With age, fat in the chin and jaw area loses volume, clumps up, and shifts downward, so features that were formerly round may sink, and skin that was once smooth and tight gets loose and sags. Meanwhile, other parts of the face gain fat so we tend to get baggy around the chin and jowly in the neck.

A cobblestone chin is often exaggerated with certain facial expressions and becomes increasingly noticeable as a layer of fat becomes thinner and uneven as we get into our later years. The mentalis, or “pouting muscle,” controls the up-and-down movement of the chin and lips to create a pout. Most of us contract this muscle many times each day without realising it. A cobblestone chin can make the face appear asymmetrical, older, and tired. There are surgical solutions to treat the condition, but the most common treatments for cobblestone, or pebble chin, are muscle relaxant injections and dermal fillers.

Muscle Relaxants for Cobblestone Chin

To fix a cobblestone chin, a small amount of neurotoxin can be injected into the mentalis muscle. This relaxes the muscle, reducing the appearance of the bumps and creating a smoother, more even chin.  

The injection process is quick and relatively painless. A small amount of the neurotoxin is injected into the affected area using a fine needle. The treatment typically takes only a few minutes to complete, and there is usually no downtime or recovery period required.It’s important to note that the effects of muscle relaxant injections are temporary, and repeat treatments will be necessary to maintain the results. Additionally, injections may not be appropriate for everyone, and it’s important to discuss your medical history and any potential risks or side effects with a qualified healthcare professional before undergoing treatment.

Dermal Fillers for Cobblestone Chin

Cobblestone chin can also be corrected with dermal fillers. Treatment with these injectables helps to soften the chin’s textural irregularities and creases while preserving the natural movement in this area.

Dermal fillers are injections of a gel-like substance that are typically made of hyaluronic acid. When injected into the skin, they can help to fill in the divots, crevices, and creases in the chin, restore volume, and improve the overall appearance of the skin.

To treat a cobblestone chin with dermal fillers, your healthcare provider will first examine your chin and discuss your specific concerns, skin type, and goals for treatment. They will then inject the filler into the affected areas of your chin, using a fine needle or cannula.

Like muscle relaxant injections, this treatment process is quick and relatively painless, with minimal downtime. However, as with any cosmetic procedure, there is a risk of side effects, such as bruising, swelling, or infection.

It’s important to choose a qualified and experienced healthcare provider for dermal filler or muscle relaxant treatments. They can help you understand the risks and benefits of the procedure, and ensure that you achieve the best possible results.

Home Remedies for Improving Chin Texture 

1. Add Vitamin C or Other Antioxidants to Your Skin Care Regimen
2. Apply SPF Daily
3. Stay Hydrated 
4. Don’t Smoke
5. Incorporate an exfoliating cleanser into your routine.
6. Using Retinol (or vitamin A) daily

FAQs

Q. How many sessions are required to treat a cobblestone chin?

One initial session is all it takes to treat a cobblestone chin, but sometimes a follow-up treatment is required. After the initial visit, you’ll be asked to return for a follow-up visit, at which time, we’ll determine whether a second treatment is required. 

Q. How long does the treatment take?

The treatment takes approximately ten to twenty minutes.  

Q. Is the treatment painful?

The treatment is relatively painless. Nothing more than a pinprick. 

Q. How long is the recovery time after treatment?

There is no recovery time. Results are visible after 2 weeks.

Q. How long do the results last?

The results generally last between three and six months.

At Specialist Skin Solutions, a physician-led cosmetic clinic specialising in non-surgical, anti-ageing aesthetic procedures, including the latest laser techniques, dermal therapies, anti-wrinkle injections, and body contouring, we offer expert-level dermal filler injections, performed by our elite team of trained expert pros. 

By relying on cutting-edge treatments and years of training, we safely administer muscle relaxant injectables, and dermal filler treatments with the utmost precision and care in a relaxed, upscale setting. Stemming from our expertise, personalised guidance, and passion for skincare, we offer the latest treatments, technology, and skincare products.

At Specialist Skin Solutions, we believe in transparency and education, first and foremost, providing every client with information, explanations, and treatment options before performing any procedure. 

Offering a thorough consultation prior to treatment, we’ll discuss the areas of concern and the range of treatment options suggested to produce optimal results. The amount and type of product, as well as our pricing structure, will also be discussed during the consultation process so there are no surprises other than the plump, luscious lips you’ll see when you look in the mirror!

If you’re ready to start the year off with a bang after the fireworks have become a memory, call Specialist Skin Solutions @(02) 4934 1500 today to book an appointment. We’re dedicated to helping each one of our clients feel their best by bringing out their natural beauty and loving the skin they’re in. We look forward to speaking with you!

The post Stop Taking It On The Chin! Non-Surgical Solutions to Treat Cobblestone Skin appeared first on Specialist Skin Solutions.

While you probably already know that dermal fillers are extremely safe and relatively painless, there are a few secrets of which you might not be aware. In this article,  we’re going to fill you in on the reasons we age, the effects ageing has on the skin, and the very effective treatments available today to turn back time and love the skin you’re in!

What causes facial ageing?

Before we talk about the solution, let’s discuss how the problem begins in the first place.

Ageing gracefully is a beautiful thing (or so they say), but, let’s face it,  there are changes that occur with age that most of us would prefer to erase or decrease dramatically. There is a great deal of wisdom, experience, and accomplishments that come with getting older. And though we might feel like we’re living our best lives on the inside, there are transformations that occur on the outside that can make you feel less confident, withdrawn, or even sad.

How Age Affects Our Skin

As the years add up, dozens of changes occur, some widely known, and some not so well-known. 

13 Sign of Ageing, Both Known and Lesser-Known

1. Red Facial Veins
2. Sagging Brows
3. Volume Loss in Temples and Cheeks
4. Uneven Texture
5. Age Spots and Hyperpigmentation
6. Expression Lines and Static Wrinkles
7. Jowls, Marionette, and Nasolabial Folds
8. Bone Loss or Thinning
9. Receding Hairline
10. Uneven Fat Distribution
11. Hyperextended Ears
12. Droopy Nose
13. Perioral Lines

Typically, as we get up there in years, the face loses volume, skin begins to sag, dark spots and hyperpigmentation develop, and lines and wrinkles begin to appear.

Aside from these obvious changes, however, there is also a structural metamorphosis happening behind the scenes. The forehead expands as the hairline  retreats; ears get longer because the cartilage in them grows, and the nose may droop due to a weakening in the connective tissue supporting nasal cartilage.

Uneven Fat Distribution

Fat distribution also shifts. The fat in the face that was evenly distributed in our youth, begins to lose volume, clump, and shift downward, so features that were formerly round may sink, and skin that was smooth and tight gets loose and saggy. To make matters worse, other parts of the face gain fat, particularly the lower half, resulting in the dreaded double chin and jowls.

Expression Lines and Wrinkles

And, of course, there are the expression lines. Those deep wrinkles in the forehead and between the eyebrows (11 lines), a result of facial muscles continually being tugged, and eventually creasing. Other folds may get deeper because of the way fat decreases and moves around. Fine wrinkles due to sun damage, smoking, and natural degeneration of elements of the skin that keep it thick and supple also greet the above 40 set.

As the same crease forms over and over from repeated facial expressions, the lines get even deeper. Over the years, these areas of skin wear down from all that movement. If you fold a piece of paper, for example, the areas along the folds lose structural integrity and get worse the more you fold the paper. Eventually, the paper becomes covered in folds and creases and the folded areas become so worn and thin to the point that it seems like it could tear apart.

While your skin won’t actually tear, the lines do become more and more pronounced. These lines are known as  static wrinkles, the lines that last even when the face is at rest. 

Changes in Bone Structure and Volume

Bone structure changes a lot with age, and menopause-related changes can speed this up. While bone thinning happens to everyone at some point, facial bone tissue tends to degrade much faster in women than men. The entire face is affected by bone thinning. The eye sockets become longer and wider; the bones at the tip of the nose recede; cheekbones project less;  and the lower jaw shrinks in  height and length. 

As facial bones lose volume, it affects how muscle and skin sits on the bones. These changes cause an aged look, making the face appear hollow, causing skin to sag. As the bones around the eye socket change, it can cause crow’s feet and forehead wrinkles to form as well. These changes start to become most obvious after age 40 and become even more prominent after 50. 

An easy way to observe these changes is to take a look at a photo of your grandmother in her 70s or 80s compared to what she looked like on her wedding day. Not only does her skin appear wrinkled, but the structure of her face itself has likely changed. Sunken cheekbones and temples, drooping brows and nose, elongated ears, and the loss of a contoured jawline are all apparent.

Gravity also plays a role.  Aside from bedtime, most of our lives are spent upright, with gravity pulling downward. This pull drags down the skin causing age-related changes.

What You Can Do About It

Now that we’ve discussed the many problems that come with ageing, let’s discuss the solutions. And, thankfully, there are many! 

Even if you have great genes and look much younger than you are, age-related changes in our facial appearance are unavoidable. Those changes reflect our joys and challenges in life. One approach is to simply celebrate our age and appearance for what they are.

Not everyone is comfortable with that, and some might like to postpone embracing those changes. The age-defying facelift, which surgically removes excess tissue and lifts sagging skin in the lower part of the face, is one way to try to stem the tides of time. Facelifts have improved, so the results tend to look more natural. But the surgery is expensive, and other procedures may be needed to achieve the desired results. The facelift procedure is just one of the more popular cosmetic procedures; there are plenty of alternatives for altering the ageing face.

Skin tightening procedures such as face lifts can help, but it won’t change the underlying bone structure. The best non-invasive approach is to restore volume with facial fillers. Injectable fillers plump the areas that have deflated due to bone loss, tricking the eye into seeing a more youthful face.

While the underlying bone structure has changed permanently, it’s unlikely you will look like your 20 year old self again. However, dermal fillers can make a dramatic improvement to help you look years younger.

Dermal Fillers 

Dermal fillers go beyond just the cheeks. They can restore fat pad volume in many areas of the face for a more attractive, youthful appearance.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers contain hyaluronic acid, a substance that is naturally produced by the body. HA fillers can add volume to the lips and enhance their shape and structure by not only plumping the lips but also by trapping water within the lips for a more naturalistic, full pout.

There are muscle-relaxant injections that stop dynamic wrinkles, while dermal fillers are designed to address volume loss and sagging skin. The takeaway is that wrinkles often accompany facial volume loss. If you can’t pinpoint exactly why your face looks tyred and old, it is likely a combination of volume loss and sagging skin. Wrinkles are obvious. But the subtle changes seen with facial volume loss are harder to pinpoint.

Here’s a good way to determine if you can benefit from anti-ageing injectables like dermal fillers. Take a look at an old photograph of yourself. Do you notice how as you smiled in the photo, there were few (if any) lines under your eyes? See how the tear trough area, lips, cheeks and skin look plump and full compared to what you see in the mirror today? That’s volume loss. Dermal fillers can help correct that.

Dermal fillers are designed to treat patients between the ages of 30 to 50 years old and beyond with mild to moderate volume loss in the face and sagging skin. Using facial fillers not only improves facial volume, but it can also give the skin a smoother appearance and even reduce wrinkles in the injected area.

At Specialist Skin Solutions, a physician-led cosmetic clinic specialising in non-surgical, anti-ageing aesthetic procedures, including the latest laser techniques, dermal therapies, anti-wrinkle injections, and body contouring, we offer expert-level dermal filler injections, performed by our elite team of trained expert pros. 

By relying on cutting-edge treatments and years of training, we safely administer fillers, injectables, and dermal treatments with the utmost precision and care in a relaxed, upscale setting. Stemming from our expertise, personalised guidance, and passion for skincare, we offer the latest treatments, technology, and skincare products.

At Specialist Skin Solutions, we believe in transparency and education, first and foremost, providing every client with information, explanations, and treatment options before performing any procedure. 

Offering a thorough consultation prior to treatment, we’ll discuss the areas of concern and the range of treatment options suggested to produce optimal results. The amount and type of product, as well as our pricing structure, will also be discussed during the consultation process so there are no surprises other than the plump, luscious lips you’ll see when you look in the mirror!

If you’re ready to start the year off with a bang after the fireworks have become a memory, call Specialist Skin Solutions @(02) 4934 1700 today to book an appointment. We’re dedicated to helping each one of our clients feel their best by bringing out their natural beauty and loving the skin they’re in. We look forward to speaking with you!

The post Injecting Beauty into the New Year: 13 Reasons Why Your Faces Ages and What You Can Do About It appeared first on Specialist Skin Solutions.

Extrinsic Ageing

Due to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, the appearance of the hands changes with time. 

Extrinsic ageing, which affects the epidermal and dermal layers, is a result of factors including exposure to the sun, chemicals, and smoking. 

Ways extrinsic ageing manifests on the hands

Actinic keratosis: Rough, scaly patch on the skin that develops from years of sun exposure

Solar lentigines: Harmless patches of darkened skin, AKA dark spots or  age spots, common in people over the age of 40, solar lentigines results from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation causing local proliferation of melanocytes and accumulation of melanin within the skin cells (keratinocytes).  

A solar lentigo is a flat, well-circumscribed patch that can be round, oval or irregular in shape, with colour varying in skin colour, size, and number. Though they occur in light and dark skin, they tend to be more numerous in fair-skinned individuals.

Hypopigmentation-punctate palmoplantar keratoderma syndrome: A rare, genetic, epidermal disease characterized by punctate keratoderma on palms and soles associated with irregularly shaped hypopigmented macules, typically localized on the extremities.

Solar purpura: A condition, most often affected on areas exposed to the sun, often occurring on the hands, forearms, and legs, causes one or more flat, purple bruises.

Intrinsic Ageing

In contrast, intrinsic ageing alters the deeper soft tissue planes, decreasing skin elasticity, soft tissue volume,  and dermal vascularity. Signs of intrinsic ageing include wrinkles, translucent and thinner skin, and prominent veins, joints, and tendons. 

Many patients notice that their ageing  hands sharply contrast with their newly rejuvenated faces, and request hand rejuvenation procedures. However, despite great advances in facial cosmetic procedures, hand rejuvenation has been slower to catch up. 

Hand rejuvenation refers to a whole suite of aesthetic techniques that improve the appearance and feel of your hands.  Hand rejuvenation procedures result in softer, plumper, brighter, and smoother hands.

Types of hand rejuvenation

Just like several types of rejuvenation for the face exist, there are several treatment options to restore the youthful appearance of the hands. Most hand rejuvenation treatments focus on extrinsic ageing by unifying pigmentation and skin resurfacing. 

These treatments, including topical acids like tretinoin and vitamin C, topical 5-fluorouracil, bleaching agents, microdermabrasion, chemical peeling, and laser treatments, have been shown to be the most effective and safe. At Specialist Skin Solutions, we offer a whole suite of rejuvenation techniques that will have your hands looking radiant and youthful again in no time. 

• Dermal Fillers
• Laser Genesis 
• Chemical Peels
• Age spot removal

Dermal Fillers

Just like those that take years off your facial age, dermal fillers are effective for contouring the hands, subtly filling in wrinkles and adding volume to plump bony hands and sagging skin. 

Dermal Filler is a medical injectable gel made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance already found in your body that attracts and binds with water, hydrating and plumping ageing skin anywhere on the body, including the extremities. When injected into the hands, dermal fillers restore volume, soften and fill lines, contour, and rejuvenate.

The ideal complement to laser treatments, which work wonders to resurface the appearance of hands, dermal  fillers complete the process by adding volume to eliminate that bony, veiny look. That’s not to say that bones, tendons and veins don’t have important functions— but dermal filler just makes them less noticeable by plumping the surrounding tissue. 

Though dermal fillers are not permanent, results can last between 6 to 18 months, depending on the area treated and the product used.

At Specialist Skin  Solutions, we believe in educating our clients, which is why a thorough consultation takes place prior to every treatment to discuss the areas of your concern,  treatment options, the amount and type of product to be used, as well as associated costs.

Laser Genesis

Laser Genesis is the latest in technological innovations, a medical procedure effective for softening wrinkles and reducing dark spots on the hands.

Restoring and rejuvenating the skin of the hands from beneath the surface, Laser Genesis uses a heat-based laser to target deep layers of the skin. Triggering the skin’s natural healing process to stimulate collagen production, Laser Genesis leaves hands resilient, radiant, and healthy-looking.

Laser Genesis does not wound the skin. Instead, it works by penetrating the top layer of skin and delivering thousands of micro-pulses of light to the dermis, the middle layer of the skin. The warming action shrinks blood vessels, breaks down scar tissue, and stimulates collagen production, leaving skin free of broken blood vessels, and dark areas.The state-of-the-art laser hand treatment diminishes sun spots, age spots and other hyperpigmentation imperfections, as well as lines and wrinkles. Laser treatments are an ideal complement to dermal fillers. While laser treatments work wonders to resurface the skin on the hands, dermal fillers complete the process by adding volume to eliminate that bony, veiny look.

Chemical Peels

Not just for the face, chemical peels can be beneficial for the hands as well. By exfoliating the outer layer of skin, which can become dry, tough, and aged from our many tasks and activities throughout the day, a chemical peel can not only improve the texture of the skin, but it can also help fade dark marks and tighten some of the laxity that can develop in this area over time.

Is hand rejuvenation right for you?

In general, anyone who is unhappy with the way time has changed the appearance of their hands are good candidates for hand rejuvenation. More specifically, you should consider hand rejuvenation if any of these conditions apply to your hands:

• Veiny appearance
• Wrinkled and crepey
• Thin skin
• Age spots or sunspots
• Very dry skin

It’s never too late to turn back the hands of time.

The post Turn Back the <em>Hands of Time:</em> Effective In-Office Treatments for Younger Looking Hands appeared first on Specialist Skin Solutions.