Looking Younger Without Surgery

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Looking Younger Without Surgery

By Dr. Dean Edell, Medical Reporter
ABC7 News Team


Dec. 6 - KGO - We'd all like to look younger, but how many of us are willing to undergo the expense, pain, and recovery time of a surgical facelift? Dr. Dean Edell has an alternative that requires no scalpel, no anesthesia, and no downtime.

Exercise is just part of Patricia's plan for a mid-life makeover. A few weeks ago she tackled what she describes as her drooping face.

Patricia Kerry, Titan laser patient: "I just felt like I had this dropping of my & of the jaw line, and kind of like a sagging appearance."

She turned to the Titan laser.

Palmer White, M.D., laser specialist: "The Titan is good for people who are showing some signs of aging mostly in the shape of jowels, jowels coming down and the cheeks coming down and the lines called the marionette line getting deeper."

Younger patients like Jennifer are also looking for a lift.

Jennifer Snyder, Titan laser patient: "The last couple of years, I have a sad look to my face because of the sagging jawline and I think if I have a little lift there, I'd look a little happier"

Dr. Palmer White: "What we're seeing is women in their 40's who are showing some of the droop and they have a mother who has a huge droop and they don't want to get like that."

Using a gel to protect Jennifer's skin, the procedure is relatively painless. Novato physician Dr. Palmer White says the heat from the Titan laser stimulates fibroblasts and collagen cells in her skin.

Dr. Palmer White: "So you're producing more collagen as well as tightening up what you have."

This is just the latest in a whole slew of new technologies designed to rejuvenate your skin without makeup or a facelift. The procedure tightens areas with an infrared light that heats water in the skin. It also stimulates collagen production, which should make skin look younger.

Before and after photos show the jowl line lift. Numerous before and after photos showed pretty dramatic results. Even comparing Patricia's before photo with one taken shortly after surgery and you can see some immediate tightening.

About one-third of patients will see instant results, but for most, it takes several weeks or even months to get the full effect.

Dr. Palmer White: "You see the results continuing for six to eight months because you have this ongoing production of more collagen."

So as Patricia's jawline continues to firm and tighten, she's concentrating on firming her body as well

The procedure firms skin on other parts of the body, like the arms, too. Titan technology is too new to know how long the benefits will last, but patients may need booster treatments every year or so.