Sagging, Texture and Aging- OH MY!

By Kyla Sweeney

Truth is, women have always searched for ways to improve the appearance and health of their skin. And while the benefits of age-old remedies haven’t changed, they are taking a back seat to technology and scientific advancements that allow us to stop time-or at least slow it down considerably.

“Fine lines and wrinkles throughout the entire face and neck occur secondary to accumulated sun damage and aging,” says Clinton Humphrey, assistant professor of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at University of Kansas Medical Center. “The first step in improving these lines is a comprehensive skincare regimen.”

Humphrey says such a regimen should, at the bare minimum, include sun protection and a moisturizer. “Daily sunscreen application with an SPF of at least 30 is the No. 1 thing an individual can do to reduce aging of the skin over time,” he says.

But at-home skincare really is managed best in concert with a physician who can help customize a routine that will address your specific needs. And, not impressed with what is being offered at the local department or drug store, doctors today are endorsing specific products that actively work to improve look of skin. Humphrey and his Kansas City-based peers stand behind two lines in particular: Obagi and SkinMedica.

SkinMedica products like TNS Recovery Complex and TNS Essential Serum made a fan of physician John Michael Quinn of 2010 City’s Best winner Quinn Plastic Surgery Center. “For the treatment of discoloration, we have had some fantastic results with SkinMedica,” Quinn says. “These products contain ingredients that not only lighten and brighten skin discoloration but also possess some very effective anti-aging properties” thanks to antioxidants, peptides and growth factors.

Other local experts-including 2009 City’s Best winner Monarch Plastic Surgery and Aestheticare go a step further, creating their own private label skincare lines using proven active ingredients like retinol.

Local dermatologist Audrey Kunin’s DERMAdoctor line of advanced skincare has garnered worldwide recognition. Her user-friendly products, available in two local retail locations as well as at Ulta, Sephora and Nordstrom locations nationwide, are known for their packaging that clearly communicates end results to the user.

There are other, relatively easy anti-aging solutions besides “cosmeseuticals.” A physician at Monarch, Regina Nouhan suggests Botox injections to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and prevent new lines. “This is best for relaxing muscles under the skin, especially around the forehead and eyes,” she says.

Hollowing areas and thinning tissue, fat and bone can make us look tired and old.

But before committing a patient to more invasive procedures like facelifts, Kansas City Dermatology physician Mark McCune combats the effects of aging with injectables like Sculptra Aesthetic. Likening this product to a “volumizer” for the face, McCune says it can be used to “stimulate the biological process by creating an aggressive collagen response in the tissue.”

Monarch’s Nouhan also appreciates how Sculptra Aesthetic plumps the skin, creating a natural lift and reducing the appearance of sagging. “This product is great for creating an overall fuller look by building up cheekbones and nasal labial folds,” she says.

McCune and Kansas City Dermatology was one of the first in the area to offer another way to combat reduced collagen and the subsequent loss of a firm and supple skin texture: Thermage generates heat in the deep collagen layers of the skin over the course of two to three months. “It is a non-invasive way to produce tightening of the skin in a 3D fashion,” McCune says. “It starts with the skin and can penetrate into deeper collagen and fatty layers.”

McCune does point out a small caveat with Thermage, however. “It is not inexpensive and results can vary. But the benefits include no down time, no bruising and minimal side effects,” he says. The Food and Drug Administration has also approved the treatment on non-facial sites like the neck, arms, abdomen, buttocks and thighs.

Aestheticare focuses directly on neck issues with a process called SkinTyte. Similar to Thermage, it delivers energy into the dermal layer of skin using a broad spectrum of light. “It is the best non-surgical tissue tightening device I have seen in 14 years in the business,” says Aestheticare President Matt Taranto. “There is very little pain, just short-term heat. We always recommend a series of five treatments-one treatment every two to four weeks. That is where we get the best results.”

For other spot-specific plumping, Monarch’s Nouhan uses a hyaluronic acid injectable called Juvderm. With results that last from four to six months, this product instantly smoothes away wrinkles around the mouth and nose by binding to and absorbing water at the injection site. She also recommends Radiesse, a wrinkle filler that stimulates collagen and can last up to a year in some patients. This treatment is especially effective when used on smile lines around the mouth and that “pre-jowl” area on either side of the chin.

Skincare concerns for women go beyond the face to body tightening and cellulite control. But the fast pace of modern life requires quick and non-invasive procedures that require very little downtime.

Enter Exillis, a non-invasive alternative to liposuction that tightens skin and reduces fat and cellulite using radio frequency and laser. Currently offered in the Midwest only by Kansas City-based Aestheticare, this body contouring treatment can give skin a more smooth and even appearance.

No matter what regimen or treatment you choose, working with skincare specialists will ensure that you’ll love the skin you’re in-today, tomorrow and for years to come.

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