Pearl of the Month September 2015 | Wrinkle Science
The Science of Wrinkles
By Carly Stewart, MD, University of Colorado PGY-4
Wrinkles of the skin, known medically as “rhytids,” increase in size and number as we age. The
formation of wrinkles is a complicated process with many causes, but there are a couple of major contributing factors. The first is the changing properties of the skin with age. If you were to look at elderly skin under the microscope, it would be thinner and it would have less elastin (which gives the skin its rubbery properties). These changes along with loss and sagging of fat underneath the skin makes the skin droop and form wrinkles.
The second major factor contributing to wrinkles is muscle contraction. When facial muscles squeeze, they cause bunching of the skin. This causes wrinkles to form. Over time, these wrinkles become more pronounced, even when the muscle has relaxed.
At the Visage Center, we are able to non-surgically decrease wrinkles in two main ways. First, soft tissue volumizing agents can be injected into the areas where skin thickness and fat has been lost. Some popular products for this purpose are Radiesse®, Restylane®, Juvederm®, Belotero® and Sculptra®. Different products have different properties and duration of effectiveness. Dr. Winkler, Dr. Terella or Anita Wolfe can discuss the risks and benefits of each specific product with you individually.
The second way to combat wrinkles non-surgically is by temporarily relaxing facial muscles. When muscles are not able to contract, they will not cause bunching and wrinkling of the skin. This is accomplished with products such as Botox® and Dysport®. These products take 3-5 days to begin working and last 3 months. For the deep wrinkles that have formed over many years of muscle contraction, it may take a few treatments to achieve a maximal result. There are pros and cons of each of these products and we are happy to discuss them with you in detail.
Contact us or call 720-848-4300 for a free consultation!
Transformations! Spring 2015 | Lux2940 Skin Resurfacing
- At May 21, 2015
- By Andrew Winkler
- In Transformations!
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Looking to rejuvenate your skin with less downtime? The Lux2940 Laser may be the answer. This non-invasive procedure is performed in our clinic and takes about 1 hour to complete. This laser is perfect for:
- Facial Rejuvenation
- Decreasing pore size
- Smoothing out skin tone
- Treatment of skin blemishes
- Fine lines & wrinkles
Lux2940 laser works by delivering its energy to the skin using tiny microbeams of light. This is also called “fractionated” light, meaning it is thousands of small beams of light rather than one solid beam. The advantage of fractionated technology is that it leaves islands of skin that were unaffected by the laser. This allows for rapid healing of the skin, shown below.
Since the skin heals so rapidly, the downtime from the Lux2940 laser is only about 4 days. After the procedure, there are areas of pinpoint bleeding and the face will be red and puffy. However, over the next few days the skin heals and at 4 days there face is merely pink. Over the next several months, the skin lays down new collagen in response to the treatment. In turn, this improves the appearance of fine lines and provides rejuvenated skin.
Any questions? Click here for more information or call 720-848-4300 to schedule a consultation.
Pearl of the Month June 2013 | Lip Augmentation
- At June 05, 2013
- By Andrew Winkler
- In Pearl of the Month
- 0
Luscious Lips
The lips are a focal facial feature of youth, beauty and romance. Full, youthful lips are very desirable. Lip augmentation is becoming more and more popular. As we age, our lips slowly loose volume and appear thinner. This can also lead to small vertical lines on the red part of the lip and flattening of the “cupid’s bow” part of the upper lip. When this happens, the upper lip appears longer and aged.
How popular?
According to the AAFPRS, the lips are the third most common area of the face addressed with injectable fillers. In 2012, over 6400 lip augmentations were performed by facial plastic surgeons alone. When performed skillfully, lip augmentation provides a natural appearing increase in lip volume and definition. At the Visage Center we utilize the latest injectable fillers (Restylane®, Juvederm® and Belotero®) to produce a subtle yet effective enhancement the lips. These products provide a natural-looking lip rejuvenation with relatively long-lasting results. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Restylane® for use in lip augmentation procedures with results that lasted up to six months!
This office-based procedure takes only 45 minutes and can be done very comfortably. To learn more about lip augmentation, schedule a free consultation by calling 720-848-4300 today!
Pearl of the Month April 2012 | Antioxidants
- At April 04, 2012
- By Andrew Winkler
- In Pearl of the Month
- 0
The Truth About…Topical Antioxidants
Green, leafy vegetables are excellent sources of antioxidants but they’re not the only ones! Applying antioxidants topically to the skin effectively prevents free radical damage caused by the sun and by pollution in the air. Regular use of a medical-grade topical antioxidant will revitalize, protect, and preserve your skin’s tone, texture, and appearance, and will prevent the appearance of aging.
How Topical Antioxidants Work
Our skin is constantly exposed to ultra-violet light and other oxidative stressors that produce free radicals. These energized particles bombard the tissues (called “oxidation”) and lead to the formation of wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, brown spots, and aging. Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals before they can damage cells. Sunlight and air pollution are the most common sources of free radicals. Consequently, the face, neck, chest and hands are most vulnerable to their effects because they are the most exposed areas of the body.
When free radical damage occurs on the skin, sunspots, wrinkles, freckles, uneven skin tone, and skin cancer can result. A great way protect against this damage is to use a daily topical antioxidant.
Effective Topical Antioxidants
• Vitamin C is required to produce collagen, the substance responsible for giving skin it’s firmness and elasticity. Vitamin C also regenerates Vitamin E in the body, provides UVA/UVB protection, decreases pigmentation and increases collagen production. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants available for skin care.
• Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant oil with soothing, healing, and moisturizing properties. Vitamin E protects against sun damage, promotes healing of injured skin and improves skin tone.
• Phloretin combined with Vitamin C and Ferulic Acid provides advanced photo protection. It contributes to greater skin penetration of other topical antioxidants, which leads to longer lasting effects.
• Idebenone is a relatively small molecule that allows it to penetrate deep into the skin. Idebenone blocks environmental free radicals and neutralizes internally generated free radicals.
Click here or call 720-848-4300 to schedule a free consultation with Michelle Young to find out which topical antioxidants are right for you!
Pearl of the Month August 2011
- At August 25, 2011
- By Andrew Winkler
- In Pearl of the Month
- 0
Retinol and Tretinoin (Retin-A)
Many anti-wrinkle and skin rejuvenation products contain retinol, which is a form of vitamin A. Many people confuse Retinol with Tretinoin, also referred to as trans-retinoic acid, retinoic acid, or Retin-A. Retinol and tretinoin are related but distinctly different.
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