In Pursuit of Youthful Skin: Non-Invasive, Anti-Aging Beauty Treatments in Southern Illinois

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In Pursuit of Youthful Skin: Non-Invasive, Anti-Aging Beauty Treatments in Southern Illinois
October 24, 2007
By Poornima Jayaraman
TheSouthern.com

Beauty comes from the inside or so the folks who are fond of this clich»d saying will have you believe. You have to feel good to look good, say the wise.

But here's the problem: The skin is an organ of elimination. It's also an organ of absorption and ingestion.

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This means, the skin doesn't differentiate between nutrients and toxins and absorbs both equally. It thus ends up being a mirror to the world of our lifestyle and state of mind.

A good diet shows up on our skin. So too does a nutritionally deficient diet. Add genetics, hormonal or emotional imbalances, stress, lack of sleep and the variety of toxins we are exposed to in our daily lives, and its little wonder we all have problem areas in our skin, we'd like to zap away.

When we append the natural process of aging to this already potent mix, what we have are wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, pigmentation issues, sagging skin, and a whole bunch of other skin issues, which trouble us no end.

Yes we admit it. We are a vain race. We like to look good. We want to look young. So in our pursuit of youth, an anti-aging treatment may be just what we need - a little Band-Aid of sorts - to help us feel better about ourselves and give that extra zing to our smile.

Speaking to various physicians and certified physician assistants in Southern Illinois, coming from different specialties, all offering non-invasive anti-aging treatments in addition to regular medical care; this writer discovered that the possibilities are literally endless when it comes to selling the promise of youth.

The Market

A 2005 report by Business Communications Company Inc. in Norwalk, CT says the U.S. market for antiaging products and services is growing at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 9.5 percent and will reach nearly $72 billion by 2009.

According to the report, nearly $280 million was spent on anti-aging products based on advanced technologies, the fastest growing segment with an AAGR of 12.6 percent.

"The market in Southern Illinois for non-invasive, anti-aging treatments is growing," confirms Dr. Ted G. Van Acker, board certified dermatologist and owner of Southern Illinois Dermatology, Egyptian Revival Day Spa, Dermacare Body Boutique and the Egyptian Fitness Gyms.

Its no secret, anti-aging is big business today; and truth be told, more popular then ever before. Take Southern Illinois Dermatology for example. Beginning as a single office, it has grown in the past 12 years to provide general dermatology, dermatologic and cosmetic surgery and the latest in laser technology, in 13 locations throughout the Southern Illinois area.

"The thing to remember is that these non-invasive anti-aging procedures don't replace facelifts," says Nelson Gauto, MD, plastic and cosmetic surgeon, of Southern Illinois Plastic Surgery, in Herrin. "As we age our cheeks start falling down, fat starts dropping into hollows. In such cases tightening of muscles is important and a facelift might be the route to take."

However facelifts have their own limitations, Gauto cautions. You can't get rid of fine lines and wrinkles with a facelift. And a non-invasive, anti-aging treatment might just be what it takes to give you beautiful results close to home.

Anti aging medicine

"I see the study and practice of anti-aging medicine emerging as a specialty in and of itself," Van Acker says. He is right on target, because the United States is on the brink of a longevity revolution. By 2030, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that the number of older Americans will have more than doubled to 71 million, accounting for roughly 20 percent of the U.S. population.

This means more people than ever before are looking towards anti-aging medicine to help stop the clock from ticking away.

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M, www.worldhealth.net) believes the science of anti-aging medicine is truly multidisciplinary. Hence anti-aging practices may offer a variety of services including dermatology, esthetics, weight-loss, dietary intervention, dietary supplementation, nutritional diagnostics, chiropractic, and fitness.

"Anti-aging medicine should really be called vitality medicine," says Linda Hostalek, Doctor of Osteopathy and owner of Holistic Healing Arts in Pomona and Herrin. "All anti-aging starts by looking at the structure on the inside. No matter how wrinkled the skin, it makes a difference what you put underneath. And that's why I like to focus on people's insides to get rid of all the toxins that don't belong - toxic foods, toxic relationships, you name it. Looking at the whole person is what I believe in. It's important to detoxify and put good stuff into your body."

A holistic medicine practitioner who specializes in bio-identical hormones, Hostalek is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Functional Medicine and is in the process of getting board certified by the academy in anti-aging and functional medicine.

According to her, anti-aging covers a broad spectrum and aims to make the individual as biologically young as they can be; whether it's by using hormones; or by behavioral changes that include eating right, exercising, and taking medications; as well as applying topical solutions and ingesting supplements.

Till date, human growth hormone has generated the most controversy in the anti-aging wars. Approved by the FDA in 1985 to help short children grow taller, it's been bandied around as a tool for boosting immunity, memory, heart function, muscle mass, and more by the anti-aging industry.

Research says most people after age 30 become deficient in human growth hormone. "Tiny amounts of hormones are what you need by way of hormone therapy," Hostalek says. "Because when they are tweaked just right, most people feel good, sleep better, and may even have improved sex drives."

"One of the ways I can tell if a woman is getting enough estrogen is by looking at her skin," Hostalek says. "Estrogen is the number one ingredient to make your skin glow. Not any estrogen, but your own body's natural estrogen. That's why I use bio-identical estrogen as opposed to premarin or synthetic estrogen."

Hostalek says a lot of women who take artificial hormones will have an increase in pigmentation. "Often I find, that when they switch to bio-identical hormones and supplements, their skin improves," she says.

Common complaints

The biggest complaint Hostalek gets from her female patients, other than the usual hot flashes and fatigue that come with age, is weight put on around the middle, sagginess of the face and the tone - lack of elasticity, dullness of skin, and sometimes discoloration of skin.

Autumn Wills, PA-C at the Aesthetic Institute for Rejuvenation and Lipodissolve, in Carterville agrees. "The number one concern many of my older patients have is hyper pigmentation in skin, sun spots, fine lines, lines around the mouth, and skin that is not elastic anymore," she says. "Many may even have problems putting on lipstick, since it runs into the lines around their mouth!"

Help is at hand. Here's a breakdown of some of the most popular and fascinating non-invasive, anti-aging options available in Southern Illinois.

While Part 1 of the story will deal with cosmeceuticals and vein therapy, the second part of the story (on page 16) will deal with injectables, lasers, microdermabrasions, facials and chemical peels.

Cosmeceuticals

The fastest growing segment of the natural personal care industry, the $5.4 billion cosmeceutical industry includes a dizzying array of high-end skin products purporting to contain nutrients that work for your skin.

Skin Care Center of Southern Illinois offers a full spectrum product line of La Roche-Posay cosmeceuticals. "We are confident our product line delivers," says Margie Nahass, PA-C, at Skin Care Center of Southern illinois, in Mount Vernon. "Quality products can reverse and prevent many signs of aging, so we often start there and then move onto chemical peels and facials. Lasers aren't for everyone. We are big advocates of 'if its not broke don't fix it'"

Not subject to review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cosmeceuticals include anti-aging creams and moisturizers that are typically available in many physician offices. These days they are also available in upscale departmental stores and even online in such places as Amazon.com.

"Part of the mission of Southern Illinois Dermatology, DermaCare Body Boutiques, and Egyptian Revival Day Spa as developed over 12 years ago by myself and my partner Dr. Barry Vesciglio is to allow easy access to physician strength cosmeceuticals such as Obagi and NeoStrata to the people of Southern Illinois," Van Acker says. "Think about it - why would a person blindly select a product off of the shelf when they could use a physician strength cosmeceutical selected specifically for their skin type by trained professionals?"

Van Acker is right. Despite being priced higher than standard drugstore-available products, the popularity of cosmeceuticals has risen phenomenally in the past couple of years. Often times you do get what you pay for.

According to Hostalek, it took her a long time to find a line of skincare products that worked and wasn't toxic to the skin in the long run. "My philosophy is to put things in your body that are good for you. I have a line of holistic skin care products here called Sircuit(r) Cosmeceuticals. They are all-natural, since they come from different kinds of foods. Very effective too, since they are filled with nutrients and minerals. The skin just drinks up the product. We also have vitamins which help the structural integrity of the skin."

However the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource says buyers should beware before investing too much money or hope in cosmeceuticals, since expensive creams may produce no better results than inexpensive ones.

While there are no guarantees, the active ingredients in cosmeceuticals can affect biological processes such as the production or breakdown of skin cells, which can affect the surface appearance of skin.

Kristen Jacobs, MD, practices family medicine and specializes in preventative health, women and children's health and anti-aging skincare at Wise Health Solutions, in Mt. Vernon. "As a family care physician I do preventative medicine and anti-aging goes together with preventative care," she says.

Jacobs carries a line of cosmeceuticals called SkinCeuticals. "One product I push to people to help with antiaging is vitamin C," she says. "Vitamin C is hard to stabilize, since it oxidizes as soon as it hits the air. SkinCeuticals does a good job stabilizing it."

Long known for its role in promoting the synthesis of collagen, its antioxidant effects and modest anti-inflammatory effects, vitamin C applied topically works as a preventative treatment with the goal of protecting the skin from further environmental damage.

Recent studies have confirmed the importance of antioxidants to help combat not only the visible signs of photo-aging (fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration), but also more serious skin conditions.

According to the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, popular active ingredients include:

* Retinal, a form of vitamin A and the first antioxidant widely used in nonprescription wrinkle creams. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals - unstable oxygen molecules that break down skin cells and cause signs of aging.

* Hydroxy acids that act as exfoliants, removing the upper layer of old, dead skin and stimulating the growth of new skin.

* Coenzyme Q10, a nutrient that helps regulate energy production in cells and may help protect the skin from sun damage.

* Copper peptides, which can stimulate collagen that helps keep skin taut.

"The trend these days is for skincare lines to come out with antiaging products containing antioxidants, retinol and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)," Wills says. "Many have research to back up their claims, many don't."

Things you can do to halt aging

* Sun: The more you expose yourself to the sun, the more wrinkles and fine lines you develop. Experts agree that using sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays, everyday, is the best antiaging measure you can take.

"Remember that sunlight needs to be addressed even on cloudy days with sunscreen," says Margie Nahass, PA-C, who offers the first FDA-approved sunscreen in 18 years - Anthelios SX - at her practice.

* Cigarettes: Recent studies have confirmed that cigarette smoking leads to premature facial wrinkling. "Cigarettes really are the bad guys," says Nelson Gauto, MD, plastic and cosmetic surgeon. "They cause more wrinkles, deeper lines, decrease the quality of the skin, and break down the elastic fiber in collagen." Not smoking, following a good diet and hydrating yourself sufficiently everyday are simple measures you can take to remain younger-looking longer.

* Supplements: Since the skin is always turning over, it's also important for us to have the building blocks - feed our skin the right kind of food to help it along.

"There are certain kinds of supplements out there that you can take to improve the collagen production of your skin," says Linda Hostalek, DO.

"We offer a lemonade drink here that has collagen and hyaluronic acid as its main ingredients. Manufactured by a compounding pharmacy, it's an anti-aging drink that works really nice. The other thing I recommend is Catalyn(r) (a multivitamin brand) and pharmaceutical grade fish oils like Pharmex and Nordic Naturals."

* Products: Products with retinols, vitamin C and glycolic acids can reverse the signs of aging and give you more bang for the buck. "You may need to put on up to three different products," Gauto says. "But stay away from products that say they have collagen and elastin."

The reason being that even though they may contain these ingredients, the body doesn't absorb them, because the molecules are too big to penetrate our skin pores. "That's the reason collagen is injectable and not a surface application," Gauto says.

* Tricks: Other inexpensive tricks, Gauto recommends, include the use of green tea bags for eradicating dark circles over time and purchasing over-the-counter hemorrhoid medication that can help decrease crow's feet. Though not designed for it, hemorrhoid medication can apparently make the skin remarkably smooth.

* Credentials: With hundreds of anti aging skin care products on the shelves everywhere, the best advice you can get is from your dermatologist, plastic surgeon or a trained skin care professional who can help you select the products that are right for your individual skin type.

Make sure you are getting treated by a qualified professional. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," Nahass says. "If an ad for Botox in a bottle pops up on your home page, while you are surfing the net - be wary."

* Prevention: "We need to take care of ourselves as children," says family physician, Kristen Jacobs, MD. "Start way young. I don't know about reversing aging - prevention is a much better approach. It's so much easier to prevent than to fix."

Getting rid of those pesky veins

While most women would like to get rid of their spider veins due to cosmetic reasons, larger varicose veins can be truly uncomfortable.

Several facilities in the region offer laser vein therapy as a means of removing unsightly veins (small facial veins, spider veins and large blue leg veins) from all parts of the body. However knotty varicose veins may require more expertise.

"Although varicose veins can attack anyone, most patients with varicose veins present in their 40's, 50's and 60's," says James Robelen, MD, FACS, founder and medical director of Southern Illinois Vein Center in Marion. "Women often notice varicose veins during their pregnancy."

According to Robelen, who diagnoses and treats vein disorders, including varicose and spider veins, his patients are mostly women in their 50's who have tolerated their varicose veins since their 30's, but are suddenly seeing an explosion of veins all over the place and are having to put up their feet at the end of the day.

"They have so many veins that it's distressful to them," Robelen says. "They are unable to wear shorts in public or feel confident about themselves."

Fortunately help is available in order to improve your appearance and relieve your pain.

"Several technologies have come together in the last ten years to advance the diagnosis and treatment of venous disease," Robelen says. "Ultrasound has markedly improved from the big giant units of yesteryear to the small, portable, affordable units with improved resolution. The other thing that has improved is the laser treatment itself."

Using ultrasound to guide the laser into the vein, Robelen uses energy from the laser fiber to heat and seal the vein closed in a minimally invasive procedure.

Offering a variety of services including endovenous laser ablation, ultrasound guided sclerotherapy and microphlebectomy, Robelen says he uses a combination of modalities and therapies to treat varicose and spider veins.

"About a fifth of patients with spider veins will have valve disease attributable to superficial veins," Robelen says. "So we try to attack the superficial vein." With minimum downtime, most clients drive to his office, get the procedure done and drive back home.