Dear Dr. Seckel, I am 45 years old and have fair skin. I really don’t look my age, but I am starting to see wrinkles and loose skin that I don’t like. I don’t want a face-lift. There are so many skin rejuvenation options advertised that it is very confusing. What are the best non-surgical facial rejuvenation options for wrinkle removal and tightening the skin on my face? Thanks, Molly, Boston,MA.
Dear Molly,
Fortunately there are many exciting new methods available today for non-surgical facial skin rejuvenation that do not require a face lift. While a face lift, called a rhytidectomy in medical terms, is still the “gold standard” and a face lift will give a very beautifully rejuvenated facial result, newer high tech non-surgical facial rejuvenation methods are appropriate for people who just don’t want a face lift.
Laser skin rejuvenation called laser resurfacing is the gold standard for skin wrinkle removal, but again laser resurfacing is a surgical procedure.
There are many non-surgical laser skin rejuvenation procedures available, but they require many treatments over 5-6 months to see a result. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments, also called photo facial skin rejuvenation can also help wrinkles but it takes many treatments over 5-6 months to see a result. LaserGenesis® is a popular laser treatment. A newer product, the Lumenis® Aluma® with FACES® is the newest high tech wrinkle removal and skin tightening system and looks very promising. For pure wrinkle removal and skin rejuvenation the new ActiveFX laser skin peel is an excellent laser skin rejuvenation procedure which provides wrinkle removal as well as skin tightening.
The most important thing for you to do is to find a board certified plastic surgeon who is expert at skin and facial rejuvenation. Ask your friends what doctors they have had a good experience with. If you can, read Chapter 10 of my book Save Your Face entitled “Don’t Let Just Anyone Touch Your Face” for information on how to choose a doctor you can trust to give you good advice.
Also, don’t neglect the basics. Use sun block, eat healthy, exercise, and see your doctor for a good anti-aging, corrective skin care program. These latter alternatives are very important and less expensive than the high tech solutions.
For further information on facial rejuvenation, skin tightening, and face lift techniques visit my Boston Plastic Surgery Practice, read Save Your Face or contact me.
Dr Seckel
Boston, Massachusetts
Peabody, Massachusetts