For years, the cosmetic dermatology industry has had a laser focus on preventing and reversing the signs of aging in your skin, but is this an accurate reflection of what our products and treatments actually do? Here’s our take on the term anti-aging, and why some continue to use it while others have changed their tune.
Anti-aging focuses on heavily on two things: Correction and prevention by using products and treatments that can hold off the usual signs of aging like wrinkles, sagging skin, discoloration, and so on. The preventative side of cosmetic dermatology is best exemplified through things like botox, facial treatments, gentle lasers like Clear + Brilliant, and of course, all the sunscreen you can fit in your bathroom vanity. At Supriya Dermatology, we refer to this more as prejuvenation because of it’s preventative nature.
The other focus is correction, and this is where different opinions come into play. How long can you actually hold off the signs of aging while still preserving a natural appearance? Well, it depends. Some of it depends on your genetics, some of it depends on your diligence in protecting your skin during your youth, and some of it depends on the type of treatments you get to reverse aging. But at the end of the day, all of us are going to age no matter what we do. The question then becomes more about how much your skin shows your age. So if anti-aging is about fixing wrinkles, age spots, and sagging skin, should the focus be more of "I want to improve my skin's health" instead of "I want to improve my skin's appearance"?
Loss of collagen, elastin, volume, muscle, and bone in the face can all lead to wrinkles, sagging, and age spots as our skin's ability to heal itself decreases with time. We might refer to it as aging skin because as your skin's healing abilities decrease, so does it's overall health. When you think of healthy skin, you probably envision smoothness, vibrance, and plumpness. Sure, you could get a face or neck lift, and you can certainly have surgical procedures that will forcefully lift and pull your skin where you want it to be. But is any of it actually making your skin healthier?
If you think of your skin as a garment that has faded or has discolored spots on it, you can alter the seams all you want but it won't repair the appearance of the fabric. As with your skin, surgical alterations might lift but they might not make your skin look much healthier if it's missing the crucial collagen, elastin, and other elements it needs.
In our practice, our focus is about skin health because we know that healthy skin will look younger simply by nature. Our preventative treatments like botox, lasers, facials, and skincare products all work together to do one thing: keep your skin healthy and prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin for as long as possible. The youthful appearance is simply an added bonus! And when it comes to corrective measures, the approach is different but the result is the same. Treatments and products like Genius RF, Fraxel, thread lifts, chemical peels, retinol, platelet-rich plasma (for skin and hair), EndyMed, and more all work to restore your skin’s health by boosting it’s natural plumping and healing processes. When the focus is on health like rebuilding collagen, restoring volume, and naturally tightening skin, the end result appears to be a subtle and natural reversal of aging.
How should you approach anti-aging?
We suggest treatments for patients based on customized consultations and individual expectations, because every single patient experience is totally different. But we also acknowledge that banishing every single last wrinkle isn’t realistic as you get older. True beauty is more natural, and that comes from choosing treatments that stimulate your skin’s own ability to restore itself naturally, as opposed to aggressive surgical fixes. For some patients, gentler methods like skincare products and injectables are enough to do the trick, and others need stronger lasers and RF treatments. But regardless of what works best for you personally, if your focus is always on building healthier skin, you’ll always be happy with your results.
Not sure what's best for your skin? Make an appointment with Dr. Supriya Tomar today to get an evaluation and see what skincare treatments are best for you. Call our office at 561-805-9399 or email us at info@supriyamd.com to book your appointment.