Tag Archives: Smart Beauty Guide Blog

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AGEISM AND PLASTIC SURGERY

I’ve always been a big believer in the “you’re as old as you feel” mentality, but the truth is there’s a lot of ageism going on. It’s in the fashion world, the beauty world, and most problematic, the workforce where it’s particularly scary because it greatly impacts one’s ability to provide for themselves and continue to stay and feel vital.

It’s been trending for a while now. Older Americans have been getting non-surgical aesthetic procedures and cosmetic surgery to stay competitive in the job market, whether they’re seeking employment or trying to hold onto their present jobs.Though qualifications and experience for a specific job should be the deciding factor, unfortunately that’s not always the case. Right or wrong, consciously or subconsciously, if a present or potential employee looks old that could be a strike against them, especially if they’re up against someone with similar qualifications and experience who looks bright eyed and alert.

It’s a fact of life. As you age, your skin loses its elasticity and can look less taut. You might experience wrinkles, drooping lids, hollow cheeks and even appear tired, worried and older than your actual chronological years. If you think plastic surgery might give you the competitive edge you’re looking for or at least even out the playing field, a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon can help you decide what might be the right choice for you. Even if you’re not ready, willing or able to undergo a full, upper or lower face lift, short of plastic surgery there’s still a lot you can do to address different concerns you might have.

  • If you have crow’s feet, forehead lines, the 11s or turkey neck, Botox can help. It will temporarily paralyze the small muscles, prevent new lines from forming and diminish the look of those you already have.
  • If age spots have got you down, a series of microdermabrasion and/or chemical peel treatments could greatly diminish them or you can use a laser to zap them into oblivion.
  • If you have under-eye bags, dark rings or circles consider hyaluronic acid filler which can trigger new collagen production and give your under-eye area a more youthful appearance.
  • If you have marionette lines around the mouth hyaluronic filler could be the answer as well. It can be injected near the cheekbones and temples to fill out facial contours, giving you a more lifted and youthful look.

If anything about your appearance does give you cause for concern, it’s nice to know you’ve got options. Most importantly, make sure you’re in the hands of an experienced board certified plastic surgeon. To find one in your area, click here.

 

(image via pinterest)

HELP FOR AGING HANDS

In my book everyone deserves to find their happily ever so I was delighted to see more than a few of my Facebook friends get engaged this past year. They showed off some gorgeous ring shots on their wall, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that some of those photos would have looked so much better if the hands they were on did not look so…OLD.

It might sound catty but I know I’m not alone in my opinion. Social media is actually changing the way people see themselves and many a plastic surgeon has seen an uptick in business thanks to patients coming in and showing them selfies that pinpoint exactly what they’re unhappy with.

Check out your own hands. Do you have age spots, veins, crepey or dry skin? Whether you like it or not, those factors make you look older than you need to look. Because the skin on your hands is incredibly thin and they’re exposed to the elements much more than other areas of the body, the hands tend to age sooner. Fortunately, the day to day things you do can make a positive difference. And if you’re looking for a big change, your doctor has got what it takes. Here, how to make your hands look much, much better:

APPLY SUNSCREEN. Protect your hands from hyper pigmentation, age spots and other forms of sun damage by applying sun protection. A good rule of thumb is to apply it when you’re doing your morning “getting ready” routine and reapply throughout the day when necessary. You’ll like Avon Anew Clinical Absolute Spot Correcting Hand Cream SPF 15 ($17).

WEAR GLOVES. When cleaning your home, doing dishes or yard work and when you’re out in the cold, always wear protective gloves to help prevent dry, damaged skin.

HYDRATE OFTEN. Use your sun protective hand cream throughout the day and also keep hand cream on your bedside table so you dont forget to soften, smooth and nourish while you sleep. Try L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($28).

SEE THE DOCTOR.  Regular daily maintenance should do a lot to keep your hands looking their best but if you feel the need to take things up a notch and really reverse the look of aged hands, a visit to the doctor is in order. Many in-office procedures used on the face and other areas of the body can be tailored for the hands to give them the youth boost you’re seeking. These include but are not limited to the following:

-Laser Resurfacing:  Brown spots, sun spots, age spots, liver spots, hyper-pigmentation — whatever you choose to call them — can be broken up and eliminated through the use of lasers that seek out darker pigmented skin.

-Injectable Fillers: Fillers like Restylane, Radiesse and even fat can immediately add volume to the back of the hands for a more youthful and supple look. They’re injected directly beneath the skin to diminish the look of veins and bony joints or tendons.  You can expect results to last up to two years or longer.

-Chemical Peels and Microdermabrasion: Both of these methods can help improve surface issues like rough, scaly skin and hyper-pigmentation issues.

A board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist can help you decide what options are right for you (click here to find one in your area) and no matter what you decide, strict post-treatment sun protection and skin care is a given if you want to keep your hands looking their best.

Note: For more of my stories on aesthetic procedures, check out my blog posts on Smart Beauty Guide.

 

(featured image via pinterest)

 

A NOSE JOB WITHOUT SURGERY? YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT!

Non-surgical aesthetic procedures are hotter than hot, so it was only a matter of time before liquid nose jobs started gaining in popularity. If you’re not happy with your nose but you’re hesitant to go under the scalpel you don’t have to suffer in silence, or suffer at all for that matter. Non surgical rhinoplasty might be just what you’re looking for. The procedure can make a world of a difference in how your nose looks. It can make it appear straighter, give it more symmetry and balance, fix an indented contour, add definition to the tip and even be used to fix post-operative rhinoplasty indentations, all with very natural results.

Chester, New Jersey – based plastic surgeon, Dr. Larry Weinstein, MD, F.A.C.S. has been using fillers to touch up noses for over twenty years, so clearly it’s not exactly a new thing in the field of aesthetics. The difference though is the number of options available to get the job done. Dr. Weinstein has used Radiesse, Collagen and hyalaronic fillers, his latest preference being Juvederm PLUS. He also likes the possibility of Voluma, which he says “may have application for dorsum saddle nose deformities.” If you are a candidate for a non-surgical nose job, your doctor will be able to choose the right filler or fillers for your particular concerns.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • The actual procedure can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes.
  • It can be pain-free when a topical anesthetic is applied 20-30 minutes before the procedure.
  • The results are immediate. You’ll walk out of the office with your new and improved nose.
  • If you’re not happy with the results, the procedure can be reversed quickly and easily with an injection of hyaluronidase to break down the hyaluronic acid fillers used for this procedure.
  • Depending on your doctor, the filler and the amount of work being done, the cost is approximately $650 to $900.
  • It’s not permanent. You can expect the results to last anywhere from 3 months to 2 years, depending on which fillers are chosen and how quickly your body metabolizes the product.
  • To maintain the results you’d need to re-inject the nose.

It’s important to note that though this procedure can make you love looking in the mirror, everyone is not a candidate for non-surgical rhinoplasty. Your doctor can advise whether it is an option for you. With a liquid nose job, the upside is that you can have instant and often dramatic results with virtually no downtime and without the pain, recovery period and higher cost that surgery requires. The downside to this procedure is that the results are not permanent so you’ll have to repeatedly get re-injected which can certainly add up financially, plus the procedure is not without risks of its own.

Think it might be worth trying? Consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist to determine if this procedure is right for you.

Note: For more of my stories on aesthetic procedures, check out my blog posts on Smart Beauty Guide.

(featured image courtesy of pinterest)

EXPERT ADVICE FOR AGING EYES

How are you feeling right now? Maybe you’re happy, sad, excited, scared or something else entirely. One look into your eyes and the world knows — after all, the eyes aren’t called the window to your soul for nothing! But, when the eyes are  camouflaged by distracting wrinkles, bags or sagging skin, the message you’re sending out may not be what you’re really feeling inside. The way your eyes age might make you look tired or angry (not to mention old!) all the time.

When it comes to aging of the eyes, young and old alike complain about what bothers them the most. Santa Rosa, California-based Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon, Heather J. Furnas, M.D.,  says “sun damage and genetics play a major roll in how eyelids droop, wrinkle, and look aged.” These and other variables determine whether you’ll look old before your time.

The good news is, “as long as there is a clear indication for treatment and the patient has reasonable expectations and is healthy, it’s never to early or late to treat these problems,” says Furnas. Though eye creams can be a very effective solution for dark circles, for most other eye issues you’ll need to dig a little deeper.

Here, Furnas shares the biggest eye issues broken down by age and your best treatment options:

EYE ISSUES BY AGE:

  • In your 20s: Occasionally congenital fat deposits of either the upper or lower lids and early crow’s feet.
  • In your 30s: Early crow’s feet, early hooding of the upper lids, and congenital bulging of the fat of the lower lids that becomes more pronounced.
  • In your 40s: Crow’s feet, drooping of the lateral brows, hooding of the upper lids, bulging of the fat of the lower lids, lines and early folds of the lower lids. Tear troughs begin to deepen.
  • In your 50s: Same as above, but upper lid skin droops more, upper lid fat (especially alongside the nose) bulges more, lower lid fat protrudes more. Tone of the lower lids may start to relax. Lower lids skin may fall into deeper folds. The upper lid may begin to droop so that it doesn’t open as widely as in youth (called “ptosis”). The skin thins and becomes crepy.
  • In your 60s: The above process progresses. Peripheral eyesight may be obscured by hanging skin. Tone of the lower lid may begin to worsen.
  • In your 70s+: Worsening of all of the above.

 

BEST BETS TO FIX: 

CROW’S FEET/DROOPING OF THE LATERAL BROWS: Botox

DEEP LINES:  Laser Therapy or Chemical Peel + Botox + products (Retin-A around crow’s feet)

EXTRA SKIN/BULGING FAT: Blepharoplasty of upper and lower lids. This can be combined with laser or chemical peel. Ptosis repair can be done for the inability of the upper lid to fully open. The lax lower lid can be surgically tightened.

DEEPENING TEAR TROUGHS: Filler or fat injections or fat repositioning during blepharoplasty.

 

So there you have it…the knowledge and the know-how to address all your aged eye concerns. xoxoNancy

 

 

(featured image from www.opensky.com)