FACE CONDITIONS
EYE REJUVENATION
In a youthful face the periorbital region is full of volume and the eyelid skin is toned. The muscles and skin around the eyes are thin and should be treated gently.
It is very important to moisturise the skin with a good eye cream from an early age and to avoid heavy make-up, which irritates the skin.ult with our clients to ensure that we treat them in a way that meets their requirements but helps them to look natural at the same time.
For wrinkle forming prevention and treatment we offer Botulinum Toxin A injections or combination treatment with Laser/Light and Radio Frequency therapy, Injectable fillers, andMesotherapy depending on the severity of the lines.
Dark circles and bags under the eyes tend to age your appearance more than wrinkles or grey hair. Besides ageing there are other causes of dark circles and the bags under the eyes:
- Allergies
- Fluid imbalance
- Anaemia
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Insomnia
- Sinusitis
Dark circles and bags under the eyes are a common complaint and make one look tired and stressed. As people age the skin around eyes becomes thinner and collagen is lost. The thin skin loses elasticity and bags under the eyes are formed.
The skin becomes darker around the eyes because of natural pigments under the skin. Red blood cells leak through small capillaries and break down the hemosiderin around the eyes and the blood oxidizes and dark circles appear.
To treat this we offer one or combinations of treatments, like Laser/Light and Radio Frequency therapy, Mesotherapy or Meso-needling, and/or Injectable fillers. With prominent bags or skin laxity the treatment with Botulinum Toxin A is not recommended.
FACIAL AGEING
“Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty”.-Coco Chanel
The human face is important for many reasons, the most important being it displays our emotional status. People read each other’s facial expressions to understand what they are feeling. The face has been called the “organ of emotion” and, is perhaps the most powerful form of nonverbal communication. Our characteristics and personality can be seen in our features and they form part of who we are as individuals. The face also plays a role in physical attractiveness; people put plenty of time and effort into maintaining and enhancing their facial appearance because it is the focus point during social interaction.
The mechanisms of facial ageing are complex. Ageing occurs at different rates in different individuals. During the course of the ageing process the general outline of the face changes from a triangle with the apex pointing downward to a trapezoid or rectangle, due to sagging skin, and the downward descent of the cheek soft tissues. This change in geometry is more evident in the female face.
Factors affecting facial ageing:
- Genetics;
- Smoking;
- Hormonal disorders;
- Sun Exposure;
- Oxidative stress;
- Loss of sleep;
- Pollution;
- Bad food
As we age we lose collagen and elastin from the skin of the face. Skin elasticity decreases and the skin becomes thinner. Lifestyle choices such as diet and sun exposure impact the rate at which these factors come into play. Areas with a thin epidermis (eyes and lips) become wrinkled first. The main component of collagen is Hyaluronic acid (HA). Every 10 years we lose 6% of endogenous HA.
For many years it was thought that the human face aged uniformly. We now know that fat disappears from different fat compartments in the face at differing rates. Most cosmetic doctors now agree that the rate of fat disappearance is directly related to how the face ages.
Facial bones lose density and thickness. This causes some minor changes in facial shape. What is commonly seen is the loss of bone along the bony rim under the eye and in the region of the nose-cheek junction. The remaining upper and lower jawbones do not change as long as the teeth remain intact.
Superficial skin ageing starts from the age of 20 and progresses with the time. The number of skin cells reduces and as a result the skin loses its resilience, tensile strength, recoil capacity and elasticity. The skin also appears less bright, and firm. Folds, fine lines and wrinkles appear. The wrinkles are the earliest and the most visible signs of skin ageing. They start to develop on the face, neck and hands, especially those areas which are photo exposed. This is a complex biophysical process which results from progressive structural and biochemical alterations of the skin with impaired mechanical properties resulting in wrinkles and jowls being visible on the face. These are due to muscle motion and are referred to as dynamic wrinkles. The wrinkles that are merely due to ageing of the skin are referred to as dynamic wrinkles. Collagen levels also start to fall, sometimes resulting in crow’s feet and frown lines. Fat begins to disappear from under the eyes and dark shadows cause us to look older and tired. There is little effect of bone loss seen in this age group so no correction is needed.
For treatment of wrinkles we offer:
- Injections with Botulinum toxin A
- Chemical peeling
- Mesotherapy
- Laser/ Light and Radio Frequency therapy
- Injectable fillers
During this time the skin ages even more. The epidermis (outer layer of the skin) begins to thin and becomes irregular. There is increased water loss from the skin and a decrease in the function of the sebaceous glands, which provide natural moisture to the skin. Sun damage to the skin causes an increase in elastin that clusters into thick bundles, called elastosis. During this period of life there is an increase in skin irregularities (see Skin Irregularities) and we see on the skin new growths or hyperpigmentation.
Photo ageing can also cause chronic inflammation of the skin. Collagen levels continue to fall resulting in decreasing skin turgor and the skin becomes looser. We see, the beginnings of brow drooping and the appearance of the nasolabial folds (the lines from the nose to the mouth). The base of nose gets bigger and some changes can be seen in chin area. To correct this we can enhance facial contours with hyaluronic acid to change the nasolabial lines and the marionette lines (the lines from the corners of the mouth down to your chin). The lips also begin to get thinner. Glabella (frown lines between the eyebrows) and forehead wrinkles appear.
With advanced filling techniques we tend to look at changes that occur in the mid face and lower face. To correct this we can apply Botulinum Toxin A to most of upper face and also to elevate eyebrows, Laser/Light Therapy and Mesotherapy is used to correct skin laxity
Menopausal effects in women result in the skin becoming more fragile and delicate, and therefore prone to redness and broken capillaries (IPL). Oestogen controls microcirculation, and the lower oestrogen level decreases blood flow to the skin, we see a thinning of the epidermis and a slower cell turnover rate. The skin barrier function also decreases, leading to increased trans-epidermal water loss and dry skin on the face, neck and hands. (Treatments offered Mesotherapy, Meso-needling/Dermal Needling).
Blotches and uneven skin tone are also characteristic of this phase in a woman’s life. Because of low oestrogen levels subcutaneous fat tends to decrease and be redistributed. The skin’s underlying support structure increasingly disappears.
Oestrogen is very important in regulation for pigment production in the dermis so as it decreases we see hyperpigmentation and age spots on the face, neck, arms and chest. (See more on Hyperpigmentation).
Fat also begins to hang unsupported in saggy skin. The nasolabial and marionette lines substantially, if not corrected. (Recommended treatment: Injectable Fillers) Neck wrinkles appear more noticeable; more eyebrow drooping is evident and the nasal tip also droops. The lips get thinner and there is less dry vermillion (pink area where lipstick is applied) showing. Perioral wrinkles (smokers’ lines) deepen. Platysmal bands (“turkey neck”) appear. Correction: Hyaluronic Acid fillers to upper lip. Botox begins to have a diminishing effect. Face lift, Brow lift, Blepharoplasty or Neck lift often required.
Bone density gets less because of reduced growth hormone and oestrogen levels.
LIP AGEING
Lips are the most sensual part of our faces because they are an important tactile sensory organ.
The skin of the lip has three to five cellular layers and is very thin compared to typical face skin, which has up to16 layers. Because of this, the lips start ageing early and this is a complex process.
The lips age in two ways:
- Chronodermy – this is natural ageing
- Heliodermy – this is ageing caused by sun damage and other external factors.
The signs of ageing lips are:
- Perioral lines – vertical lines
- Loss of lip volume – usually the lips get thinner
- Loss of vermillion (white to red lip) definition;
- Bone atrophy which lessens the teeth-bone support;
- Abnormal ratio of upper to lower lip;
- Appearance of marionette lines – the lines that appear on the sides of the lips
For treatment of aged lips we offer Dermal fillers. See more on Injectable Fillers. Another option to prevent or treat perioral wrinkles is Laser therapy, particularly Diode laser WRA, Matrix IR Fractional.
Contact Details:
Cnr Athol Oaklands Road and Fort Street
Birnam 2196
