For me, the human face is the most important subject of the cinema.
~Ingmar Bergman
The human face has always fascinated artists and scientists. Beauty, sadness and the entire continuum of human emotions are immediately evident from a brief glimpse of a face.
A person’s face communicates on a basic level. For example, even seconds after being born, babies begin the process of facial recognition so complicated that even computer scientists are just beginning to understand it. Health and vitality – both critical to making a positive first impression – are perceived by others based on facial appearance.
No one wants bags around the eyes or mouth, wrinkles on the forehead or dull, gray facial skin tone. However, many cringe at the thought of undergoing plastic surgery. For these individuals, non-surgical dermal fillers might be the answer to a more healthy-looking face.
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It’s More Than Just Aging
According to Terri DeNeui, a nurse practitioner and founder of Hormonal Health, Wellness & Aesthetic Centers (future Evexias Medical Centers), the process of aging can turn healthy looking facial skin into something less pleasing.
“Starting at about age 35, we lose about one to two percent of the collagen found beneath our skin each year,” she said. “Collagen and ‘Hyaluronic acid’ create that plump, ‘lifted’ and hydrated look under the skin. Unfortunately, as we lose these substances, our skin doesn’t tighten up as much as it did earlier, but rather it gets more lose, and this becomes obvious when we smile or raise our eyebrows. The loss of collagen and Hyaluronic acid causes wrinkles, sagging skin around the nose and mouth, droopy jowls and a droopy brow line.
“Hyaluronic acid exists naturally in all living organisms,” DeNeui noted. “Its primary function is to provide volume and pliability to the skin, and it is crucial for new cell growth. It can also hold up to one thousand times its weight in water, and it is what makes a baby’s face and skin so plump and ‘springy.’
“This characteristic makes hyaluronic acid an ideal filler because as the body naturally breaks it down over time, the remaining product continues to attract water from the body. This allows shape and volume to be maintained until the filler is completely gone. We offer several Hyaluronic acid-based fillers which are all fully biodegradable, natural and safe. These include Restalyne, Perlane, Javaderm and Belotero.
“We offer another product called Bellafill ™ which is a non-synthetic, collagen-based filler that, over time, builds collagen under your skin.
“Bellafill is the only FDA- approved filler with 5 – 10 year longevity and it successfully completed the longest FDA approval process. This is because the makers had to prove that it could indeed last for ten years. This is really an amazing product and the safest dermal filler on the market. It’s important to reiterate that Bellafill product lasts longer because it stimulates the growth of the patient’s own collagen.
“There are also other factors which can accelerate this process,” DeNeui said. “For example, sun damage can affect the appearance of the skin. We also know that hormone imbalance, specifically estrogen in women, can affect the dissipation of collagen under the skin. When women go through early menopause, they often notice a lack of elasticity in their facial skin and in other parts of their bodies such as their arms. This is because they are losing collagen.
Women AND Men Face the Music
While men and woman are affected equally by this loss of collagen, women seem to be more aware of this aging process and this could be exacerbated by the loss of estrogen.
“In our society, an ‘aging’ face seems to be more acceptable in men than women,” she said. “For example, the older male actors, such as Robert Redford, have wrinkles around their eyes and most observers would say these add to their rugged good looks. For women, however, that which is considered attractive does not include wrinkles.
“In our practice, we have noticed more and more men seeking out these non-surgical, dermal fillers because it has become more acceptable to get these cosmetic enhancements. Older men are competing in the marketplace with younger men and these processes help to create a more youthful appearance and a competitive edge.”
Side Effects and Downtime
Side effects and recovery time are two concerns for patients who opt for this non-surgical dermal filler process. These will depend on the patient and the fillers used.
“These new dermal fillers have greater longevity than Botox,” DeNeui said. “Botox tends to last no more than three to four months. After that period, another injection is needed.”
“As for downtime, we advise our patients who are considering these processes to give themselves two or three weeks of recovery time, just in case a bruise results. It is critical to find a skilled injector for these dermal filler processes and we are fortunate to have four, very skilled injectors in our offices.
“Every face is different and each individual has slightly different volume loss. For these reasons, proper injection combines both art and science.
“Our objective is to turn back the hands of time, just a little,” DeNeui smiled. “We’re not trying to make our patients look dramatically different. If someone is 50, they are not going to look like a 20-year old. However, with these treatments, they can have the appearance of someone who is 35 or 40. It’s a pleasant change and women and more and more men seem to love it!”
