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Stop Wrinkles Before They Happen
by Ginger Otis
Good habits and good genes can only take you so far when you're competing against the biological clock. Like it or not, there will come a day when you'll look in the mirror and realize that some of those "smile lines" are sticking around. You probably know that day can be delayed if you eat right, exercise and guard against the sun. But if you, like the rest of us, don't always succeed with the healthy-lifestyle approach, turn to this list of fallback options from Charlene Haines of Euphoria Day Spa.
Oxygen Facials
Botox Injections
Facial Fillers
Epifacial
Thermage Non-Surgical Face-Lift
Oxygen Facials
A truly blissful option, this facial cleanses, hydrates and exfoliates the skin while it pumps in plenty of fresh air, improving circulation, stimulating cell rejuvenation and killing any blemish-causing bacteria hiding in pores. Ever wonder how celebs like Jennifer Aniston look so luminous even without makeup? Now you know.
Botox Injections
This common procedure involves using small needles to inject traces of a substance that "paralyzes" the muscles underneath, where lines are forming — usually around the mouth and eyes and on the forehead. It temporarily freezes the muscles that form these expression lines, cutting down on the repetitive movements that help create wrinkles. It's fast, easy and relatively painless, but make sure to pick a doctor with experience, and undergo an allergy test first. You'll have to get Botox shots every few months, but the results are dramatic and, over the long haul, can delay the formation of wrinkles.
Facial Fillers
Gone are the days of lumpy, bumpy injections to plump up lips and sagging cheeks. Now it's all about Restylane or Radiesse, two natural fillers made of hyaluronic acid (a natural substance already present in the human body) that are injected right into creases and wrinkles to make them disappear. The effects last for about six months and are less prone to infection and clumping than previous treatments. Britney Spears uses Restylane to give her bow-tie lips a slightly fuller look.
Epifacials
A highly effective procedure that's one step below a laser treatment, this is actually nothing like a facial. Doctors turn an intense, pulsating light on your skin (officially known as nonablative rejuvenation) that fades pigmentation, reduces large pores, clears up acne and really does a number on fine lines and wrinkles. It's quick and fairly painless (you might feel a slight zap) and can take 10 years off your skin in a matter of minutes.
Thermage Non-Surgical Face-Lift
Non-Surgical Face-Lift</STRONG> One of the newest anti-wrinkle options to hit the market, this medical device uses radio-frequency technology to eradicate lines and wrinkles that formerly could be reduced only with a surgical lift. It works by chilling the skin and then applying tightening energy from radio frequency. It's not entirely without discomfort, but the results are worth it. Dermatologists prep patients with a topical anesthetic and a strong painkiller before getting busy.
Unless things are really headed south, Charlene advises, don't go under the plastic surgeon's knife. Radical procedures like face-lifts will yield disappointing results if they're done too early, she says. Better to prevent problems today so you won't have to fix them tomorrow.
Stop Wrinkles Before They Start: iVillage.com
by Ginger Otis
Good habits and good genes can only take you so far when you're competing against the biological clock. Like it or not, there will come a day when you'll look in the mirror and realize that some of those "smile lines" are sticking around. You probably know that day can be delayed if you eat right, exercise and guard against the sun. But if you, like the rest of us, don't always succeed with the healthy-lifestyle approach, turn to this list of fallback options from Charlene Haines of Euphoria Day Spa.
Oxygen Facials
Botox Injections
Facial Fillers
Epifacial
Thermage Non-Surgical Face-Lift
Oxygen Facials
A truly blissful option, this facial cleanses, hydrates and exfoliates the skin while it pumps in plenty of fresh air, improving circulation, stimulating cell rejuvenation and killing any blemish-causing bacteria hiding in pores. Ever wonder how celebs like Jennifer Aniston look so luminous even without makeup? Now you know.
Botox Injections
This common procedure involves using small needles to inject traces of a substance that "paralyzes" the muscles underneath, where lines are forming — usually around the mouth and eyes and on the forehead. It temporarily freezes the muscles that form these expression lines, cutting down on the repetitive movements that help create wrinkles. It's fast, easy and relatively painless, but make sure to pick a doctor with experience, and undergo an allergy test first. You'll have to get Botox shots every few months, but the results are dramatic and, over the long haul, can delay the formation of wrinkles.
Facial Fillers
Gone are the days of lumpy, bumpy injections to plump up lips and sagging cheeks. Now it's all about Restylane or Radiesse, two natural fillers made of hyaluronic acid (a natural substance already present in the human body) that are injected right into creases and wrinkles to make them disappear. The effects last for about six months and are less prone to infection and clumping than previous treatments. Britney Spears uses Restylane to give her bow-tie lips a slightly fuller look.
Epifacials
A highly effective procedure that's one step below a laser treatment, this is actually nothing like a facial. Doctors turn an intense, pulsating light on your skin (officially known as nonablative rejuvenation) that fades pigmentation, reduces large pores, clears up acne and really does a number on fine lines and wrinkles. It's quick and fairly painless (you might feel a slight zap) and can take 10 years off your skin in a matter of minutes.
Thermage Non-Surgical Face-Lift
Non-Surgical Face-Lift</STRONG> One of the newest anti-wrinkle options to hit the market, this medical device uses radio-frequency technology to eradicate lines and wrinkles that formerly could be reduced only with a surgical lift. It works by chilling the skin and then applying tightening energy from radio frequency. It's not entirely without discomfort, but the results are worth it. Dermatologists prep patients with a topical anesthetic and a strong painkiller before getting busy.
Unless things are really headed south, Charlene advises, don't go under the plastic surgeon's knife. Radical procedures like face-lifts will yield disappointing results if they're done too early, she says. Better to prevent problems today so you won't have to fix them tomorrow.
Stop Wrinkles Before They Start: iVillage.com
