Beauty skin deep, but without surgery - Cosmetic Laser Articles and Reports

Beauty skin deep, but without surgery
August 19, 2007
JENNIFER CROSSLEY
TimesDaily

FLORENCE - To most, physical aging is that less-glamorous fact of life. Decades ago the only solution was to go under the knife, a remedy reserved for the wealthy. Now men and women are increasingly undergoing nonsurgical procedures to maintain a wide-eyed, glowing appearance.

In March, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported nearly 11 million surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2006, a 7 percent increase from 2005. According to WebMD, the top five procedures were Botox injections, chemical peels, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and hyaluronic acid injections, such as Hylaform and Restylane.

At New Revolution Medical Spa in Florence, women in their 20s and 30s come in for Botox injections, effective in preventing fine lines and wrinkles later in life.

"I don't think there's a too-young age. We've had good success with patients in their 30s," said Dr. John W. Scarborough, who performs cosmetic and medical procedures at New Revolution.

For the most part, Scarborough said women in their 40s and 50s tend to go for injections, while women in their 20s come for vibroderm and hair removal.

Botox works by relaxing muscles in facial expressions, said Dr. Marian Northington, a dermatologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Nonsurgical options take over where sunscreen leaves off. Northington emphasizes the importance of sunscreen for preventing skin cancer and wrinkles, but lines left by facial expressions such as crow's feet and lines around the mouth and forehead are here to stay.

Filler injections don't induce collagen production but instead fill lines. They typically don't last as long as injections that promote collagen stimulation, which last an average of three to four months, said Renee York, a nurse at New Revolution. Men, too, are increasingly taking drinks from the fountain of youth. Scarborough estimates a ratio of one male patient for every 15 to 20 women. Some prove more hesitant in inquiring about their skin care questions.

"Men are really concerned about their skin," said Methel Posey, owner of Methel's Hair and Day Spa in Muscle Shoals and Madison. "But they ask questions in a roundabout way." Still, "a lot of times women are more aware of staying out of the sun and taking care of their skin," Northington said.