Skin Tightening
What is skin sagging?
Collagen and elastin are two proteins that keep the skin smooth, tight and younger-looking. But as we grow old, factors like sun damage and exposure to airborne toxins compel the collagen and elastin to break. This is when you will experience sagging and loose skin on your face, around the neck and chest.
Luckily, today with a number of treatments and remedies you can treat sagging skin and prevent it beforehand. Over time, loosening of skin causes wrinkles, furrows, frown lines, and crow’s feet. Slowly you can witness sagging around the cheeks, nose, chin, neck, and arms.
The main factors that result in sagging skin are:
- Connective tissue weakening
- Uneven fat distribution
- Weight loss and pregnancy
- Photoaging due to ultraviolet rays
Today in the world of dermatology, non-invasive skin tightening treatments have given us the options to improve sagging skin. These include the radiofrequency procedure for treating loosening of skin around the neck, jowls and other body parts and ultherapy that employs sound waves to boost collagen that is present under the skin and instigate skin firmness as well as CREAMS. Best skin tightening creams are glycolic acid and retinol.
Radiofrequency Skin Tightening:
Radio frequency is an aesthetic technique that utilizes radio frequency to heat tissue and stimulate sub-dermal collagen production leading to the reduction of the appearance of fine lines and loose skin. The procedure involves tissue remodeling and the production of new collagen and elastin. Radio frequency is considered an alternative treatment for the facelift and other cosmetic surgeries.
In most cases, after radiofrequency procedure reactions include redness, sensitivity, swelling, heated sensations. Sometimes the treatment is combined with a peel. These effects are normal and subside with time.
Laser Skin Resurfacing:
The types lasers used for Laser Skin Resurfacing are:
1. Fraxel- Erbium Glass Laser- It is a skin care treatment which diminishes signs of aging leaving skin looking youthful, radiant and healthy.The main benefit of this procedure is that it causes minimal burning of the surrounding tissue.
2. Carbon Dioxide Laser-Co2 laser resurfacing uses very short pulsed light energy or continuous light beams that are delivered in a scanning pattern to remove thin layers of the skin with minimal heat damage. This method works well for wrinkles, scars, warts, enlarged oil glands on the nose or other such conditions. In this, recovery takes up to 2 weeks.
Skin Tightening Injection
These are of two types:
1. Antiwrinkle Injections
2. Fillers
Antiwrinkle Injections; Smoothens wrinkles by relaxing underlying muscles.
Fillers; They are hyaluronic acids to lift and tighten skin. They plump up wrinkles and fill out sagging skin thus volumizing the affected area.
Post-procedure care & instructions:
- Limit sun exposure.
- Avoid scratching or picking the skin.
- Avoid alcohol or overindulgence in tea, coffee etc.
- Do not take hot showers or go for a sauna session.
- Adapt to a healthy lifestyle with good eating habits.
Ultherapy:
Ultherapy for skin tightening utilizes traditional ultrasound technique to deliver a collagen-boosting treatment for the skin. It also involves ultrasound imaging, which enables doctors to see the layers of the tissue they are treating and ensure the energy is delivered to where it will be most beneficial.
Post-procedure care & instructions:
- Do not use retinoids, harsh scrubs or exfoliating products and bleaching creams 3 days before and after the treatment.
- Limit sun exposure 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the treatment.
- Cleanse the treated area with tepid warm water.
- Contact your doctor if blisters show up.
- Avoid blood thinners and alcohol 2 weeks prior to the treatment.
- Avoid anti-wrinkle injections 1 week prior to the treatment.
- Avoid dermal fillers treatment 4 weeks prior to the treatment.
- Inform your doctor if you have a history of cold sores and fever blisters.
- Pregnant women should avoid the treatment.
