Taking preventative measures can help you fight or minimize the signs of aging. There tends to be a fair amount of debate when it comes to the right age to start taking preventative steps, though. Usually, it’s a good idea to start doing something about aging as soon as you notice the signs, if not a bit before. Starting treatments won’t stop the aging process, but they can help you continue to look youthful, for longer.
Preventative Step 1: Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are often one of the first treatments people consider for taking preventative action against the signs of aging. A VI Peel is a medium-depth peel and is often ideal for fine lines and early signs of aging, such as faint dark spots. The peel also helps to reduce and treat acne, so it can be an ideal treatment for people who are dealing with early signs of aging, plus pimples.
The peel process is relatively quick and doesn’t interfere much with your life. You’ll see the aesthetician, who applies the peel. After that, you’re able to go home, leaving the peel on your skin. It needs about four hours to do its work, at which point you can wash it off. You’ll also get a list of instructions for caring for your skin after the treatment, as well as products to help the peeling process.
It can take a few days, or up to a week, before your skin fully heals from the peel. It’s also usually recommended that you undergo a series of peels, usually three or four, spaced a few weeks apart, to get the best results. How many peels you need will, of course, be influenced by how many signs of aging you have.
Step 2: Botox
It’s not unheard of for people to start getting Botox injections in their twenties. In fact, Botox in the younger years is often called preventative Botox. That’s because getting the injections as soon as you see faint crow’s feet or frown lines can keep those lines from becoming deeply etched into the skin, meaning you’ll end up with fewer wrinkles in the long run.
There’s some debate about what age is the right age for Botox or when is too young for Botox. The truth is that the answer varies from person to person. If you have a very expressive face and are continually laughing, furrowing your brow or frowning, you might see lines earlier than someone with limited facial movements. The only requirement for Botox is that you have some visible dynamic wrinkles. It’s pretty much impossible to predict where wrinkles will form if they haven’t appeared yet, so there’s little benefit in getting the injections if you don’t actually have any wrinkles.
The results from Botox typically last about three months, and can be repeated. As time goes on, you might notice that you need the injections less and less, as your facial muscles adapt to not making the movements associated with the wrinkles.
Step 3: Ultherapy
Typically, people start to think about a facelift when they are in their 40s or 50s. Around that time, the skin of the face starts sagging and becoming looser, leading to more creases and wrinkles, jowls, and double chins. But, it’s also possible for people to have a degree of sagging when they are younger. They might not have sufficient sagging or looseness of the skin to benefit from a facelift, but they are still bothered by it.
That’s where Ulthera can come in. It’s a non-surgical option for tightening loose skin. Instead of surgically excising and tightening skin and underlying muscle, Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy to kick-start the production of collagen in the dermal layer of skin. Collagen is able to provide lift and support to the skin, so sagging is reduced and the face looks more youthful.
Ultherapy is usually most effective on people who are just beginning to show the signs of aging and skin sagging, and so is often best suited for younger patients. As the skin becomes looser, it doesn’t respond as well to the treatment, and more dramatic treatments, such as surgery, are usually needed.
Step 4: Fraxel
Laser treatments can also be an effective way to take preventative steps against the signs of aging. Younger people often benefit from Fraxel, a type of non-ablative laser treatment that helps reduce the appearance of spots, fine lines, and scars. The treatment is usually quick and takes less than an hour, though multiple treatments might needed. Depending on your skin’s condition, you might see the best results after three to six treatments. Although you don’t need to take time off from work, it can take up to a week before you see the full results from a Fraxel treatment.
Step 5: Care and Prevention at Home
You can get all the in-office treatments you want, but they will only do a limited amount of good if you aren’t also taking care of your skin at home. One of the best preventative measures to take when it comes to fighting the signs of aging is to use sun protection every day. Wearing a lotion or moisturizer with an SPF of at least 30 will go a long way to protecting your skin from the aging effects of the sun.
Other choices, such as not smoking and eating a healthy diet, can also help your skin look youthful for long. Yo-yo dieting should be avoided, since losing and gaining a lot of weight can make your skin looser and make you more likely to look older, younger.
Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique in Houston, Texas, offers a number of preventative treatments to help you look youthful, no matter what age you are. To schedule a consultation and to learn more about your treatment options, call (281) 810-9083 today.