No one beats the march of time. Not Ponce de Leon. Not that Nazi sympathizer guy in Indiana Jones. Well, maybe the Doc in Back to the Future, but he cheated with a time machine.
While unstoppable, the signs on your face that come with aging can be reversed or at least slowed with various procedures offered by Dr. Ip. We have patients asking when they’ll know the time is right. Here are the three signs of aging that usually prompt people to consider getting some help.
- Skin laxity — Gravity is a tireless worker, never taking a day off, never calling in sick. As you age, your skin is particularly susceptible to its forces. Plus, as you age your facial muscles lose some of their strength. That combination leads to drooping brows, jowls, sagging cheeks, descending eyelids, and much more.
- Volume loss — After you turn 20, collagen (the basic support system for your skin) production decreases one percent each year. That means by the age of 50, your collagen production is only 70% of what it used to be. Elastin, the protein responsible for keeping your skin supple and malleable, production also decreases. The result is volume loss in areas across the face. The areas under the eyes and below the cheekbones both become hollow with volume loss.
- Changes in texture and tone — Where the skin was taut, plump, and smooth, as we age it becomes dull, dry, and leathery. This is due to a combination of reduced collagen and elastin, but also to sun damage from years of exposure. The skin also becomes thinner with time, again due to decreasing collagen, making it more prone to wrinkling.
Treatment
When you’re seeking to remedy some of these changes, you have options, both surgical and non-surgical. Volume loss and changes in skin tone and texture can all be addressed non-surgically. Injectables (Botox and dermal fillers), chemical peels, and laser resurfacing treatments all work to improve these areas. Skin laxity is different. Once the skin becomes very loose and saggy, it can’t be tightened with fillers or lasers. In cases of more extreme skin laxity, surgery with Dr. Ip is the remedy. Procedures such as a facelift, brow lift, or eyelid surgery all address loose skin and muscles that have lost some of their strength.
Think beyond the face
Many people think about doing something for their face, but neglect the neck, chest, décolleté, and hands. These areas are often overlooked, but also merit your attention.
While gravity is persistent, you have options to fight its effects on your skin. Call Dr. Ip at either our Newport Beach, Beverly Hills, or New York offices for a consultation.
