Personalized Anti-Aging Skin Care Solutions

In order for rejuvenation strategies to be effective, the following objectives should be met: (1) Excellent Sun Protection and Antioxidant Protection. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes thinning of the skin, discoloration, skin cancer, DNA mutation, and destroys the skins ability to repair itself. Environmental pollution in the air contains harmful substances such as nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and sulfur oxide. These chemicals form damaging free radicals that break down structural components of the skin. (2) Repair and Correction of existing skin problems such as irregular pigmentation, precancerous changes, etc. (3) Faithfully adhering to a Daily Skin Care Maintenance Program is essential preventing future problems and for maintaining corrections. Make an appointment to be evaluated by Dr. Wong. She will help you implement the appropriate care program for your skin.

Microneedling is a resurfacing procedure that uses medical grade, sterile, fine titanium needles to create microchannels in the skin. This causes release of cellular growth factors responsible for stimulating new collagen and elastin production. Fine lines on the face, upper lip lines, and crinkling under the eyes can be treated to achieve smoother texture and skin tone will appear more even. Microneedling also helps diminish the appearance of enlarged pores by firming the dermal tissue around the pores with new collagen synthesis.

A series of treatments are needed for best results.

Not all lines and wrinkles that appear on the face are due to aging or sun damage. Wrinkles that appear around the eyes (crows’ feet), in between the eyebrows (frown lines), chin pitting or dimpling, horizontal forehead creases (worry lines) are due to hyperactive facial muscles. Individuals who have very animated faces are more prone to develop such lines. With time, the repetitive contraction of these muscles causes permanent lines to develop, similar to creasing a sheet of paper repeatedly.

The treatment of choice to soften or erase these lines is to inject a small amount of a protein solution called botulinum toxin A, which binds to neural receptors, blocking activation of overactive muscles. This results in muscles not squeezing the skin so strongly, allowing facial lines to soften or disappear. The amount of protein injected can be tailored to obtain your desired effect. Some individuals prefer to maintain some facial movement and others prefer to have no movement at all in these areas. Lines which do not completely efface with neuromodulators may need tissue filler as well.

Aesthetic studies show a substantial number of individuals in their twenties and early thirties develop facial lines at rest: for example forehead lines. Neuromodulator injections are one of the most popular cosmetic treatments among today’s millennial. This a minimally invasive procedure for erasing facial lines or one that can be implemented as a pro active strategy.

This procedure has been fondly labeled in the lay press as « the vampire facelift. » PRP involves using your own tissue growth factors as a filler. A sample of your blood is drawn and the platelet fraction is separated. PRP contains essential tissue growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factors AA, AB, BB, transforming growth factors Beta 1 and 2, vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, basic-fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and platelet factor-4. These signaling proteins are responsible for initiating cellular production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, fibronectin, proteoglycans, and blood vessels in the skin. PRP is injected into your skin to regenerate new cells and fill wrinkles. Since it is derived from your own blood, there is no risk of an allergic reaction. It is the most natural tissue filler of all.

Sculptra® is poly-l lactic acid (the material absorbable sutures are made of). It is injected into deeper layers of the skin to rebuild the structural foundation of the skin. Sculptra® stimulates your own skin cells to make no collagen. Sculptra® can last up to 2 years. The correction is gradual. An average of 3-6+ treatment sessions administered at 4-6 weeks intervals are needed for maximal benefit.

The best results are seen when Sculptra® is combined with hyaluronic fillers for lifting and filling, achieving a more complete correction.

Ultherapy® is the only FDA approved treatment using micro-focused ultrasound waves to lift and tighten the brow, jaw, midface, and smooth lines and wrinkles on the chest and neck. Ultherapy® targets the deeper connective tissue layers to firm and stimulate new collagen. Full results are typically seen in 4-6 months. Ultherapy® uses imaging technology in to visualize beneath the skin surface the fibromuscular foundation layer and precisely direct placement of acoustic energy into this layer. This is the same tissue plane that is surgically tightened by plastic surgeons in a face or neck lift. Ultherapy® is not equivalent to undergoing plastic surgery. It provides a noninvasive option for tightening and lifting the face and neck for those individuals who are not ready to have surgery.

This procedure is ideal for faces and necks with mild to moderate laxity. Treatment takes about 60-90 minutes depending on the number of areas treated. There is minimal to no downtime.

Ultherapy® is non-invasive

Unlike lasers, radiofrequency devices or surgery, Ultherapy® bypasses the surface of the skin using ultrasound energy to target the right tissue depth for tightening and lifting.

*Courtesy of Merz Aesthetics. Results may vary among individuals.