Today, it is possible to restore the freshness and smoothness of the skin and smooth the lines of the facial contour without expensive operations.There are many modern lifting procedures that do not require major surgery.How to choose the ideal facelift and how do the procedures differ from each other?
Every woman sooner or later faces such problems: the skin of the face loses its elasticity, becomes dull, wrinkles appear on it.Modern cosmetology knows many ways to get rid of these unpleasant processes, and surgical intervention is not necessary at all.
Stages of age-related skin changes
Biologists have not yet reached a consensus on what constitutes aging and what causes it.However, we can say that aging is the result of the accumulation of defects in cells and intercellular structures that gradually disable the vital systems of the body.
Childhood
Perhaps the only time when the skin requires almost no care is the period of life from about six months until the onset of puberty.Children's skin is supple, smooth, vibrant and fresh and a pleasure to look at.
Adolescence
Alas, all good things come to an end sooner or later, and from the age of 12-14, the appearance of the skin begins to deteriorate.First, it becomes oilier, and some people produce so much oil that it literally runs off the skin.Then the structure of the skin changes, it becomes rougher and more porous.
In people with dry and thin skin, these changes are less noticeable than in those with oily skin.In any case, however, the skin does not remain the same as it was in childhood.
And, of course, the most alarming skin change that poisons the lives of a significant part of teenagers is acne, which appears during puberty and occupies the skin for many years (sometimes decades), despite all attempts to get rid of it.For many teenagers, the fight against acne becomes the main goal of cosmetic procedures, and sometimes the meaning of life.Unfortunately, in the process of this struggle, many people cause severe damage to their skin, which can be very difficult to compensate for in the future.
A very small percentage of teenagers understand the need to protect their skin.Most, as a rule, at this time mercilessly irradiate the skin with sunlight (and sometimes with artificially generated ultraviolet radiation in solariums), cover it with layers of cosmetics (which are often left overnight), tattoos, exhaust them with night vigils and all kinds of toxic substances.Despite all this, the skin remains fresh and supple for some time.
Youth
By the age of 20, the condition of the skin of many people improves - it becomes less oily, less prone to acne, more even and attractive.
The period of 20 to 30 years is a period of stability for the skin, when most people cannot think about the subtleties of cosmetic care, choosing cosmetics based on packaging, fragrance or company name, and still have good skin.
But all this is true only if the skin is healthy.Unfortunately, teenage stress, attempts to self-medicate acne by randomly smearing the skin with "for acne", excessive use of antibiotics or retinoids and sometimes unthinkable diets can provoke the appearance of various skin problems, ranging from advanced forms of acne to allergic dermatitis and more.In these cases, the skin requires carefully considered care, which is best left to a competent specialist.
The beginning of skin aging
From the age of 25, the skin gradually loses the fresh charm of youth.Cell renewal in the stratum corneum slows down and the skin becomes duller.The rate of collagen and elastin formation decreases and the skin no longer looks as elastic.Fine lines appear under the eyes, defects accumulate on the skin, such as age spots, stretch marks, scars from past acne, etc.
The closer the 30-year mark is, the more often women start thinking about skin care, trying to slow down its aging or hide its signs.And although doctors keep repeating that it is necessary to protect and care for the skin from an early age, in reality it is only after 30 years that the skin can expect that attention will be paid to its needs.
Middle age
Between the ages of 35 and 50, skin aging becomes more noticeable.At this time, its ability to retain moisture decreases, cell renewal slows down, defective collagen and elastin accumulate, the amount of hyaluronic acid decreases, the fat layer on the face thins and fat is redistributed (there is less and less fat on the cheekbones, and fat pads often form under the chin and in the lower part of the cheeks), age spots appear, dilated blood vessels and, of course,wrinkles.
It must be said that the wrinkles that upset women so much not only look different, but have different causes.They are often divided into static and dynamic wrinkles.
Static wrinkles occur due to changes occurring in the skin itself (damage to skin fibers by various harmful factors, age-related wear and tear and destruction of skin structures, etc.).
Dynamic wrinkles are formed in places with constant muscle activity due to the fact that when contracting, the muscle shortens and wrinkles the skin, and when relaxing, it returns to its original position and "pulls" it back with itself.
In young women, the skin is elastic, quickly reacts to such muscle movements and returns to its original state.With age, such exercises become increasingly difficult for her and around the eyes, nose, forehead and around the mouth - where the facial muscles work most actively.
Age-related changes in the skin after 50 years
After 50 years, the skin is affected by the onset of menopause, when the amount of the female sex hormone estrogen in the body decreases.At this time, more wrinkles appear, the thickness of the dermis and epidermis rapidly decreases, and the skin noticeably fades.The rapid aging process continues approximately until the age of 60, after which the skin enters a period of relative stability.At this stage, little depends on cosmetics, and any changes are possible only with the help of plastic surgery.Those who have spent a lifetime protecting their skin from harmful influences (especially the sun) will have fewer wrinkles, fewer spots, and a fresher and younger looking appearance.
If the skin has been exposed to intense sun (this is more important in hot countries), then coarse, deep wrinkles will most likely appear and be covered with age spots.
In old age (70 years and older), the skin is characterized by a thickened (parchment) stratum corneum, a thin dermis (through which the subcutaneous fatty tissue is visible, giving the skin a yellowish color), low elasticity and many deep wrinkles and folds.
The path we have now outlined is followed by each person's skin and there are no products in cosmetology that can prevent the skin changes that occur at each stage.
The skin of a teenager will never regain the fresh smoothness of a child's skin, and the skin of a lady of Balzac's age will never look like the skin of a 20-year-old girl.
Senile changes in the skin occur due to the fact that this is the program embedded in the cells, due to the fact that the skin, like the whole body, accumulates damage and disease throughout life, in other words, it wears out.It is virtually impossible to influence genetic aging, but you can slow the rate of skin wear and tear and prevent premature aging.To do this, you need to know which skin changes are inevitable and which are caused by our careless attitude or arise due to harmful environmental factors.
What happens to the skin as it ages?
As we can see, almost all structures of the skin (and the body in general) deteriorate over the years and stop performing their biological functions.For convenience, we can identify certain aging targets that are also the main targets of anti-aging procedures.
Professional cosmetics, aesthetic and medical cosmetology procedures - we found out what facial skin rejuvenation procedures the salons in our city offer.
Facial massage + botulinum toxin injection
Facial massage ─ manual or hardware ─ is one of those procedures that is appropriate to use to prevent age-related changes, even at a fairly early age.It also gives a good effect in correcting already occurring age-related changes (pronounced nasolabial folds, "proud wrinkles" and longitudinal wrinkles in the forehead area, "crow's feet" in the eye area, loss of facial contour, double chin).Massage allows you to work and tone relaxed muscles or, conversely, relax tense ones.Thanks to this, we get the effect of reducing the severity of wrinkles and improving the oval of the face.The massage is performed in a course (an average of 10 procedures, two per week), after which you can correct facial wrinkles with the help of botulinum toxin injections.In this case, it will be possible to pass with a smaller amount of the drug and get a more pronounced result.
Facial skin lifting + injection of filler or autofat
With the help of plastic surgery, you can achieve a lifting effect, but, alas, you cannot completely get rid of wrinkles.After plastic surgery, for example, wrinkles remain around the mouth, as well as "marionette lines" (so-called "wrinkles").To make them less noticeable, filler injections are used in the nasolabial folds, lips and cheekbones.An alternative to injecting fillers is the lipofilling procedure, where your own fat cells are used to fill the volume.They are taken with a syringe from certain areas of the body (abdomen, inner thighs, knees) and injected in small amounts into the desired area.This must be done very carefully, as the main task is to ensure that the fat cells adapt to the right place and take root.The advantage of lipofilling over the injection of fillers is obvious: the fillers have to be renewed every year, while the fat cells remain in the injected area for years.Also, in the case of lipofilling, a possible allergic reaction that may occur to the injected fillers is excluded.
Blepharoplasty + laser procedures
To a greater extent, this combination will be suitable for plasty of the lower eyelid, where the muscles are "soldered" to the skin and it is impossible to remove all its excess.That is why laser treatment of this area is indicated three weeks after the operation.The laser has a stimulating effect on the skin, thereby reducing it and activating the synthesis of new collagen and elastin - after which the skin is tightened and becomes more elastic.One session may be enough for a pronounced effect.
Often, this technique is used in cases where it is necessary to get rid of hernial sacs (this problem, by the way, can also bother quite young people).The operation to remove such hernias is performed transconjunctivally (through a small incision on the side of the mucous membrane of the lower eyelid), and after removing the fat bags, excess skin remains that needs to be tightened - a laser is needed for these purposes.
What is a facelift and which procedure is better to choose?
Perhaps almost every woman sooner or later begins to think about lifting.Over time, the skin loses its former elasticity and the first wrinkles appear.This is an inevitable process - after 30 years, the amount of collagen and elastin begins to gradually decrease, and without this framework, the skin becomes loose and inelastic.
All procedures are divided into surgical and non-surgical.Operating theaters require the intervention of a surgeon.Non-surgical methods include various types of hardware lifting, as well as injection of cosmetic preparations that improve skin tone and saturate it with moisture.
Circular lift
A peripheral facelift usually refers to surgery that corrects the front and sides of the neck, the midface and frontotemporal areas, the outer eyebrows, the cheeks, and the areas around the corners of the mouth.The operation is performed under general anesthesia and may last several hours.After the operation, you will have to spend a few days in the hospital, after a week the stitches are removed, and the swelling completely disappears in about 2 months.You can speed up rehabilitation with the help of massage and physical therapy.You can fully appreciate the result after lifting after 6-8 months.The lap lift is the most serious and traumatic lifting operation.However, the effect is very long-lasting - surgeons recommend resorting to such operations no more often than once every 7-10 years.Peripheral lifting should not be performed before the age of 40-50.Depending on the depth of impact, there are two types of circular lifting: SMAS lifting, which affects not only the skin, but also fat and muscle tissue, and a more superficial subcutaneous lifting.The first can deal with even the most significant age-related changes, while the second is suitable for less noticeable problems.
this is important
The procedure has a number of contraindications, which include blood diseases, oncology, serious disorders of internal organs, heart diseases, hypertension, diseases of the nervous system, epilepsy, pregnancy, breastfeeding and a number of others.That is why it is very important to consult a doctor before surgery.
Endoscopic lifting
This procedure is sometimes called a sutureless facelift.All manipulations are performed through small incisions, after which practically no scars remain.Endoscopic lifting is indicated for minor age changes - the appearance of mimic wrinkles on the forehead and in the area of the nasolabial folds, drooping eyebrows.But if there is significant deterioration of the skin, it is better to choose a traditional circular facelift.In terms of effectiveness and recovery time, an endoscopic facelift is very similar to a conventional circular facelift.Contraindications are similar: heart and vascular diseases, oncology, diabetes, hypertension, blood coagulation disorders, diseases of internal organs, thyroid gland, wounds and burns on the surface of the face, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc.In addition, after the operation, pulling sensations in the suture area are possible.
By the way
Facelift surgery reduces the blood supply to the skin, which affects its elasticity.Therefore, after surgery, additional procedures are always needed for rapid rehabilitation.
Thread lift
It is a relatively simple, minimally invasive and very effective procedure.That is why she gained such popularity.The essence of the method is the implantation of thin threads under the skin that strengthen the skin.These threads are made of gold, caprolactone, polypropylene, polylactic acid, they are biologically compatible with the human body and do not cause allergies or other side effects.The thread is placed using an elastic needle.Over time, connective tissue forms around the thread, which supports the skin and prevents it from sagging.
Both nonabsorbable and absorbable sutures are used today.The latter disintegrate after 8-9 months and are eliminated from the body naturally.Threads are used not only for face lifting, but also for body contouring.
The operation is performed under local anesthesia and lasts about an hour.After 2-4 days the swelling disappears and after 2 weeks you can return to your normal lifestyle.
This type of lifting has significantly fewer contraindications than the previous two types.These include pregnancy and breastfeeding, acute infections, skin diseases, allergies, oncology and autoimmune diseases.
Hardware lifting
Hardware tightening is performed using equipment that uses different types of energy (laser, radio waves, ultrasound) to affect the skin.Hardware lifting is offered not only in plastic surgery clinics, but also in medical cosmetology clinics.Such methods do not require general anesthesia or a long period of rehabilitation and are incomparably cheaper than surgical methods of restoring youth.However, we must not forget the contraindications, which include epilepsy, oncology, heart disease, pregnancy and a number of other serious diseases.
Laser lifting
When the laser is applied to the skin, heat energy is generated which promotes the natural rejuvenation process.After laser lifting, the skin becomes denser and more elastic, the production of collagen and other elements that contribute to the natural rejuvenation process increases.Wrinkles are smoothed out, blood circulation is accelerated, and the face acquires not only smoothness, but also a healthy color.
Laser lifting is performed quickly and without anesthesia, although very sensitive people may experience slight discomfort during the procedure.Significant and long-term rehabilitation is not necessary - slight redness disappears very quickly by itself, and the effect of laser lifting is visible immediately.
Ultrasonic lifting
Ultrasonic lifting is the only hardware technology that allows you to affect the deep levels of the skin.This type of lift is often called a non-surgical SMAS lift.The procedure is moderately painful and lasts 30-60 minutes.After the procedure, slight redness or swelling may last for another 2-3 hours.
When performing this type of lifting, an ultrasound wave has a targeted effect on the deep layers of the skin and the muscle-aponeurotic layer, activating the process of formation of new elastin and collagen fibers.The synthesis of new collagen fibers lasts 3-4 months, so the skin will become fresher and younger every day.The effect can last up to 3 years.
The safety of the procedure is ensured by ultrasound visualization of the skin and muscles;in real time the doctor sees the tissue changes caused by the ultrasound wave.
Radio wave lifting (RF lifting)
RF lifting affects the surface layers of the skin and subcutaneous fat using a high-frequency electric current.Some devices combine RF with exposure to a magnetic field.The pulses heat the skin cells, activating them and stimulating collagenogenesis.As with ultrasound lifting, RF lifting has a long-lasting effect that increases over several months and lasts up to 1.5-2 years.The session lasts only about 20-30 minutes and does not require anesthesia.The procedure is carried out without age restrictions.
The method is contraindicated for people with a heart sensor and metal structures in the body (pins, plates, etc.).
Photolifting
The procedure promotes skin rejuvenation by using light-thermal pulses affecting its deep layers.It is performed with IPL therapy devices.Light energy is absorbed by various skin chromophores (hemoglobin, melanin pigment), turns into heat, which is why the skin cell renewal process is stimulated, pigment spots lighten and the vascular network disappears.This type of lifting is often used not only to smooth out wrinkles, but also to remove cobwebs and even out the complexion.The duration of one session is about 30 minutes.The course consists of 1 to 3 procedures.
Plasmolifting
Our blood contains platelets - cells that are responsible for its clotting.But in addition to this, platelets release special substances that accelerate cell division.The introduction of platelet-rich plasma stimulates the synthesis of new cells and starts the regeneration processes.For this procedure, blood is taken from patients in a volume of 8 to 40 ml.Using a special centrifugation mode, platelet-rich plasma is isolated from the blood.The concentration of platelets in plasma for cosmetic injections is 4-5 times higher than in human blood.Thanks to such a high content, a noticeable and very quick effect is achieved.The course consists of 3-5 weekly procedures.The first results can be seen already on the day of the procedure.
Like other types of lifting, plasma lifting has a number of contraindications: pregnancy and breastfeeding, skin diseases, tumors, infectious and autoimmune diseases, etc.
Lifting by injecting hyaluronic acid (fillers)
Contour plastic surgery can also achieve a significant lifting effect.For example, in volume correction, by creating volume, for example in the area of the cheekbones, a general lifting of the lower half of the face is obtained.Bioreinforcement of the cheek and neck areas, with intradermal and subcutaneous injection of the filler in the form of a network, the skin becomes more elastic and toned.Vector lifting - the filler is injected subcutaneously in the direction of the loose skin, thereby strengthening and tightening it.
Contraindications for the procedure are blood diseases, infectious diseases, pregnancy and breastfeeding, damage or inflammation in the treatment area, intolerance to drugs.