Non-Surgical Facelift?

With the huge demand for ways to stave off the signs of age medical technology is working overtime. First there were facelifts - but a rhytidectomy (face lift) has significant down time, risk of infection, scarring and is very expensive. A facelift is normally the lower 2/3 of the face and if you add a forehead lift and or blepharoplasty (eye lift) the price will go up.  Typically it runs $20,000 - $50,000. So options were explored for ways to get a more youthful appearance without the full surgery. CO2 resurfacing can smooth the skin and get rid of brown spots, but it doesn't remove excess skin or give you that "tuck".

The next evolution uses radio frequency most commonly sold under the trade name Thermage. It markets that it can tighten and smooth the skin non-surgically.  While it can lift and tighten it won't remove excess skin like surgery can. Thermage describes its Ideal Patent as:

• Patients who are not candidates for surgical face lift 
• Middle-aged women beginning to show signs of neck/brow/eyelid sagging
• Middle-aged women beginning to show signs of drooping jowls/cheek folds 
• Patients who want to achieve subtle lift or tightening of the face without invasive surgery 
• Patients who have had a prior face lift and desire further tightening of the skin.

Cost runs from $1000 - $5000 depending on the area to be treated. The skin will look improved immediately but results will continue to improve for several months. By the results from their own studies, about 50% of the clients report being happy to very happy with the results. There is generally no down time or skin discoloration. They state that typically results last about 2 years. The results are permanent but that the natural aging process could indicate the need for one or two maintenance treatments. While this has been a popular service, the discomfort and success rates triggered more research.

Another new technique is using ultrasonic sound waves to transfer heat into the skin in a manner similar to radio frequency. The surface of the skin is not damaged but tiny micro-wounds place at varying depths in the dermis and below trigger tightening and collagen production. Patients have reported that afterwards it feels like the muscles have been doing ab crunches. While there may be some visible tightening this is a long term process where the skin appearance continues to improve over 3 - 6 months. Recent studies have shown that new collagen is still being deposited 2 years following a single treatment. That indicates this is a very long lasting therapy. The ideal patient would be similar to that for Thermage.  Nothing will remove very lax or excess skin outside of surgery.  But if you start younger, before the problem becomes severe, then yes, there are non-surgical ways to lift the face.

Because of post treatment tenderness of the muscles and along bony ridges, patients should wait 4-6 weeks before resuming facial treatments and permanent cosmetic procedures that involve pressure or stretching. A light touch treatment can probably be tolerated well at 2 weeks. If in doubt have the client get an ok from their medical professional.

BHRT Hormones, Health and Longevity

Whether you are in your 20s, 40s or 60s your individual hormone balance plays a hugs part in how you feel physically and emotionally, how you look – quality of the skin, and all the aspects of your life.  BHRT refers to bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, something that has been around for over 70 years, but that mainstream western medicine, dominated by male physicians, has ignored. In fact many will tell their clients no hormones – your issues are just part of aging that you have to live with.  Each person is different and so are their hormonal needs. Fortunately there are a growing number of physicians and naturopaths who offer women better alternatives.

Did you know that there are many forms of testosterone therapies that are accepted by the medical community for men, and they are all covered by insurance, while for women the options covered by insurance for women are much more restricted?  It is important that women become pro-active for their own health and use the internet and other resources to find a specialist who can best meet your needs whether that be to control bothersome symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, painful intimacy, breakouts, thinning skin or more.

Within the field of BHRT there are many options available including creams, suppositories, vaginal rings and pellets.  The doctors that offer these also take a look at the whole person to see what other factors may be affecting hormonal balance including diet, thyroid issues and much, much more. They will always need some sort of a chem-panel to see where your hormones are. In addition to the hormones they may also suggest natural supplements to make sure your body is functioning not just at normal, but at optimal level.

In 1900 most people did not live far beyond menopause. By the time you reached 50 you were old and the life expectancy was under 60.  Loss of hormones didn’t matter much.  Now in 2015 80 is considered the new 60 and life expectancy is well into the 80s for the bulk of the population. I recently heard through a client whose mother is 100 that doctors are expecting more and more people to reach or live beyond this landmark.  With that kind of a change, it is crucial that we work to keep all of our internals operating at optimum so they will last as long as we do.

It is time we wake up and take care of ourselves so that we can have a long, active, healthy progression into maturity.