Gee, You Look Good . . . . For Your Age

Gee, you look good . . . . for your age! Is that a compliment, a qualifier or an insult?

Perhaps only the giver and receiver of such a remark are the only ones to decide.

Regardless, as we age, the only thing we can hope for is to keep looking our best. As time trots on the looking our best target takes a little more time, care and money.

How much time, care and money? That's up to you.

If you are a person who has moved away from thinking that looking your best is looking as young as possible in favor of wanting to look as good as possible for your age. Away from the rarely natural looking facelift for youth to a maintained subtle natural beauty. There are many safe, no or low downtime, cost effective, healthy options.

In reality, "Gee, you look good for your age" says that you look as if they have a healthy lifestyle and are happy.

Its easier to maintain your looks rather than getting on the "turn back the clock" treadmill. Here are some options:

~ Diet. That's easy. Eat healthy.
~ Exercise. Heard that one before. You know what to do.
~ Beauty treatments. They are restorative. Read on.
~ Maintenance. Of your health and your beauty. Value yourself.

All on the list are about looking better, not younger. In the beauty treatment and maintenance department here are some possibilities:

` Professional skin care options such as microdermabrasion, microcurrent, oxygen, LED, peels or just a good facial.

Some things these treatments can help with:

. As we age our mouths tend to turn down giving us an unhappy look. Microcurrent can help retrain those muscles giving a more pleasant look.

. Light peels will help keep the skin glowing. A glowing complexion is far more important to a "Gee" look than a line here or there.

. Microdermabrasion, LED and peels can create a look of luminosity and get rid of the sun damage (brown spots and superficial wrinkles).

And last but not least - use the recommended products from your skin care professional to keep up to "Gee" look in between treatments.

Raising Brows

As we age the brows can droop. There are a couple of safe, non-drug, inexpensive, non-invasive options to raise the brow. Proper shaping, microcurrent, a little brightening powder at the peak of the arch. 

• Proper shaping includes waxing, tweezing, trimming, or threading by a trained professional. Waxing and threading shape the brow by removing obvious hairs but also that fuzz which shows up under eye makeup. Tweezing allows for the "fine work" of shaping. Fine trimming can get the brow to lay the way they should. 
• Microcurrent can tighten the skin, build collagen and lift those brows. Eyes only microcurrent, in the hands of a trained expert, can work wonders inexpensively with results being progressive and cumulative.
• Line just beneath the brow with brightening powder.
• Use brow powder instead of pencil which tends to look a little harsh.

Increased Hydration & Suppleness With Microcurrent

We all know that through exercise metabolism is increased, muscles are strengthened, circulation is improved, inflammation is decreased and our stamina and energy is increased.

What if you could accomplish all these things for the skin? Truth is you can. By maintaining a proper daily skin care regimen the skin is stimulated and protected. A daily regimen is how the skin's beauty, function and longevity are continued.

Added to that proper skin care regimen  microcurrent services can gently stimulate sagging facial muscles, increase circulation, significantly increase collagen and elastin production as well as hydration and suppleness regardless of past history of photo-damage or negligence. For these reasons  microcurrent sessions have been given the nickname of "non-surgical face lift".

Smoking and the Puckered Pout

So you smoked or are smoking and are noticing those little tiny lines above your lip. Some of the lines are the natural result of all those years of pursing those lips. However, the added pursing of the inhale, the heat and chemicals from the smoke take an additional, and in some cases dramatic, toll. The skin of the upper lip is 1/3rd as thin as the rest of the facial skin (excluding that around the eyes).

There are at least 12 "expression" muscles that are attached to the dermis are around the lips. Besides frying that upper lip drying it out and poisoning it; you've trained the muscles to contract further wrinkling and creasing the skin.

What to do? Things that can help from your esthetician:

• light microdermabrasion
• microcurrent
• hydrating treatments that include hyaluronic acid
• An SPF30 sunscreen with a physical block (zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide)
• a clear waxy lip liner can help to keep lipstick from bleeding up the creases

To just have the lip treated would run around $25 - $50 each treatment plus take home products to continue the treatment.

Things that can help for more severe cases:

• hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane, Juvederm, etc.)

Dermal fillers run about $400 per treatment.

More on Botox

As reported in the OC Register today - Dr. John DiSaia of San Clemente and Anaheim says, there is no proof that using Botox over any period of time is a guarantee that you won't wrinkle in those areas. He says, "This would be very difficult to prove. Whether or not aged tissue would form some sort of wrinkle even with less activity may be more a matter of genetics than of use of a paralytic."

Plastic surgeon Dr. Joseph Cruise of Newport Beach says, "Certainly, permanent wrinkles can be avoided if there is no motion within the skin. The real cause of wrinkles, however, is not from our facial muscles getting stronger with age. Facial muscles are just like every other muscle in the body - they get weaker with age. Wrinkles occur with age because the facial fat that separates the skin from the muscles 'melts' away."

Doctor's agree that focusing on Botox as a wrinkle-fighter misses the most important causes of wrinkles. "Stopping cigarette smoking and limiting sun exposure may be more effective and would certainly be cheaper," says Dr. DiSaia.

I will add that adding monthly facials can do wonders for keeping the skin clean, increasing circulation and moisture. Try a microcurrent facial at a fraction of the cost of Botox for healthy skin, encouraged collagen and elastin replacement and amazing facial rejuvenation.

Microcurrent Facial Rejuvenation is in the News

Microcurrent, those tiny little impulses that can rejuvenate your face (and hands) has been shown on Channel 2 News in NYC says about this fabulous technique. Then, call me for an appointment.

Botox Can Add Wrinkles

In a recent article in The Orange County Register columnist Colin Stewart interviewed several cosmetic doctors about the new wrinkles appearing on famous and Botoxed faces. Seems that the rules kick in "for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction". That is to say that if you paralize one set of muscles other muscles kick in to help out their paralyzed buddies thus creating what is called adjunct wrinkling. Now we're seeing "bunny lines" that start at the sides of the bridge of the nose and end at the outer edge of the eyes. So now the "bunny lines" muscles need Botox.

I'm nether here nor there about Botox. However, I have seen some miraculous softening and rejuvenating effects on my clients who receive regular Microcurrent rejuvenating facials for far less cost and no injected botulism. An added benefit to the Microcurrent rejuvenating facial is that your entire face is lifted and the skin is revitalized.

More About Microcurrent

Microcurrent has been featured on Oprah and is talked about on other high-profile shows, and in high-fashion and health trend magazines.

All that have reviewed it or experienced it agree that with the Bio-ultimate microcurrent sessions the signs of aging can be reduced.

The microcurrent face rejuvenation lift gives you the freedom to attain anti-aging goals without the recovery, downtime and expense of surgeries and other aggressive services. The skin is re-hydrated, circulation improved, and a firmer, revitalized appearance is achieved after the first session and continue to improve with successive sessions.

Microcurrent is a low level of electricity that mirror’s the body’s natural electrical currents, triggering chemical reaction at a cellular level, enhancing the production of natural collagen and elastin, providing circulatory benefits and assisting in product penetration. 

When used in conjunction with specialized products and manual manipulations, the tiny microcurrent impulses encourage the body’s currents; tightening and strengthening the muscles of the face and neck The result is immediate firming, smoothing, and re-hydrating the skin while greatly reducing the appearance of fine line and wrinkles. Results are immediate and cumulative.

Unlike chemical peels or microdermabrasion that take off layers of skin, microcurrent builds up the skin layers by healing and encouraging cell renewal and regeneration of tissue.  

Benefits of microcurrent face rejuvenation:

• Diminishes fine lines and wrinkles.
  
• Tightens and tones skin and facial muscles.
  
• Product penetration.
  
• Hydrates and revitalizes the skin.
  
• Closes open pores and improves skin quality..  
  
• Thickens thin skin by regenerating tissue.
  
• Lifts sagging skin and improves elasticity.
  
• Heals acne.
  
• Diminishes scaring.
  
• Addresses sun damage.
  
• Erases dark circles and puffiness.
  
• Improves skin texture. 
  
• Improves circulation.
  

Microcurrent is a preventative treatment for younger clients and rejuvenating for mature clients. There is no recovery or downtime. The body's ability to maintain skin tone and elasticity is controlled by chemical reactions within and between the cells of the skin. These reactions are triggered by electrical impulses.  As the body ages, these reactions slow down and the skin loses elasticity and suppleness.

As we age, facial muscles either relax causing poor muscle tone or stay contracted (expression lines). Microcurrent can re-educate muscles to respond more effectively to regular nerve stimulation. Microcurrent can help return muscle memory to the muscle, giving better tone and shape to the face, relaxing over contracted muscles and smoothing fine lines. 

Another benefit of microcurrent stimulation is the enhancement of tissue repair. Circulation is improved providing better cellular exchange and regeneration, improved skin tone, elasticity, increased moisture hydration and a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

Microcurrent is a gentle, relaxing, and effective process. It is painless; no anesthesia is needed, no irritating side effects, no recuperation time and no down time. For the best long-term results a series of treatments is recommended.

Results depend on the condition of the skin, age, current health, skin care goals, and the frequency of initial treatments. To achieve optimal results, it is recommended that you receive 2 treatments per week for the first month to establish muscle tone. Once initial treatments are completed then results can be maintained with monthly treatments. As in any professional skin care treatment, you must do your part with a proper home care regime.  

 

The neck area will not be treated until the fourth initial treatment. The facial muscles must be strengthened first. Since the neck muscles are stronger then facial muscles we don’t want the neck pulling down on the facial muscles.  

Recent Studies using frequency specific micro amperage performed at the University of Washington indicated a 10-14% increase in the production of collagen, 48% increase in elastin production, and a 38% increase in blood circulation over the course of 20 days of use of the current.

Science The technology increases the chemical fuel that energizes the cell function, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) up to 500%. It increases cellular detoxification and oxygenation, balances out the skin pH, stimulates fibroblasts secretion of collagen, elastin and other protein synthesis and generally restores biological homestasis or well being.

The Microcurrent Session is relaxing and lasts about 60-minutes. You may even fall asleep during the session. At the end of the session, you will see a difference in the muscle tone and skin texture on the face and neck. Remember that these treatments are cumulative. 

ATP and Microcurrent

The body's cells contain a natural energy. As we age, that energy depletes (yet another "As We Age" fun fact) leading to a breakdown of collagen (the connective tissue) and elastin (gives skin its elasticity). Along with the loss of cellular energy and breakdown of tissue, the muscles become more contracted and elongated. In the skin and the face these conditions lead to less supple skin, sagging jowls, and wrinkles. 

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the natural energy that makes life in every living organism possible. As we age we want this to increase even though it naturally decreases. Studies indicate that a healthy body will use the equivalent of their body weight in ATP daily. By the time we reach 60, ATP production has decreased to half. A topical application of a serum with a quality grade of ATP and using microcurrent with oxygen can significantly increase the ATP effectiveness to the skin.

Microcurrent can help. Microcurrent uses a gentle electrical stimulation triggering an increase in the body's natural ATP. In fact, studies have shown that ATP may increase as much as 500%.

Besides the massive increase in ATP, microcurrent encourages better muscle conditioning helping to lift those jowls and minimize those expression lines.

Studies show that microcurrent increases:

• blood circulation (38%)
• blood vessels & capillaries (35%)
• lymphatic drainage (28%)
• collagen production (14%)
• elastin production (40%)
• glucose (40%)
• dispersion of scars
• product penetration

With microcurrent ATP levels are stockpiled making results cumulative. The increase in ATP allows muscles to stay in the re-educated positions longer, the increased blood circulation improves function, condition, color, and overall health of the skin, underlying tissues and muscles. 

With these impressive results a microcurrent facelift incorporating oxygen may be something for you to investigate. Or, if you're nearby, book a consultation with me.