging and learn which cosmetic eye rejuvenation treatments are best for keeping your eyes looking youthful.

The real reason your eye area is starting to look older

Eye Rejuvenation Treatments

Age-related skin changes around the eyes are caused by a host of factors. Gravity pulls skin and muscles downward over time, resulting in an aged appearance. As the skin sags, it causes you to look tired, even if you had a full night of sleep.

Creases also form as your skin starts producing less elastin, a protein that is essential for keeping skin flexible so that it can “bounce back” into place after you make facial expressions.

Collagen also decreases beginning around age 30. Collagen is like concrete in a brick wall – It holds your cells (the bricks) together and gives your skin structure. Less collagen means weaker skin that is more prone to sagging, wrinkles, and other cosmetic problems.

You may have noticed that the eye area has particularly delicate, thin skin compared to the rest of the skin on your face. Because of this, it is often one of the first areas of the face that you will start to notice signs of aging.

Do you have any of these cosmetic concerns around your eyes?

Aging eyes are no fun for anyone. They can give you a rundown appearance and leave you looking haggard. They can make you look older than you are and appear tired, even if you got a full night of sleep.

Let’s face it: Whether you are walking into the boardroom or a party with friends, your appearance matters. That is why many women and men around the world choose to have cosmetic eye rejuvenation.

Dark circles

Dark circles are a common problem among men and women. The older you get, the worse they tend to look. When you see dark under eye circles, what you are really seeing is pooling in blood vessels under the eyes.

What do dark circles look like?

Dark circles can be a wide range of colors. The color of the circles really comes down to your skin tone. On cool skin tones, they tend to look purple or blue. On warmer skin tones, they can appear olive, purple or dark brown, and on dark skin tones, the circles may look purple to dark brown or black. Sometimes they are accompanied by bags under the eyes.

What causes dark circles under the eyes?

Dark circles are often blamed on lack of sleep. Allergies are another possible cause. Aging is another big factor. The skin under your eyes gets thinner with age. That allows the blood vessels to be more readily visible than they were in youth. Genetics also play a role in periorbital dark circles. It can run in families, and may even be linked to ethnicity.

Are dark circles harmful?

Dark circles are usually not a cause for concern, unless they are present due to lifestyle factors like poor sleep habits, alcohol consumption or poor diet. Some people just seem to get them no matter how healthy they may be

Treatments for dark circles

While dark circles are usually harmless, many people want to get rid of them for cosmetic reasons. There are home remedies such as cucumbers, warm compresses and cold spoons. It may be beneficial to sleep with your head slightly elevated to reduce blood pooling under your eyes while you sleep.

Dark circles are hard to fight. Many patients find little help from home remedies. While they can help manage dark circles to a degree, more advanced cosmetic treatments may be needed. Another reason people seek treatment is because it is very difficult to cover dark circles with makeup.

Eye rejuvenation treatments for dark circles are very effective. We will discuss fillers to correct dark circles in the next section.

Puffy Eyes

Swollen eyes or puffy eyes can happen to both men and women. Luckily, there is something you can do about it.

What do puffy eyes look like?

Bags under the eyes can appear worse with age. Some people may notice there eyes are slightly puffy in the morning. You can thank gravity for that. As you lay down, any water retained in the eye area can start to gather and cause swelling under the eyes. As you get moving and start your day, under eye puffiness decreases, again with the help of gravity.

Other people may have more severe puffy eyes. Bulging skin under the eyes indicates a fluid buildup. If under eye bulging is persistent, you may need eye rejuvenation treatments.

What causes puffy eyes?

If you have puffy eyes, your first stop should be to your primary care doctor or opthamologist to rule out medical causes. Puffy eyes can sometimes result from allergies, infection, injury, and other factors. But today, we are going to discuss the age-related cause of puffy eyes. As you age, the skin around the eyes becomes thinner. That means there is less skin to cover up fluid retention under the eyes.

Puffy eyes home remedies and cosmetic treatments

Home remedies for puffy eyes are plentiful. The goal is to reduce swelling under the eyes. A cold spoon in the morning may help alleviate some of the puffiness. Warm compresses may also help. Benadryl can help if the root cause is allergies. For puffy eyes or bulging skin under the eyes caused by aging, eye rejuvenation treatments may improve the condition. We’ll cover those in the next section.

Sagging skin around the eyes

This can happen both above and below the eye. Drooping upper eyelids tend to become more pronounced with age. But it is normally below the eyes where sagging skin is most obvious.

Signs of sagging skin around the eyes

Drooping skin is a telltale sign of aging. The under eye skin may appear loose and stretched out. You may also notice crepiness and fine lines. The skin may also feel thinner and less elastic to the touch. You are not imagining it. There is less of the elastin protein in your skin as you age, which weakens the skin structure.

Droopy upper eyelids are also common with age. The problem can get so severe that the upper eyelid may be concealed entirely. That is because the upper eye skin, which is normally plump and firm in youth, loses it firmness and elasticity which causes the skin to hang down. This gives the eyes a hooded appearance. If you already had hooded eyelids to begin with, you can imagine how that can worsen with age.

Causes of sagging skin under eyes

Gravity and aging work together to create sagging skin. With age, there is less collagen and elastin to give the skin around your eyes the strength to fight gravity. Skin that appears taut and firm when you are young won’t stay that way forever, at least without the help of cosmetic eye rejuvenation.

Home remedies and cosmetic treatments for sagging skin around the eyes

Under eye creams are the most popular way to treat aging skin around the eyes. They help the skin around your eyes appear more plump and moisturized, which helps diminish sagging and fine lines to a degree. It is important to choose a high-quality eye cream. Injectables may also help. We’ll talk more about both treatments below.

Crow’s feet

Fine lines around the eyes are perhaps the most common sign of eye aging. It happens to nearly everyone at some point.

What do crow’s feet look like? 

Crow’s feet are most obvious when you smile. For many people, these pesky lines are a reason to frown. You may notice crinkly skin around your eyes that resemble the feet of the bird they are named after. Many people first notice smile lines around the eyes when they have their photo taken and they are smiling. If you have them, don’t worry. It is not too late to do something about it. In fact, they are easy to treat with eye rejuvenation treatments.

What causes crow’s feet?

There are small muscles around the eyes that are constantly moving. Nearly every facial expression you make causes those muscles to move. You may squint your eyes to read or to fight the sun’s glare. When you smile, your eyes move too. A curious expression also gives the eye muscles a workout.

Yes, those eye muscles are always moving. If you had never thought about it before, it may make you raise an eyebrow. And you guessed it: Raising an eyebrow puts the eye muscles to work also.

Herein lie the problem. As facial muscles move, the skin moves along with it. In youth, skin has more elastin and collagen, so it bounces back the instant the facial muscles relax. As skin ages, it loses elastin and collagen. That means the skin doesn’t bounce back as fast.

A lifetime of making facial expressions takes a toll on the skin around your eyes. Dynamic wrinkles are the kind that form first. You make a facial expression, and instantly notice a temporary fine line or crease when your face relaxes.

Shortly after, the skin fully relaxes and the lines disappear. Dynamic wrinkles eventually turn into static wrinkles, the kind that are etched in the skin long after the skin relaxes. If you wake up in the morning and notice fine lines and wrinkles straight away, those are static wrinkles.

Home remedies and crow’s feet treatment

Regardless of whether you have dynamic or static wrinkles, there are in-office eye rejuvenation treatments that can help. While you can’t stop making facial expressions altogether (unless you want to look like a zombie), there are other ways for how to get rid of crow’s feet. A plastic surgeon or aesthetician can help. We will discuss treatments for crow’s feet in more detail below.

Hollows under the eyes (aka pronounced tear troughs)

Hollows under the eyes can make you look older than you are. This can be easily corrected with cosmetic eye rejuvenation.

What does it look like?

There was once plump, firm skin just below the inner eyelid. But now, you may notice that area looks like it’s been drained. The under eye area looks hollow, losing volume that makes you look older. It gives you a tired look, no matter how much sleep you got the night before.

Causes of hollows under the eyes

Gravity is not kind to an aging face. Under eye hollowing is mainly caused by cheek sagging. As the cheek muscles begin to droop downward with age, tear troughs form. This usually begins around age 30. It tends to worsen as the years go by. The condition is harmless, but treatable. An opthamologist, dermal nurse, or plastic surgeon can administer fillers to restore volume to the hollow area.

Best eye rejuvenation treatments for youthful eyes

Rejuvenating Treatments for Youthful Eyes

There are eye creams, serums, eye masks, facial rollers, and a host of other gadgets out there to refresh the eye area. But patients often find they need more help than home remedies can offer.

Many patients seek long-term solutions so they don’t have to constantly fight an uphill battle against aging eyes every day. It can be frustrating to try to hide or correct the problem each morning.

In-office eye rejuvenation allows you to treat the area professionally for long-lasting results. That is important for patients with busy lives.

1. Muscle relaxants

Injectables are a fantastic way to treat wrinkles and fine lines anywhere on the face. The eye area is no exception. With muscle relaxants, you can achieve remarkably younger-looking skin around the eyes. Not only that, it can prevent your eye skin from developing new wrinkles by keeping the muscles and skin relaxed.

There are many muscles in your face that are constantly moving as you make expressions. Smiling, frowning, raising your eyebrows, squinting to read fine print…these all wear on your delicate eye skin over time.

Muscle relaxant injectables work by causing temporary muscle paralysis. Reducing the movement of facial muscles, especially around the crow’s feet area, allows your skin and muscles to relax. For patients with dynamic wrinkles, this is the key to youthful eyes.

Dr. Beldholm will inject muscle relaxants in the crow’s feet area. While facial injectables may sound scary, treatment is quick and virtually painless. Your skin may look a little red or lumpy for up to one hour afterward, but it is normally mild. There is no downtime. It is a fairly quick “in and out” procedure that you could get done on your lunch break.

It can take anywhere from four days to two weeks for the muscle relaxants to start working. During that time, you will notice less movement in the muscles that were treated. Gradually, you will see that existing lines and wrinkles around your eyes begin to fade. Results last anywhere from two to six months, depending on the product and quantity that was injected.

It is important to treat the eye area with the minimal amount of product needed to achieve the desired result. Overcorrection gives a frozen look. Doctor Bernard’s goal is to give his patients natural-looking results.

2. Hyaluronic acid fillers

Fabulous as they are, muscle relaxants shouldn’t be used under the eyes. Instead, injectable fillers can greatly improve most common under eye problems. This includes dark circles, pronounced tear troughs, sagging skin under the eyes, and hollowed skin.

Dr. Beldholm will administer natural hyaluronic acid in the tear trough area after applying anaesthetic. Results are immediate, as the area fills with the solution instantly.

Simple as it sounds, under eye fillers require an experienced injector. There are many blood vessels in the delicate eye area. The skin is also particularly thin and sensitive under the eyes. It is normal to have some swelling and darkness due to blood pooling. This may give the patient a temporary bruised appearance. This is harmless and to be expected. Mild to moderate bruising under the eyes may last ten days to two weeks, so don’t get it done right before a big event.

You must also be careful with under eye fillers because it is easy to overfill the area. You don’t want to correct a hollow under eye with too much filler. That would cause the area to bulge out unattractively. Schedule your appointment with an experienced injector to ensure best results.

3. Derma Stamp, Skin Pen, Laser, and PRP Facials

These in-office cosmetic treatments are administered by a plastic surgeon, dermal nurse, or dermatologist. They are especially useful for dark circles. However, the treatment can also improve the skin around the eyes, stimulating natural rejuvenation.

PRP, for example, uses your own platelet-rich plasma to stimulate tissue repair. Skin damage actually stimulates repair. For that reason, it is a good thing to have some downtime because you know it’s working. It stimulates collagen production in your skin, strengthening and thickening the dermis. This helps the skin around your eyes look firmer and more youthful.

While there is some downtime associated with these treatments (expect to walk out a bit red and puffy, at minimum), the final results are beautiful.

You can treat your whole face, not just the eye area, if you wish for anti-aging results allover. These treatments can be paired with injectables for even better anti-aging effects.

4. Upper eyelid surgery

Blepharoplasty is a facial surgery that corrects droopy upper eyelids. Loose skin above the eyes creates a sleepy appearance. For some patients, the skin hangs so low that it begins to obstruct their vision.

If sagging upper eyelid skin is bothering you, blepharoplasty surgery with Doctor Bernard can help. He will trim away the excess skin, leaving you with upper eyes that appear more firm and youthful. This is a permanent solution to droopy eyelids. Click here to check out real patient before and after blepharoplasty photos.

5. Eye creams

Walk into any drugstore or department store, and you will be faced with a bevy of eye creams. Unfortunately, most of them don’t live up to the hype…or the price tag. But some of them do work. They may not be as effective as cosmetic eye surgery, but eye creams can help make your eye area appear plumper and even slow signs of eye aging by keeping your skin healthy and moisturized.

A good eye cream will have intensive moisturizing ingredients. A great one will have peptides or a form of vitamin A called retinoids. Over-the-counter eye creams may contain retinol, a simple form of vitamin A. But retinoids are the active form of vitamin A. They are usually only available by prescription.

Eye creams may also be used to alleviate puffy eyes. In this case, you will need one with vasoconstricting ingredients. Caffeine, for example, is a vasoconstrictor. It may help tighten and reduce swelling under the eyes.

If you aren’t ready to try in-office eye rejuvenation, eye creams are your next best bet for treating nearly all signs of eye aging. Check back soon, because our next blog post will be all about eye creams!

If you would like to know more about how vitamin A can improve the skin around your eyes, read the next article from our skincare clinic at Specialist Skin Solutions.

The post 5 Incredible Eye Rejuvenation Treatments That Really Work appeared first on Doctor lead, boutique cosmetic skincare clinic.

]]> How we age and our approach, treatment and evaluation of facial ageing https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/facial-ageing-approach-treatment-evaluation/ Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:16:45 +0000 https://www.specialistskinsolutions.com.au/sss-new/?p=7366 Positive ageing is a focused approach to creating a natural refreshed look. One of the most common comments that I get from women that I treat is: “I […]

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Positive ageing is a focused approach to creating a natural refreshed look.

One of the most common comments that I get from women that I treat is:

“I feel happy and energetic, I don’t feel any different from when I was younger. But when I look in the mirror, I want to look the way that I feel.”

Positive ageing is all about looking the best version of yourself.

Specialist Skin Solutions Mother and Daughter

Noticeable ageing can begin from 30 onwards.

Treating these changes earlier can help to slow the process.

The good news is that there is now a range of proven medical treatments, that are very effective.

They include:

  • Muscle relaxants.
  • Dermal fillers.
  • Cosmeceuticals (Prescription only medical grade anti-ageing products).
  • Dermal treatments that range from lasers, microdermabrasion, peels and micro-needling

In this article we will go through:

  • Overview of what happens to the face as we age.
  • Treatments for women to refresh and rejuvenate their skin.
    • Muscle relaxants.
    • Dermal Fillers.
    • Dermal treatments that range from lasers, microdermabrasion, peels and micro-needling.
    • Skin care that works.
  • The complete natural face approach by Dr Beldholm.

How we age

Skin

To understand the skin’s ageing process you need to know what it consists of. There are four basic layers:

  • The epidermis.
  • The basement membrane.
  • The dermis.
Skin Structure

The subcutaneous layer

New cells form from the lowest level of the epidermis, gradually rising upwards towards the outer layer (the stratum corneum). It is here where they are eventually worn off, with newer ones beneath replacing them.

As we become older, this outer layer of the epidermis becomes slightly thinner. The cells that are being made at a lower level are also dividing and replacing themselves more slowly. Therefore, healing time is affected, along with a decrease in the production of more new skin cells. This reduction in new cells causes some of the visible signs of ageing as the skin becomes thinner. Ageing affects nearly all of the structures in the skin.

  • Collagen becomes thicker and changes in character, leading to more wrinkle formation and less elastic skin.
  • Elastosis (an accumulation of amorphous elastin material) occurs, leading to the characteristic loss of skin elasticity which is considered the hallmark of ageing.
  • With age, glycosaminoglycans (molecules in the skin that bind water) also decrease, leading to a less hydrated skin. (Dermal Fillers work in a similar way to glycosaminoglycans by binding water.
  • Melanin production also decreases with age, leading to older skin being more predisposed to sunburn. This is why it’s important to continue wearing sunscreen throughout life.
  • Loss of vascularity (blood supply) to the skin has a number of adverse consequences, including decreased blood flow and healing, diminished nutrient exchange, impaired temperature regulation, lower skin temperature and skin pallor.
  • Decreases in subcutaneous fat also lead to a loss in facial volume. Gravity also pulls facial structures down, leading to a number of characteristic changes including loss of cheek prominence, skin folds, lines, jowls and overhanging brows.
Skin Ageing Infographics

Wrinkles

There are two main causes of wrinkles. As the muscles controlling facial expression are constantly at work, over time they produce dynamic wrinkles – that is lines only apparent when muscles are contracting. However, as we age, these wrinkles become deeper and deeper, finally becoming permanent or static wrinkles.

The most common examples of static wrinkles are frown and smile lines. Frown lines can lead to a person constantly looking angry or worried. Constant muscle contraction can also cause headaches. The most effective initial treatment for these wrinkles are muscle relaxing injections.

Fine wrinkles are formed by the gradual degeneration of ageing skin combined with the gravity-related fall of facial skin and the loss of subcutaneous fat. However, the most significant factor in skin ageing is sun exposure. Initially, a dermal filler can be used to plump up and hydrate the tissues. Other treatments such as skin peels and Dermaroller, in addition to specialised skin care products, can also improve the quality of the skin dramatically.

Bone

As we age, there are substantial changes in the bone skeleton of the face. For example, the cheekbones get smaller, thereby contributing to the loss of their youthful, plump appearance. The mandible (jawbone) also changes. Although there is a constant loss of bone with ageing, these changes can be accelerated by things like tooth loss.

The role of the sun in ageing

Without protection, just a few minutes of sun exposure each day can cause noticeable changes to the skin. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, fine wrinkles that disappear when stretched, loose skin, a blotchy complexion, actinic keratoses (thick, wart-like, rough, reddish patches of skin), and skin cancer can all be traced to sun exposure.

The amount of skin damage that develops depends on a person’s skin color and their history of long-term or intense sun exposure. People with fair skin who have a history of sun exposure develop more signs of damage than those with dark skin. In the darkest skins, damage is usually limited to fine wrinkles and a mottled complexion. Such damage occurs over a period of years.

With repeated exposure to the sun, the skin loses the ability to repair itself, and the damage accumulates. Scientific studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. The sun also attacks our elastin. Sun-weakened skin ceases to spring back like skin protected from UV rays. Skin also becomes loose, wrinkled, and leathery much earlier with unprotected exposure to sunlight. People who live in sun-intense areas, such as Australia, can show signs of sun damage in their 20s.

While it may seem that the signs of such damage appear overnight, they actually lie invisible beneath the surface of the skin for years. UV photography captures the damage accumulating beneath the surface of the skin years before the signs actually appear.

To prevent excessive and premature ageing, Dr Beldholm recommends incorporating a daily sunscreen into your skin care regime. Generally, this is applied in the morning to the face and other exposed areas. Our Dermal Therapist can select a product for your skin type from our extensive range of non-greasy, user-friendly products. Please note that these top quality sunscreens are also suitable for acne-prone skin, whereas over-the-counter varieties may actually increase acne.

The role of smoking in ageing

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds including tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, acetone, ammonia, arsenic, phenol, naphthalene, cadmium and polyvinyl chloride. Many of these agents are toxic and at least 43 can cause cancer, including nitrosamines and benzopyrines. Nicotine is the chemical responsible for the addictive nature of cigarette smoking but is not the major component associated with smoking-related disease. The many ill-effects of smoking are well documented. Smoking affects all of the body and considerably speeds up ageing. It is responsible for the deaths of 19,000 Australians each year. This is estimated to be 80 per cent of all drug-related deaths.

Cosmetically, smoking causes many characteristic adverse effects on the skin and other structures. Tobacco smoking is the risk factor responsible for the greatest burden of disease (loss of health and premature mortality) in Australia, accounting for 12 per cent of the burden in males and seven per cent in females. About one in two regular smokers dies of a smoking-related disease. Those who die lose, on average, 16 years of life.

Tobacco is a known or probable cause of at least 25 diseases, including lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke, emphysema and other chronic lung diseases. People who smoke also have higher rates of wound infection following surgical procedures.

Smoking prematurely ages skin by between 10 and 20 years. It also increases the likelihood of facial wrinkling threefold, particularly around the eyes and mouth. Smokers can look gaunt, often developing a sallow, yellow-grey complexion and hollow cheeks.

Smoking also doubles or trebles your risk of developing psoriasis. Although the damaging effects of cigarette smoke on skin are irreversible, it is likely that further deterioration can be avoided by stopping smoking. Second-hand smoke is also likely to have an ageing effect, albeit at a reduced rate.

Approach, treatment and evaluation of facial ageing

Sign of Ageing

In assessing the face, it is easier to divide it into three sections.

Each section needs a different approach, with different surgical procedures to improve the appearance of each area. The appearance of the neck also needs to be taken into consideration.

The upper face

Signs of ageing in the upper face are generally as a result of muscle contraction, weakening of the ligaments and loss of fullness in soft tissue, causing the appearance of horizontal and vertical wrinkles. These include wrinkles around the eyes that form when we smile, and lines between eyebrows as a result of frowning. The height of the eyebrows also reduces over time, creating a tired or “hooded” look to the eye area.

The mid-face

Understanding the ageing of the midface is important as the perception of facial attractiveness is generally based around the synergy between the eyes, nose, lips and cheekbones. The primary causes of ageing here are changes in the bone structure, reduced soft tissue volume and the movement of fat. One of the first noticeable signs is the development of the “nasolabial fold” (the fold of skin that runs from the edge of the nose to the corner of the mouth). This is formed when the fat and soft tissue that normally sits high on our cheeks starts to lower. Such a change is often combined with the formation of “tear-troughs” – areas of volume loss under the eyes, often perceived as dark circles – and a general reduction in the youthful fullness of the cheek area.

The lower face

As muscle tone decreases in our 40s and 50s, the lower face generally begins to show visible signs of ageing. In the lower face, loss of volume and loosening of the ligaments cause soft tissue to accumulate near the jaw and chin, creating jowls. This loss of volume can also give the impression that the chin is widening. The lips are a key focus point when communicating, as well as in terms of attraction. Over time, the outer layer of the lips becomes thinner and the corners of the mouth can begin to droop into a mouth frown. The v-shaped area of the upper lip (known as cupid’s bow) begins to flatten out and lips become elongated, losing their youthful fullness. Vertical lip lines can also begin to appear (which is what causes lipstick to bleed).

Neck

No one wants a double chin or “turkey neck”. However, from late teens on, some people notice the hereditary feature of a chubby neck. Indeed, just looking at their relatives indicates that diet and exercise are not going to fix the problem! Liposuction is generally very effective for these fatty accumulations up to the age of about 40. After 40 years, men and women who are ageing relatively normally note a laxity of skin and sagging muscles under the chin. A mini-lift is the treatment of choice at this age and can result in a marked “firming” and tensioning of the underlying muscles of the upper neck. After about age 45, fat and sagging skin combine to make the problem more severe and at this stage a necklift or a facelift is a better option.

Common skin concerns as women grow older

Mid Face Model - Specialist Skin Solutions

Peri-oral lines

Peri-oral lines are also referred to as “smokers lines” however, they do not only occur in smokers. They are partly due to volume loss in the mouth area, as well as sun damage and the frequent movement of the mouth.

What can be done about it?

  • Dermal fillers
  • Derma stamp with PRP
  • Laser genesis

Age spots

Age spots are sun damage that has developed over the years causing visible dark areas on your skin.

What can be done about it?

  • A skin brightening range, lightens the age spots and brightens the skin’s appearance.
  • Sun protection to protect skin and prevent further damage.
  • Laser LIMELIGHT to lighten the dark spots and reduce the appearance of new spots.

Uneven skin texture

A lifetime of sun damage and exposure to the elements can take its toll in the form of rough, uneven skin texture.

What can be done about it?

Dermastamp helps refine skin texture and stimulates collagen production. Adding PRP can significantly improve the effects. We use a medical grade skin care range to reprogram your skin.

Open pores

As the skin ages the loss of collagen can relax the skin making your pores appear bigger. Sometimes the larger pores can get clogged and congested.

What can be done about it?

Medical grade peels refine the texture of the skin, adding derma stamp and laser genesis can further smoothen the skin out to reduce the pores. We provide you with medical grade home care products to allow you to maintain the results.

Dull looking skin

The effects of ageing and sun damage can make your skin look dull, which can emphasis fine lines and wrinkles.

What can be done about it?

  • Medical grade peels to refine the top layer of skin.
  • Phase II – laser genesis to tone and brighten skin.
  • Maintain and improve your skin with medical grade skin care products with active ingredients.

How a Facelift Makes a Difference in Your Appearance

Dr Beldholm FRACS Theatre

A facelift focuses on treating saggy skin.

This can either be in the:

  • Mid face
  • Lower face and jaw line
  • Neck area

Every patient is different and the approach is therefore different.

Quite often a combination of procedures, such as necklift and upper blepharoplasty, in addition to the facelift are required.

When performing a facelift, I am lifting and tightening the skin. Combining a necklift procedure with a facelift will address neck bands and loose skin on the neck. I will quite often perform liposuction on the neck as well. This is especially good for women that have a lot of neck fat associated with hanging skin (turkey neck). Adding liposuction and tightening the tissues of the neck makes a big difference to the definition of the jaw and neck area, rejuvenating this area substantially.

Modern facelifts and Necklifts are all about natural results.

Dr Bernard Beldholm’s approach to a natural looking face

Dr Bernard Beldholm Meeting with Patient

Medical science is progressing very fast. There has been significant advances even in the last 12 months.

The key to providing a great result is to take a holistic natural approach.

We are not just filling a line here and there but we are restoring the structures, from superficial to deep.

However, before we start any treatment the key is to sit down and find out what each and every patients wants. There is no one size fits all. Our approach is as individual and unique as you are.

Once we have established what it is that you want to achieve, then we go to work on creating your specifically tailored programme. This can include:

Your skin

  • With proven doctor only skin care products.
  • Extensive range of dermal therapy options.

Your deeper structures

  • Proven premium fillers

Lines and wrinkles

  • With muscle relaxants

Double chin treatments

Facelift and Neck lift surgery

Non-invasive treatments can do a lot for your facial ageing. At some stage however the sagginess will be too much for these treatments and this is when you should consider a facelift or necklift.

It is important to realise that the best results from a facelift is achieved when combined with dermal therapies for your skin as well as muscle relaxants and fillers as these are all complementary.

Our plan for you

1. Call now for a consultation on 1300 370 307.

Specialist Icon

2. Sit down with our Doctor or nurse to discuss treatment.

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3. Receive your dermal filler treatment.

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4. Walk out of the clinic with a big smile!

  • List Item #1

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