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There are few certainties in life. One definite is that, every year, we get older. But perhaps it’s not so much our age we fear as looking our age. After all, 60 is supposed to be the new 50, and 50 the new 40 … You get the idea.
Thankfully, there’s a whole range of minimally invasive options to help us look younger, and many Main Liners turn to Cirillo Cosmetic Dermatology Spa in Rosemont for the latest innovations offering quick, convenient, natural results. “People don’t want downtime, and they don’t want to look fake,” says medical director Dr. Victoria Cirillo-Hyland. “Minimally invasive age-management procedures can achieve this.”
During initial consultations, Cirillo-Hyland asks patients to pose the question, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, what am I looking to improve most of all?”
Whatever the response, there likely are ways to combat those imperfections—from sunspots to crow’s feet to spider veins. “With some of these procedures, we can turn back the clock five to 10 years,” says Cirillo-Hyland.
Here’s the lowdown on the most effective treatments out there.
Facial Rejuvenation and Age-Management Treatments
Fillers
At one time, a facelift was the only effective long-term solution for wrinkles and sagging—and along with that, weeks of hiding at home while everything healed. Now there are a variety of fillers to address a host of issues, whether you’re targeting tiny lines above your upper lip or planning more extensive facial re-sculpting. Restylane, Juvéderm, Radiesse, Sculptra and other products are injected into wrinkles, acne scars and volume deficits to diminish their visibility.
“You can get very impressive results; it’s you 10 or 15 years ago,” says Cirillo-Hyland, who offers nine different fillers—and she’ll be adding more when new products hit the market this year. “It’s not that one filler is better than the other. It depends on what the needs of the patient are.”
For someone who’s 65 years old, with significant volume loss in the face, Cirillo-Hyland might choose Radiesse or Sculptra, which allow the body to make collagen. Or if you’re 40 or so, and simply looking to smooth some lines around the nose and mouth, Juvéderm or Restylane restore volume and fullness, correcting moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Fillers can last anywhere from three months to three years.
BOTOX
According to a report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, BOTOX is the most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedure for men and women—which shouldn’t come as a surprise to devotees the world over. The injections reduce the nerve impulses linked to certain muscles in the face and body, essentially paralyzing them to minimize contractions that cause wrinkles—especially frown lines between eyebrows, forehead creases, and crow’s feet around the eyes.
BOTOX is short for Botulinum Toxin Type A, and while that might sound rather ominous, it’s perfectly safe—and the only treatment of its type approved by the FDA. Within a week of the near-painless procedure, significant improvement is seen, and the results can last from four to six months.
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ActiveFX
Patients come to Dr. Glenn DeBias’ Institute for Laser and Aesthetic Medicine in King of Prussia hoping to refresh the tired appearance of their faces without surgery. “A facelift can distort a person’s face,” says DeBias. “We provide treatments that are very natural—that’s the ultimate key to looking your best.”
In 2004, DeBias pioneered the first fractional CO2 laser skin-resurfacing treatment, which came to be known as ActiveFX. It can afford a significant long-term improvement in skin tone, texture and tightening while reducing pore size, fine lines and wrinkles, eliminating unwanted pigmentation, improving skin texture, and removing skin irregularities.
The laser works its magic layer by layer, while stimulating the formation of collagen to provide elasticity and support. “After a single treatment, the results are pretty amazing,” says DeBias. “It’s easily one of our most popular treatments.”
With ActiveFX, patients can expect just a few days of redness.
Isolaz Deep Pore Laser Therapy
A godsend for anyone with acne, Isolaz opens pores and cleans out the congestion that causes it. Its photopneumatics technology combines a vacuum with painless broadband light to deep-clean and purify pores from the inside out. And unlike other acne treatments, side effects like redness or crusting are nonexistent. Results vary depending on the severity of the case, but a majority of patients experience significant clearing.
Dermaplaning
This manual skin peel uses a special surgical blade to gently plane away the top layer of epidermal cells. The treatment doesn’t hurt, does no damage and is extremely safe—and a chemical peel is applied afterward to further enhance the effects.
“I find this to be a more precise form of microdermabrasion,” says Kelly McIntyre, a licensed medical esthetician at the Center for Skin Restoration in Rosemont. “I can tailor the treatment to the individual needs of the patient.”
Anyone can benefit from the hour-long procedure, which removes dead cells and lessens fine lines and wrinkles, leaving clients with softer, smoother skin. McIntyre recommends planing every two weeks for the first month-and-a-half, then every four to six weeks after that.
Cosmetic Dentistry
“A smile is the most important feature on the facial landscape,” says Dr. Jonathan Scharf of Exton Dental Health Group. “People realize that it’s a benchmark of success—the best investment they can make.”
Scharf should know. He’s a member of the International Academy for Dental-Facial Esthetics, an organization whose mission is to foster interdisciplinary education in the field. “There used to be no communication between cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists,” he says. “Now there is a greater awareness that this is a multimodal approach.”
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Healthy teeth can take years off a person’s age. “It’s called ‘fountain of youth dentistry,’” Scharf says.
In fact, a simple hour-long Zoom! whitening procedure may be all you need. And more and more adults are opting for Invisalign, a series of thin, plaster trays that move teeth into proper alignment. The trays are virtually invisible, and patients can speak clearly with them. Most have to wear them six to eight months.
For a more dramatic smile makeover, ultra-thin veneers are bonded to the front of the teeth to close spaces, increase size, change color or straighten. “The proper positioning and size of your teeth helps to improve facial contours,” says Scharf.
Body Recontouring
Accent
Skin begins to loosen with age (as if you hadn’t noticed). The Accent treatment uses radiofrequency technology to tighten skin while promoting healthy collagen production and improving body contours.
“Radiofrequency is pretty hot,” says Cirillo-Hyland. “We do a lot of treatments on the face for the jowl and the turkey neck. We also do tummies, butts, knees and arms.”
During treatment, the skin’s inner layer is heated as the outer layer is cooled. A natural reaction occurs, stimulating the production of collagen for up to a year. The heat also causes the skin to tighten immediately, resulting in a more youthful appearance.
Patients who’ve undergone the Accent procedure say their clothes fit better, with some reporting they’ve gone down a dress size. Even better, there’s no downtime after treatment.
SmartLipo
No matter how strict our diets are, or how much we exercise, many of us have fat pockets we just can’t shake. One option is SmartLipo, a minimally invasive procedure that removes fat using a high-powered laser to sculpt body contours and tighten skin, all with less downtime and fewer side effects than traditional liposuction.
The targeted area is numbed, then a tube is inserted into the skin and a laser fiber delivers energy directly to fat cells, causing them to liquefy. The destroyed fat cells are then removed.
SmartLipo is ideal for the neck, jawline, arms, breasts, back, abdomen, inner and outer thighs, and knees. “Conventional liposuction is meant to remove greater amounts of fat,” says DeBias. “This procedure is meant more for body contouring of specific areas.”
Typically, only one SmartLipo treatment is required, and results can be seen within a week, with continued improvement over three to six months.
Hair Removal
Cirillo Cosmetic Dermatology Spa offers Soprano XL, a state-of-the-art laser hair removal treatment that’s virtually painless. “I suffered through electrolysis years ago,” says Cirillo-Hyland. “And this feels like a massage compared to that pain.”
Advanced laser dioxide technology delivers energy to the targeted areas much more quickly than electrolysis, significantly reducing the pain involved. Patients notice a reduction and thinning of hair after three treatments, and most need four to eight. Obviously, more treatments mean less hair.
To learn more, visit cirillocosmetic.com, ilamed.com and extondental.com.
Related statistics on page 4 …
By the Numbers: Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures
Women: More than 9 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in 2007.
• Up 9% from 2006 and 86% from 2000.
• BOTOX use increased 14% from 2006 and 525% from 2000.
• Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) use increased 123% from 2006.
• Polylactic acid (Sculptra) use increased 38% from 2006.
• Hyaluronic acid (Hylaform, Hylaform Plus, Restylane, Juvéderm) use increased 35% from 2006.
• Collagen use decreased 86% from 2000.
Men: 884,000 minimally invasive cosmetic procedures were performed in 2007.
• Up 40% from 2000.
• BOTOX use increased 215% from 2000.
• Laser skin resurfacing increased 32% from 2006 and 96% from 2000.
• Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) use increased 134% from 2006.
• Polylactic acid (Sculptra) use increased 38% from 2006.
• Hyaluronic acid use increased 24% from 2006.
Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Top 5 Procedures for Women
1. BOTOX
2. Hyaluronic acid
3. Chemical peel
4. Laser hair removal
5. Microdermabrasion
Top 5 Procedures for Men
1. BOTOX
2. Microdermabrasion
3. Laser hair removal
4. Chemical peel
5. Laser skin resurfacing
Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons
