Advice from an Expert on Cosmetic Procedures

by Rose Elder

Are you ready to go under the knife? I am most definitely not. I have seen several relatives and friends go under the knife and the excruciating pain they go through and the long recovery is something I will never go through by will. The scariest part is that sometimes the results have completely changed their appearance; Not in a positive way. Some have had great face lifts, but no one is exempt from the pain.

We are so lucky that in the XXI century hundreds of discoveries have been made on beauty treatments that can prevent us from ever seeing an operating room. My neighbor is a pharmaceutical representative for a company that sells some of these products and I sat down with her to learn more about what is out there. She is trained to know about every cosmetic procedure out there. Jennifer mentioned all the new technology that has been developed in the last few years and after learning more about it I now understand why celebrities look so wonderful!

The only thing stopping the rest of us from looking that beautiful is the money to do it. Some of these cosmetic procedures are very costly but apparently very worth it.

Here is a breakdown of the procedures Jennifer advices we can have done to prevent the knife:

Injectables (Botox and fillers)
Photo facial lasers
Skin treatments like Micropen
Chemical peels
Ultherapy

Injectables:

OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) is probably the most well known and most used injectable today. It is non-invasive treatment that reduces or completely eliminates frown lines, forehead creases and crow’s feet around the eyes by temporarily relaxing the muscles that cause wrinkles.

There is something called a “Liquid Facelift” which consists of the specialist injecting Botox around your face to create skin tightening throughout. The results typically last 3-4 months.

Each unit of Botox costs an average of $10.

Fillers have many different names, but it is basically what its name says, a filler to make your face look full and youthful again. Fillers typically restore volume and fullness to the skin correcting facial wrinkles and folds such as the wrinkles above the upper and lower lip. Lately fillers are also being used to add cheekbones and make the chin more prominent to make a face more symmetric. They are also injected right under the lacrimal bone to reduce the appearance of under-eye bags.

You can change your appearance without surgery by using the different fillers available now. The downside of fillers is that they only last 6-18 months and they are costly. Another problem with fillers is that when they wear out the skin can be left looking saggy.

There is a new injectable that helps you deduce the double chin. Jennifer tells me it hasn’t been super popular, but it does sound like a great alternative to surgery.

Lasers:

There are many different type of facials lasers and each one varies in intensity. A photo facial laser treats fine wrinkles, large pores and evens skin tone. You might need more than one treatment but it really improves the skin’s appearance. Some lasers are so mild you can continue your day as you would any other day. Others are a little stronger and you might have maybe one or two days of recovery from the redness.

There is also a procedure called Acculift which is basically a facial laser liposuction. This is done to liquify fat from the jawline, cheeks and neck to contour those areas.

I personally had the IPL a couple of years back and was very pleased with the results. I didn’t even feel like I had to use make-up for a couple of weeks after. The downside with lasers is that you have to do several a month apart to really see a real result. They range of cost varies from around $200 to $500.

MicroPen:

A sterile tip containing 12 tiny micro needles creates many tiny vertical cuts through your face. The treatment reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, improving skin tone and texture. It also helps even your skin tone. The little cuts make your skin regenerate and look younger. It is recommended to be done once a year.

Chemical Peels:

There are different kinds of chemical peels, but most target fine lines and enlarged pores as well as lessening superficial pigmentation from sun damage or hormonal changes. Some peels are also said to help tighten your skin and treat blemishes. I have never done a chemical peel mainly because of the name: It sounds too abrasive. You also have to have several done to see improved results.

Ultherapy:

Its an amazing procedure that simulates a complete face, neck and chest lift! It is done with a special ultrasound machine heating your inner skin layer to the exact right temperature to increase collagen production. In the next few months after getting the procedure done your skin will start to tightening improving sagging and wrinkles. The main difference between a laser and ultherapy is that ultherapy reaches deeper layers of the skin resulting in much better skin tightening. Ultherapy does come with a price tag that ranges from $700 (just the brow area) to $5,500 for brow area, chin, neck and chest. Prices vary from expert to expert.

Thank you, Jennifer!