Facial Rejuvenation Treatments

The skin is the largest and most visible body organ. As skin ages, it becomes thinner and less elastic. Collagen and elastin, the tissues that keep the skin firm, become weaker because gravity, internal and external factors exert a constant downward pull. As a result of a lifetime of sun exposure, superficial blemishes may become more noticeable.

The goal of facial rejuvenation is to restore a more youthful look by helping to reverse the appearance of aging and sun damage. Dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons are trained and experienced in the use of a wide range of surgical and non-surgical methods for treating skin conditions. Aestheticians are skin care therapists who assist with daily maintenance for ongoing benefits to help keep your skin healthy. As experts on skin aging, dermatologists and aestheticians are uniquely qualified to employ a variety of both corrective and preventive techniques to keep skin healthy and youthful looking.

Who and Why?

Your appearance greatly impacts how you feel and how others feel about you. It's therefore perfectly natural for people who feel young and healthy to want to look young and healthy. Millions of men and women undergo some form of facial skin rejuvenation every year.

Great strides in surgical techniques and technology enable dermatologists and aestheticians to achieve subtle, effective results. Procedures are less invasive, safer and heal more quickly than ever before. Treatment is usually performed in the dermatologist’s office which is convenient and offers a safe and clean environment.

What can you expect?

Facial rejuvenation offers the opportunity to refine your appearance and to make your skin look and feel more healthy and attractive. It can reduce wrinkles, sun spots, and loose skin, improve skin texture and color, and remove blotches or damaged blood vessels.

Are there any risks?

As with all surgery, there may be associated risks. In general, the more invasive the surgery, the higher the associated risk. According to the specific type of treatment, you may experience some temporary side effects, such as mild redness, swelling, and some minor discomfort. Scarring, persistent redness or permanent pigment changes are possible with more invasive procedures.

Categories of Treatment

Your age, health, and environmental factors, such as exposure to the sun, influence your skin which may have suffered mild, moderate or severe levels of damage. Your skin type is a critical consideration in deciding which method or combination of methods may be best for you. Certain procedures may be used to rejuvenate specific areas such as skin on the neck. In some cases, more than one treatment approach may be utilized to produce better and longer-lasting results.

One of the great advantages of dermatologic surgery is its flexibility and variety of treatment options. Your dermatologist is familiar with all these options and can customize a regimen of care and treatment for your individual needs. There are eight key categories of facial rejuvenation treatments:

Topical Products

Topicals can be prescription drugs, cosmeceuticals, and/or over-the-counter products that are usually used to treat milder symptoms of aging such as fine lines and superficial wrinkles. These products may be combined with other therapies to increase effectiveness. Topicals also offer preventive values and can reduce the need to repeat procedures or increase the time between them.

Fillers and Botulinum Toxin (Botox®)

Soft tissue fillers are generally used to "plump up" furrows and hollows in the face, and reduce wrinkles, giving the skin a smoother and more pleasing appearance. Filler substances include hyaluronic acid and related materials, autologous fat (fat removed from another part of a patient’s body), and polymer implants.

Fillers are very effective at contouring specific locations on the face such as around the lips and mouth, and correcting depressions and scars.

Lines and wrinkles associated with facial expression may also be improved with botulinum toxin injections (Botox®). This safe agent is injected in very tiny amounts into specific muscles to treat vertical lines between the eyebrows on the bridge of the nose, forehead lines and furrows, and crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes. It is also used to immobilize the muscle bands sometimes visible on the neck.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are beneficial in the treatment of wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, skin discoloration and age spots, as well as dull skin texture and mild acne scars. A chemical solution is applied to remove outer layers of aged discolored and/or irregular skin. Fresh skin is then generated, which is usually smoother, less wrinkled and more even in color. Chemical peels may produce a reddening and peeling of the face, similar to a sunburn, that typically last for a few days to several weeks depending on the strength and depth of the peel

Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion

Dermabrasion is a resurfacing procedure where the skin is mechanically sanded to achieve a rejuvenated appearance. It is used to treat substantial scarring, pigmentation, and sun damage. An abrasive instrument is used to remove outer skin layers and to smooth the skin overall. The results are generally remarkable and long-lasting.

Microdermabrasion uses micro-particles or a diamond tipped wand to remove some of the top skin layer (epidermis) and stimulate growth factors. This non-invasive treatment produces virtually no discomfort, requires no topical or local anesthesia and involves practically no recovery or down-time. Multiple treatments 2-3 weeks apart are needed and can be used in combination with other treatment regimens.

Laser Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing helps improve wrinkles, certain scars, skin discoloration, broken blood vessels and precancerous skin growths by removing layers of skin using laser light energy. Some laser systems may also be used to treat lines and blemishes on the neck. Laser procedures for facial rejuvenation are not a substitute for a facelift, but can delay more invasive procedures by tightening loose skin and improving certain folds and creases. It also works well in conjunction with or as an additional treatment to procedures such as chemical peels, blepharoplasty (eye lid surgery) and liposuction for the face and neck.

IPL (intense pulsed light) uses broad spectrum light which filters out unwanted harmful wavelengths. It can be used to treat vascular lesions, texture, pigmentation, and pore size. IPL can be combined with other regimens such as microdermabrasion and Botox®.

Surgical Excision

A number of surgical procedures also fall into the category of facial rejuvenation. These can be discussed with your dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon. These include excision of moles, scars, and various benign skin growths that enlarge with aging.

Liposuction

Liposuction using local anesthesia can be beneficial in the treatment of sagging jowls or a double chin. Removing excess fat improves the contour of the face and neck areas and rejuvenates the aging face.

Neck and Jowl Treatments

A growing number of facial rejuvenation procedures are being applied to improve conditions of the neck and jowl areas. Depending on how advanced the condition, treatment options may include a combination of different techniques including chemical peels, Botox®, laser resurfacing, liposuction, and neck lifting.

New Treatment Options

Recent technological advances in resurfacing have spurred new potential treatment options for facial rejuvenation including non-ablative lasers that work beneath the surface of the skin layer to stimulate collagen growth and tighten underlying skin to remove fine lines with fewer side effects and faster healing than the risks associated with traditional laser therapy.

*AAD website www.aad.org ©2005 American Academy of Dermatology