A younger-looking you for the Yuletide

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A younger-looking you for the Yuletide
11/15/2007
By Alex Vergara
Inquirer.com

MANILA, Philippines―Are you looking for ways to give your face some lift before the holiday season rolls in? You donÌt have to postpone it for next year for fear of looking like FrankensteinÌs bride during the Yuletide ball.

The Belo Medical Group, under the experienced hands of Dr. Eloisa Buse, one of the companyÌs senior associates, offers a number of relatively painless beauty procedures with very little or no downtime.

Demand for BMGÌs so-called lunchtime procedures (treatments done in an hour or so, even less) such as Fraxel, Thermage, Firm Plus and Myo-Lift continues to increase since they work for a good number of beauty junkies, who can now fit them into their crazy schedules.

And unlike traditional, more costly and often painful surgical facelifts, which result in telltale wounds and prolonged swelling, thereÌs no need to hide in a cave for weeks on end after undergoing any of these treatments.

ÏYou will know that they work once people start noticing and complimenting you on how bright and rested you look,Ó says Buse, who also does routine invasive procedures like botox, liposuction and Aptos Thread (also known as the Ïfeather liftÓ).

Of course, the results may not be as dramatic compared to facelifts done under the knife. And except for Thermage, these series of one-hour, non-invasive procedures (they donÌt involve piercing the skin) are done several times over a period of three to four months for clients to see and experience noticeable results.

But unless you want to become the next Joan Rivers, who always seems as if she has just emerged from a wind tunnel, why go for the flat, slit-eyed, almost vapid look so noticeable among not a few high-society matrons today?

These procedures, in conjunction with other treatments and skin-care routines like BeloÌs Obagi System, promise to leave clients looking fresher and more relaxed, as if theyÌve just arrived from an ideal, all-expense paid vacation. Fraxel and the like often work best for women and men in their late 30s to early 50s.

ÏThe thrust nowadays is to go for non-surgical, non-invasive procedures as much as possible,Ó says the US-trained Buse, who joined BMG nine years ago. ÏThe results may be subtle, but the best part is you can begin seeing them in less than a week.Ó

Immediate results
In the case of Fraxel, an Erbium-type glass laser treatment that promises to eliminate age spots, temper acne scars, and address uneven pigmentation, wrinkles and even stretch marks, the results, Buse swears, are immediate.

ÏIn fact, you need not have these concerns for you to try Fraxel,Ó she adds. ÏItÌs also good for simply rejuvenating tired-looking, but generally problem-free skin.Ó

In Fraxel, the laser zeroes in several times on the treatment area causing fractional resurfacing (hence, its name) via a million points of light. The microscopic wounding, once itÌs healed, eventually promotes tighter, fresher and smoother skin.

ÏSome clients see results soon after the first treatment,Ó says Buse. ÏAgain, it depends on the clientÌs expectations and how her skin responds to Fraxel. One normally needs to undergo six to eight sessions for her to see optimum results.Ó

Each treatment ranges from around P8,000 to P17,000 depending on the area. Apart from the face, Fraxel also works on the neck, hands, feet and abdomen. Clients may opt for topical anesthesia during the procedure, but those with a low threshold for pain may want to undergo sedation.

As far as the treated area is concerned, the likely side effects are minor swelling and reddening, which may last from two to three days. After the skin undergoes a bronzing effect, it soon starts to show minor peeling within five to seven days.

ÏIf youÌre bothered by acne scars, then another option would be to undergo Obagi Blue Peel,Ó says Buse.

At P16,800 per session (one usually needs to undergo it twice), Obagi Blue Peel is cheaper, but a bit invasive and more painful than Fraxel in the long run.

But an unwanted but temporary side effect of this especially formulated, doctor-administered peeling solution is it turns your face blue for 7 to 10 days right after each treatment. If you want to catch up on your pre-holiday reading or do an extended gift-wrapping session without leaving your house for a week or so, then the Obagi Blue Peel is for you.

Collagen stimulation
For collagen stimulation, however, Thermage is still one of the best. Thanks to its patented radio frequency technology called ThermaCool, the procedure reportedly tightens and gently lifts muscles to help smoothen wrinkles and define facial contours.

ÏCompared to Fraxel,Ó says Buse, ÏThermage reaches deeper layers of the treated area to help induce collagen production, one of the components of younger-looking skin.Ó

Like Fraxel, it also works on other body parts such as the arms, neck and abdomen. Unlike in the latter, however, patients need to be sedated during the entire procedure. Price tag ranges from P34,000 to a cool P134,000 (face and neck) depending on the area.

A gentler version of Thermage, which also tightens the face and stimulates collagen production overtime, is Firm Plus. Unlike Thermage, itÌs virtually painless and requires no sedation and topical anesthesia. Although effects are immediate, clients need to undergo the 45-minute treatment once a month over a period of six to eight months to see more lasting results.

Finally, BMG has recently acquired a machine to help you in your battle with time and gravity. The Pan-G machine also promises to give you a non-surgical facelift through the patented Myo-Lift procedure.

It Ïre-educatesÓ facial and neck muscles to give these areas a more lifted and rejuvenated look. The Pan-G machine is able to do this through the combined effects of electrical currents and ultrasonic waves to stimulate and tone facial and neck muscles.

The entire regimen (P1,680 to P5,600 per treatment, again, depending on the area) consists of 20 sessions done twice a week. Each session usually lasts for an hour and thirty minutes.

You donÌt have to wait until the eleventh hour for Santa Claus to grant your beauty wish. If the likes of Dr. Buse can start doing it now for you, imagine how your ÏSantaÓ would react if he sees a younger-looking you come Christmas eve.