In the industry of cosmetic procedures and aesthetics one of the most sought out services we can provide is skin rejuvenation. There is some debate as to what this encompasses- but in general, skin rejuvenation is a surgical, or alternatively non-invasive, procedure that returns one to having a youthful appearance. Usually this is the restoration of the skin on the face, but it can also apply to other parts of the body, including the hands. While this topic will be covered in depth at SCALE 2019 Music City in May, we have put together this guide to help you navigate through the latest techniques and treatments that clients may come seeking.
Rejuvenation vs Resurfacing: Do Semantics Matter?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons classified rejuvenation and resurfacing into the same category, as do many medical spas and aesthetic clinicians. Resurfacing literally entails the removal of the top layers of skin to expose the fresh new layers beneath.
Sun, skin disorders, aging and even heredity can all contribute to skin irregularities on the face and elsewhere on the body. These include textural irregularities like wrinkles and acne scars, pigmentation changes like freckles, sunspots or visible blood vessels. In addition, skin may lose tone, feel less firm and lose the healthy glow that is evident in younger skin. Different treatment modalities are available to treat the different aspects of skin damage.
Laser resurfacing, mechanical resurfacing, chemical peels and injectable products can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles of the entire face or those that develop in specific regions of the face, such as the upper lip and around the eyes. These treatments can also be used to address pigmentation disorders, such as sun and age spots, and they can be used to improve the appearance of acne scars or other skin conditions.
Whether this procedure is happening to relax the skin, to refill features, or remove undesirable components, resurfacing and rejuvenation techniques are designed to make people more youthful. So, to most of the public the terms are interchangeable – even if the treatments are not.
Rejuvenation Treatments
Wrinkles, pigment, scars, dull skin and skin tone issues are among conditions that rejuvenation can treat. Generally focused on areas include the face, neck, décolletage, and hands – but there is also rejuvenation techniques that help to eliminate signs of age such as spider veins. There are many different types of rejuvenation treatments for almost all of the more common ailments that people will come to you trying to repair. New technologies are coming with new treatments – some surgical, others less invasive. Some of the more promising are laser, light and energy based and others fall into the injectables category and include stem cells and platelets. Still others are topical solutions using compounds that promise to make the skin look and feel younger and more vibrant.
Non-Surgical Preorbital Combination Treatments
Noted in the International Journal of Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine, this is one of the treatments that is listed as promising for rejuvenation of the preorbital area:
The periorbital area, consisting of the eyelids and surrounding areas, including the eyebrows, bony eye socket and rims, cheeks, and forehead is also the first area to show signs of aging. Periorbital aging involves changes that are multidimensional and multifactorial. Surgical procedures address some aspects of periorbital aging but leave many elements untreated. The eyes and eyelids are very complex and delicate areas, and as such need to be approached and treated with care. A variety of differing aesthetic treatments are available for non-surgical periorbital rejuvenation but one procedure or technique alone is usually insufficient. Techniques include botulinum injections, chemical peels, dermal fillers, plasma rich platelets, micro-needling, micro-focused high intensity ultrasound, and radiofrequency as well as non-ablative and ablative lasers.
Using Hyaluronic Acid As a Skin Booster
Skin boosters are gaining popularity, either as lotions, creams, and serums that promise to have anti-aging properties, or as injectables. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most promising as it helps to hydrate the skin from the inside out while it stimulates collagen production. Published as part of a resource on procedures in Springer, the following describes how this substance works.
Dermis consists mostly of protein fibers and extracellular matrix. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an abundant glycosaminoglycan, natural compound of dermal extracellular matrix, with high affinity to water. This characteristic is determinant of skin viscoelasticity, hydration, structure, and firmness. During aging process, collagenesis and elastogenesis are diminished, there are disorganization and degradation of dermic fibers and, finally, it is observed reduced glycosaminoglycans. These phenomena result in reduction of elasticity, density, and resistance of the skin. Skin booster is a new concept of treatment which promotes a global improvement of the skin, by HA injections in dermis. The objective of this approach is to maintain skin hydration, delaying or reversing aging process, reducing aging indicators associated with loss of mechanical properties, and using small quantities of HA. It can be indicated to young or elderly people, preventing or treating senescence signs. It is known that, after injected in dermis, HA improve hydration and stimulate collagen production, by mechanical tension, consequent to stretched fibers.
Rejuvenation of the Hands
The Journal of Aesthetic Nursing covers this interesting process, noting that, “when rejuvenating the hands, the most aesthetically pleasing results are achieved when the effects of both intrinsic and extrinsic aging are addressed, which often involves using a number of approaches. Extrinsic aging affects both the epidermis and dermis, manifesting as dermatoheliosis (wrinkling, skin laxity, crepiness, rough texture and pigmentary changes). The skin of the dorsal hand can be effectively treated with a range of modalities, although their use must be adapted to account for the anatomical differences between facial skin and that on the hand.”
Fillers can help the hands resume their plumpness, eliminating the wrinkles that are a tell tale sign of age.
Initially, results can last from one to two years, longer than in the face, say experts, because the back of the hand has fewer muscles and less muscle activity capable of breaking down the filler… there is also evidence the injections stimulate the body’s own production of collagen and elastin, so as time goes on you may need less filler less often to maintain the youthful look.
Laser skin resurfacing can also be used to reduce the appearance of age spots and give skin a youthful glow. The two can be used in combination.
